11 translations · Greek
Hebrews 4:12
For the word of God is living and active, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and is able to discern the thoughts and intentions of the heart.
Hebrews 4:12 in 11 translations
- WEB World English Bible
- For the word of God is living and active, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and is able to discern the thoughts and intentions of the heart.
- KJV King James Version
- For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.
- BSB Berean Standard Bible
- For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it pierces even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow. It judges the thoughts and intentions of the heart.
- ASV American Standard Version
- For the word of God is living, and active, and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing even to the dividing of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and quick to discern the thoughts and intents of the heart.
- LSV Literal Standard Version
- for the Word of God is living, and working, and sharper—beyond every two-edged sword—and piercing as far as [the] division of soul and spirit, of joints and also marrows, and a discerner of thoughts and intents of the heart;
- FBV Free Bible Version
- For God's word is alive and effective, sharper than any twin-edged sword, so penetrating it separates life and breath, bone joints and their marrow, judging the thoughts and intentions of the mind.
- YLT Young’s Literal Translation
- for the reckoning of God is living, and working, and sharp above every two-edged sword, and piercing unto the dividing asunder both of soul and spirit, of joints also and marrow, and a discerner of thoughts and intents of the heart;
- DBY Darby Translation
- For the word of God [is] living and operative, and sharper than any two-edged sword, and penetrating to [the] division of soul and spirit, both of joints and marrow, and a discerner of the thoughts and intents of [the] heart.
- WBT Webster’s Bible
- For the word of God is living, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.
- WEBC World English Bible (Catholic)
- For the word of God is living and active, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and is able to discern the thoughts and intentions of the heart.
- DRA Douay-Rheims 1899
- For the word of God is living and effectual, and more piercing than any two edged sword; and reaching unto the division of the soul and the spirit, of the joints also and the marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.
The Greek words
Each word of the Greek text in order, with its transliteration, the Berean Standard Bible’s English for it, and its Strong’s number and short definition.
| Word | Transliteration | English (BSB) | Strong’s |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ζῶν | Zōn | [is] living | G2198 ζάω to live |
| γὰρ | gar | For | G1063 γάρ for |
| ὁ | ho | the | G3588 ὁ the/this/who |
| λόγος | logos | word | G3056 λόγος word |
| τοῦ | tou | — | G3588 ὁ the/this/who |
| Θεοῦ | Theou | of God | G2316 θεός God |
| καὶ | kai | and | G2532 καί and |
| ἐνεργὴς | energēs | active | G1756 ἐνεργής, ἐναργής effective |
| καὶ | kai | — | G2532 καί and |
| τομώτερος | tomōteros | Sharper | G5114 τομώτερος sharper |
| ὑπὲρ | hyper | than | G5228 ὑπέρ above/for |
| πᾶσαν | pasan | any | G3956 πᾶς all |
| μάχαιραν | machairan | sword | G3162 μάχαιρα sword |
| δίστομον | distomon | double-edged | G1366 δίστομος double-edged |
| καὶ | kai | even | G2532 καί and |
| διϊκνούμενος | diiknoumenos | it pierces | G1338 διϊκνέομαι to penetrate |
| ἄχρι | achri | to | G891 ἄχρι until |
| μερισμοῦ | merismou | dividing | G3311 μερισμός division |
| ψυχῆς | psychēs | soul | G5590 ψυχή soul |
| καὶ | kai | and | G2532 καί and |
| πνεύματος | pneumatos | spirit | G4151 πνεῦμα spirit/breath: spirit |
| ἁρμῶν | harmōn | joints | G719 ἁρμός joint |
| τε | te | — | G5037 τε and/both |
| καὶ | kai | and | G2532 καί and |
| μυελῶν | myelōn | marrow | G3452 μυελός marrow |
| καὶ | kai | — | G2532 καί and |
| κριτικὸς | kritikos | It judges | G2924 κριτικός discerning |
| ἐνθυμήσεων | enthymēseōn | [the] thoughts | G1761 ἐνθύμησις reflection |
| καὶ | kai | and | G2532 καί and |
| ἐννοιῶν | ennoiōn | intentions | G1771 ἔννοια thought/purpose |
| καρδίας | kardias | of [the] heart | G2588 καρδία heart |
Related verses
- Jeremiah 23:29
“Isn’t my word like fire?” says Yahweh; “and like a hammer that breaks the rock in pieces?
- Isaiah 55:11
so is my word that goes out of my mouth: it will not return to me void, but it will accomplish that which I please, and it will prosper in the thing I sent it to do.
- Ephesians 6:17
And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God;
- Psalm 119:130
The entrance of your words gives light. It gives understanding to the simple.
- 1 Peter 1:23
having been born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, through the word of God, which lives and remains forever.
- Isaiah 49:2
He has made my mouth like a sharp sword. He has hidden me in the shadow of his hand. He has made me a polished shaft. He has kept me close in his quiver.
- Revelation 1:16
He had seven stars in his right hand. Out of his mouth proceeded a sharp two-edged sword. His face was like the sun shining at its brightest.
- 1 Thessalonians 2:13
For this cause we also thank God without ceasing, that, when you received from us the word of the message of God, you accepted it not as the word of men, but, as it is in truth, the word of God, which also works in you who believe.
- Jeremiah 17:10
“I, Yahweh, search the mind. I try the heart, even to give every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his doings.”
- Romans 1:16
For I am not ashamed of the Good News of Christ, because it is the power of God for salvation for everyone who believes; for the Jew first, and also for the Greek.
Cross references from OpenBible.info, CC BY 4.0, most-voted first; text from the World English Bible.
In context
10 For he who has entered into his rest has himself also rested from his works, as God did from his.
11 Let us therefore give diligence to enter into that rest, lest anyone fall after the same example of disobedience.
12 For the word of God is living and active, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and is able to discern the thoughts and intentions of the heart.
13 There is no creature that is hidden from his sight, but all things are naked and laid open before the eyes of him to whom we must give an account.
14 Having then a great high priest, who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold tightly to our confession.
Read all of Hebrews 4 in the World English Bible.
Edition and source notes
Each translation is shown as its source prints it, in its own verse numbering; where an edition numbers this verse differently, its own reference is given. The World English Bible, King James Version and Berean Standard Bible link to their chapter pages. Edition notes.
Literal Standard Version (2020) © Covenant Press and the Covenant Christian Coalition, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0. Imported from the checksum-pinned eBible.org USFX source; the extracted verse text is an adaptation shared under the same license. Free Bible Version (2018) © Dr. Jonathan Gallagher, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0. Imported from the checksum-pinned eBible.org USFX source; the extracted verse text is an adaptation shared under the same license.
The original words and their English come from the Berean Standard Bible translation tables (public domain); lemmas and short definitions from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0), with Greek definitions based on Abbott-Smith.
Open Hebrews 4:12 in the study app to take notes, make a review card or map the passage; it requires an account.