6 Therefore let us move beyond^(A) the elementary teachings^(B) about Christ and be taken forward to maturity, not laying again the foundation of repentance from acts that lead to death,^[a](C) and of faith in God, ² instruction about cleansing rites,^[b](D) the laying on of hands,^(E) the resurrection of the dead,^(F) and eternal judgment. ³ And God permitting,^(G) we will do so.

⁴ It is impossible for those who have once been enlightened,^(H) who have tasted the heavenly gift,^(I) who have shared in the Holy Spirit,^{(J) 5} who have tasted the goodness^(K) of the word of God^(L) and the powers of the coming age ⁶ and who have fallen^[c] away, to be brought back to repentance.^(M) To their loss they are crucifying the Son of God^(N) all over again and subjecting him to public disgrace. ⁷ Land that drinks in the rain often falling on it and that produces a crop useful to those for whom it is farmed receives the blessing of God. ⁸ But land that produces thorns and thistles is worthless and is in danger of being cursed.^(O) In the end it will be burned.

⁹ Even though we speak like this, dear friends,^(P) we are convinced of better things in your case—the things that have to do with salvation. ¹⁰ God is not unjust; he will not forget your work and the love you have shown him as you have helped his people and continue to help them.^{(Q) 11} We want each of you to show this same diligence to the very end, so that what you hope^(R) for may be fully realized. ¹² We do not want you to become lazy, but to imitate^(S) those who through faith and patience^(T) inherit what has been promised.^(U)

The Certainty of God’s Promise

¹³ When God made his promise to Abraham, since there was no one greater for him to swear by, he swore by himself,^{(V) 14} saying, “I will surely bless you and give you many descendants.”^{[d](W) 15} And so after waiting patiently, Abraham received what was promised.^(X)

¹⁶ People swear by someone greater than themselves, and the oath confirms what is said and puts an end to all argument.^{(Y) 17} Because God wanted to make the unchanging^(Z) nature of his purpose very clear to the heirs of what was promised,^(AA) he confirmed it with an oath. ¹⁸ God did this so that, by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie,^(AB) we who have fled to take hold of the hope^(AC) set before us may be greatly encouraged. ¹⁹ We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain,^{(AD) 20} where our forerunner, Jesus, has entered on our behalf.^(AE) He has become a high priest^(AF) forever, in the order of Melchizedek.^(AG)

Psalm 4^[a]

For the director of music. With stringed instruments. A psalm of David.

Hagar and Ishmael

16 Now Sarai,^(A) Abram’s wife, had borne him no children.^(B) But she had an Egyptian slave^(C) named Hagar;^{(D) 2} so she said to Abram, “The Lord has kept me from having children.^(E) Go, sleep with my slave; perhaps I can build a family through her.”^(F)

Abram agreed to what Sarai said. ³ So after Abram had been living in Canaan^(G) ten years,^(H) Sarai his wife took her Egyptian slave Hagar and gave her to her husband to be his wife. ⁴ He slept with Hagar,^(I) and she conceived.

When she knew she was pregnant, she began to despise her mistress.^{(J) 5} Then Sarai said to Abram, “You are responsible for the wrong I am suffering. I put my slave in your arms, and now that she knows she is pregnant, she despises me. May the Lord judge between you and me.”^(K)

⁶ “Your slave is in your hands,^(L)” Abram said. “Do with her whatever you think best.” Then Sarai mistreated^(M) Hagar; so she fled from her.

⁷ The angel of the Lord^(N) found Hagar near a spring^(O) in the desert; it was the spring that is beside the road to Shur.^{(P) 8} And he said, “Hagar,^(Q) slave of Sarai, where have you come from, and where are you going?”^(R)

“I’m running away from my mistress Sarai,” she answered.

⁹ Then the angel of the Lord told her, “Go back to your mistress and submit to her.” ¹⁰ The angel added, “I will increase your descendants so much that they will be too numerous to count.”^(S)

¹¹ The angel of the Lord^(T) also said to her:

¹³ She gave this name to the Lord who spoke to her: “You are the God who sees me,^(AA)” for she said, “I have now seen^[c] the One who sees me.”^{(AB) 14} That is why the well^(AC) was called Beer Lahai Roi^[d];^(AD) it is still there, between Kadesh^(AE) and Bered.

