| New King James Version | NET Bible |
| 1Therefore, leaving the discussion of the elementary principles of Christ, let us go on to perfection, not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God, | 1Therefore we must progress beyond the elementary instructions about Christ and move on to maturity, not laying this foundation again: repentance from dead works and faith in God, |
| 2of the doctrine of baptisms, of laying on of hands, of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment. | 2teaching about baptisms, laying on of hands, resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment. |
| 3And this we will do if God permits. | 3And this is what we intend to do, if God permits. |
| 4For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted the heavenly gift, and have become partakers of the Holy Spirit, | 4For it is impossible in the case of those who have once been enlightened, tasted the heavenly gift, become partakers of the Holy Spirit, |
| 5and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come, | 5tasted the good word of God and the miracles of the coming age, |
| 6if they fall away, to renew them again to repentance, since they crucify again for themselves the Son of God, and put Him to an open shame. | 6and then have committed apostasy, to renew them again to repentance, since they are crucifying the Son of God for themselves all over again and holding him up to contempt. |
| 7For the earth which drinks in the rain that often comes upon it, and bears herbs useful for those by whom it is cultivated, receives blessing from God; | 7For the ground that has soaked up the rain that frequently falls on it and yields useful vegetation for those who tend it receives a blessing from God. |
| 8but if it bears thorns and briers, it is rejected and near to being cursed, whose end is to be burned. | 8But if it produces thorns and thistles, it is useless and about to be cursed; its fate is to be burned. |
| 9But, beloved, we are confident of better things concerning you, yes, things that accompany salvation, though we speak in this manner. | 9But in your case, dear friends, even though we speak like this, we are convinced of better things relating to salvation. |
| 10For God is not unjust to forget your work and labor of love which you have shown toward His name, in that you have ministered to the saints, and do minister. | 10For God is not unjust so as to forget your work and the love you have demonstrated for his name, in having served and continuing to serve the saints. |
| 11And we desire that each one of you show the same diligence to the full assurance of hope until the end, | 11But we passionately want each of you to demonstrate the same eagerness for the fulfillment of your hope until the end, |
| 12that you do not become sluggish, but imitate those who through faith and patience inherit the promises. | 12so that you may not be sluggish, but imitators of those who through faith and perseverance inherit the promises. |
| 13For when God made a promise to Abraham, because He could swear by no one greater, He swore by Himself, | 13Now when God made his promise to Abraham, since he could swear by no one greater, he swore by himself, |
| 14saying, “Surely blessing I will bless you, and multiplying I will multiply you.” | 14saying, "Surely I will bless you greatly and multiply your descendants abundantly." |
| 15And so, after he had patiently endured, he obtained the promise. | 15And so by persevering, Abraham inherited the promise. |
| 16For men indeed swear by the greater, and an oath for confirmation is for them an end of all dispute. | 16For people swear by something greater than themselves, and the oath serves as a confirmation to end all dispute. |
| 17Thus God, determining to show more abundantly to the heirs of promise the immutability of His counsel, confirmed it by an oath, | 17In the same way God wanted to demonstrate more clearly to the heirs of the promise that his purpose was unchangeable, and so he intervened with an oath, |
| 18that by two immutable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we might have strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold of the hope set before us. | 18so that we who have found refuge in him may find strong encouragement to hold fast to the hope set before us through two unchangeable things, since it is impossible for God to lie. |
| 19This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast, and which enters the Presence behind the veil, | 19We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, sure and steadfast, which reaches inside behind the curtain, |
| 20where the forerunner has entered for us, even Jesus, having become High Priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek. | 20where Jesus our forerunner entered on our behalf, since he became a priest forever in the order of Melchizedek. |
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