Hebrews 6
Holman Christian Standard Bible
Warning against Regression
6 Therefore, leaving the elementary message about the Messiah, let us go on to maturity, not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, faith in God,(A) 2 teaching about ritual washings,[a] laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment.(B) 3 And we will do this if God permits.
4 For it is impossible to renew to repentance those who were once enlightened, who tasted the heavenly gift, became companions with the Holy Spirit,(C) 5 tasted God’s good word and the powers of the coming age, 6 and who have fallen away, because,[b] to their own harm, they are recrucifying the Son of God and holding Him up to contempt.(D) 7 For ground that has drunk the rain that has often fallen on it and that produces vegetation useful to those it is cultivated for receives a blessing from God. 8 But if it produces thorns and thistles, it is worthless and about to be cursed, and will be burned at the end.(E)
9 Even though we are speaking this way, dear friends, in your case we are confident of the better things connected with salvation. 10 For God is not unjust; He will not forget your work and the love[c] you showed for His name when you served the saints—and you continue to serve them.(F) 11 Now we want each of you to demonstrate the same diligence for the final realization of your hope, 12 so that you won’t become lazy but will be imitators of those who inherit the promises through faith and perseverance.(G)
Inheriting the Promise
13 For when God made a promise to Abraham, since He had no one greater to swear by, He swore by Himself:
15 And so, after waiting patiently, Abraham[e] obtained the promise. 16 For men swear by something greater than themselves, and for them a confirming oath ends every dispute. 17 Because God wanted to show His unchangeable purpose even more clearly to the heirs of the promise, He guaranteed it with an oath,(I) 18 so that through two unchangeable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled for refuge might have strong encouragement to seize the hope set before us.(J) 19 We have this hope as an anchor for our lives, safe and secure. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain.(K) 20 Jesus has entered there on our behalf as a forerunner,(L) because He has become a high priest forever in the order of Melchizedek.(M)
Footnotes
- Hebrews 6:2 Or about baptisms
- Hebrews 6:6 Or while
- Hebrews 6:10 Other mss read labor of love
- Hebrews 6:14 Gn 22:17
- Hebrews 6:15 Lit he
Hebrews 6
New American Standard Bible
The Danger of 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)instruction about [d]washings and (F)laying on of hands, and about the (G)resurrection of the dead and (H)eternal judgment. 3 And this we will do, (I)if God permits. 4 For it is (J)impossible, in the case of those who have once been (K)enlightened and have tasted of (L)the heavenly gift and have been made (M)partakers of the Holy Spirit, 5 and (N)have tasted the good (O)word of God and the powers of (P)the age to come, 6 and then have [e]fallen away, to (Q)restore them again to repentance, [f](R)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 [g]falls on it and produces vegetation useful to those (S)for whose sake it is also tilled, receives a blessing from God; 8 but if it yields thorns and thistles, it is worthless and [h](T)close to being cursed, and [i]it ends up being burned.
Better Things for You
9 But, (U)beloved, we are convinced of better things regarding you, and things that [j]accompany salvation, even though we are speaking in this way. 10 For (V)God is not unjust so as to forget (W)your work and the love which you have shown toward His name, by having (X)served and by still serving the [k]saints. 11 And we desire that each one of you demonstrate the same diligence [l]so as to realize the (Y)full assurance of (Z)hope until the end, 12 so that you will not be sluggish, but (AA)imitators of those who through (AB)faith and endurance (AC)inherit the promises.
13 For (AD)when God made the promise to Abraham, since He could swear an oath by no one greater, He (AE)swore by Himself, 14 saying, “(AF)indeed I will greatly bless you and I will greatly multiply you.” 15 And so, (AG)having patiently waited, he obtained the promise. 16 (AH)For people swear an oath by [m]one greater than themselves, and with them (AI)an oath serving as confirmation is an end of every dispute. 17 [n]In the same way God, desiring even more to demonstrate to (AJ)the heirs of the promise [o](AK)the fact that His purpose is unchangeable, [p]confirmed it with an oath, 18 so that by two unchangeable things in which (AL)it is impossible for God to lie, we who have taken refuge would have strong encouragement to hold firmly to (AM)the hope set before us. 19 [q]This (AN)hope we have as an anchor of the soul, a hope both sure and reliable and one which (AO)enters [r]within the veil, 20 (AP)where Jesus has entered as a forerunner for us, having become a (AQ)high priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.
Footnotes
- Hebrews 6:1 Lit word of the beginning
- Hebrews 6:1 I.e., Messiah
- Hebrews 6:1 Or perfection
- Hebrews 6:2 Or baptisms
- Hebrews 6:6 Or committed apostasy; i.e., renounced the faith
- Hebrews 6:6 Or while
- Hebrews 6:7 Lit comes
- Hebrews 6:8 Lit near to a curse
- Hebrews 6:8 Lit whose end is for burning
- Hebrews 6:9 Or belong to
- Hebrews 6:10 Lit holy ones; i.e., God’s people
- Hebrews 6:11 Lit to the full
- Hebrews 6:16 Or Him who is greater
- Hebrews 6:17 Lit In which
- Hebrews 6:17 Lit the unchangeableness of His
- Hebrews 6:17 Or mediated
- Hebrews 6:19 Lit Which hope we have
- Hebrews 6:19 Or inside
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