Hebrews 4:12
Modern Translations
New International Version
For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.

New Living Translation
For the word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow. It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires.

English Standard Version
For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.

Berean Study 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.

New American Standard Bible
For the word of God is living and active, and sharper than any two-edged sword, even penetrating 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.

NASB 1995
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.

NASB 1977
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 Bible
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.

Christian Standard Bible
For the word of God is living and effective and sharper than any double-edged sword, penetrating as far as the separation of soul and spirit, joints and marrow. It is able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
For the word of God is living and effective and sharper than any double-edged sword, penetrating as far as the separation of soul and spirit, joints and marrow. It is able to judge the ideas and thoughts of the heart.

Contemporary English Version
God's word is alive and powerful! It is sharper than any double-edged sword. His word can cut through our spirits and souls and through our joints and marrow, until it discovers the desires and thoughts of our hearts.

Good News Translation
The word of God is alive and active, sharper than any double-edged sword. It cuts all the way through, to where soul and spirit meet, to where joints and marrow come together. It judges the desires and thoughts of the heart.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
God's word is living and active. It is sharper than any two-edged sword and cuts as deep as the place where soul and spirit meet, the place where joints and marrow meet. God's word judges a person's thoughts and intentions.

International Standard Version
For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any double-edged sword, piercing until it divides soul and spirit, joints and marrow, as it judges the thoughts and purposes of the heart.

NET Bible
For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any double-edged sword, piercing even to the point of dividing soul from spirit, and joints from marrow; it is able to judge the desires and thoughts of the heart.
Classic Translations
King James Bible
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.

New King James Version
For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

King James 2000 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.

New Heart English Bible
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 is able to discern the thoughts and intentions of the heart.

World English Bible
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 is able to discern the thoughts and intentions of the heart.

American King James Version
For the word of God is quick, 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.

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.

A Faithful Version
For the Word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of both soul and spirit, and of both the joints and the marrow, and is able to discern the thoughts and intents of the heart.

Darby Bible 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.

English Revised 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.

Webster's Bible Translation
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.

Early Modern
Geneva Bible of 1587
For the worde of God is liuely, and mightie in operation, & sharper then any two edged sword, and entreth through, euen vnto the diuiding asunder of the soule and the spirit, and of the ioints, and the marow, and is a discerner of the thoughtes, and the intents of the heart.

Bishops' Bible of 1568
For the worde of God is quicke, and myghtie in operation, and sharper then any two edged sword, and entreth thorowe, euen vnto the deuydyng a sunder of the soule & the spirite, and of the ioyntes & the marie, and is a discerner of the thoughtes and of the intentes of the heart:

Coverdale Bible of 1535
For ye worde of God is quycke, and mightie in operacion, and sharper the eny two edged swerde, and entreth thorow, euen to the deuydinge of the soule & the sprete, and of ye ioyntes & the mary, and is a iudger of the thoughtes & intetes of the hert,

Tyndale Bible of 1526
For the worde of god is quycke and myghty in operacion and sharper then eny two edged swearde: and entreth through even vnto the dividynge asonder of the soule and the sprete and of the ioyntes and the mary: and i udgeth the thoughtes and the intentes of the herte:
Literal Translations
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;

Berean Literal Bible
For the word of God is living and active, and sharper than any two-edged sword, penetrating even as far as the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrows, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.

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;

Smith's Literal Translation
For the word of God living, and effective, and more piercing than any two-mouthed sword, and penetrating even to the division both of soul and spirit, both the joints and marrows, and a critic of the reflections and thoughts of the heart.

Literal Emphasis Translation
For the word of God is living and effective, and sharp above every two-edged sword, and piercing through as far as the division of soul and spirit, of joints and marrows; and it is skilled to judge the empassioned deliberations and intentions of the heart.

Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
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.

Catholic Public Domain Version
For the Word of God is living and effective: more piercing than any two-edged sword, reaching to the division even between the soul and the spirit, even between the joints and the marrow, and so it discerns the thoughts and intentions of the heart.

Translations from Aramaic
Aramaic Bible in Plain English
For the word of God is living and all-efficient, and much sharper than a double edged sword, and it pierces to the separation of soul and spirit and of joints, marrow and of bones, and judges the reasoning and conscience of the heart.

Lamsa Bible
For the word of God is living and powerful and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the point of division between soul and spirit, and between the joints and marrow and bones, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

NT Translations
Anderson New Testament
For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two edged sword, and pierces 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.

Godbey New Testament
For the word of God is living, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing unto the dividing of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and a quick discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

Haweis New Testament
For the word of God is quickening, and energetic, and sharper than every two-edged sword, and piercing through and through, so as to divide both soul and spirit, both joints and spinal marrow, and critically judges the thoughts and intents of the heart.

Mace New Testament
for the word of God is active and efficacious, sharper than any two-edged sword, penetrating even to the division of soul and spirit, to the smallest and most inward parts, distinguishing the thoughts, and intentions of the heart.

Weymouth New Testament
For God's Message is full of life and power, and is keener than the sharpest two-edged sword. It pierces even to the severance of soul from spirit, and penetrates between the joints and the marrow, and it can discern the secret thoughts and purposes of the heart.

Worrell New Testament
For the word of God is living, and effectual, and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing even to a dividing of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

Worsley New Testament
For the word of God is lively and efficacious, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing of soul and spirit, and of the very joints and marrow, and judging the thoughts and intentions of the heart.
















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