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The Epistle to the Hebrews

⭑ Berean Study Bible :: World English Bible Catholic ⭑

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- Chapter 6 -

1
Therefore let us leave the elementary teachings about Christ and go on to maturity, not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works,(a) and of faith in God,
2
instruction about baptisms,(b) the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment.
3
And this we will do, if God permits.
4
It is impossible for those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, who have shared in the Holy Spirit,
5
who have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the coming age—
6
and then have fallen away—to be restored to repentance, because they themselves are crucifying the Son of God all over again and subjecting Him to open shame.
7
For land that drinks in the rain often falling on it and that produces a crop useful to those for whom it is tended receives the blessing of God.
8
But land that produces thorns and thistles is worthless, and its curse is imminent. In the end it will be burned.
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Even though we speak like this, beloved, we are convinced of better things in your case—things that accompany salvation.
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For God is not unjust. He will not forget your work and the love you have shown for His name as you have ministered to the saints and continue to do so.
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We want each of you to show this same diligence to the very end, in order to make your hope sure.
12
Then you will not be sluggish, but will imitate those who through faith and patience inherit what has been promised.

God’s Unchangeable Promise

13
When God made His promise to Abraham, since He had no one greater to swear by, He swore by Himself,
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saying, “I will surely bless you and multiply your descendants.”(c)
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And so Abraham, after waiting patiently, obtained the promise.
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Men swear by someone greater than themselves, and their oath serves as a confirmation to end all argument.
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So when God wanted to make the unchanging nature of His purpose very clear to the heirs of the promise, He guaranteed it with an oath.
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Thus by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled to take hold of the hope set before us may be strongly encouraged.
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We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain,
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where Jesus our forerunner has entered on our behalf. He has become a high priest forever in the order of Melchizedek.

Footnotes

(a)6:1 Or from acts that lead to death
(b)6:2 Or cleansing rites
(c)6:14 Genesis 22:17
1
Therefore leaving the teaching of the first principles of Christ, let’s press on to perfection—not laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works, of faith toward God,
2
of the teaching of baptisms, of laying on of hands, of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment.
3
This will we do, if God permits.
4
For concerning those who were once enlightened and tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Spirit,
5
and tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come,
6
and then fell away, it is impossible to renew them again to repentance; seeing they crucify the Son of God for themselves again, and put him to open shame.
7
For the land which has drunk the rain that comes often on it and produces a crop suitable for them for whose sake it is also tilled, receives blessing from God;
8
but if it bears thorns and thistles, it is rejected and near being cursed, whose end is to be burned.
9
But, beloved, we are persuaded of better things for you, and things that accompany salvation, even though we speak like this.
10
For God is not unrighteous, so as to forget your work and the labor of love which you showed toward his name, in that you served the saints, and still do serve them.
11
We desire that each one of you may show the same diligence to the fullness of hope even to the end,
12
that you won’t be sluggish, but imitators of those who through faith and perseverance inherited the promises.

God’s Unchangeable Promise

13
For when God made a promise to Abraham, since he could swear by no one greater, he swore by himself,
14
saying, “Surely blessing I will bless you, and multiplying I will multiply you.”(a)
15
Thus, having patiently endured, he obtained the promise.
16
For men indeed swear by a greater one, and in every dispute of theirs the oath is final for confirmation.
17
In this way God, being determined to show more abundantly to the heirs of the promise the immutability of his counsel, interposed with an oath,
18
that by two immutable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we may have a strong encouragement, who have fled for refuge to take hold of the hope set before us.
19
This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, a hope both sure and steadfast and entering into that which is within the veil,
20
where as a forerunner Jesus entered for us, having become a high priest forever after the order of Melchizedek.

Footnotes

(a)6:14 ℘ Genesis 22:17
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