The Son Was Faithful

3 Therefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our confession, Christ Jesus, ² who was faithful to Him who appointed Him, as ^(A)Moses also was faithful in all His house. ³ For this One has been counted worthy of more glory than Moses, inasmuch as ^(B)He who built the house has more honor than the house. ⁴ For every house is built by someone, but ^(C)He who built all things is God. ^5 (D)And Moses indeed was faithful in all His house as ^(E)a servant, ^(F)for a testimony of those things which would be spoken afterward, ⁶ but Christ as ^(G)a Son over His own house, ^(H)whose house we are ^(I)if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope ^[a]firm to the end.

Be Faithful^(J)

⁷ Therefore, as ^(K)the Holy Spirit says:

¹² Beware, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God; ¹³ but ^[b]exhort one another daily, while it is called “Today,” lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin. ¹⁴ For we have become partakers of Christ if we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast to the end, ¹⁵ while it is said:

Failure of the Wilderness Wanderers

^16 (N)For who, having heard, rebelled? Indeed, was it not all who came out of Egypt, led by Moses? ¹⁷ Now with whom was He angry forty years? Was it not with those who sinned, ^(O)whose corpses fell in the wilderness? ¹⁸ And ^(P)to whom did He swear that they would not enter His rest, but to those who did not obey? ¹⁹ So we see that they could not enter in because of ^(Q)unbelief.

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.

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.