1 He briefly toucheth the childish slothfulness of the Hebrews, 4 and terrifieth them with severe threatenings: 7 He stirreth them up to endeavor in time to go forward: 9 He hopeth well of them: 13 He allegeth Abraham’s example: 17 and compareth faith that taketh hold on the word, 19 unto an anchor.

Therefore, leaving the doctrine of the [a]beginning of Christ, let us be led forward unto perfection, [b]not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God,

Of the doctrine of baptisms, and laying on of hands, and of the resurrection from the dead, and of eternal judgment.

And this will we do if God permit.

(A)[c] For it is [d]impossible that they which were once lightened, and have [e]tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the holy Ghost,

And have tasted of the good word of God, and of the powers of the world to come,

If they fall away, should be renewed again by repentance: seeing they [f]crucify again to themselves the Son of God, and make a mock of him.

[g]For the earth which drinketh in the rain that cometh oft upon it, and bringeth forth herbs meet for them by whom it is dressed, receiveth blessing of God.

But that which beareth thorns and briars, is reproved, and is near unto cursing, whose end is to be burned.

[h]But beloved, we have persuaded ourselves better things of you, and such as accompany salvation, though we thus speak.

10 [i]For God is not unrighteous, that he should forget your work, and labor of love, which ye showed toward his Name, in that ye have ministered unto the Saints, and yet minister.

11 And we desire that every one of you show the same diligence, to the full assurance of hope unto the end,

12 [j]That ye be not slothful, but followers of them, which through faith and patience, inherit the promises.

13 [k]For when God made the promise to Abraham, because he had no greater to swear by, he swore by himself,

14 Saying, (B)Surely I will [l]abundantly bless thee, and multiply thee marvelously.

15 And so after that he had tarried patiently, he enjoyed the promise.

16 For men verily swear by him that is greater than themselves, and an oath for confirmation is among them an end of all strife.

17 So God, willing more [m]abundantly to show unto the heirs of promise the stableness of his counsel, bound himself by an oath,

18 That by two immutable things, wherein it is impossible that God should lie, we might have strong consolation, which have our refuge to lay hold upon that hope that is set before us,

19 [n]Which hope we have, as an anchor of the soul, but sure and steadfast, and it entereth into that which is within the veil.

20 [o]Whither the forerunner is for us entered in, even Jesus that is made an high Priest forever after the order of Melchizedek.

Footnotes

  1. Hebrews 6:1 The first principles of Christian religion, which we call the Catechism.
  2. Hebrews 6:1 Certain principles of a Catechism, which comprehend the sum of the doctrine of the Gospel, were given in few words and briefly to the rude and ignorant, to wit, the profession of repentance and faith in God: the articles of which doctrine, were demanded of them which were not as yet received members of the Church, at the days appointed for Baptism: and of the children of the faithful which were baptized in their infancy: when hands were laid upon them. And of those articles, two are by name recited: the resurrection of the flesh, and the eternal judgment.
  3. Hebrews 6:4 He addeth a vehemency to his exhortation, and a most sharp threatening of the certain destruction that shall come to them which fall from God and his religion.
  4. Hebrews 6:4 He speaketh of a general backsliding, and such as do altogether fall away from the faith, and not of sins which are committed through the frailty of man against the first and the second table.
  5. Hebrews 6:4 We must mark the force of this word, for it is one thing to believe as Lydia did, whose heart God opened, Acts 16:13, and another thing to have some taste.
  6. Hebrews 6:6 As men that hate Christ, and as though they crucified him again make him a mocking stock to all the world, and that to their own destruction, as Julian the Apostate or backslider did.
  7. Hebrews 6:7 He setteth forth the former threatening with a similitude.
  8. Hebrews 6:9 He mitigateth and assuageth all that sharpness, hoping better of them to whom he writeth.
  9. Hebrews 6:10 He praiseth them for their charity, thereby encouraging them to go forward, and to hold out to the end.
  10. Hebrews 6:12 He showeth what virtues chiefly they have need of to go forward constantly, and also to profit: to wit, of charity, and patience: and lest any man should object and say, that these things are impossible to be done, he willeth them to set before themselves the examples of their ancestors, and to follow them.
  11. Hebrews 6:13 Another prick to prick them forward: Because the hope of the inheritance is certain, if we continue to the end, for God hath not only promised it, but also promised it with an oath.
  12. Hebrews 6:14 I will heap up benefits most plentifully upon thee.
  13. Hebrews 6:17 More than was needful, were it not for the wickedness of men which believe not God, no though he swear.
  14. Hebrews 6:19 He likeneth hope to an anchor: because that even as an anchor being cast into the bottom of the sea, stayeth the whole ship, so doth hope also enter even into the very secret places of heaven. And he maketh mention of the Sanctuary, alluding to the old tabernacle, and by this means returneth to the comparisons of the Priesthood of Christ with the Levitical.
  15. Hebrews 6:20 He repeateth David’s words, wherein all those comparisons whereof he hath before made mention, are signified, as he declareth in all the next chapter.

Therefore let us move beyond(A) the elementary teachings(B) about Christ and be taken forward to maturity, not laying again the foundation of repentance from acts that lead to death,[a](C) and of faith in God, instruction about cleansing rites,[b](D) the laying on of hands,(E) the resurrection of the dead,(F) and eternal judgment. And God permitting,(G) we will do so.

It is impossible for those who have once been enlightened,(H) who have tasted the heavenly gift,(I) who have shared in the Holy Spirit,(J) who have tasted the goodness(K) of the word of God(L) and the powers of the coming age and who have fallen[c] away, to be brought back to repentance.(M) To their loss they are crucifying the Son of God(N) all over again and subjecting him to public disgrace. Land that drinks in the rain often falling on it and that produces a crop useful to those for whom it is farmed receives the blessing of God. But land that produces thorns and thistles is worthless and is in danger of being cursed.(O) In the end it will be burned.

Even though we speak like this, dear friends,(P) we are convinced of better things in your case—the things that have to do with salvation. 10 God is not unjust; he will not forget your work and the love you have shown him as you have helped his people and continue to help them.(Q) 11 We want each of you to show this same diligence to the very end, so that what you hope(R) for may be fully realized. 12 We do not want you to become lazy, but to imitate(S) those who through faith and patience(T) inherit what has been promised.(U)

The Certainty of God’s Promise

13 When God made his promise to Abraham, since there was no one greater for him to swear by, he swore by himself,(V) 14 saying, “I will surely bless you and give you many descendants.”[d](W) 15 And so after waiting patiently, Abraham received what was promised.(X)

16 People swear by someone greater than themselves, and the oath confirms what is said and puts an end to all argument.(Y) 17 Because God wanted to make the unchanging(Z) nature of his purpose very clear to the heirs of what was promised,(AA) he confirmed it with an oath. 18 God did this so that, by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie,(AB) we who have fled to take hold of the hope(AC) set before us may be greatly encouraged. 19 We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain,(AD) 20 where our forerunner, Jesus, has entered on our behalf.(AE) He has become a high priest(AF) forever, in the order of Melchizedek.(AG)

Footnotes

  1. Hebrews 6:1 Or from useless rituals
  2. Hebrews 6:2 Or about baptisms
  3. Hebrews 6:6 Or age, if they fall
  4. Hebrews 6:14 Gen. 22:17