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Hebrews 6
New International Version
Hebrews 6
New International Version
6 Therefore let us move beyond(A) the elementary teachings(B) about Christ and be taken forward to maturity, not laying again the foundation of repentance from acts that lead to death,[a](C) and of faith in God, 2 instruction about cleansing rites,[b](D) the laying on of hands,(E) the resurrection of the dead,(F) and eternal judgment. 3 And God permitting,(G) we will do so.
4 It is impossible for those who have once been enlightened,(H) who have tasted the heavenly gift,(I) who have shared in the Holy Spirit,(J) 5 who have tasted the goodness(K) of the word of God(L) and the powers of the coming age 6 and who have fallen[c] away, to be brought back to repentance.(M) To their loss they are crucifying the Son of God(N) all over again and subjecting him to public disgrace. 7 Land that drinks in the rain often falling on it and that produces a crop useful to those for whom it is farmed receives the blessing of God. 8 But land that produces thorns and thistles is worthless and is in danger of being cursed.(O) In the end it will be burned.
9 Even though we speak like this, dear friends,(P) we are convinced of better things in your case—the things that have to do with salvation. 10 God is not unjust; he will not forget your work and the love you have shown him as you have helped his people and continue to help them.(Q) 11 We want each of you to show this same diligence to the very end, so that what you hope(R) for may be fully realized. 12 We do not want you to become lazy, but to imitate(S) those who through faith and patience(T) inherit what has been promised.(U)
The Certainty of God’s Promise
13 When God made his promise to Abraham, since there was no one greater for him to swear by, he swore by himself,(V) 14 saying, “I will surely bless you and give you many descendants.”[d](W) 15 And so after waiting patiently, Abraham received what was promised.(X)
16 People swear by someone greater than themselves, and the oath confirms what is said and puts an end to all argument.(Y) 17 Because God wanted to make the unchanging(Z) nature of his purpose very clear to the heirs of what was promised,(AA) he confirmed it with an oath. 18 God did this so that, by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie,(AB) we who have fled to take hold of the hope(AC) set before us may be greatly encouraged. 19 We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain,(AD) 20 where our forerunner, Jesus, has entered on our behalf.(AE) He has become a high priest(AF) forever, in the order of Melchizedek.(AG)
Footnotes
- Hebrews 6:1 Or from useless rituals
- Hebrews 6:2 Or about baptisms
- Hebrews 6:6 Or age, 6 if they fall
- Hebrews 6:14 Gen. 22:17
Hebrews 6
The Message
Hebrews 6
The Message
6 1-3 So come on, let’s leave the preschool fingerpainting exercises on Christ and get on with the grand work of art. Grow up in Christ. The basic foundational truths are in place: turning your back on “salvation by self-help” and turning in trust toward God; baptismal instructions; laying on of hands; resurrection of the dead; eternal judgment. God helping us, we’ll stay true to all that. But there’s so much more. Let’s get on with it!
4-8 Once people have seen the light, gotten a taste of heaven and been part of the work of the Holy Spirit, once they’ve personally experienced the sheer goodness of God’s Word and the powers breaking in on us—if then they turn their backs on it, washing their hands of the whole thing, well, they can’t start over as if nothing happened. That’s impossible. Why, they’ve re-crucified Jesus! They’ve repudiated him in public! Parched ground that soaks up the rain and then produces an abundance of carrots and corn for its gardener gets God’s “Well done!” But if it produces weeds and thistles, it’s more likely to get cussed out. Fields like that are burned, not harvested.
9-12 I’m sure that won’t happen to you, friends. I have better things in mind for you—salvation things! God doesn’t miss anything. He knows perfectly well all the love you’ve shown him by helping needy Christians, and that you keep at it. And now I want each of you to extend that same intensity toward a full-bodied hope, and keep at it till the finish. Don’t drag your feet. Be like those who stay the course with committed faith and then get everything promised to them.
