Hebrews 6:4-12
The Voice
It’s clear that Jesus wanted His people to grow and mature in faith. Those who don’t move beyond the basics—tasting the gifts and powers of the new creation, partaking in the Spirit and the word of God—and then fall away bring shame to Jesus and produce nothing but briars and brambles. There is no stagnant life in the Kingdom. Either you grow and produce a blessing or you languish and descend into a curse. Be warned.
4-6 It is impossible to restore the changed heart of the one who has fallen from faith—who has already been enlightened, has tasted the gift of new life from God, has shared in the power of the Holy Spirit, and has known the goodness of God’s revelation and the powers of the coming age. If such a person falls away, it’s as though that one were crucifying the Son of God all over again and holding Him up to ridicule. 7 You see, God blesses the ground that drinks of the rain and then produces a bountiful crop for those who cultivate it. 8 But land that produces nothing but thorns and brambles? That land is worthless and in danger of being cursed, burned to the bare earth.
9 But listen, my friends—we don’t mean to discourage you completely with such talk. We are convinced that you are made for better things, the things of salvation, 10 because God is not unjust or unfair. He won’t overlook the work you have done or the love you have carried to each other in His name while doing His work, as you are still doing. 11 We want you all to continue working until the end so that you’ll realize the certainty that comes with hope 12 and not grow lazy. We want you to walk in the footsteps of the faithful who came before you, from whom you can learn to be steadfast in pursuing the promises of God.
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Hebrews 6:4-12
New King James Version
4 For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted (A)the heavenly gift, and (B)have become partakers of the Holy Spirit, 5 and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come, 6 [a]if they fall away, to renew them again to repentance, (C)since they crucify again for themselves the Son of God, and put Him to an open shame.
7 For the earth which drinks in the rain that often comes upon it, and bears herbs useful for those by whom it is cultivated, (D)receives blessing from God; 8 (E)but if it bears thorns and briers, it is rejected and near to being cursed, whose end is to be burned.
A Better Estimate
9 But, beloved, we are confident of better things concerning you, yes, things that accompany salvation, though we speak in this manner. 10 For (F)God is not unjust to forget (G)your work and [b]labor of love which you have shown toward His name, in that you have (H)ministered to the saints, and do minister. 11 And we desire that each one of you show the same diligence (I)to the full assurance of hope until the end, 12 that you do not become [c]sluggish, but imitate those who through faith and patience (J)inherit the promises.
Read full chapterFootnotes
- Hebrews 6:6 Or and have fallen away
- Hebrews 6:10 NU omits labor of
- Hebrews 6:12 lazy
Hebrews 6:4-12
King James Version
4 For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost,
5 And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come,
6 If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame.
7 For the earth which drinketh in the rain that cometh oft upon it, and bringeth forth herbs meet for them by whom it is dressed, receiveth blessing from God:
8 But that which beareth thorns and briers is rejected, and is nigh unto cursing; whose end is to be burned.
9 But, beloved, we are persuaded better things of you, and things that accompany salvation, though we thus speak.
10 For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love, which ye have shewed toward his name, in that ye have ministered to the saints, and do minister.
11 And we desire that every one of you do shew the same diligence to the full assurance of hope unto the end:
12 That ye be not slothful, but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises.
Read full chapter
Hebrews 6:4-12
English Standard Version
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.
9 Though we speak in this way, yet in your case, beloved, we feel sure of better things—things that belong to salvation. 10 For (J)God is not unjust so as to overlook (K)your work and the love that you have shown for his name in (L)serving the saints, as you still do. 11 And we desire each one of you to show the same earnestness to have the full assurance (M)of hope until the end, 12 so that you may not be sluggish, but (N)imitators of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises.
Read full chapter
Hebrews 6:4-12
The Voice
It’s clear that Jesus wanted His people to grow and mature in faith. Those who don’t move beyond the basics—tasting the gifts and powers of the new creation, partaking in the Spirit and the word of God—and then fall away bring shame to Jesus and produce nothing but briars and brambles. There is no stagnant life in the Kingdom. Either you grow and produce a blessing or you languish and descend into a curse. Be warned.
4-6 It is impossible to restore the changed heart of the one who has fallen from faith—who has already been enlightened, has tasted the gift of new life from God, has shared in the power of the Holy Spirit, and has known the goodness of God’s revelation and the powers of the coming age. If such a person falls away, it’s as though that one were crucifying the Son of God all over again and holding Him up to ridicule. 7 You see, God blesses the ground that drinks of the rain and then produces a bountiful crop for those who cultivate it. 8 But land that produces nothing but thorns and brambles? That land is worthless and in danger of being cursed, burned to the bare earth.
9 But listen, my friends—we don’t mean to discourage you completely with such talk. We are convinced that you are made for better things, the things of salvation, 10 because God is not unjust or unfair. He won’t overlook the work you have done or the love you have carried to each other in His name while doing His work, as you are still doing. 11 We want you all to continue working until the end so that you’ll realize the certainty that comes with hope 12 and not grow lazy. We want you to walk in the footsteps of the faithful who came before you, from whom you can learn to be steadfast in pursuing the promises of God.
Read full chapter
Hebrews 6:4-12
New King James Version
4 For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted (A)the heavenly gift, and (B)have become partakers of the Holy Spirit, 5 and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come, 6 [a]if they fall away, to renew them again to repentance, (C)since they crucify again for themselves the Son of God, and put Him to an open shame.
7 For the earth which drinks in the rain that often comes upon it, and bears herbs useful for those by whom it is cultivated, (D)receives blessing from God; 8 (E)but if it bears thorns and briers, it is rejected and near to being cursed, whose end is to be burned.
A Better Estimate
9 But, beloved, we are confident of better things concerning you, yes, things that accompany salvation, though we speak in this manner. 10 For (F)God is not unjust to forget (G)your work and [b]labor of love which you have shown toward His name, in that you have (H)ministered to the saints, and do minister. 11 And we desire that each one of you show the same diligence (I)to the full assurance of hope until the end, 12 that you do not become [c]sluggish, but imitate those who through faith and patience (J)inherit the promises.
Read full chapterFootnotes
- Hebrews 6:6 Or and have fallen away
- Hebrews 6:10 NU omits labor of
- Hebrews 6:12 lazy
Hebrews 6:4-12
King James Version
4 For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost,
5 And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come,
6 If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame.
7 For the earth which drinketh in the rain that cometh oft upon it, and bringeth forth herbs meet for them by whom it is dressed, receiveth blessing from God:
8 But that which beareth thorns and briers is rejected, and is nigh unto cursing; whose end is to be burned.
9 But, beloved, we are persuaded better things of you, and things that accompany salvation, though we thus speak.
10 For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love, which ye have shewed toward his name, in that ye have ministered to the saints, and do minister.
11 And we desire that every one of you do shew the same diligence to the full assurance of hope unto the end:
12 That ye be not slothful, but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises.
Read full chapter
Hebrews 6:4-12
English Standard Version
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.
9 Though we speak in this way, yet in your case, beloved, we feel sure of better things—things that belong to salvation. 10 For (J)God is not unjust so as to overlook (K)your work and the love that you have shown for his name in (L)serving the saints, as you still do. 11 And we desire each one of you to show the same earnestness to have the full assurance (M)of hope until the end, 12 so that you may not be sluggish, but (N)imitators of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises.
Read full chapterThe Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. ESV Text Edition: 2025.
