1 Therefore APhil 3:13fleaving BHeb 5:12the 1Lit word of the beginningelementary teaching about the 2I.e. MessiahChrist, let us press on to 3Or perfectionCHeb 5:14maturity, not laying again a foundation of repentance from DHeb 9:14dead works and of faith toward God, 2 of AJohn 3:25; Acts 19:3finstruction about washings and BActs 6:6laying on of hands, and the CActs 17:31fresurrection of the dead and CActs 17:31feternal judgment. 3 And this we will do, AActs 18:21if God permits. 4 For in the case of those who have once been A2 Cor 4:4, 6; Heb 10:32enlightened and have tasted of BJohn 4:10; Eph 2:8the heavenly gift and have been made CGal 3:2; Heb 2:4partakers of the Holy Spirit, 5 and A1 Pet 2:3have tasted the good BEph 6:17word of God and the powers of CHeb 2:5the age to come, 6 and then have fallen away, it is AMatt 19:26; Heb 10:26f; 2 Pet 2:21; 1 John 5:16impossible to renew them again to repentance, 1Or whileBHeb 10:29since they again crucify to themselves the Son of God and put Him to open shame. 7 For ground that drinks the rain which often 1Lit comesfalls on it and brings forth vegetation useful to those A2 Tim 2:6for whose sake it is also tilled, receives a blessing from God; 8 but if it yields thorns and thistles, it is worthless and AGen 3:17f; Deut 29:22ffclose 1Lit near to a curseto being cursed, and 2Lit whose end is for burningit ends up being burned.

9 But, A1 Cor 10:14; 2 Cor 7:1; 12:19; 1 Pet 2:11; 2 Pet 3:1; 1 John 2:7; Jude 3beloved, we are convinced of better things concerning you, and things that 1Or belong toaccompany salvation, though we are speaking in this way. 10 For AProv 19:17; Matt 10:42; 25:40; Acts 10:4God is not unjust so as to forget B1 Thess 1:3your work and the love which you have shown toward His name, in having CRom 15:25; Heb 10:32-34ministered and in still ministering to the 1Or holy onessaints. 11 And we desire that each one of you show the same diligence 1Lit to the fullso as to realize the AHeb 10:22full assurance of BHeb 3:6hope until the end, 12 so that you will not be sluggish, but AHeb 13:7imitators of those who through B2 Thess 1:4; James 1:3; Rev 13:10faith and patience CHeb 1:14inherit the promises.

13 For AGal 3:15, 18when God made the promise to Abraham, since He could swear by no one greater, He BGen 22:16; Luke 1:73swore by Himself, 14 saying, “AGen 22:17I wɪʟʟ sᴜʀᴇʟʏ ʙʟᴇss ʏoᴜ ᴀɴᴅ I wɪʟʟ sᴜʀᴇʟʏ ᴍᴜʟᴛɪᴘʟʏ ʏoᴜ.” 15 And so, AGen 12:4; 21:5having patiently waited, he obtained the promise. 16 AGal 3:15For men swear by 1Or Him who is greaterone greater than themselves, and with them BEx 22:11an oath given as confirmation is an end of every dispute. 17 1Lit In whichIn the same way God, desiring even more to show to AHeb 11:9the heirs of the promise BPs 110:4; Prov 19:21; Heb 6:18the unchangeableness of His purpose, 2Or guaranteedinterposed with an oath, 18 so that by two unchangeable things in which ANum 23:19; Titus 1:2it is impossible for God to lie, we who have 1Lit in whichtaken refuge would have strong encouragement to take hold of BHeb 3:6; 7:19the hope set before us. 19 1Lit Which hope we haveThis APs 39:7; 62:5; Acts 23:6; Rom 4:18; 5:4, 5; 1 Cor 13:13; Col 1:27; 1 Pet 1:3hope we have as an anchor of the soul, a hope both sure and steadfast and one which BLev 16:2, 15; Heb 9:3, 7enters 2Or insidewithin the veil, 20 AJohn 14:2; Heb 4:14where Jesus has entered as a forerunner for us, having become a BPs 110:4; Heb 2:17; 5:6high priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.