¹⁶ If you see any brother or sister commit a sin that does not lead to death, you should pray and God will give them life.^(A) I refer to those whose sin does not lead to death. There is a sin that leads to death.^(B) I am not saying that you should pray about that.^(C)

⁴ It is impossible for those who have once been enlightened,^(A) who have tasted the heavenly gift,^(B) who have shared in the Holy Spirit,^{(C) 5} who have tasted the goodness^(D) of the word of God^(E) and the powers of the coming age ⁶ and who have fallen^[a] away, to be brought back to repentance.^(F) To their loss they are crucifying the Son of God^(G) all over again and subjecting him to public disgrace.

²⁶ If we deliberately keep on sinning^(A) after we have received the knowledge of the truth,^(B) no sacrifice for sins is left, ²⁷ but only a fearful expectation of judgment and of raging fire^(C) that will consume the enemies of God. ²⁸ Anyone who rejected the law of Moses died without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses.^{(D) 29} How much more severely do you think someone deserves to be punished who has trampled the Son of God^(E) underfoot,^(F) who has treated as an unholy thing the blood of the covenant^(G) that sanctified them,^(H) and who has insulted the Spirit^(I) of grace?^{(J) 30} For we know him who said, “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,”^[a](K) and again, “The Lord will judge his people.”^{[b](L) 31} It is a dreadful thing^(M) to fall into the hands^(N) of the living God.^(O)

¹⁴ “Do not pray^(A) for this people or offer any plea or petition for them, because I will not listen^(B) when they call to me in the time of their distress.

²⁵ If one person sins against another, God^[a] may mediate for the offender; but if anyone sins against the Lord, who will^(A) intercede^(B) for them?” His sons, however, did not listen to their father’s rebuke, for it was the Lord’s will to put them to death.