Hebrews 6

¹Therefore let us leave the elementary teachings about Christ [and] go on to maturity, not laying again [the] foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith in God,

²instruction about baptisms, [the] laying on of hands, [the] resurrection of [the] dead, and eternal judgment.

³And this we will do, if God permits.

⁴[It is] impossible for those who have once been enlightened, [who] have tasted the heavenly gift, [who] have shared in [the] Holy Spirit,

⁵who have tasted [the] goodness [of the] word of God and [the] powers [of the] coming age —

⁶and then have fallen away — to be restored to repentance, because they themselves are crucifying the Son of God {all over again} and subjecting [Him] to open shame.

⁷For land that drinks in the rain often falling on it and that produces a crop useful to those for whom it is tended receives [the] blessing of God.

⁸But [land that] produces thorns and thistles [is] worthless, and [its] curse is imminent. [In] the end it will be burned.

⁹Even though we speak like this, beloved, we are convinced of better [things] in your [case] — [things that] accompany salvation.

¹⁰For God [is] not unjust. He will not forget your work and the love you have shown for His name as you have ministered to the saints and continue to [do so].

¹¹We want each of you to show [this] same diligence to [the very] end, in order {to make} [your] hope sure.

¹²Then you will not be sluggish, but will imitate those who through faith and patience inherit what has been promised.

¹³[When] God made His promise to Abraham, since He had no one greater to swear by, He swore by Himself,

¹⁴saying, “{I will} surely bless you and multiply your [descendants].”

¹⁵And so [Abraham], after waiting patiently, obtained the promise.

¹⁶Men swear by [someone] greater [than themselves], and [their] oath serves as a confirmation to end all argument.

¹⁷So when God wanted to make the unchanging nature of His purpose very clear to the heirs of the promise, He guaranteed [it] with an oath.

¹⁸Thus by two unchangeable things in which [it is] impossible [for] God to lie, we who have fled to take hold of the hope set before [us] may be strongly encouraged.

¹⁹We have [this hope] as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. It enters the inner [sanctuary] [behind] the curtain,

²⁰where Jesus [our] forerunner has entered on our behalf. He has become a high priest forever in the order of Melchizedek.