< Hebrews 6 >
1 Therefore 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,
For this reason, having left the word of the beginning of the Christ, we may advance to perfection, not laying again a foundation of conversion from dead works, and of faith on God,
2 instruction about baptisms, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment. (aiōnios )
of the teaching of immersions, also of laying on of hands, also of [the] resurrection of the dead, and of continuous judgment, (aiōnios )
3 And this we will do, if God permits.
and this we will do, if God may permit,
4 It is impossible for those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, who have shared in the Holy Spirit,
for [it is] impossible for those once enlightened, having also tasted of the heavenly gift, and having become partakers of the Holy Spirit,
5 who have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the coming age— (aiōn )
and tasted the good saying of God, also the powers of the coming age, (aiōn )
6 and 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.
and having fallen away, to renew [them] again to conversion, having crucified to themselves the Son of God again, and exposed to public shame.
7 For 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.
For the earth, having drunk in the rain coming on it many times, and is bringing forth herbs fit for those because of whom it is also dressed, partakes of blessing from God,
8 But land that produces thorns and thistles is worthless, and its curse is imminent. In the end it will be burned.
but that which is bearing thorns and briers [is] disapproved of, and near to cursing, whose end [is] for burning;
9 Even though we speak like this, beloved, we are convinced of better things in your case—things that accompany salvation.
but we are persuaded, concerning you, beloved, the things that are better, and accompanying salvation, though even thus we speak,
10 For 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.
for God is not unrighteous to forget your work, and the labor of love that you showed to His Name, having ministered to the holy ones and ministering;
11 We want each of you to show this same diligence to the very end, in order to make your hope sure.
and we desire each one of you to show the same diligence, to the full assurance of the hope to the end,
12 Then you will not be sluggish, but will imitate those who through faith and patience inherit what has been promised.
that you may not become slothful, but followers of those who through faith and patient endurance are inheriting the promises.
13 When God made His promise to Abraham, since He had no one greater to swear by, He swore by Himself,
For God, having made promise to Abraham, seeing He was not able to swear by [any] greater, swore by Himself,
14 saying, “I will surely bless you and multiply your descendants.”
saying, “Blessing I will indeed bless you, and multiplying I will multiply you”;
15 And so Abraham, after waiting patiently, obtained the promise.
and so, having patiently endured, he obtained the promise;
16 Men swear by someone greater than themselves, and their oath serves as a confirmation to end all argument.
for men swear by the greater, and the oath [is] for confirmation of the end of all their controversy,
17 So 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.
in which God, more abundantly willing to show to the heirs of the promise the immutability of His counsel, interposed by an oath,
18 Thus 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.
that through two immutable things, in which [it is] impossible for God to lie, we may have a strong comfort, having fled for refuge, to lay hold on the hope being set before [us],
19 We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain,
which we have, as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast, and entering into that within the veil,
20 where Jesus our forerunner has entered on our behalf. He has become a high priest forever in the order of Melchizedek. (aiōn )
to where a forerunner entered for us—Jesus, having become Chief Priest throughout the age after the order of Melchizedek. (aiōn )