Warning Against Falling Away

6 Therefore ^(A)leaving ^(B)the ^[a]elementary teaching about the ^[b]Christ, let us press on to ^[c](C)maturity, not laying again a foundation of repentance from ^(D)dead works and of faith toward God, ² of ^(E)teaching about washings and ^(F)laying on of hands, and the ^(G)resurrection of the dead and ^(H)eternal judgment. ³ And this we will do, ^(I)if God permits. ⁴ For in the case of those once having been ^(J)enlightened and having tasted of ^(K)the heavenly gift and having become ^(L)partakers of the Holy Spirit, ⁵ and having ^(M)tasted the good ^(N)word of God and the powers of ^(O)the age to come, ⁶ and having fallen away, it is ^(P)impossible to renew them again to repentance, ^[d](Q)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 ^[e]falls on it and brings forth vegetation useful to those ^(R)for whose sake it is also tilled, receives a blessing from God; ⁸ but if it yields thorns and thistles, it is unfit and ^(S)close ^[f]to being cursed, and its end is to be burned.

The Inheritance of the Promises

⁹ But we are convinced about you, ^(T)beloved, of things that are better and that belong to salvation, though we are speaking in this way. ¹⁰ For ^(U)God is not unrighteous so as to forget ^(V)your work and the love which you have shown toward His name, in having ^(W)ministered and continuing to minister to the ^[g]saints. ¹¹ And we desire that each one of you show the same diligence ^[h]so as to realize the ^(X)full assurance of ^(Y)hope until the end, ¹² so that you may not become dull, but ^(Z)imitators of those who through ^(AA)faith and patience ^(AB)inherit the promises.

¹³ For ^(AC)when God made the promise to Abraham, since He could swear by no one greater, He ^(AD)swore by Himself, ¹⁴ saying, “^(AE)I will greatly bless you and I will greatly multiply you.” ¹⁵ And so, ^(AF)having patiently waited, he obtained the promise. ^16 (AG)For men swear by ^[i]one greater than themselves, and with them ^(AH)an oath given as confirmation is an end of every dispute. ^17 [j]In the same way God, desiring even more to show to ^(AI)the heirs of the promise ^(AJ)the unchangeableness of His purpose, guaranteed it with an oath, ¹⁸ so that by two unchangeable things in which ^(AK)it is impossible for God to lie, we who have taken refuge would have strong encouragement to take hold of ^(AL)the hope set before us. ^19 [k]This ^(AM)hope we have as an anchor of the soul, a hope both sure and confirmed and one which ^(AN)enters ^[l]within the veil, ^20 (AO)where a forerunner has entered for us—Jesus, having become a ^(AP)high priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.