God Gave His Word
13-18 When God made his promise to Abraham, he backed it all the way, putting his own reputation on the line. He said, “I promise that I’ll bless you with everything I have—bless and bless and bless!” Abraham stuck it out and got everything that had been promised to him. When people make promises, they guarantee them by appeal to some authority above them so that if there is any question that they’ll make good on the promise, the authority will back them up. When God wanted to guarantee his promises, he gave his word, a rock-solid guarantee—God can’t break his word. And because his word cannot change, the promise is likewise unchangeable.
18-20 We who have run for our very lives to God have every reason to grab the promised hope with both hands and never let go. It’s an unbreakable spiritual lifeline, reaching past all appearances right to the very presence of God where Jesus, running on ahead of us, has taken up his permanent post as high priest for us, in the order of Melchizedek.
Hebrews 6
Douay-Rheims 1899 American Edition
Hebrews 6
Douay-Rheims 1899 American Edition
6 Wherefore leaving the word of the beginning of Christ, let us go on to things more perfect, not laying again the foundation of penance from dead works, and of faith towards God,
2 Of the doctrine of baptisms, and imposition of hands, and of the resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment.
3 And this will we do, if God permit.
4 For it is impossible for those who were once illuminated, have tasted also the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost,
5 Have moreover tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come,
6 And are fallen away: to be renewed again to penance, crucifying again to themselves the Son of God, and making him a mockery.
7 For the earth that drinketh in the rain which cometh often upon it, and bringeth forth herbs meet for them by whom it is tilled, receiveth blessing from God.
8 But that which bringeth forth thorns and briers, is reprobate, and very near unto a curse, whose end is to be burnt.
9 But, my dearly beloved, we trust better things of you, and nearer to salvation; though we speak thus.
10 For God is not unjust, that he should forget your work, and the love which you have shewn in his name, you who have ministered, and do minister to the saints.
11 And we desire that every one of you shew forth the same carefulness to the accomplishing of hope unto the end:
12 That you become not slothful, but followers of them, who through faith and patience shall inherit the promises.
13 For God making promise to Abraham, because he had no one greater by whom he might swear, swore by himself,
14 Saying: Unless blessing I shall bless thee, and multiplying I shall multiply thee.
15 And so patiently enduring he obtained the promise.
16 For men swear by one greater than themselves: and an oath for confirmation is the end of all their controversy.
17 Wherein God, meaning more abundantly to shew to the heirs of the promise the immutability of his counsel, interposed an oath:
18 That by two immutable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we may have the strongest comfort, who have fled for refuge to hold fast the hope set before us.
19 Which we have as an anchor of the soul, sure and firm, and which entereth in even within the veil;
20 Where the forerunner Jesus is entered for us, made a high priest for ever according to the order of Melchisedech.
Hebrews 6
King James Version
Hebrews 6
King James Version
6 Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God,
2 Of the doctrine of baptisms, and of laying on of hands, and of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment.
3 And this will we do, if God permit.
4 For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost,
5 And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come,
6 If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame.
7 For the earth which drinketh in the rain that cometh oft upon it, and bringeth forth herbs meet for them by whom it is dressed, receiveth blessing from God:
8 But that which beareth thorns and briers is rejected, and is nigh unto cursing; whose end is to be burned.
9 But, beloved, we are persuaded better things of you, and things that accompany salvation, though we thus speak.
10 For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love, which ye have shewed toward his name, in that ye have ministered to the saints, and do minister.
11 And we desire that every one of you do shew the same diligence to the full assurance of hope unto the end:
12 That ye be not slothful, but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises.
13 For when God made promise to Abraham, because he could swear by no greater, he sware by himself,
14 Saying, Surely blessing I will bless thee, and multiplying I will multiply thee.
15 And so, after he had patiently endured, he obtained the promise.
16 For men verily swear by the greater: and an oath for confirmation is to them an end of all strife.
17 Wherein God, willing more abundantly to shew unto the heirs of promise the immutability of his counsel, confirmed it by an oath:
18 That by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us:
19 Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and stedfast, and which entereth into that within the veil;
20 Whither the forerunner is for us entered, even Jesus, made an high priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec.
New International Version (NIV) 
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NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.
The Message (MSG)
Copyright © 1993, 2002, 2018 by Eugene H. Peterson
Douay-Rheims 1899 American Edition (DRA)
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