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.

Therefore, 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,

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.

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

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

And this we will do if God permits.

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

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

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

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

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.

if 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.

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.

For 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;

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

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

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.

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

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.

For 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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

saying, “Surely blessing I will bless you, and multiplying I will multiply you.”

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

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

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.

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

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.

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

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.

that 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.

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.

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

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.

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