Hebrews 6

The Danger of Falling Away

1 Therefore leaving the *6:1 Lit word of the beginningelementary teaching about the *6:1 I.e., MessiahChrist, let us press on to *6:1 Or perfectionmaturity, not laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God, 2 of instruction about *6:2 Or baptismswashings and laying on of hands, and about the resurrection of the dead and eternal judgment. 3 And this we will do, if God permits. 4 For it is impossible, in the case of those who have once been enlightened and have tasted of the heavenly gift and have been made partakers of the Holy Spirit, 5 and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come, 6 and then have *6:6 Or committed apostasy; i.e., renounced the faithfallen away, to restore them again to repentance, *6:6 Or whilesince they again crucify to themselves the Son of God and put Him to open shame. 7 For ground that drinks the rain which often *6:7 Lit comesfalls on it and produces vegetation useful to those for whose sake it is also tilled, receives a blessing from God; 8 but if it yields thorns and thistles, it is worthless and *6:8 Lit near to a curseclose to being cursed, and *6:8 Lit whose end is for burningit ends up being burned.

Better Things for You

9 But, beloved, we are convinced of better things regarding you, and things that *6:9 Or belong toaccompany salvation, even though we are speaking in this way. 10 For God is not unjust so as to forget your work and the love which you have shown toward His name, by having served and by still serving the *6:10 Lit holy ones; i.e., God’s peoplesaints. 11 And we desire that each one of you demonstrate the same diligence *6:11 Lit to the fullso as to realize the full assurance of hope until the end, 12 so that you will not be sluggish, but imitators of those who through faith and endurance inherit the promises.

13 For when God made the promise to Abraham, since He could swear an oath by no one greater, He swore by Himself, 14 saying, "indeed I will greatly bless you and I will greatly multiply you." 15 And so, having patiently waited, he obtained the promise. 16 For people swear an oath by *6:16 Or Him who is greaterone greater than themselves, and with them an oath serving as confirmation is an end of every dispute. 17 *6:17 Lit In whichIn the same way God, desiring even more to demonstrate to the heirs of the promise *6:17 Lit the unchangeableness of Histhe fact that His purpose is unchangeable, *6:17 Or mediatedconfirmed it with an oath, 18 so that by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have taken refuge would have strong encouragement to hold firmly to the hope set before us. 19 *6:19 Lit Which hope we haveThis hope we have as an anchor of the soul, a hope both sure and reliable and one which enters *6:19 Or insidewithin the veil, 20 where Jesus has entered as a forerunner for us, having become a high priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.