1 T herefore 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,

¶ 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,

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

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

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

And this we will indeed do, if God permits.

4 F or 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,

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

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

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

6 a nd 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.

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

7 F or 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;

For 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;

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

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

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

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

10 F or 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.

For 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.

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

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

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

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

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

For when God promised unto Abraham, because he could swear by no greater, he swore by himself,

14 s aying, “ I will surely bless you and I will surely multiply you.”

saying, Surely blessing I will bless thee and multiplying I will multiply thee.

15 A nd so, having patiently waited, he obtained the promise.

And so, after he had patiently endured, he obtained the promise.

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

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

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

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

18 s o 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.

that 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,

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

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

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

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