Hebrews 4:12-6:20

New American Standard Bible

¹² For ^(A)the word of God is ^(B)living and ^(C)active, and sharper than any two-edged ^(D)sword, even penetrating as far as the division of ^(E)soul and ^(F)spirit, of both joints and marrow, and ^(G)able to ^[a]judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart. ¹³ And ^(H)there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are ^(I)open and laid bare to the eyes of Him to whom ^[b]we must answer.

¹⁴ Therefore, since we have a great ^(J)high priest who has ^(K)passed through the heavens, Jesus ^(L)the Son of God, let’s hold firmly to our ^(M)confession. ¹⁵ For we do not have ^(N)a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been ^(O)tempted in all things just as we are, yet ^(P)without sin. ¹⁶ Therefore let’s ^(Q)approach the throne of grace with ^(R)confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace for help at the time of our need.

The Perfect High Priest

5 For every high priest ^(S)taken from among men is appointed on behalf of people in ^(T)things pertaining to God, in order to ^(U)offer both gifts and sacrifices ^(V)for sins; ^2 [c](W)he can deal gently with the ^(X)ignorant and ^(Y)misguided, since he himself also is ^[d](Z)clothed in weakness; ³ and because of it he is obligated to offer sacrifices ^(AA)for sins for himself, ^(AB)as well as for the people. ⁴ And ^(AC)no one takes the honor for himself, but receives it when he is called by God, just ^(AD)as Aaron also was.

⁵ So too Christ ^(AE)did not glorify Himself in becoming a ^(AF)high priest, but it was He who ^(AG)said to Him,

⁶ just as He also says in another passage,

⁷ In the days of ^[e]His humanity, ^[f](AK)He offered up both prayers and pleas with ^(AL)loud crying and tears to the One ^(AM)able to save Him ^[g]from death, and He ^[h]was heard because of His ^(AN)devout behavior. ⁸ Although He was ^(AO)a Son, He learned ^(AP)obedience from the things which He suffered. ⁹ And having been ^(AQ)perfected, He became the source of eternal salvation for all those who obey Him, ¹⁰ being designated by God as ^(AR)High Priest according to ^(AS)the order of Melchizedek.

¹¹ Concerning ^[i]him we have much to say, and it is difficult to explain, since you have become ^[j]poor listeners. ¹² For though ^[k]by this time you ought to be teachers, you have need again for someone to teach you ^(AT)the ^[l](AU)elementary principles of the ^(AV)actual words of God, and you have come to need ^(AW)milk and not solid food. ¹³ For everyone who partakes only of milk is unacquainted with the word of righteousness, for he is an ^(AX)infant. ¹⁴ But solid food is for ^(AY)the mature, who because of practice have their senses ^(AZ)trained to ^(BA)distinguish between good and evil.

The Danger of Falling Away

6 Therefore ^(BB)leaving ^(BC)the ^[m]elementary teaching about the ^[n]Christ, let us press on to ^[o](BD)maturity, not laying again a foundation of repentance from ^(BE)dead works and of faith toward God, ² of ^(BF)instruction about ^[p]washings and ^(BG)laying on of hands, and about the ^(BH)resurrection of the dead and ^(BI)eternal judgment. ³ And this we will do, ^(BJ)if God permits. ⁴ For it is ^(BK)impossible, in the case of those who have once been ^(BL)enlightened and have tasted of ^(BM)the heavenly gift and have been made ^(BN)partakers of the Holy Spirit, ⁵ and ^(BO)have tasted the good ^(BP)word of God and the powers of ^(BQ)the age to come, ⁶ and then have ^[q]fallen away, to ^(BR)restore them again to repentance, ^[r](BS)since they again crucify to themselves the Son of God and put Him to open shame. ⁷ For ground that drinks the rain which often ^[s]falls on it and produces vegetation useful to those ^(BT)for whose sake it is also tilled, receives a blessing from God; ⁸ but if it yields thorns and thistles, it is worthless and ^[t](BU)close to being cursed, and ^[u]it ends up being burned.

Better Things for You

⁹ But, ^(BV)beloved, we are convinced of better things regarding you, and things that ^[v]accompany salvation, even though we are speaking in this way. ¹⁰ For ^(BW)God is not unjust so as to forget ^(BX)your work and the love which you have shown toward His name, by having ^(BY)served and by still serving the ^[w]saints. ¹¹ And we desire that each one of you demonstrate the same diligence ^[x]so as to realize the ^(BZ)full assurance of ^(CA)hope until the end, ¹² so that you will not be sluggish, but ^(CB)imitators of those who through ^(CC)faith and endurance ^(CD)inherit the promises.

¹³ For ^(CE)when God made the promise to Abraham, since He could swear an oath by no one greater, He ^(CF)swore by Himself, ¹⁴ saying, “^(CG)indeed I will greatly bless you and I will greatly multiply you.” ¹⁵ And so, ^(CH)having patiently waited, he obtained the promise. ^16 (CI)For people swear an oath by ^[y]one greater than themselves, and with them ^(CJ)an oath serving as confirmation is an end of every dispute. ^17 [z]In the same way God, desiring even more to demonstrate to ^(CK)the heirs of the promise ^[aa](CL)the fact that His purpose is unchangeable, ^[ab]confirmed it with an oath, ¹⁸ so that by two unchangeable things in which ^(CM)it is impossible for God to lie, we who have taken refuge would have strong encouragement to hold firmly to ^(CN)the hope set before us. ^19 [ac]This ^(CO)hope we have as an anchor of the soul, a hope both sure and reliable and one which ^(CP)enters ^[ad]within the veil, ^20 (CQ)where Jesus has entered as a forerunner for us, having become a ^(CR)high priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.