1 T herefore, leaving the discussion of the elementary principles of Christ, let us go on to perfection, not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God,

Therefore let us go on and get past the elementary stage in the teachings and doctrine of Christ (the Messiah), advancing steadily toward the completeness and perfection that belong to spiritual maturity. Let us not again be laying the foundation of repentance and abandonment of dead works (dead formalism) and of the faith to God,

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

With teachings about purifying, the laying on of hands, the resurrection from the dead, and eternal judgment and punishment.

3 A nd this we will do if God permits.

If indeed God permits, we will proceed.

4 F or it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted the heavenly gift, and have become partakers of the Holy Spirit,

For it is impossible those who have been once for all enlightened, who have consciously tasted the heavenly gift and have become sharers of the Holy Spirit,

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

And have felt how good the Word of God is and the mighty powers of the age and world to come,

6 i f they fall away, to renew them again to repentance, since they crucify again for themselves the Son of God, and put Him to an open shame.

If they then deviate from the faith and turn away from their allegiance— to bring them back to repentance, for (because, while, as long as) they nail upon the cross the Son of God afresh and are holding up to contempt and shame and public disgrace.

7 F or the earth which drinks in the rain that often comes upon it, and bears herbs useful for those by whom it is cultivated, receives blessing from God;

For the soil which has drunk the rain that repeatedly falls upon it and produces vegetation useful to those for whose benefit it is cultivated partakes of a blessing from God.

8 b ut if it bears thorns and briers, it is rejected and near to being cursed, whose end is to be burned. A Better Estimate

But if persistently bears thorns and thistles, it is considered worthless and near to being cursed, whose end is to be burned.

9 B ut, beloved, we are confident of better things concerning you, yes, things that accompany salvation, though we speak in this manner.

Even though we speak this way, yet in your case, beloved, we are now firmly convinced of better things that are near to salvation and accompany it.

10 F or God is not unjust to forget your work and labor of love which you have shown toward His name, in that you have ministered to the saints, and do minister.

For God is not unrighteous to forget or overlook your labor and the love which you have shown for His name’s sake in ministering to the needs of the saints (His own consecrated people), as you still do.

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

But we do '> strongly and earnestly] desire for each of you to show the same diligence and sincerity in realizing and enjoying the full assurance and development of hope until the end,

12 t hat you do not become sluggish, but imitate those who through faith and patience inherit the promises. God’s Infallible Purpose in Christ

In order that you may not grow disinterested and become sluggards, but imitators, behaving as do those who through faith ( by their leaning of the entire personality on God in Christ in absolute trust and confidence in His power, wisdom, and goodness) and by practice of patient endurance and waiting are inheriting the promises.

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

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

14 s aying, “Surely blessing I will bless you, and multiplying I will multiply you.”

Saying, Blessing I certainly will bless you and multiplying I will multiply you.

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

And so it was that he, having waited long and endured patiently, realized and obtained what God had promised him.

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

Men indeed swear by a greater, and with them in all disputes the oath taken for confirmation is final.

17 T hus God, determining to show more abundantly to the heirs of promise the immutability of His counsel, confirmed it by an oath,

Accordingly God also, in His desire to show more convincingly and beyond doubt to those who were to inherit the promise the unchangeableness of His purpose and plan, intervened (mediated) with an oath.

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

This was so that, by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God ever to prove false or deceive us, we who have fled for refuge might have mighty indwelling strength and strong encouragement to grasp and hold fast the hope appointed for us and set before.

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

we have this as a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul '> break down under whoever steps out upon it—a hope] that reaches farther and enters into within the veil,

20 w here the forerunner has entered for us, even Jesus, having become High Priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.

Where Jesus has entered in for us, a Forerunner having become a High Priest forever after the order (with the rank) of Melchizedek.