¹⁵ So Hagar^(AF) bore Abram a son,^(AG) and Abram gave the name Ishmael^(AH) to the son she had borne. ¹⁶ Abram was eighty-six years old^(AI) when Hagar bore him Ishmael.

The Covenant of Circumcision

17 When Abram was ninety-nine years old,^(AJ) the Lord appeared to him^(AK) and said, “I am God Almighty^[e];^(AL) walk before me faithfully and be blameless.^{(AM) 2} Then I will make my covenant between me and you^(AN) and will greatly increase your numbers.”^(AO)

³ Abram fell facedown,^(AP) and God said to him, ⁴ “As for me, this is my covenant with you:^(AQ) You will be the father of many nations.^{(AR) 5} No longer will you be called Abram^[f]; your name will be Abraham,^[g](AS) for I have made you a father of many nations.^{(AT) 6} I will make you very fruitful;^(AU) I will make nations of you, and kings will come from you.^{(AV) 7} I will establish my covenant^(AW) as an everlasting covenant^(AX) between me and you and your descendants after you for the generations to come, to be your God^(AY) and the God of your descendants after you.^{(AZ) 8} The whole land of Canaan,^(BA) where you now reside as a foreigner,^(BB) I will give as an everlasting possession to you and your descendants after you;^(BC) and I will be their God.^(BD)”

⁹ Then God said to Abraham, “As for you, you must keep my covenant,^(BE) you and your descendants after you for the generations to come.^{(BF) 10} This is my covenant with you and your descendants after you, the covenant you are to keep: Every male among you shall be circumcised.^{(BG) 11} You are to undergo circumcision,^(BH) and it will be the sign of the covenant^(BI) between me and you. ¹² For the generations to come^(BJ) every male among you who is eight days old must be circumcised,^(BK) including those born in your household or bought with money from a foreigner—those who are not your offspring. ¹³ Whether born in your household or bought with your money, they must be circumcised.^(BL) My covenant in your flesh is to be an everlasting covenant.^{(BM) 14} Any uncircumcised male, who has not been circumcised^(BN) in the flesh, will be cut off from his people;^(BO) he has broken my covenant.^(BP)”

¹⁵ God also said to Abraham, “As for Sarai^(BQ) your wife, you are no longer to call her Sarai; her name will be Sarah.^{(BR) 16} I will bless her and will surely give you a son by her.^(BS) I will bless her so that she will be the mother of nations;^(BT) kings of peoples will come from her.”

¹⁷ Abraham fell facedown;^(BU) he laughed^(BV) and said to himself, “Will a son be born to a man a hundred years old?^(BW) Will Sarah bear a child at the age of ninety?”^{(BX) 18} And Abraham said to God, “If only Ishmael^(BY) might live under your blessing!”^(BZ)

¹⁹ Then God said, “Yes, but your wife Sarah will bear you a son,^(CA) and you will call him Isaac.^[h](CB) I will establish my covenant with him^(CC) as an everlasting covenant^(CD) for his descendants after him. ²⁰ And as for Ishmael, I have heard you: I will surely bless him; I will make him fruitful and will greatly increase his numbers.^(CE) He will be the father of twelve rulers,^(CF) and I will make him into a great nation.^{(CG) 21} But my covenant^(CH) I will establish with Isaac, whom Sarah will bear to you^(CI) by this time next year.”^{(CJ) 22} When he had finished speaking with Abraham, God went up from him.^(CK)

²³ On that very day Abraham took his son Ishmael and all those born in his household^(CL) or bought with his money, every male in his household, and circumcised them, as God told him.^{(CM) 24} Abraham was ninety-nine years old^(CN) when he was circumcised,^{(CO) 25} and his son Ishmael^(CP) was thirteen; ²⁶ Abraham and his son Ishmael were both circumcised on that very day. ²⁷ And every male in Abraham’s household^(CQ), including those born in his household or bought from a foreigner, was circumcised with him.

The Three Visitors

18 The Lord appeared to Abraham^(CR) near the great trees of Mamre^(CS) while he was sitting at the entrance to his tent^(CT) in the heat of the day. ² Abraham looked up^(CU) and saw three men^(CV) standing nearby. When he saw them, he hurried from the entrance of his tent to meet them and bowed low to the ground.^(CW)

³ He said, “If I have found favor in your eyes,^(CX) my lord,^[i] do not pass your servant^(CY) by. ⁴ Let a little water be brought, and then you may all wash your feet^(CZ) and rest under this tree. ⁵ Let me get you something to eat,^(DA) so you can be refreshed and then go on your way—now that you have come to your servant.”

