The Peril of Falling Away
6 Therefore (A)leaving (B)the [a]elementary teaching about the [b]Christ, let us press on to [c](C)maturity, not laying again a foundation of repentance from (D)dead works and of faith toward God, 2 of (E)instruction about washings and (F)laying on of hands, and the (G)resurrection of the dead and (H)eternal judgment. 3 And this we will do, (I)if God permits. 4 For in the case of those who have once been (J)enlightened and have tasted of (K)the heavenly gift and have been made (L)partakers of the Holy Spirit, 5 and (M)have tasted the good (N)word of God and the powers of (O)the age to come, 6 and then have fallen away, it is (P)impossible to renew them again to repentance, [d](Q)since they again crucify to themselves the Son of God and put Him to open shame. 7 For ground that drinks the rain which often [e]falls on it and brings forth vegetation useful to those (R)for whose sake it is also tilled, receives a blessing from God; 8 but if it yields thorns and thistles, it is worthless and (S)close [f]to being cursed, and [g]it ends up being burned.
Better Things for You
9 But, (T)beloved, we are convinced of better things concerning you, and things that [h]accompany salvation, though we are speaking in this way. 10 For (U)God is not unjust so as to forget (V)your work and the love which you have shown toward His name, in having (W)ministered and in still ministering to the [i]saints. 11 And we desire that each one of you show the same diligence [j]so as to realize the (X)full assurance of (Y)hope until the end, 12 so that you will not be sluggish, but (Z)imitators of those who through (AA)faith and patience (AB)inherit the promises.
13 For (AC)when God made the promise to Abraham, since He could swear by no one greater, He (AD)swore by Himself, 14 saying, “(AE)I will surely bless you and I will surely multiply you.” 15 And so, (AF)having patiently waited, he obtained the promise. 16 (AG)For men swear by [k]one greater than themselves, and with them (AH)an oath given as confirmation is an end of every dispute. 17 [l]In the same way God, desiring even more to show to (AI)the heirs of the promise (AJ)the unchangeableness of His purpose, [m]interposed with an oath, 18 so that by two unchangeable things in which (AK)it is impossible for God to lie, we who have [n]taken refuge would have strong encouragement to take hold of (AL)the hope set before us. 19 [o]This (AM)hope we have as an anchor of the soul, a hope both sure and steadfast and one which (AN)enters [p]within the veil, 20 (AO)where Jesus has entered as a forerunner for us, having become a (AP)high priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.
Footnotes
- Hebrews 6:1 Lit word of the beginning
- Hebrews 6:1 I.e. Messiah
- Hebrews 6:1 Or perfection
- Hebrews 6:6 Or while
- Hebrews 6:7 Lit comes
- Hebrews 6:8 Lit near to a curse
- Hebrews 6:8 Lit whose end is for burning
- Hebrews 6:9 Or belong to
- Hebrews 6:10 Or holy ones
- Hebrews 6:11 Lit to the full
- Hebrews 6:16 Or Him who is greater
- Hebrews 6:17 Lit In which
- Hebrews 6:17 Or guaranteed
- Hebrews 6:18 Lit in which
- Hebrews 6:19 Lit Which hope we have
- Hebrews 6:19 Or inside
Cross references
- Hebrews 6:1 : Phil 3:13f
- Hebrews 6:1 : Heb 5:12
- Hebrews 6:1 : Heb 5:14
- Hebrews 6:1 : Heb 9:14
- Hebrews 6:2 : John 3:25; Acts 19:3f
- Hebrews 6:2 : Acts 6:6
- Hebrews 6:2 : Acts 17:31f
- Hebrews 6:2 : Acts 17:31f
- Hebrews 6:3 : Acts 18:21
- Hebrews 6:4 : 2 Cor 4:4, 6; Heb 10:32
- Hebrews 6:4 : John 4:10; Eph 2:8
- Hebrews 6:4 : Gal 3:2; Heb 2:4
- Hebrews 6:5 : 1 Pet 2:3
- Hebrews 6:5 : Eph 6:17
- Hebrews 6:5 : Heb 2:5
- Hebrews 6:6 : Matt 19:26; Heb 10:26f; 2 Pet 2:21; 1 John 5:16
- Hebrews 6:6 : Heb 10:29
- Hebrews 6:7 : 2 Tim 2:6
- Hebrews 6:8 : Gen 3:17f; Deut 29:22ff
- Hebrews 6:9 : 1 Cor 10:14; 2 Cor 7:1; 12:19; 1 Pet 2:11; 2 Pet 3:1; 1 John 2:7; Jude 3
- Hebrews 6:10 : Prov 19:17; Matt 10:42; 25:40; Acts 10:4
- Hebrews 6:10 : 1 Thess 1:3
- Hebrews 6:10 : Rom 15:25; Heb 10:32-34
- Hebrews 6:11 : Heb 10:22
- Hebrews 6:11 : Heb 3:6
- Hebrews 6:12 : Heb 13:7
- Hebrews 6:12 : 2 Thess 1:4; James 1:3; Rev 13:10
- Hebrews 6:12 : Heb 1:14
- Hebrews 6:13 : Gal 3:15, 18
- Hebrews 6:13 : Gen 22:16; Luke 1:73
- Hebrews 6:14 : Gen 22:17
- Hebrews 6:15 : Gen 12:4; 21:5
- Hebrews 6:16 : Gal 3:15
- Hebrews 6:16 : Ex 22:11
- Hebrews 6:17 : Heb 11:9
- Hebrews 6:17 : Ps 110:4; Prov 19:21; Heb 6:18
- Hebrews 6:18 : Num 23:19; Titus 1:2
- Hebrews 6:18 : Heb 3:6; 7:19
- Hebrews 6:19 : Ps 39:7; 62:5; Acts 23:6; Rom 4:18; 5:4, 5; 1 Cor 13:13; Col 1:27; 1 Pet 1:3
- Hebrews 6:19 : Lev 16:2, 15; Heb 9:3, 7
- Hebrews 6:20 : John 14:2; Heb 4:14
- Hebrews 6:20 : Ps 110:4; Heb 2:17; 5:6