So Let Us Move Along Toward Maturity
6 Therefore, having left the message of the beginning[a] concerning Christ, let us be carried-along to maturity— not again laying-down a foundation of repentance from dead works and faith toward God, 2 of instruction about cleansings[b] and laying-on of hands, and about the resurrection of the dead and eternal judgment.
And We Will Do This As God Permits, For It Is Impossible For Us To Help Some
3 And this[c] we will do if-indeed God permits. 4 For it is impossible to renew[d] again to repentance the ones having once been enlightened[e] and having tasted[f] the heavenly gift, and having been made[g] partakers[h] of the Holy Spirit, 5 and having tasted the good word of God and the powers[i] of the coming age, 6 and having fallen-away— crucifying-again[j] for themselves the Son of God, and publicly-disgracing Him. 7 For land having drunk the rain coming often upon it, and producing a plant useful to those for whose sake it is also farmed, receives a blessing from God. 8 But land bringing-forth thorns and thistles is disapproved[k] and near a curse[l], whose end[m] is for burning.
But As For You, Beloved, Diligently Imitate The Inheritors of The Promises
9 But concerning you, beloved, we are convinced-of better things, and things having salvation— even though we are speaking in this manner. 10 For God is not unjust so as to forget your work and the love which you demonstrated for His name, having served[n] the saints and [still] serving. 11 But we desire that each of you be demonstrating the same diligence toward the full-assurance of hope until the end, 12 in order that you may not be sluggish, but imitators of the ones inheriting the promises through faith and patience.
For Abraham Waited Patiently And Obtained The Promise
13 For God, having promised to Abraham, swore by Himself— since He had by no one greater to swear— 14 saying [in Gen 22:17]: “Surely while blessing I will bless you, and while multiplying I will multiply[o] you”. 15 And so, having waited-patiently, he obtained the promise.
God Even Guaranteed His Promise To Encourage Those Waiting For It
16 For people swear by the greater one. And for them the oath for confirmation is the end[p] of every dispute, 17 by which custom God, intending even more to show the unchangeableness of His intention[q] to the heirs of the promise, guaranteed with an oath, 18 in order that by two[r] unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we[s]— the ones having fled to take-hold-of the hope being set-before us— may have strong encouragement[t], 19 which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both secure and firm and entering into the inner side of the curtain, 20 where a forerunner for us went in— Jesus— having become High Priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.
Footnotes
- Hebrews 6:1 See 5:12.
- Hebrews 6:2 That is, the Christian view of Jewish washings (same word as in Mk 7:4), certainly a foundational issue for these Hebrews. Or, baptisms.
- Hebrews 6:3 That is, carry you on toward maturity.
- Hebrews 6:4 Or, restore. In the Greek word order, ‘to renew again to repentance’ is in v 6, just before ‘crucifying-again’, placing emphasis on it.
- Hebrews 6:4 Or, illuminated, given light.
- Hebrews 6:4 That is, experienced; or, partaken of.
- Hebrews 6:4 Or, come-to-be, become, been.
- Hebrews 6:4 Or, partners, sharers.
- Hebrews 6:5 Or, miracles, as in 2:4.
- Hebrews 6:6 Or, re-crucifying. That is, since they are crucifying-again, defining the sense in which they have fallen away.
- Hebrews 6:8 Or, rejected.
- Hebrews 6:8 That is, near to being cursed.
- Hebrews 6:8 That is, destiny.
- Hebrews 6:10 Compare 10:32-34.
- Hebrews 6:14 while blessing... multiply. This literal reflection of a Hebrew way of speaking means ‘I will surely bless and I will surely multiply’.
- Hebrews 6:16 Or, conclusion.
- Hebrews 6:17 intending... intention. Or, purposing... purpose, determining... determination.
- Hebrews 6:18 That is, the promise and the oath.
- Hebrews 6:18 we... encouragement. Or, we, the ones having fled-for-refuge, may have strong encouragement to take-hold-of the hope being set-before us.
- Hebrews 6:18 That is, to wait patiently like Abraham.