Hebrews 5:11-6:12

English Standard Version

Warning Against Apostasy

¹¹About this we have much to say, and it is ^(A)hard to explain, since you have become dull of hearing. ¹²For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again ^(B)the basic principles of the oracles of God. You need ^(C)milk, not solid food, ¹³for everyone who lives on milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, since he is ^(D)a child. ¹⁴But solid food is for ^(E)the mature, for those who have their powers ^(F)of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil.

6 Therefore ^(G)let us leave ^(H)the elementary doctrine of Christ and go on to maturity, not laying again a foundation of repentance ^(I)from dead works and of faith toward God, ²and of ^(J)instruction about washings,^[a] ^(K)the laying on of hands, ^(L)the resurrection of the dead, and ^(M)eternal judgment. ³And this we will do ^(N)if God permits. ⁴For it is impossible, in the case of those ^(O)who have once been enlightened, who have tasted ^(P)the heavenly gift, and ^(Q)have shared in the Holy Spirit, ⁵and ^(R)have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the age to come, ⁶and ^(S)then have fallen away, to restore them again to repentance, since ^(T)they are crucifying once again the Son of God to their own harm and holding him up to contempt. ⁷For ^(U)land that has drunk the rain that often falls on it, and produces a crop useful to those for whose sake it is cultivated, receives a blessing from God. ⁸But ^(V)if it bears thorns and thistles, it is worthless and near to being cursed, ^(W)and its end is to be burned.

⁹Though we speak in this way, yet in your case, beloved, we feel sure of better things—things that belong to salvation. ¹⁰For ^(X)God is not unjust so as to overlook ^(Y)your work and the love that you have shown for his name in ^(Z)serving the saints, as you still do. ¹¹And we desire each one of you to show the same earnestness to have the full assurance ^(AA)of hope until the end, ¹²so that you may not be sluggish, but ^(AB)imitators of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises.

Footnotes

Hebrews 6:2 Or baptisms (that is, cleansing rites)

Psalm 1

English Standard Version

Book One

The Way of the Righteous and the Wicked

1 Blessed is the man^[a]
    who ^(A)walks not in ^(B)the counsel of the wicked,
nor stands in ^(C)the way of sinners,
    nor ^(D)sits in ^(E)the seat of ^(F)scoffers;
²but his ^(G)delight is in the law^[b] of the Lord,
    and on his ^(H)law he meditates day and night.

³He is like ^(I)a tree
    planted by ^(J)streams of water
that yields its fruit in its season,
    and its ^(K)leaf does not wither.
^(L)In all that he does, he prospers.
⁴The wicked are not so,
    but are like ^(M)chaff that the wind drives away.

⁵Therefore the wicked ^(N)will not stand in the judgment,
nor sinners in ^(O)the congregation of the righteous;
⁶for the Lord ^(P)knows ^(Q)the way of the righteous,
but the way of the wicked will perish.

Footnotes

Psalm 1:1 The singular Hebrew word for man (ish) is used here to portray a representative example of a godly person; see Preface
Psalm 1:2 Or instruction