The Danger of Falling Away

6 Therefore ^(A)leaving ^(B)the ^[a]elementary teaching about the ^[b]Christ, let us press on to ^[c](C)maturity, not laying again a foundation of repentance from ^(D)dead works and of faith toward God, ² of ^(E)instruction about ^[d]washings and ^(F)laying on of hands, and about the ^(G)resurrection of the dead and ^(H)eternal judgment. ³ And this we will do, ^(I)if God permits. ⁴ For it is ^(J)impossible, in the case of those who have once been ^(K)enlightened and have tasted of ^(L)the heavenly gift and have been made ^(M)partakers of the Holy Spirit, ⁵ and ^(N)have tasted the good ^(O)word of God and the powers of ^(P)the age to come, ⁶ and then have ^[e]fallen away, to ^(Q)restore them again to repentance, ^[f](R)since they again crucify to themselves the Son of God and put Him to open shame. ⁷ For ground that drinks the rain which often ^[g]falls on it and produces vegetation useful to those ^(S)for whose sake it is also tilled, receives a blessing from God; ⁸ but if it yields thorns and thistles, it is worthless and ^[h](T)close to being cursed, and ^[i]it ends up being burned.

⁷ It is for discipline that you endure; ^(A)God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom his father does not discipline? ⁸ But if you are without discipline, ^(B)of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate children and not sons. ⁹ Furthermore, we had ^[a]earthly fathers to discipline us, and we ^(C)respected them; shall we not much more be subject to ^(D)the Father of ^[b]spirits, and ^(E)live? ¹⁰ For they disciplined us for a short time as seemed best to them, but He disciplines us for our good, ^(F)so that we may share His holiness. ^11 (G)For the moment, all discipline seems not to be pleasant, but painful; yet to those who have been trained by it, afterward it yields the ^(H)peaceful fruit of righteousness.

¹² Therefore, ^[c](I)strengthen the hands that are weak and the knees that are feeble, ¹³ and ^(J)make straight paths for your feet, so that the limb which is impaired may not be dislocated, but rather ^(K)be healed.

^14 (L)Pursue peace with all people, and the ^(M)holiness without which no one will ^(N)see the Lord. ¹⁵ See to it that no one ^(O)comes short of the grace of God; that no ^(P)root of bitterness springing up causes trouble, and by it many become ^(Q)defiled; ¹⁶ that there be no ^(R)sexually immoral or ^(S)godless person like Esau, ^(T)who sold his own birthright for a single meal.