Hebrews 5:11-6:20

New American Standard Bible 1995

¹¹ Concerning ^[a]him we have much to say, and it is hard to explain, since you have become dull of hearing. ¹² For though ^[b]by this time you ought to be teachers, you have need again for someone to teach you ^(A)the ^[c](B)elementary principles of the ^(C)oracles of God, and you have come to need ^(D)milk and not solid food. ¹³ For everyone who partakes only of milk is not accustomed to the word of righteousness, for he is an ^(E)infant. ¹⁴ But solid food is for ^(F)the mature, who because of practice have their senses ^(G)trained to ^(H)discern good and evil.

The Peril of Falling Away

6 Therefore ^(I)leaving ^(J)the ^[d]elementary teaching about the ^[e]Christ, let us press on to ^[f](K)maturity, not laying again a foundation of repentance from ^(L)dead works and of faith toward God, ² of ^(M)instruction about washings and ^(N)laying on of hands, and the ^(O)resurrection of the dead and ^(P)eternal judgment. ³ And this we will do, ^(Q)if God permits. ⁴ For in the case of those who have once been ^(R)enlightened and have tasted of ^(S)the heavenly gift and have been made ^(T)partakers of the Holy Spirit, ⁵ and ^(U)have tasted the good ^(V)word of God and the powers of ^(W)the age to come, ⁶ and then have fallen away, it is ^(X)impossible to renew them again to repentance, ^[g](Y)since they again crucify to themselves the Son of God and put Him to open shame. ⁷ For ground that drinks the rain which often ^[h]falls on it and brings forth vegetation useful to those ^(Z)for whose sake it is also tilled, receives a blessing from God; ⁸ but if it yields thorns and thistles, it is worthless and ^(AA)close ^[i]to being cursed, and ^[j]it ends up being burned.

Better Things for You

⁹ But, ^(AB)beloved, we are convinced of better things concerning you, and things that ^[k]accompany salvation, though we are speaking in this way. ¹⁰ For ^(AC)God is not unjust so as to forget ^(AD)your work and the love which you have shown toward His name, in having ^(AE)ministered and in still ministering to the ^[l]saints. ¹¹ And we desire that each one of you show the same diligence ^[m]so as to realize the ^(AF)full assurance of ^(AG)hope until the end, ¹² so that you will not be sluggish, but ^(AH)imitators of those who through ^(AI)faith and patience ^(AJ)inherit the promises.

¹³ For ^(AK)when God made the promise to Abraham, since He could swear by no one greater, He ^(AL)swore by Himself, ¹⁴ saying, “^(AM)I will surely bless you and I will surely multiply you.” ¹⁵ And so, ^(AN)having patiently waited, he obtained the promise. ^16 (AO)For men swear by ^[n]one greater than themselves, and with them ^(AP)an oath given as confirmation is an end of every dispute. ^17 [o]In the same way God, desiring even more to show to ^(AQ)the heirs of the promise ^(AR)the unchangeableness of His purpose, ^[p]interposed with an oath, ¹⁸ so that by two unchangeable things in which ^(AS)it is impossible for God to lie, we who have ^[q]taken refuge would have strong encouragement to take hold of ^(AT)the hope set before us. ^19 [r]This ^(AU)hope we have as an anchor of the soul, a hope both sure and steadfast and one which ^(AV)enters ^[s]within the veil, ^20 (AW)where Jesus has entered as a forerunner for us, having become a ^(AX)high priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.