1 S o let us leave the first things you need to know about Christ. Let us go on to the teaching that full-grown Christians should understand. We do not need to teach these first truths again. You already know that you must be sorry for your sins and turn from them. You know that you must have faith in God.

Por tanto, dejando las enseñanzas elementales acerca de Cristo, avancemos hacia la madurez, no echando otra vez el fundamento del arrepentimiento de obras muertas y de la fe hacia Dios,

2 Y ou know about being baptized and about putting hands on people. You know about being raised from the dead and about being punished forever.

de la enseñanza sobre lavamientos, de la imposición de manos, de la resurrección de los muertos y del juicio eterno.

3 W e will go on, if God lets us.

Y esto haremos, si Dios lo permite.

4 T here are those who have known the truth. They have received the gift from heaven. They have shared the Holy Spirit.

Porque en el caso de los que fueron una vez iluminados, que probaron del don celestial y fueron hechos partícipes del Espíritu Santo,

5 T hey know how good the Word of God is. They know of the powers of the world to come.

que gustaron la buena palabra de Dios y los poderes del siglo venidero,

6 B ut if they turn away, they cannot be sorry for their sins and turn from them again. It is because they are nailing the Son of God on a cross again. They are holding Him up in shame in front of all people.

pero después cayeron, es imposible renovarlos otra vez para arrepentimiento, puesto que de nuevo crucifican para sí mismos al Hijo de Dios y le exponen a la ignominia pública.

7 I t is the same with a piece of ground that has had many rains fall on it. God makes it possible for that ground to give good fruits and vegetables.

Porque la tierra que bebe la lluvia que con frecuencia cae sobre ella y produce vegetación útil a aquellos por los cuales es cultivada, recibe bendición de Dios;

8 B ut if it gives nothing but weeds, it is worth nothing. It will be hated and destroyed by fire.

pero si produce espinos y abrojos no vale nada, está próxima a ser maldecida, y termina por ser quemada. Esperanza de cosas mejores

9 D ear friends, even as we tell you this, we are sure of better things for you. These things go along with being saved from the punishment of sin.

Pero en cuanto a vosotros, amados, aunque hablemos de esta manera, estamos persuadidos de las cosas que son mejores y que pertenecen a la salvación.

10 G od always does what is right. He will not forget the work you did to help the Christians and the work you are still doing to help them. This shows your love for Christ.

Porque Dios no es injusto como para olvidarse de vuestra obra y del amor que habéis mostrado hacia su nombre, habiendo servido, y sirviendo aún, a los santos.

11 W e want each one of you to keep on working to the end. Then what you hope for, will happen.

Pero deseamos que cada uno de vosotros muestre la misma solicitud hasta el fin, para alcanzar la plena seguridad de la esperanza,

12 D o not be lazy. Be like those who have faith and have not given up. They will receive what God has promised them. God’s Promise

a fin de que no seáis perezosos, sino imitadores de los que mediante la fe y la paciencia heredan las promesas. La promesa de Dios es segura

13 W hen God made a promise to Abraham, He made that promise in His own name because no one was greater.

Pues cuando Dios hizo la promesa a Abraham, no pudiendo jurar por uno mayor, juró por sí mismo,

14 H e said, “I will make you happy in so many ways. For sure, I will give you many children.”

diciendo: Ciertamente te bendecire y ciertamente te multiplicare.

15 A braham was willing to wait and God gave to him what He had promised.

Y así, habiendo esperado con paciencia, obtuvo la promesa.

16 W hen men make a promise, they use a name greater than themselves. They do this to make sure they will do what they promise. In this way, no one argues about it.

Porque los hombres juran por uno mayor que ellos mismos, y para ellos un juramento dado como confirmación es el fin de toda discusión.

17 A nd so God made a promise. He wanted to show Abraham that He would never change His mind. So He made the promise in His own name.

Por lo cual Dios, deseando mostrar más plenamente a los herederos de la promesa la inmutabilidad de su propósito, interpuso un juramento,

18 G od gave these two things that cannot be changed and God cannot lie. We who have turned to Him can have great comfort knowing that He will do what He has promised.

a fin de que por dos cosas inmutables, en las cuales es imposible que Dios mienta, los que hemos buscado refugio seamos grandemente animados para asirnos de la esperanza puesta delante de nosotros,

19 T his hope is a safe anchor for our souls. It will never move. This hope goes into the Holiest Place of All behind the curtain of heaven.

la cual tenemos como ancla del alma, una esperanza segura y firme, y que penetra hasta detrás del velo,

20 J esus has already gone there. He has become our Religious Leader forever and has made the way for man to go to God. He is like Melchizedek.

donde Jesús entró por nosotros como precursor, hecho, según el orden de Melquisedec, sumo sacerdote para siempre.