1 THEREFORE let us leave elementary teaching about Christ and hasten on to what is advanced, not laying again a foundation \'97 change of heart from dead works, faith in God,

2 the teaching about baptisms, the laying on of hands, resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment.

3 This we will do if God permits.

4 For it is impossible for those who have been once for all enlightened and have tasted the heavenly gift and have become sharers in the Holy Spirit

5 and have tasted God's word and the powers of the coming world,

6 and then have fallen away, to have again a change of heart, since they are crucifying for themselves afresh the Son of God and putting him to open shame.

7 For ground that drinks the rain that comes often upon it and bears plants useful to those for whom it is farmed shares in God's blessing;

8 but if it bears thorns and thistles it is judged worthless and is near to being cursed. In the end it will be burnt over.

9 But we are persuaded of better things regarding you, beloved, things that belong with salvation, though we thus speak.

10 For God is not so unjust as to forget your work and the love that you have shown to his name as you have served and are still serving the holy.

11 But we desire to have each one of you show to the end the same earnestness for the fulfillment of our hope,

12 that you may not be dull, but imitators of those who through faith and patience are inheriting the promises.

13 For God, when making the promise to Abraham, since he could swear by no one greater, swore by himself,

14 saying, "Surely, I will greatly bless you and greatly multiply you."

15 And so after patient waiting Abraham obtained what was promised.

16 For men swear by the greater and an oath for confirmation is to them the end of all dispute.

17 In this case God being abundantly willing to show to the heirs of the promise the unchangeable purpose of his will gave the surety of an oath,

18 that by two unchangeable things, in which it was impossible for God to be false, we might have strong encouragement, we who have fled to lay hold on the hope that lies before us.

19 We have this hope as an anchor of the soul, sure and firm, and it enters into the tent within the curtain

20 where Jesus, our forerunner, has entered in our behalf, becoming forever a high priest after the order of Melchizedek.