¹¹ “Beware that you do not forget the Lord your God by not keeping His commandments, His judgments, and His statutes which I command you today, ^12 (A)lest—when you have eaten and are ^[a]full, and have built beautiful houses and dwell in them; ¹³ and when your herds and your flocks multiply, and your silver and your gold are ^[b]multiplied, and all that you have is multiplied; ^14 (B)when your heart ^[c]is lifted up, and you ^(C)forget the Lord your God who brought you out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage; ¹⁵ who ^(D)led you through that great and terrible wilderness, ^(E)in which were fiery serpents and scorpions and thirsty land where there was no water; ^(F)who brought water for you out of the flinty rock; ¹⁶ who fed you in the wilderness with ^(G)manna, which your fathers did not know, that He might humble you and that He might test you, ^(H)to do you good in the end— ¹⁷ then you say in your heart, ‘My power and the might of my hand have gained me this wealth.’

¹⁸ “And you shall remember the Lord your God, ^(I)for it is He who gives you power to get wealth, ^(J)that He may ^[d]establish His covenant which He swore to your fathers, as it is this day. ¹⁹ Then it shall be, if you by any means forget the Lord your God, and follow other gods, and serve them and worship them, ^(K)I testify against you this day that you shall surely perish. ²⁰ As the nations which the Lord destroys before you, ^(L)so you shall perish, because you would not be obedient to the voice of the Lord your God.

Jesus’ Side Is Pierced

^31 (A)Therefore, because it was the Preparation Day, ^(B)that the bodies should not remain on the cross on the Sabbath (for that Sabbath was a ^(C)high day), the Jews asked Pilate that their legs might be broken, and that they might be taken away. ³² Then the soldiers came and broke the legs of the first and of the other who was crucified with Him. ³³ But when they came to Jesus and saw that He was already dead, they did not break His legs. ³⁴ But one of the soldiers pierced His side with a spear, and immediately ^(D)blood and water came out. ³⁵ And he who has seen has testified, and his testimony is ^(E)true; and he knows that he is telling the truth, so that you may ^(F)believe. ³⁶ For these things were done that the Scripture should be fulfilled, ^(G)“Not one of His bones shall be broken.” ³⁷ And again another Scripture says, ^(H)“They shall look on Him whom they pierced.”

The Peril of Not Progressing

6 Therefore, ^(A)leaving the discussion of the elementary principles of Christ, let us go on to ^[a]perfection, not laying again the foundation of repentance from ^(B)dead works and of faith toward God, ^2 (C)of the doctrine of baptisms, ^(D)of laying on of hands, ^(E)of resurrection of the dead, ^(F)and of eternal judgment. ³ And this ^[b]we will do if God permits.

⁴ For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted ^(G)the heavenly gift, and ^(H)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 [c]if they fall away, to renew them again to repentance, ^(I)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, ^(J)receives blessing from God; ^8 (K)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 ^(L)God is not unjust to forget ^(M)your work and ^[d]labor of love which you have shown toward His name, in that you have ^(N)ministered to the saints, and do minister. ¹¹ And we desire that each one of you show the same diligence ^(O)to the full assurance of hope until the end, ¹² that you do not become ^[e]sluggish, but imitate those who through faith and patience ^(P)inherit the promises.