Hebrews 6
1 Therefore, let us leave behind the elementary teaching about the Christ and press on to perfection, not always laying over again a foundation of repentance for a lifeless formality, of faith in God —
So let's not get stuck on the basic teachings about Christ, but let's progress to a more mature understanding. We don't need to go over again the ideas of repenting from what we used to do, about trusting in God—
2 teaching concerning baptisms and the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead and a final judgment. (aiōnios g166)
or teachings about baptism, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment. (aiōnios g166)
3 Yes and, with God’s help, we will.
So let's get on with it, as God gives us the opportunity!
4 For if those who were once for all brought into the Light, and learned to appreciate the gift from Heaven, and came to share in the Holy Spirit,
It's impossible for those who once understood and experienced God's heavenly gift—who shared in receiving the Holy Spirit,
5 and learned to appreciate the beauty of the Divine Message, and the new powers of the Coming Age — (aiōn g165)
who had known God's good word and the power of the coming age— (aiōn g165)
6 if those, I say, fell away, it would be impossible to bring them again to repentance; they would be crucifying the Son of God over again for themselves, and exposing him to open contempt.
and then completely abandon God, for them to be brought back to repentance once more. They themselves have crucified the Son of God all over again and publicly humiliated him.
7 Ground that drinks in the showers that from time to time fall upon it, and produces vegetation useful to those for whom it is tilled, receives a blessing from God;
Land that has been watered by rain, and produces crops for those who farm it, has God's blessing.
8 but, if it ‘bears thorns and thistles,’ it is regarded as worthless, it is in danger of being ‘cursed,’ and its end will be the fire.
But land that only produces weeds and thorns is worthless, and is about to be condemned. In the end all that can be done is to burn it.
9 But about you, dear friends, even though we speak in this way, we are confident of better things — of things that point to your Salvation.
But dear friends, we believe better of you and your salvation, even if we talk like this!
10 For God is not unjust; he will not forget the work that you did, and the love that you showed for his Name, in sending help to your fellow Christians — as you are still doing.
God wouldn't be so unjust as to forget what you've done and the love you've shown for him by the care you've shown for fellow-believers—something you're still doing.
11 But our great desire is that every one of you should be equally earnest to attain to a full conviction that our hope will be fulfilled, and that you should keep that hope to the end.
We want each of you to show the same kind of commitment, confident in God's hope until it's fulfilled.
12 Then you will not show yourselves slow to learn, but you will copy those who, through faith and patience, are now entering upon the enjoyment of God’s promises.
Don't be spiritually lazy, but follow the example of those who through trusting in God and patience inherit what God has promised.
13 When God gave his promise to Abraham, since there was no one greater by whom he could swear, he swore by himself.
When God gave his promise to Abraham he could swear by no one greater so he took an oath on himself,
14 His words were — ‘I will assuredly bless thee and increase thy numbers.’
saying, “I will definitely bless you, and multiply your descendants.”
15 And so, after patiently waiting, Abraham obtained the fulfilment of God’s promise.
And so, after patiently waiting, Abraham received the promise.
16 Men, of course, swear by what is greater than themselves, and with them an oath is accepted as putting a matter beyond all dispute.
People swear on things that are greater than they are, and when they have some dispute the oath is taken as the final word on the matter.
17 And therefore God, in his desire to show, with unmistakable plainness, to those who were to enter on the enjoyment of what he had promised, the unchangeableness of his purpose, bound himself with an oath.
That's why God wanted to demonstrate more clearly to those who would inherit the promise that he would never ever change his mind.
18 For he intended us to find great encouragement in these two unchangeable things, which make it impossible for God to prove false — we, I mean, who fled for safety where we might lay hold on the hope set before us.
So by these two actions that can't be changed, and since it's impossible for God to lie, we can have total confidence, having run for safety to take hold of the hope God presented to us.
19 This hope is a very anchor for our souls, secure and strong, and it ‘reaches into the Sanctuary that lies behind the Curtain,’
This hope is our spiritual anchor—it's both certain and reliable, and it takes us past the curtain to the presence of God.
