Warning Against Neglecting Salvation

2 Therefore we must pay much closer attention to what we have heard, lest we drift away from it. ² For since ^(A)the message declared by angels proved to be reliable, and ^(B)every transgression or disobedience received a just ^(C)retribution, ^3 (D)how shall we escape if we ^(E)neglect such a great salvation? It was ^(F)declared at first by the Lord, and it was ^(G)attested to us ^(H)by those who heard, ^4 (I)while God also bore witness ^(J)by signs and wonders and various miracles and by ^(K)gifts of the Holy Spirit ^(L)distributed according to his will.

⁴ For it is impossible, in the case of those ^(A)who have once been enlightened, who have tasted ^(B)the heavenly gift, and ^(C)have shared in the Holy Spirit, ⁵ and ^(D)have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the age to come, ⁶ and ^(E)then have fallen away, to restore them again to repentance, since ^(F)they are crucifying once again the Son of God to their own harm and holding him up to contempt. ⁷ For ^(G)land that has drunk the rain that often falls on it, and produces a crop useful to those for whose sake it is cultivated, receives a blessing from God. ⁸ But ^(H)if it bears thorns and thistles, it is worthless and near to being cursed, ^(I)and its end is to be burned.

The Second Beast

¹¹ Then ^(A)I saw another beast rising out of the earth. It had two horns like a lamb and it spoke like a dragon. ¹² It exercises all the authority of the first beast in its presence,^[a] and makes the earth and its inhabitants worship the first beast, ^(B)whose mortal wound was healed. ^13 (C)It performs great signs, even ^(D)making fire come down from heaven to earth in front of people, ¹⁴ and by the signs that it is allowed to work in the presence of^[b] the beast ^(E)it deceives those who dwell on earth, telling them to make an image for the beast ^(F)that was wounded by the sword and yet lived. ¹⁵ And it was allowed to give breath to the image of the beast, so that the image of the beast might even speak and might cause those who would not ^(G)worship the image of the beast ^(H)to be slain. ¹⁶ Also it causes all, both small and great, both rich and poor, both free and slave,^{[c] (I)}to be marked on the right hand or the forehead, ¹⁷ so that no one can buy or sell unless he has the mark, that is, ^(J)the name of the beast or ^(K)the number of its name.