Hebrews 5:11-6:12

New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition

Warning against Falling Away

¹¹ About this^[a] we have much to say that is hard to explain, since you have become sluggish in hearing. ¹² For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the basic elements of the oracles of God. You need milk, not solid food,^{(A) 13} for everyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is unskilled in the word of righteousness. ¹⁴ But solid food is for the mature, for those whose faculties have been trained by practice to distinguish good from evil.^(B)

The Peril of Falling Away

6 Therefore let us go on^[b] toward perfection,^[c] leaving behind the basic teaching about Christ and not laying again the foundation: repentance from dead works and faith toward God,^{(C) 2} instruction about baptisms and laying on of hands, resurrection of the dead and eternal judgment.^{(D) 3} And we will do^[d] this, if God permits. ⁴ For it is impossible to restore again to repentance those who have once been enlightened and have tasted the heavenly gift and have shared in the Holy Spirit^{(E) 5} and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come^{(F) 6} and then have fallen away, since they are crucifying again the Son of God to their own harm and are holding him up to contempt.^{(G) 7} Ground that drinks up the rain falling on it repeatedly and that produces a crop useful to those for whom it is cultivated receives a blessing from God.^{(H) 8} But if it produces thorns and thistles, it is worthless and on the verge of being cursed; its end is to be burned over.^(I)

⁹ Even though we speak in this way, beloved, we are confident of better things in your case, things that belong to salvation. ¹⁰ For God is not unjust; he will not overlook your work and the^[e] love that you showed for his sake^[f] in serving the saints, as you still do.^{(J) 11} And we want each one of you to show the same diligence so as to realize the full assurance of hope to the very end,^{(K) 12} so that you may not become sluggish but imitators of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises.^(L)