6
1 Therefore, leaving the elementary teaching about Christ, let us move on toward perfection, not laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works and trust in God, 2 of teaching about baptisms, of laying on of hands, of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment.* 3 We will do this, that is, if indeed God should permit it.†
No one kills Jesus twice
4 Because, it is impossible to bring back into repentance those who were once for all enlightened, who have partaken‡ of the heavenly gift and were made sharers in the Holy Spirit,§ 5 who have experienced God's good event* and capabilities of the coming age,† 6 and yet have fallen away—they would be crucifying the Son of God all over again, just for themselves, holding Him up to contempt.‡
7 Now the ground that drinks in the rain that frequently falls on it and produces a crop useful to those for whom it is really cultivated receives blessing from God; 8 but should it bear thorns and thistles, it is disqualified, almost a curse, whose destiny is a burning.§
A word of encouragement
9 For all that, dear ones, we are confident of the better things concerning you—things that accompany salvation—even though we speak like this. 10 Because God is not unjust so as to ignore your work, even the labor of love you have invested in His name, in that you have ministered to the saints and continue to do so. 11 You see, we really do want each of you to show this same diligence to the very end, so as to fulfill the hope; 12 so that you not become lazy, but rather imitators of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises.*
Our secure anchor
13 Now when God made a promise to Abraham, since He had no one greater to swear by, He swore by Himself 14 saying, “Indeed, blessing I will bless you, and multiplying I will multiply you.”† 15 And so, after he had been patient,‡ he obtained the promise.
16 Because since men swear by the greater, and for them the confirming oath puts an end to every dispute, 17 similarly God, being determined to show even more clearly to the heirs of the promise the unchanging nature of His purpose, guaranteed it by an oath, 18 so that by two unalterable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we should have a strong encouragement, we who have taken refuge by grasping the hope set before us; 19 which hope we have as an anchor for the soul, both certain and secure,§ actually entering the inner sanctuary behind the curtain, 20 where Forerunner Jesus has entered on our behalf, having become High Priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.
* 6:2 Note that the topics mentioned are stated to be “elementary”. Note also that “baptisms” is plural. † 6:3 The author is not at all sure that God will, indeed, permit it! ‡ 6:4 The verb here—whether ‘to taste’, ‘to partake’, ‘to obtain’ or ‘to come to know’—has to do with experience. § 6:4 It seems clear enough that the reference is to people who have the Holy Spirit. * 6:5 I take it that “God's good event” refers to regeneration. † 6:5 Eternal life is a quality of life; it begins down here for those who have been regenerated. ‡ 6:6 No amount of theological shifting and squirming can nullify the plain meaning of this verse. The only way to crucify Jesus again is if you have already done so once before. No one is going to kill Jesus twice; if the first time was not good enough for you, you have had it! Anyone who holds Jesus “up to contempt” can expect wrath. § 6:8 This ground was cultivated, not an unplowed weed patch, and planted with good seed; if it still produces thorns and thistles there is something wrong with it. Thistle seeds need to be burned, not plowed under. * 6:12 We inherit the promises through faith and perseverance—the author keeps insisting: we have to persevere, hang on, stay with it, whatever, until the end of our earthly life. † 6:14 I did not want to lose the Hebrew idiom; a freer rendering would be, ‘Indeed, I will bless you greatly, and I will multiply you greatly’—the “multiply” refers to descendants. See Genesis 22:17. ‡ 6:15 Well, his ‘patience’ was an up and down thing (Ishmael, and all that), but he never gave up altogether. § 6:19 Oh, praise God! With an “anchor” like that we have every reason to persevere.