1 ¶ Therefore, leaving now the word of the beginning of the establishment of the Christ, let us go on unto perfection, not laying again the foundation of repentance from works of death, and of faith in God,

Therefore leaving the teaching of the first principles of Christ, let us press on to perfection—not laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works, of faith toward God,

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

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

3 A nd this we will indeed do, if God permits.

This will we do, if God permits.

4 F or it is impossible that those who once received the light and tasted of that heavenly gift and were made partakers of the Holy Spirit

For concerning those who were once enlightened and tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Spirit,

5 a nd likewise have tasted the good word of God and the virtue of the age to come,

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

6 a nd have backslidden, be renewed again by repentance, crucifying again for themselves the Son of God and putting him to an open shame.

and then fell away, it is impossible to renew them again to repentance; seeing they crucify the Son of God for themselves again, and put him to open shame.

7 F or the earth which drinks in the rain that comes often upon it and brings forth herbs in season for those by whom it is dressed receives blessing from God;

For the land which has drunk the rain that comes often on it, and produces a crop suitable for them for whose sake it is also tilled, receives blessing from God;

8 b ut that which bears thorns and briers is rejected and is near unto cursing, whose end shall be by fire.

but if it bears thorns and thistles, it is rejected and near being cursed, whose end is to be burned.

9 ¶ But, beloved, we expect better things than these of you, things near unto saving health, though we thus speak.

But, beloved, we are persuaded of better things for you, and things that accompany salvation, even though we speak like this.

10 F or God is not unjust to forget your work and labour of charity which ye have showed in his name, having helped the saints and helping them.

For God is not unrighteous, so as to forget your work and the labor of love which you showed toward his name, in that you served the saints, and still do serve them.

11 B ut we desire that each one of you show the same diligence until the end for the fulfillment of your hope,

We desire that each one of you may show the same diligence to the fullness of hope even to the end,

12 t hat ye not become slothful, but imitators of those who by faith and patience inherit the promises.

that you won’t be sluggish, but imitators of those who through faith and patience inherited the promises.

13 F or when God promised unto Abraham, because he could swear by no greater, he swore by himself,

For when God made a 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, “Surely blessing I will bless you, and multiplying I will multiply you.”

15 A nd so, after he had patiently endured, he obtained the promise.

Thus, having patiently endured, he obtained the promise.

16 F or men verily swear by the greater, and an oath for confirmation is to them an end of all controversy.

For men indeed swear by a greater one, and in every dispute of theirs the oath is final for confirmation.

17 I n which God, desiring to show more abundantly unto the heirs of promise the immutability of his counsel, confirmed it by an oath,

In this way God, being determined to show more abundantly to the heirs of the promise the immutability of his counsel, interposed with an oath;

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

that 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 take hold of the hope set before us.

19 w hich we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast, and which enters even into that which is within the veil,

This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, a hope both sure and steadfast and entering into that which is within the veil;

20 w here our precursor, Jesus, has entered for us and is made high priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec.

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