The Peril of Not Progressing

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, (C)of the doctrine of baptisms, (D)of laying on of hands, (E)of resurrection of the dead, (F)and of eternal judgment. And this [b]we will do if God permits.

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, and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come, [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.

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; (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

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.

God’s Infallible Purpose in Christ

13 For when God made a promise to Abraham, because He could swear by no one greater, (Q)He swore by Himself, 14 saying, (R)“Surely blessing I will bless you, and multiplying I will multiply you.” 15 And so, after he had patiently endured, he obtained the (S)promise. 16 For men indeed swear by the greater, and (T)an oath for confirmation is for them an end of all dispute. 17 Thus God, determining to show more abundantly to (U)the heirs of promise (V)the [f]immutability of His counsel, [g]confirmed it by an oath, 18 that by two [h]immutable things, in which it is impossible for God to (W)lie, we [i]might have strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold of the hope (X)set before us.

19 This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast, (Y)and which enters the Presence behind the veil, 20 (Z)where the forerunner has entered for us, even Jesus, (AA)having become High Priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.

Footnotes

  1. Hebrews 6:1 maturity
  2. Hebrews 6:3 M let us do
  3. Hebrews 6:6 Or and have fallen away
  4. Hebrews 6:10 NU omits labor of
  5. Hebrews 6:12 lazy
  6. Hebrews 6:17 unchangeableness of His purpose
  7. Hebrews 6:17 guaranteed
  8. Hebrews 6:18 unchangeable
  9. Hebrews 6:18 M omits might

διο αφεντες τον της αρχης του χριστου λογον επι την τελειοτητα φερωμεθα μη παλιν θεμελιον καταβαλλομενοι μετανοιας απο νεκρων εργων και πιστεως επι θεον

βαπτισμων διδαχης επιθεσεως τε χειρων αναστασεως τε νεκρων και κριματος αιωνιου

και τουτο ποιησομεν εανπερ επιτρεπη ο θεος

αδυνατον γαρ τους απαξ φωτισθεντας γευσαμενους τε της δωρεας της επουρανιου και μετοχους γενηθεντας πνευματος αγιου

και καλον γευσαμενους θεου ρημα δυναμεις τε μελλοντος αιωνος

και παραπεσοντας παλιν ανακαινιζειν εις μετανοιαν ανασταυρουντας εαυτοις τον υιον του θεου και παραδειγματιζοντας

γη γαρ η πιουσα τον επ αυτης πολλακις ερχομενον υετον και τικτουσα βοτανην ευθετον εκεινοις δι ους και γεωργειται μεταλαμβανει ευλογιας απο του θεου

εκφερουσα δε ακανθας και τριβολους αδοκιμος και καταρας εγγυς ης το τελος εις καυσιν

πεπεισμεθα δε περι υμων αγαπητοι τα κρειττονα και εχομενα σωτηριας ει και ουτως λαλουμεν

10 ου γαρ αδικος ο θεος επιλαθεσθαι του εργου υμων και του κοπου της αγαπης ης ενδειξασθε εις το ονομα αυτου διακονησαντες τοις αγιοις και διακονουντες

11 επιθυμουμεν δε εκαστον υμων την αυτην ενδεικνυσθαι σπουδην προς την πληροφοριαν της ελπιδος αχρι τελους

12 ινα μη νωθροι γενησθε μιμηται δε των δια πιστεως και μακροθυμιας κληρονομουντων τας επαγγελιας

13 τω γαρ αβρααμ επαγγειλαμενος ο θεος επει κατ ουδενος ειχεν μειζονος ομοσαι ωμοσεν καθ εαυτου

14 λεγων η μην ευλογων ευλογησω σε και πληθυνων πληθυνω σε

15 και ουτως μακροθυμησας επετυχεν της επαγγελιας

16 ανθρωποι μεν γαρ κατα του μειζονος ομνυουσιν και πασης αυτοις αντιλογιας περας εις βεβαιωσιν ο ορκος

17 εν ω περισσοτερον βουλομενος ο θεος επιδειξαι τοις κληρονομοις της επαγγελιας το αμεταθετον της βουλης αυτου εμεσιτευσεν ορκω

18 ινα δια δυο πραγματων αμεταθετων εν οις αδυνατον ψευσασθαι θεον ισχυραν παρακλησιν εχωμεν οι καταφυγοντες κρατησαι της προκειμενης ελπιδος

