Give Heed

2 ^[a]For this reason [that is, because of God’s final revelation in His Son Jesus and because of Jesus’ superiority to the angels] we must pay much closer attention than ever to the things that we have heard, so that we do not [in any way] drift away from truth. ² For if the message given ^[b]through angels [the Law given to Moses] was authentic and unalterable, and every violation and disobedient act received an appropriate penalty, ³ how will we escape [the penalty] if we ignore such a great salvation [the gospel, the new covenant]? For it was spoken at first by the Lord, and it was confirmed to us and proved authentic by those who personally heard [Him speak],

The Peril of Unbelief

¹² Take care, brothers and sisters, that there not be in any one of you a wicked, unbelieving ^[a]heart [which refuses to trust and rely on the Lord, a heart] that turns away from the living God.

The Believer’s Rest

4 Therefore, while the promise of entering His rest still remains and is freely offered today, let us fear, in case any one of you may seem to come short of reaching it or think he has come too late.

⁴ For [it is impossible to restore to repentance] those who have once been enlightened [spiritually] and who have ^[a]tasted and consciously experienced the heavenly gift and have shared in the Holy Spirit, ⁵ and have tasted and consciously experienced the good word of God and the powers of the age (world) to come, ^6 [b]and then have fallen away—it is impossible to bring them back again to repentance, since they again nail the Son of God on the cross [for as far as they are concerned, they are treating the death of Christ as if they were not saved by it], and are holding Him up again to public disgrace. ⁷ For soil that drinks the rain which often falls on it and produces crops useful to those for whose benefit it is cultivated, receives a blessing from God; ⁸ but if it persistently produces thorns and thistles, it is worthless and close to being cursed, and it ends up being burned.^(A)

Christ or Judgment

²⁶ For if we go on willfully and deliberately sinning after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice [to atone] for our sins [that is, no further offering to anticipate], ²⁷ but a kind of awful and terrifying expectation of [divine] judgment and the fury of a fire and burning wrath which will consume the adversaries [those who put themselves in opposition to God].^{(A) 28} Anyone who has ignored and set aside the Law of Moses is put to death without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses.^{(B) 29} How much greater punishment do you think he will deserve who has rejected and trampled under foot the Son of God, and has considered unclean and common the blood of the covenant that ^[a]sanctified him, and has insulted the Spirit of grace [who imparts the unmerited favor and blessing of God]?^{(C) 30} For we know Him who said, “Vengeance is Mine [retribution and the deliverance of justice rest with Me], I will repay [the wrongdoer].” And again, “The Lord will judge His people.”^{(D) 31} It is a fearful and terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the living God [incurring His judgment and wrath].