1Therefore, leaving the elementary teaching about Christ, let us move on toward perfection, not laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works and trust in God,

2of teaching about baptisms, of laying on of hands, of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment. ⁷⁶

3We will do this, that is, if indeed God should permit it. ⁷⁷

No one kills Jesus twice

4Because, it is impossible to bring back into repentance those who were once for all enlightened, who have partaken ⁷⁸of the heavenly gift and were made sharers in the Holy Spirit, ⁷⁹

5who have experienced God's good event ⁸⁰and capabilities of the coming age, ⁸¹

6and yet have fallen away—they would be crucifying the Son of God all over again, just for themselves, holding Him up to contempt. ⁸²

7Now the ground that drinks in the rain that frequently falls on it and produces a crop useful to those for whom it is really cultivated receives blessing from God;

8but should it bear thorns and thistles, it is disqualified, almost a curse, whose destiny is a burning. ⁸³

A word of encouragement

9For all that, dear ones, we are confident of the better things concerning you—things that accompany salvation—even though we speak like this.

10Because God is not unjust so as to ignore your work, even the labor of love you have invested in His name, in that you have ministered to the saints and continue to do so.

11You see, we really do want each of you to show this same diligence to the very end, so as to fulfill the hope;

12so that you not become lazy, but rather imitators of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises. ⁸⁴

Our secure anchor

13Now when God made a promise to Abraham, since He had no one greater to swear by, He swore by Himself

14saying, “Indeed, blessing I will bless you, and multiplying I will multiply you.” ⁸⁵

15And so, after he had been patient, ⁸⁶he obtained the promise.

16Because since men swear by the greater, and for them the confirming oath puts an end to every dispute,

17similarly God, being determined to show even more clearly to the heirs of the promise the unchanging nature of His purpose, guaranteed it by an oath,

18so that by two unalterable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we should have a strong encouragement, we who have taken refuge by grasping the hope set before us;

19which hope we have as an anchor for the soul, both certain and secure, ⁸⁷actually entering the inner sanctuary behind the curtain,

20where Forerunner Jesus has entered on our behalf, having become High Priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.