19 ην ως αγκυραν εχομεν της ψυχης ασφαλη τε και βεβαιαν και εισερχομενην εις το εσωτερον του καταπετασματος

20 οπου προδρομος υπερ ημων εισηλθεν ιησους κατα την ταξιν μελχισεδεκ αρχιερευς γενομενος εις τον αιωνα

Wherefore, having left the word of the beginning of the Christ, unto the perfection we may advance, not again a foundation laying of reformation from dead works, and of faith on God,

of the teaching of baptisms, of laying on also of hands, of rising again also of the dead, and of judgment age-during,

and this we will do, if God may permit,

for [it is] impossible for those once enlightened, having tasted also of the heavenly gift, and partakers having became of the Holy Spirit,

and did taste the good saying of God, the powers also of the coming age,

and having fallen away, again to renew [them] to reformation, having crucified again to themselves the Son of God, and exposed to public shame.

For earth, that is drinking in the rain many times coming upon it, and is bringing forth herbs fit for those because of whom also it is dressed, doth partake of blessing from God,

and that which is bearing thorns and briers [is] disapproved of, and nigh to cursing, whose end [is] for burning;

and we are persuaded, concerning you, beloved, the things that are better, and accompanying salvation, though even thus we speak,

10 for God is not unrighteous to forget your work, and the labour of the love, that ye shewed to His name, having ministered to the saints and ministering;

11 and we desire each one of you the same diligence to shew, unto the full assurance of the hope unto the end,

12 that ye may not become slothful, but followers of those who through faith and patient endurance are inheriting the promises.

13 For to Abraham God, having made promise, seeing He was able to swear by no greater, did swear by Himself,

14 saying, `Blessing indeed I will bless thee, and multiplying I will multiply thee;'

15 and so, having patiently endured, he did obtain the promise;

16 for men indeed do swear by the greater, and an end of all controversy to them for confirmation [is] the oath,

17 in which God, more abundantly willing to shew to the heirs of the promise the immutability of his counsel, did interpose by an oath,

18 that through two immutable things, in which [it is] impossible for God to lie, a strong comfort we may have who did flee for refuge to lay hold on the hope set before [us],

19 which we have, as an anchor of the soul, both sure and stedfast, and entering into that within the vail,

20 whither a forerunner for us did enter -- Jesus, after the order of Melchisedek chief priest having become -- to the age.

The Danger of 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)instruction about [d]washings and (F)laying on of hands, and about the (G)resurrection of the dead and (H)eternal judgment. And this we will do, (I)if God permits. 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, and (N)have tasted the good (O)word of God and the powers of (P)the age to come, 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. 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; but if it yields thorns and thistles, it is worthless and [h](T)close to being cursed, and [i]it ends up being burned.

Better Things for You

But, (U)beloved, we are convinced of better things regarding you, and things that [j]accompany salvation, even though we are speaking in this way. 10 For (V)God is not unjust so as to forget (W)your work and the love which you have shown toward His name, by having (X)served and by still serving the [k]saints. 11 And we desire that each one of you demonstrate the same diligence [l]so as to realize the (Y)full assurance of (Z)hope until the end, 12 so that you will not be sluggish, but (AA)imitators of those who through (AB)faith and endurance (AC)inherit the promises.

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

Footnotes

  1. Hebrews 6:1 Lit word of the beginning
  2. Hebrews 6:1 I.e., Messiah
  3. Hebrews 6:1 Or perfection
  4. Hebrews 6:2 Or baptisms
  5. Hebrews 6:6 Or committed apostasy; i.e., renounced the faith
  6. Hebrews 6:6 Or while
  7. Hebrews 6:7 Lit comes
  8. Hebrews 6:8 Lit near to a curse
  9. Hebrews 6:8 Lit whose end is for burning
  10. Hebrews 6:9 Or belong to
  11. Hebrews 6:10 Lit holy ones; i.e., God’s people
  12. Hebrews 6:11 Lit to the full
  13. Hebrews 6:16 Or Him who is greater
  14. Hebrews 6:17 Lit In which
  15. Hebrews 6:17 Lit the unchangeableness of His
  16. Hebrews 6:17 Or mediated
  17. Hebrews 6:19 Lit Which hope we have
  18. Hebrews 6:19 Or inside