New Testament · Hebrews

Hebrews 6

A Call to Maturity

1Therefore, leaving behind the elementary word^a of Messiah, let us be carried forward to maturity, not laying again a foundation of repentance^b from dead works and of faith in God, 2of teaching about baptisms, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal verdict^c — 3and this we will do, if God permits.

4For it is impossible to restore again to repentance those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted of the heavenly gift, and have become fellow participant in holy^f spirit^g,^de 5and have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powersⁱ of the coming age,^h 6and then have fallen away — since they are crucifying the Son of God again to themselves and holding Him up to contempt, it is impossible to renew them to repentance.

7For land that drinks in the rain often falling on it, and bears vegetation useful to those for whom it is cultivated, receives blessing from God; 8but land that produces thorns and thistles is unverified and near to being cursed, and its end is to be burned.^j

9Though we speak this way, we are convinced of better things concerning you, beloved — things that belong to Salvation. 10For God is not unjust so as to forget your work and the labor of love which you showed for His name by serving the holy ones^k and continuing to serve them.

11And we earnestly desire each one of you to show the same diligence until the end for the full assurance of hope^m,^l 12so that you may not be sluggish, but imitators of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises.

God’s Unchangeable Promise

13For when God made a promise to Abraham, since He had no one greater by whom to swear, He swore by Himself, 14saying, "Surely I will bless you and multiply you." 15And so, having patiently endured, Abraham obtained the promise.

16For people swear by something greater than themselves, and in every dispute an oath is final for confirmation. 17So when God desired to show more convincingly to the heirs of the promise the unchangeable character of His purpose, He interposed with an oath, 18so that by two unchangeable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled for refuge might have strong comfort to hold fast to the hope set before us.ⁿ

19We have this as an anchor of the soul^o, sure and steadfast, and it enters into the inner place behind the curtain, 20where Yeshua has entered as a forerunner on our behalf, having become a high priest for ever according to the order of Melchizedek.