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.

The Just Live by Faith

²⁶ For ^(A)if we sin willfully ^(B)after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there ^(C)no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, ²⁷ but a certain fearful expectation of judgment, and ^(D)fiery indignation which will devour the adversaries. ²⁸ Anyone who has rejected Moses’ law dies without mercy on the testimony of two or three ^(E)witnesses. ^29 (F)Of how much worse punishment, do you suppose, will he be thought worthy who has trampled the Son of God underfoot, ^(G)counted the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified a common thing, ^(H)and insulted the Spirit of grace? ³⁰ For we know Him who said, ^(I)“Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,” ^[a]says the Lord. And again, ^(J)“The Lord will judge His people.” ^31 (K)It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.

^14 (A)Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, ^(B)without which no one will see the Lord: ¹⁵ looking carefully lest anyone ^(C)fall short of the grace of God; lest any ^(D)root of bitterness springing up cause trouble, and by this many become defiled; ¹⁶ lest there be any ^(E)fornicator or ^[a]profane person like Esau, ^(F)who for one morsel of food sold his birthright. ¹⁷ For you know that afterward, when he wanted to inherit the blessing, he was ^(G)rejected, for he found no place for repentance, though he sought it diligently with tears.