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Warning Against Falling Away

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, of (E)teaching about washings and (F)laying on of hands, and the (G)resurrection of the dead and (H)eternal judgment. And this we will do, (I)if God permits. For in the case of those once having been (J)enlightened and having tasted of (K)the heavenly gift and having become (L)partakers of the Holy Spirit, and having (M)tasted the good (N)word of God and the powers of (O)the age to come, and having fallen away, it is (P)impossible to renew them again to repentance, [d](Q)since they again crucify to themselves the Son of God and put Him to open shame. For ground that drinks the rain which often [e]falls on it and brings forth vegetation useful to those (R)for whose sake it is also tilled, receives a blessing from God; but if it yields thorns and thistles, it is unfit and (S)close [f]to being cursed, and its end is to be burned.

The Inheritance of the Promises

But we are convinced about you, (T)beloved, of things that are better and that belong to salvation, though we are speaking in this way. 10 For (U)God is not unrighteous so as to forget (V)your work and the love which you have shown toward His name, in having (W)ministered and continuing to minister to the [g]saints. 11 And we desire that each one of you show the same diligence [h]so as to realize the (X)full assurance of (Y)hope until the end, 12 so that you may not become dull, but (Z)imitators of those who through (AA)faith and patience (AB)inherit the promises.

13 For (AC)when God made the promise to Abraham, since He could swear by no one greater, He (AD)swore by Himself, 14 saying, “(AE)I will greatly bless you and I will greatly multiply you.” 15 And so, (AF)having patiently waited, he obtained the promise. 16 (AG)For men swear by [i]one greater than themselves, and with them (AH)an oath given as confirmation is an end of every dispute. 17 [j]In the same way God, desiring even more to show to (AI)the heirs of the promise (AJ)the unchangeableness of His purpose, guaranteed it with an oath, 18 so that by two unchangeable things in which (AK)it is impossible for God to lie, we who have taken refuge would have strong encouragement to take hold of (AL)the hope set before us. 19 [k]This (AM)hope we have as an anchor of the soul, a hope both sure and confirmed and one which (AN)enters [l]within the veil, 20 (AO)where a forerunner has entered for us—Jesus, having become a (AP)high priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.

Footnotes

  1. Hebrews 6:1 Lit word of the beginning
  2. Hebrews 6:1 Messiah
  3. Hebrews 6:1 Or perfection, cf. 5:9, 14
  4. Hebrews 6:6 Or while
  5. Hebrews 6:7 Lit comes
  6. Hebrews 6:8 Lit near to a curse
  7. Hebrews 6:10 Or holy ones
  8. Hebrews 6:11 Lit to the full
  9. Hebrews 6:16 Or Him who is greater
  10. Hebrews 6:17 Lit In which
  11. Hebrews 6:19 Lit Which hope we have
  12. Hebrews 6:19 Or inside

Warning against Falling Away

Therefore, let us leave the elementary teaching about Christ and go on to maturity, not laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works, faith in God,(A) teaching about ritual washings,[a] laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment.(B) And we will do this if God permits.

For it is impossible to renew to repentance those who were once enlightened, who tasted the heavenly gift, who shared in the Holy Spirit,(C) who tasted God’s good word and the powers of the coming age, and who have fallen away. This is because,[b] to their own harm, they are recrucifying the Son of God and holding him up to contempt.(D) For the ground that drinks the rain that often falls on it and that produces vegetation useful to those for whom it is cultivated receives a blessing from God. But if it produces thorns and thistles, it is worthless and about to be cursed, and at the end will be burned.(E)

Even though we are speaking this way, dearly loved friends, in your case we are confident of things that are better and that pertain to salvation. 10 For God is not unjust; he will not forget your work and the love[c] you demonstrated for his name by serving the saints—and by continuing to serve them.(F) 11 Now we desire each of you to demonstrate the same diligence for the full assurance of your hope until the end, 12 so that you won’t become lazy but will be imitators of those who inherit the promises through faith and perseverance.(G)

Inheriting the Promise

13 For when God made a promise to Abraham, since he had no one greater to swear by, he swore by himself: 14 I will indeed bless you, and I will greatly multiply you.[d](H) 15 And so, after waiting patiently, Abraham obtained the promise. 16 For people swear by something greater than themselves, and for them a confirming oath ends every dispute. 17 Because God wanted to show his unchangeable purpose even more clearly to the heirs of the promise, he guaranteed it with an oath,(I) 18 so that through two unchangeable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled for refuge might have strong encouragement to seize the hope set before us.(J) 19 We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain.(K) 20 Jesus has entered there on our behalf as a forerunner,(L) because he has become a high priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.(M)

Footnotes

  1. 6:2 Or about baptisms
  2. 6:6 Or while
  3. 6:10 Other mss read labor of love
  4. 6:14 Gn 22:17