Therefore aleaving
bthe 1elementary
teaching
about the 2Christ
, let us press
on to 3 cmaturity
, not laying
again
a foundation
of repentance
from ddead
works
and of faith
toward
God
,
of ainstruction about washings
and blaying
on of hands
, and the cresurrection
of the dead
and ceternal
judgment
.
And this we will do
, aif
God
permits
.
For in the case of those who have once
been aenlightened
and have tasted
of bthe heavenly
gift
and have been
made
cpartakers
of the Holy
Spirit
,
and ahave tasted the good
bword
of God
and the powers
of cthe age
to come
,
and then have fallen away
, it is aimpossible
to renew
them again
to repentance
, 1 bsince they again
crucify
to themselves
the Son
of God
and put
Him to open
shame
.
For ground that drinks
the rain
which often
1falls
on it and brings
forth
vegetation
useful
to those
afor whose
sake
it is also
tilled
, receives
a blessing
from God
;
but if it yields thorns
and thistles
, it is worthless
and aclose
1to being cursed
, and 2it ends
up being burned
.
But, abeloved, we are convinced
of better
things
concerning
you, and things that 1accompany
salvation
, though
we are speaking
in this
way
.
For aGod is not unjust
so as to forget
byour work
and the love
which
you have shown
toward
His name
, in having cministered
and in still ministering
to the 1saints
.
And we desire that each
one
of you show
the same
diligence
1so
as to realize the afull
assurance
of bhope
until
the end
,
so that you will not be sluggish
, but aimitators
of those
who through
bfaith
and patience
cinherit
the promises
.
For awhen God made
the promise
to Abraham
, since
He could
swear
by no
one
greater
, He bswore
by Himself
,
saying, " aI WILL SURELY
BLESS
YOU AND I WILL SURELY
MULTIPLY
YOU."
And so, ahaving patiently
waited
, he obtained
the promise
.
aFor men swear
by 1one
greater
than themselves, and with them ban oath
given as confirmation
is an end
of every
dispute
.
1In the same way God
, desiring
even
more
to show
to athe heirs
of the promise
bthe unchangeableness
of His purpose
, 2interposed
with an oath
,
so that by two
unchangeable
things
in which
ait is impossible
for God
to lie
, we who have 1taken
refuge
would have
strong
encouragement
to take
hold
of bthe hope
set
before
us.
1This ahope we have
as an anchor
of the soul
, a hope both
sure
and steadfast
and one which benters
2within
the veil
,
awhere Jesus
has entered
as a forerunner
for us, having become
a bhigh
priest
forever
according
to the order
of Melchizedek
.