The Danger of Falling Away

1Therefore leaving the [a]elementary teaching about the [b]Christ, let us press on to [c]maturity, not laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God, 2of instruction about [d]washings and laying on of hands, and about the resurrection of the dead and eternal judgment. 3And this we will do, if God permits. 4For it is impossible, in the case of those who have once been enlightened and have tasted of the heavenly gift and have been made partakers of the Holy Spirit, 5and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come, 6and then have [e]fallen away, to restore them again to repentance, [f]since they again crucify to themselves the Son of God and put Him to open shame. 7For ground that drinks the rain which often [g]falls on it and produces vegetation useful to those for whose sake it is also tilled, receives a blessing from God; 8but if it yields thorns and thistles, it is worthless and [h]close to being cursed, and [i]it ends up being burned.

Better Things for You

9But, beloved, we are convinced of better things regarding you, and things that [j]accompany salvation, even though we are speaking in this way. 10For God is not unjust so as to forget your work and the love which you have shown toward His name, by having served and by still serving the [k]saints. 11And we desire that each one of you demonstrate the same diligence [l]so as to realize the full assurance of hope until the end, 12so that you will not be sluggish, but imitators of those who through faith and endurance inherit the promises.

13For when God made the promise to Abraham, since He could swear an oath by no one greater, He swore by Himself, 14saying, “INDEED I WILL GREATLY BLESS YOU AND I WILL GREATLY MULTIPLY YOU.” 15And so, having patiently waited, he obtained the promise. 16For people swear an oath by [m]one greater than themselves, and with them an oath serving as confirmation is an end of every dispute. 17[n]In the same way God, desiring even more to demonstrate to the heirs of the promise [o]the fact that His purpose is unchangeable, [p]confirmed it with an oath, 18so that by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have taken refuge would have strong encouragement to hold firmly to the hope set before us. 19[q]This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, a hope both sure and reliable and one which enters [r]within the veil, 20where Jesus has entered as a forerunner for us, having become a high priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.