Prior Book | Prior Chapter | Prior Verse | Next Verse | Next Chapter | Next Book | Viewing NASB and Amplified 2015 | |
NASB | Hebrews 4:12 For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart. |
AMPLIFIED 2015 | Hebrews 4:12 For the word of God is living and active and full of power [making it operative, energizing, and effective]. It is sharper than any two-edged sword, penetrating as far as the division of the soul and spirit [the completeness of a person], and of both joints and marrow [the deepest parts of our nature], exposing and judging the very thoughts and intentions of the heart. |
Subject: EXPLAIN HEBREWS 4:12 WHAT DOES IT MEAN? |
Bible Note: Greetings friends. Tim Moran's answer is very good. I too understand this verse to be speaking of the written Word of God--and particularly the preaching of it. It is by the personal application of the preached Word of God that we are able to perceive the difference between the soul of man and his spirit; we can distinguish between the joints that merely join bones together and the marrow that fills them; and we are caused to discern the difference between our thoughts and our intentions. Note the following verse: Heb 4:13 "And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are open and laid bare to the eyes of Him with whom we have to do." I believe that power of God's Word is such that when it is preached, God Himself becomes active in the process of examining our response to it. God is so great and powerful that He engineered His Word such that it can concurrently minister to our soul and our spirit; it can work on our external mechanical structure and at the same time help our internal bio-chemical being; it nurtures good thoughts so they become good intentions even while it roots out bad thoughts before they become evil intentions; and it helps us carry out good intentions while keeping us from performing evil ones. Wow! What a powerful God is our Lord Jesus Christ. Truly, man cannot live by bread alone, but by every Word that proceeds out of the mouth of God. Kind regards, Tim D. Cormier Tennessee Preacher |