1 Wherefore leaving the word of the beginning of the Christ, let us be borne on unto the perfection; not laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God,—2 the teaching of baptisms, and of laying on of hands, and of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment. 3 And this will we do, if only :God permit. 4 For as to those who were once enlightened and tasted of the heavenly :gift, and became partakers of the Holy Spirit, 5 and †tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the age to come, 6 and fell away, it is impossible to renew them again unto repentance; they crucifying again to themselves and openly shaming the Son of :God. 7 For land which drinketh the rain that cometh often upon it, and bringeth forth herbs meet for them for whose sake it is also tilled, receiveth blessing from :God: 8 but if it beareth thorns and thistles, it is disapproved and nigh a curse; whose :end is to be burned. 9 But of you, beloved, we are persuaded :better things and having salvation, even if we thus speak: 10 for :God is not unrighteous to forget your :work and the love which ye showed toward his :name, in that ye ministered unto the saints, and do minister. 11 And we desire that each of you show the same diligence unto the fullness of the hope even to the end: 12 that ye be not sluggish, but imitators of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises. 13 For when :God made promise to :Abraham, since he had none greater to swear by, he sware by himself, 14 saying, Surely blessing I will bless thee, and multiplying I will multiply thee. 15 And thus, having patiently endured, he obtained the promise. 16 For men swear by the greater: and in every dispute of theirs the oath is final for confirmation. 17 Wherein :God, intending to show more abundantly to the heirs of the promise the immutability of his :counsel, mediated with an oath; 18 that by two immutable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we may have strong †encouragement, who have fled for refuge to lay hold of the hope set before us: 19 which we have as the soul’s anchor, a hope both sure and firm and entering into what is within the veil; 20 whither as forerunner Jesus entered for us, having become a high priest unto the age after the order of Melchizedek.
