Therefore, let us move beyond the elementary teaching about Christ and press on toward maturity, not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, faith in God, instruction on baptisms, laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment. And we will do this if God permits. For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened and tasted of the heavenly gift, and become partakers of the Holy Spirit, and tasted the beautiful word of God and the powers of the age to come, and then fell away, to renew them again to repentance, since they crucify the Son of God for themselves again and put him to public disgrace. For the ground that drinks the rain which often falls on it and produces a crop suitable for those who till it, receives blessing from God. But if it bears thorns and thistles, it is rejected and close to being cursed, its end is to be burned.
Better Things Await in God’s Promises
Even though we speak like this, beloved, we are convinced of better things for y’all, things that accompany salvation. For God is not unjust. Hᴇ will not forget y’all’s work and the love y’all have shown toward ʜɪꜱ name by serving the saints and continuing to serve them. We passionately desire each of y’all to show the same eagerness for the fulfillment of hope until the end, so that y’all won’t become sluggish, but be imitators of those who inherit the promises through faith and perseverance.
For when God made a promise to Abraham, since ʜᴇ could swear by no one greater, ʜᴇ swore by ʜɪᴍꜱᴇʟꜰ, saying, “Surely I will bless you, and I will multiply you.”+Gen 22:17 Thus, having patiently endured, Abraham obtained the promise. For humans swear by one greater than themselves, and in every dispute of theirs, the oath is final confirmation. In the same way God, being determined to clearly show the unchangeableness of his promise to the heirs of the promise, mediated with an oath, so that by two unchangeable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled for refuge might have strong encouragement to take hold of the hope set before us. This hope we have is an anchor for the soul, a hope both firm and steadfast. It enters into the inner veil, where Jesus has entered as a forerunner for us, having become a high priest forever after the order of Melchizedek.