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¹ Therefore ^(a)let us leave ^(b)the elementary doctrine of Christ and go on to maturity, not laying again a foundation of repentance ^(c)from dead works and of faith toward God, ² and of ^(d)instruction about washings,^{[a] (e)}the laying on of hands, ^(f)the resurrection of the dead, and ^(g)eternal judgment. ³ And this we will do ^(h)if God permits. ⁴ For it is impossible, in the case of those ⁽ⁱ⁾who have once been enlightened, who have tasted ^(j)the heavenly gift, and ^(k)have shared in the Holy Spirit, ⁵ and ^(l)have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the age to come, ⁶ and ^(m)then have fallen away, to restore them again to repentance, since ⁽ⁿ⁾they are crucifying once again the Son of God to their own harm and holding him up to contempt. ⁷ For ^(o)land that has drunk the rain that often falls on it, and produces a crop useful to those for whose sake it is cultivated, receives a blessing from God. ⁸ But ^(p)if it bears thorns and thistles, it is worthless and near to being cursed, ^(q)and its end is to be burned.

⁹ Though we speak in this way, yet in your case, beloved, we feel sure of better things—things that belong to salvation. ¹⁰ For ^(r)God is not unjust so as to overlook ^(s)your work and the love that you have shown for his name in ^(t)serving the saints, as you still do. ¹¹ And we desire each one of you to show the same earnestness to have the full assurance ^(u)of hope until the end, ¹² so that you may not be sluggish, but ^(v)imitators of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises.

The Certainty of God's Promise

¹³ For when God made a promise to Abraham, since he had no one greater by whom to swear, ^(w)he swore by himself, ¹⁴ saying, ^(x)"Surely I will bless you and multiply you." ¹⁵ And thus Abraham,^{[b] (y)}having patiently waited, obtained the promise. ¹⁶ For people swear by something greater than themselves, and in all their disputes ^(z)an oath is final for confirmation. ¹⁷ So when God desired to show more convincingly to ^(aa)the heirs of the promise ^(ab)the unchangeable character of his purpose, ^(ac)he guaranteed it with an oath, ¹⁸ so that by two unchangeable things, in which ^(ad)it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled for refuge might have strong encouragement to hold fast to the hope ^(ae)set before us. ¹⁹ We have this as a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul, a hope that enters into ^(af)the inner place behind the curtain, ²⁰ where Jesus has gone ^(ag)as a forerunner on our behalf, ^(ah)having become a high priest forever after the order of Melchizedek.