¹⁹ So it shall be that whoever goes outside the doors of your house into the street, his blood shall be on his own head, and we will be ^[a]guiltless. And whoever is with you in the house, ^(A)his ^[b]blood shall be on our head if a hand is laid on him. ²⁰ And if you tell this business of ours, then we will be ^[c]free from your oath which you made us swear.”

²¹ Then she said, “According to your words, so be it.” And she sent them away, and they departed. And she bound the scarlet cord in the window.

²² They departed and went to the mountain, and stayed there three days until the pursuers returned. The pursuers sought them all along the way, but did not find them. ²³ So the two men returned, descended from the mountain, and crossed over; and they came to Joshua the son of Nun, and told him all that had befallen them. ²⁴ And they said to Joshua, “Truly ^(B)the Lord has delivered all the land into our hands, for indeed all the inhabitants of the country are fainthearted because of us.”

³ So the king of Jericho sent to Rahab, saying, “Bring out the men who have come to you, who have entered your house, for they have come to search out all the country.”

The Peril of Not Progressing

6 Therefore, ^(A)leaving the discussion of the elementary principles of Christ, let us go on to ^[a]perfection, not laying again the foundation of repentance from ^(B)dead works and of faith toward God, ^2 (C)of the doctrine of baptisms, ^(D)of laying on of hands, ^(E)of resurrection of the dead, ^(F)and of eternal judgment. ³ And this ^[b]we will do if God permits.

⁴ For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted ^(G)the heavenly gift, and ^(H)have become partakers of the Holy Spirit, ⁵ and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come, ^6 [c]if they fall away, to renew them again to repentance, ^(I)since they crucify again for themselves the Son of God, and put Him to an open shame.

⁷ For the earth which drinks in the rain that often comes upon it, and bears herbs useful for those by whom it is cultivated, ^(J)receives blessing from God; ^8 (K)but if it bears thorns and briers, it is rejected and near to being cursed, whose end is to be burned.

A Better Estimate

⁹ But, beloved, we are confident of better things concerning you, yes, things that accompany salvation, though we speak in this manner.