Hebrews 6
1 For this reason let us go on from the first things about Christ to full growth; not building again that on which it is based, that is, the turning of the heart from dead works, and faith in God,
Therefore leaving elementary instruction about the Christ, let us advance to mature manhood and not be continually re-laying a foundation of repentance from lifeless works and of faith in God,
2 The teaching of baptisms, and of the putting on of hands, and of the future life of the dead, and of the judging on the last day. (aiōnios g166)
or of teaching about ceremonial washings, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and the last judgement. (aiōnios g166)
3 Now we will do this, if God lets us.
And advance we will, if God permits us to do so.
4 As for those who at one time saw the light, tasting the good things from heaven, and having their part in the Holy Spirit,
For it is impossible, in the case of those who have once for all been enlightened, and have tasted the sweetness of the heavenly gift, and have been made partakers of the Holy Spirit,
and have realized how good the word of God is and how mighty are the powers of the coming Age, and then fell away-- (aiōn g165)
6 And then let themselves be turned away, it is not possible for their hearts to be made new a second time; because they themselves put the Son of God on the cross again, openly shaming him.
it is impossible, I say, to keep bringing them back to a new repentance, for, to their own undoing, they are repeatedly crucifying the Son of God afresh and exposing Him to open shame.
7 For a land, drinking in the frequent rain and producing good plants for those for whom it is worked, has a blessing from God:
For land which has drunk in the rain that often falls upon it, and brings forth vegetation useful to those for whose sakes, indeed, it is tilled, has a share in God's blessing.
8 But if it sends up thorns and evil plants, it is of no use and is ready to be cursed; its only end is to be burned.
But if it only yields a mass of thorns and briers, it is considered worthless, and is in danger of being cursed, and in the end will be destroyed by fire.
9 But, my loved ones, though we say this, we are certain that you have better things in you, things which go with salvation;
But we, even while we speak in this tone, have a happier conviction concerning you, my dearly-loved friends--a conviction of things which point towards salvation.
10 For God is true, and will not put away from him the memory of your work and of your love for his name, in the help which you gave and still give to the saints.
For God is not unjust so that He is unmindful of your labour and of the love which you have manifested towards Himself in having rendered services to His people and in still rendering them.
11 And it is our desire that you may all keep the same high purpose in certain hope to the end:
But we long for each of you to continue to manifest the same earnestness, with a view to your enjoying fulness of hope to the very End;
12 So that you may not be slow in heart, but may take as your example those to whom God has given their heritage, because of their faith and their long waiting.
so that you may not become half-hearted, but be imitators of those who through faith and patient endurance are now heirs to the promises.
13 For when God made his oath to Abraham, because there was no greater oath, he made it by himself,
For when God gave the promise to Abraham, since He had no one greater to swear by, He swore by Himself,
14 Saying, Be certain that I will give you my blessing, and make your numbers very great.
saying, "Assuredly I will bless you and bless you, I will increase you and increase you."
15 And so, when he had been waiting calmly for a long time, God's word to him was put into effect.
And so, as the result of patient waiting, our forefather obtained what God had promised.
16 For men at all times make their oaths by what is greater; and any argument is ended by the decision of the oath.
For men swear by what is greater than themselves; and with them an oath in confirmation of a statement always puts an end to a dispute.
17 So that when it was God's desire to make it specially clear to those who by his word were to have the heritage, that his purpose was fixed, he made it more certain with an oath;
In the same way, since it was God's desire to display more convincingly to the heirs of the promise how unchangeable His purpose was,
18 So that we, who have gone in flight from danger to the hope which has been put before us, may have a strong comfort in two unchanging things, in which it is not possible for God to be false;
He added an oath, in order that, through two unchangeable things, in which it is impossible for Him to prove false, we may possess mighty encouragement--we who, for safety, have hastened to lay hold of the hope set before us.
19 And this hope is like a strong band for our souls, fixed and certain, and going in to that which is inside the veil;
That hope we have as an anchor of the soul--an anchor that can neither break nor drag. It passes in behind the veil,
