A Call to Maturity

1Wherefore, leaving the word of the beginning of Christ, let us press on to maturity, not laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God, 2of the teaching of immersions, and laying on of hands, of a resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment. 3And this will we do, if, indeed, God permit. 4For as to those who were once enlightened, and tasted of the heavenly gift, and became partakers of the Holy Spirit, 5and tasted the good word of God and the powers of the coming age, 6and then fell away, it is impossible to renew them again to repentance, since they are crucifying to themselves the Son of God afresh, and putting Him to open shame. 7For the land which drank in the rain that often comes upon it, and brings forth an herb fit for those for whose sake also it is cultivated, receives blessing from God; 8but, if it bears thorns and thistles, it is rejected, and is near to a curse; whose end is to be burned.

9But, beloved, we have become persuaded better things concerning you, and things accompanying salvation, even though we thus speak; 10for God is not unrighteous to forget your work, and the love which ye showed toward His name, in having ministered to the saints, and still ministering. 11And we desire that each of you show forth the same diligence to the full assurance of the hope to the end; 12that ye may not become slothful, but imitators of those who, through faith and long-suffering, inherit the promises.

God’s Unchangeable Promise

13For God, when making a promise to Abraham, since He had no one greater by whom to swear, swore by Himself, 14saying, "Surely, blessing, I will bless you; and multiplying, I will multiply you." 15And thus, having patiently endured, he obtained the promise. 16For men swear by the greater; and the oath for confirmation is an end, to them, of every dispute: 17wherein God, more abundantly willing to show to the heirs of the promise the immutability of His counsel, interposed with an oath; 18that, through two immutable facts, in which it is impossible that God should lie, we may have strong encouragement, who fled for refuge to lay hold of the hope set before us; 19which we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and firm, and entering into the place within the veil; 20where, as Forerunner in our behalf, Jesus entered, having become a High Priest forever, according to the rank of Melchizedek.