Therefore let us go on toward maturity, leaving behind the elementary teaching about Christ and not laying again the foundation: repentance from dead works and faith toward God,
instruction about baptisms, laying on of hands, resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment.
And we will do this, if God permits.
For it is impossible to restore again to repentance those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, shared in the Holy Spirit,
tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the age to come,
and then have fallen away, since they are crucifying again the Son of God and holding him up to contempt.
Ground that drinks the rain often falling on it and produces a crop useful to those for whom it is cultivated receives a blessing from God.
But if it produces thorns and thistles, it is worthless and near to being cursed; its end is to be burned.
Even though we speak in this way, beloved, we are convinced of better things in your case—things that belong to salvation.
For God is not unjust; he will not overlook your work and the love you showed for his name in serving the saints, as you still do.
And we want each of you to show the same diligence so as to realize the full assurance of hope to the very end,
so that you may not be sluggish, but imitators of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises.
When God made a promise to Abraham, because he had no one greater by whom to swear, he swore by himself,
saying, “I will surely bless you and multiply you.”
And thus Abraham, having patiently endured, obtained the promise.
People, of course, swear by someone greater than themselves, and an oath given as confirmation puts an end to all dispute.
So when God desired to show even more convincingly to the heirs of the promise the unchangeable nature of his purpose, he guaranteed it with an oath,
so that through 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.
We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, sure and steadfast, and it enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain,
where Jesus, a forerunner on our behalf, has entered, having become a high priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.
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