The Danger of Falling Away

6 Therefore ^(A)leaving ^(B)the ^[a]elementary teaching about the ^[b]Christ, let us press on to ^[c](C)maturity, not laying again a foundation of repentance from ^(D)dead works and of faith toward God, ² of ^(E)instruction about ^[d]washings and ^(F)laying on of hands, and about the ^(G)resurrection of the dead and ^(H)eternal judgment. ³ And this we will do, ^(I)if God permits. ⁴ For it is ^(J)impossible, in the case of those who have once been ^(K)enlightened and have tasted of ^(L)the heavenly gift and have been made ^(M)partakers of the Holy Spirit, ⁵ and ^(N)have tasted the good ^(O)word of God and the powers of ^(P)the age to come, ⁶ and then have ^[e]fallen away, to ^(Q)restore them again to repentance, ^[f](R)since they again crucify to themselves the Son of God and put Him to open shame. ⁷ For ground that drinks the rain which often ^[g]falls on it and produces vegetation useful to those ^(S)for whose sake it is also tilled, receives a blessing from God; ⁸ but if it yields thorns and thistles, it is worthless and ^[h](T)close to being cursed, and ^[i]it ends up being burned.

Better Things for You

⁹ But, ^(U)beloved, we are convinced of better things regarding you, and things that ^[j]accompany salvation, even though we are speaking in this way. ¹⁰ For ^(V)God is not unjust so as to forget ^(W)your work and the love which you have shown toward His name, by having ^(X)served and by still serving the ^[k]saints. ¹¹ And we desire that each one of you demonstrate the same diligence ^[l]so as to realize the ^(Y)full assurance of ^(Z)hope until the end, ¹² so that you will not be sluggish, but ^(AA)imitators of those who through ^(AB)faith and endurance ^(AC)inherit the promises.

¹³ For ^(AD)when God made the promise to Abraham, since He could swear an oath by no one greater, He ^(AE)swore by Himself, ¹⁴ saying, “^(AF)indeed I will greatly bless you and I will greatly multiply you.” ¹⁵ And so, ^(AG)having patiently waited, he obtained the promise. ^16 (AH)For people swear an oath by ^[m]one greater than themselves, and with them ^(AI)an oath serving as confirmation is an end of every dispute. ^17 [n]In the same way God, desiring even more to demonstrate to ^(AJ)the heirs of the promise ^[o](AK)the fact that His purpose is unchangeable, ^[p]confirmed it with an oath, ¹⁸ so that by two unchangeable things in which ^(AL)it is impossible for God to lie, we who have taken refuge would have strong encouragement to hold firmly to ^(AM)the hope set before us. ^19 [q]This ^(AN)hope we have as an anchor of the soul, a hope both sure and reliable and one which ^(AO)enters ^[r]within the veil, ^20 (AP)where Jesus has entered as a forerunner for us, having become a ^(AQ)high priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.