6 So we must go on from the first lessons that we learned about Christ. We must grow as believers so that we understand more and more. We should not go back to those first lessons again and again. We already know that we must turn away from wrong things that lead to death. We know that we must trust God. 2 We have already learned about how to become clean. [ a ] We know that leaders put their hands on other Christians to pray for God's help. [ b ] We know that God will raise dead people to live again. And we know that God will judge every person one day at the end of time.
3 Yes, we must choose to go on from those early lessons! God is ready to help us to do that.
4 That is important, because we must not turn away from Christ, after we have first believed in him. Some people have come into God's light. They have understood God's message. They have started to enjoy the true life that God has given them. They have received the Holy Spirit, like other believers. 5 They have understood that God's message is good for them. They have seen powerful things that belong to the future time. 6 But after all that, they have turned against God. Then it is impossible for anyone to help them to turn away from their sins again. It is like they are killing the Son of God on the cross again for themselves. They show other people that they do not think Christ is important.
7 Think about a field where rain has fallen many times. That ground helps the plants in it to grow well. As a result, the farmer receives good things. It shows that God has blessed that ground. 8 But a field where only weeds and thorn bushes grow is worth nothing. God will very soon speak against that ground. In the end, fire will burn all of it.
9 We are telling you this, our good friends, because we want you to continue well. We are sure that God has saved you and that he will continue to bless you. 10 God is always right and fair. He will not forget all the good things that you have done. You have shown that you love him very much, because you have helped the other believers. And you continue to help them as God's servants. 11 But we very much want each of you to continue to trust God to the end. Show that you really want to serve him. Be sure that, in the end, you will receive all the good things that you hope for. 12 Then you will not be slow to learn. Instead, you will copy the example of those people who continue to trust God. They continue to be patient when trouble happens to them. People like that receive what God has promised to his people.
13 God made a promise to Abraham many years ago. God used the authority of his own name to show that his promise was true. He did that because there was nobody greater than God himself. His name showed that the promise was very serious. 14 God said to Abraham, ‘I will certainly bless you. I will give you many children and many, many grandchildren.’ 15 Abraham waited patiently for a long time. In the end, he received what God had promised to give him. [ c ]
16 When someone makes a strong promise, he uses the authority of a person who is greater than himself. This shows that he will certainly obey his promise. Then nobody can argue about it. 17 God wanted to show very clearly that he would never change his purpose. He wanted his people to know that he would certainly bless them. So when he made this promise, he also used his own name to make it strong. 18 Those two things can never change. God cannot tell a lie. As a result, we can be brave and strong. We have trusted God to keep us safe with him. We should also expect to receive the good things that he has promised to give us.
19 We can be completely sure about those good things that we hope to receive. That keeps our thoughts strong, because we know that our life is safe with God. It is like an anchor that keeps a ship safe. [ d ] When we hope like that, we know that we will one day arrive in God's special place in heaven. That is like the special place behind the curtain in the tabernacle. 20 Jesus has already gone in there. He has gone there before us, on our behalf. He has become our special priest for ever, in the same way that Melchizedek was God's priest. [ e ]
6 So we should be finished with the beginning lessons about Christ. We should not have to keep going back to where we started. We began our new life by turning away from the evil we did in the past and by believing in God. That’s when we were taught about baptisms, [ a ] laying hands on people, [ b ] the resurrection of those who have died, and the final judgment. Now we need to go forward to more mature teaching. 3 And that’s what we will do if God allows.
4-6 After people have left the way of Christ, can you make them change their lives again? I am talking about people who once learned the truth, received God’s gift, and shared in the Holy Spirit. They were blessed to hear God’s good message and see the great power of his new world. But then they left it all behind, and it is not possible to make them change again. That’s because those who leave Christ are nailing him to the cross again, shaming him before everyone.
7 Some people are like land that gets plenty of rain and produces a good crop for those who farm it. That kind of land has God’s blessing. 8 But other people are like land that grows only thorns and weeds. It is worthless and in danger of being cursed by God. It will be destroyed by fire.
9 Dear friends, I am not saying this because I think it is happening to you. We really expect that you will do better—that you will do the good things that will result in your salvation. 10 God is fair, and he will remember all the work you have done. He will remember that you showed your love to him by helping his people and that you continue to help them. 11 We want each of you to be willing and eager to show your love like that the rest of your life. Then you will be sure to get what you hope for. 12 We don’t want you to be lazy. We want you to be like those who, because of their faith and patience, will get what God has promised.
13 God made a promise to Abraham. And there is no one greater than God, so he made the promise with an oath in his own name—an oath that he would do what he promised. 14 He said, “I will surely bless you. I will give you many descendants.” [ c ] 15 Abraham waited patiently for this to happen, and later he received what God promised.
16 People always use the name of someone greater than themselves to make a promise with an oath. The oath proves that what they say is true, and there is no more arguing about it. 17 God wanted to prove that his promise was true. He wanted to prove this to those who would get what he promised. He wanted them to understand clearly that his purposes never change. So God said something would happen, and he proved what he said by adding an oath. 18 These two things cannot change: God cannot lie when he says something, and he cannot lie when he makes an oath.
So these two things are a great help to us who have come to God for safety. They encourage us to hold on to the hope that is ours. 19 This hope is like an anchor for us. It is strong and sure and keeps us safe. It goes behind the curtain. [ d ] 20 Jesus has already entered there and opened the way for us. He has become the high priest forever, just like Melchizedek.
6 Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God,
2 Of the doctrine of baptisms, and of laying on of hands, and of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment.
3 And this will we do, if God permit.
4 For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost,
5 And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come,
6 If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame.
7 For the earth which drinketh in the rain that cometh oft upon it, and bringeth forth herbs meet for them by whom it is dressed, receiveth blessing from God:
8 But that which beareth thorns and briers is rejected, and is nigh unto cursing; whose end is to be burned.
9 But, beloved, we are persuaded better things of you, and things that accompany salvation, though we thus speak.
10 For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love, which ye have shewed toward his name, in that ye have ministered to the saints, and do minister.
11 And we desire that every one of you do shew the same diligence to the full assurance of hope unto the end:
12 That ye be not slothful, but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises.
13 For when God made promise to Abraham, because he could swear by no greater, he sware by himself,
14 Saying, Surely blessing I will bless thee, and multiplying I will multiply thee.
15 And so, after he had patiently endured, he obtained the promise.
16 For men verily swear by the greater: and an oath for confirmation is to them an end of all strife.
17 Wherein God, willing more abundantly to shew unto the heirs of promise the immutability of his counsel, confirmed it by an oath:
18 That by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us:
19 Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and stedfast, and which entereth into that within the veil;
20 Whither the forerunner is for us entered, even Jesus, made an high priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec.
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.
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.
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 )
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 )
