1 W herefore leaving the doctrine of the first principles of Christ, let us press on unto perfection; not laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God,

Therefore leaving the elementary teaching about the Christ, let us press on to maturity, not laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God,

2 o f the teaching of baptisms, and of laying on of hands, and of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment.

of instruction about washings and laying on of hands, and the resurrection of the dead and eternal judgment.

3 A nd this will we do, if God permit.

And this we will do, if God permits.

4 F or as touching those who were once enlightened and tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Spirit,

For in the case of those who have once been enlightened and have tasted of the heavenly gift and have been made partakers of the Holy Spirit,

5 a nd tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the age to come,

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

6 a nd then fell away, it is impossible to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame.

and then have fallen away, it is impossible to renew them again to repentance, since they again crucify to themselves the Son of God and put Him to open shame.

7 F or the land which hath drunk the rain that cometh oft upon it, and bringeth forth herbs meet for them for whose sake it is also tilled, receiveth blessing from God:

For ground that drinks the rain which often falls on it and brings forth vegetation useful to those for whose sake it is also tilled, receives a blessing from God;

8 b ut if it beareth thorns and thistles, it is rejected and nigh unto a curse; whose end is to be burned.

but if it yields thorns and thistles, it is worthless and close to being cursed, and it ends up being burned. Better Things for You

9 B ut, beloved, we are persuaded better things of you, and things that accompany salvation, though we thus speak:

But, beloved, we are convinced of better things concerning you, and things that accompany salvation, though we are speaking in this way.

10 f or 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 still do minister.

For God is not unjust so as to forget your work and the love which you have shown toward His name, in having ministered and in still ministering to the saints.

11 A nd we desire that each one of you may show the same diligence unto the fulness of hope even to the end:

And we desire that each one of you show the same diligence so as to realize the full assurance of hope until the end,

12 t hat ye be not sluggish, but imitators of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises.

so that you will not be sluggish, but imitators of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises.

13 F or when God made promise to Abraham, since he could swear by none greater, he sware by himself,

For when God made the promise to Abraham, since He could swear by no one greater, He swore by Himself,

14 s aying, Surely blessing I will bless thee, and multiplying I will multiply thee.

saying, “ I will surely bless you and I will surely multiply you.”

15 A nd thus, having patiently endured, he obtained the promise.

And so, having patiently waited, he obtained the promise.

16 F or men swear by the greater: and in every dispute of theirs the oath is final for confirmation.

For men swear by one greater than themselves, and with them an oath given as confirmation is an end of every dispute.

17 W herein God, being minded to show more abundantly unto the heirs of the promise the immutability of his counsel, interposed with an oath;

In the same way God, desiring even more to show to the heirs of the promise the unchangeableness of His purpose, interposed with an oath,

18 t hat by two immutable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we may have a strong encouragement, who have fled for refuge to lay hold of the hope set before us:

so that by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have taken refuge would have strong encouragement to take hold of the hope set before us.

19 w hich we have as an anchor of the soul, a hope both sure and stedfast and entering into that which is within the veil;

This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, a hope both sure and steadfast and one which enters within the veil,

20 w hither as a forerunner Jesus entered for us, having become a high priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek.

where Jesus has entered as a forerunner for us, having become a high priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.