12 For though [a]by this time you ought to be teachers, you have need again for someone to teach you (A)the [b](B)elementary principles of the (C)actual words of God, and you have come to need (D)milk and not solid food. 13 For everyone who partakes only of milk is unacquainted with the word of righteousness, for he is an (E)infant. 14 But solid food is for (F)the mature, who because of practice have their senses (G)trained to (H)distinguish between good and evil.

The Danger of Falling Away

Therefore (I)leaving (J)the [c]elementary teaching about the [d]Christ, let us press on to [e](K)maturity, not laying again a foundation of repentance from (L)dead works and of faith toward God, of (M)instruction about [f]washings and (N)laying on of hands, and about the (O)resurrection of the dead and (P)eternal judgment. And this we will do, (Q)if God permits. For it is (R)impossible, in the case of those who have once been (S)enlightened and have tasted of (T)the heavenly gift and have been made (U)partakers of the Holy Spirit, and (V)have tasted the good (W)word of God and the powers of (X)the age to come, and then have [g]fallen away, to (Y)restore them again to repentance, [h](Z)since they again crucify to themselves the Son of God and put Him to open shame. For ground that drinks the rain which often [i]falls on it and produces vegetation useful to those (AA)for whose sake it is also tilled, receives a blessing from God; but if it yields thorns and thistles, it is worthless and [j](AB)close to being cursed, and [k]it ends up being burned.

Footnotes

  1. Hebrews 5:12 Lit because of the time
  2. Hebrews 5:12 Lit elements of the beginning
  3. Hebrews 6:1 Lit word of the beginning
  4. Hebrews 6:1 I.e., Messiah
  5. Hebrews 6:1 Or perfection
  6. Hebrews 6:2 Or baptisms
  7. Hebrews 6:6 Or committed apostasy; i.e., renounced the faith
  8. Hebrews 6:6 Or while
  9. Hebrews 6:7 Lit comes
  10. Hebrews 6:8 Lit near to a curse
  11. Hebrews 6:8 Lit whose end is for burning

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