“Very well,” they answered, “do as you say.”

⁶ So Abraham hurried into the tent to Sarah. “Quick,” he said, “get three seahs^[j] of the finest flour and knead it and bake some bread.”^(DB)

⁷ Then he ran to the herd and selected a choice, tender calf^(DC) and gave it to a servant, who hurried to prepare it. ⁸ He then brought some curds^(DD) and milk^(DE) and the calf that had been prepared, and set these before them.^(DF) While they ate, he stood near them under a tree.

⁹ “Where is your wife Sarah?”^(DG) they asked him.

“There, in the tent,^(DH)” he said.

¹⁰ Then one of them said, “I will surely return to you about this time next year,^(DI) and Sarah your wife will have a son.”^(DJ)

Now Sarah was listening at the entrance to the tent, which was behind him. ¹¹ Abraham and Sarah were already very old,^(DK) and Sarah was past the age of childbearing.^{(DL) 12} So Sarah laughed^(DM) to herself as she thought, “After I am worn out and my lord^(DN) is old, will I now have this pleasure?”

¹³ Then the Lord said to Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh and say, ‘Will I really have a child, now that I am old?’^{(DO) 14} Is anything too hard for the Lord?^(DP) I will return to you at the appointed time next year,^(DQ) and Sarah will have a son.”^(DR)

¹⁵ Sarah was afraid, so she lied and said, “I did not laugh.”

But he said, “Yes, you did laugh.”

Abraham Pleads for Sodom

¹⁶ When the men^(DS) got up to leave, they looked down toward Sodom, and Abraham walked along with them to see them on their way. ¹⁷ Then the Lord said, “Shall I hide from Abraham^(DT) what I am about to do?^{(DU) 18} Abraham will surely become a great and powerful nation,^(DV) and all nations on earth will be blessed through him.^{[k] 19} For I have chosen him^(DW), so that he will direct his children^(DX) and his household after him to keep the way of the Lord^(DY) by doing what is right and just,^(DZ) so that the Lord will bring about for Abraham what he has promised him.”^(EA)

²⁰ Then the Lord said, “The outcry against Sodom^(EB) and Gomorrah is so great^(EC) and their sin so grievous^{(ED) 21} that I will go down^(EE) and see if what they have done is as bad as the outcry that has reached me. If not, I will know.”

²² The men^(EF) turned away and went toward Sodom,^(EG) but Abraham remained standing before the Lord.^{[l](EH) 23} Then Abraham approached him and said: “Will you sweep away the righteous with the wicked?^{(EI) 24} What if there are fifty righteous people in the city? Will you really sweep it away and not spare^[m] the place for the sake of the fifty righteous people in it?^{(EJ) 25} Far be it from you to do such a thing^(EK)—to kill the righteous with the wicked, treating the righteous^(EL) and the wicked alike.^(EM) Far be it from you! Will not the Judge^(EN) of all the earth do right?”^(EO)

²⁶ The Lord said, “If I find fifty righteous people in the city of Sodom, I will spare the whole place for their sake.^(EP)”

²⁷ Then Abraham spoke up again: “Now that I have been so bold as to speak to the Lord, though I am nothing but dust and ashes,^{(EQ) 28} what if the number of the righteous is five less than fifty? Will you destroy the whole city for lack of five people?”

“If I find forty-five there,” he said, “I will not destroy it.”

²⁹ Once again he spoke to him, “What if only forty are found there?”

He said, “For the sake of forty, I will not do it.”

³⁰ Then he said, “May the Lord not be angry,^(ER) but let me speak. What if only thirty can be found there?”

He answered, “I will not do it if I find thirty there.”

³¹ Abraham said, “Now that I have been so bold as to speak to the Lord, what if only twenty can be found there?”

He said, “For the sake of twenty, I will not destroy it.”

³² Then he said, “May the Lord not be angry, but let me speak just once more.^(ES) What if only ten can be found there?”

He answered, “For the sake of ten,^(ET) I will not destroy it.”

³³ When the Lord had finished speaking^(EU) with Abraham, he left,^(EV) and Abraham returned home.^(EW)