The causal conjunction For indicates a rather loose relationship. It does not imply that the first clause of verse 10 is the specific cause for the last clause of verse 9.

In a number of languages the indefinite relative clause beginning whoever is better rendered as a conditional; for example, “if a person receives the rest….”

This verse compares a past event (God resting from his work of creation) with an event whose time is not specified (people entering God’s “resting place”). Both these events are expressed by past tenses in Greek, but modern translations are right to use a variety of tenses: receives that rest (literally “rests”), will rest, rested. “God’s rest” (Revised Standard Version) is literally “his rest,” and it is better to make the referent clear. This verse and verse 11 contain a good deal of repetition, perhaps for emphasis.

Receives that rest may need to be expressed as a causative with God as the agent; for example, “if God gives that person the opportunity to rest” or “if God causes that person to rest.” The clause of promise may then be expressed as “in the way in which God promised” or “just as God had promised.”

It may be difficult to speak of “resting from one’s own work,” for the relationship is temporal and based upon a completed activity. Therefore will rest from his own work must be translated in some languages as “will rest after having completed his own work” or “… after having done what he should have done.” Similarly, God rested from his may be expressed as “God rested after he had completed his work.” The final his is rather emphatic in the Greek, where it means “God’s own work.”

As noted on verses 3-4, work fits this context better than “works.” This passage has nothing to do with Paul’s discussion of salvation by works.

Quoted with permission from Ellingworth, Paul and Nida, Eugene A. A Handbook on The Letter of the Hebrews. (UBS Handbook Series). New York: UBS, 1983. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .