1Therefore leaving the principles of the
doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection;
not laying again the foundation of repentance from
dead works, and of faith toward God,
2Of the doctrine of baptisms, and of laying
on of hands, and of resurrection of the dead, and of
eternal judgment.
3And this will we do, if God permit.
4For it
is impossible for those who were once
enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift,
and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost,
5And have tasted the good word of God, and
the powers of the world to come,
6If they shall fall away, to renew them again
unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves
the Son of God afresh, and put him to
an open shame.
7For the earth which drinketh in the rain
that cometh oft upon it, and bringeth forth herbs
meet for them by whom it is dressed, receiveth
blessing from God:
8But that which beareth thorns and briers is rejected,
and is nigh
unto cursing; whose end is to
be burned.
9But, beloved, we are persuaded better things
of you, and things that accompany salvation, though
we thus speak.
10For God is not
unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love,
which ye have shewed toward his name, in that ye
have ministered to the saints, and do minister.
11And we desire that every one of you do shew
the same diligence to the full assurance of hope
unto the end:
12That ye be not slothful, but followers of
them who through faith and patience inherit the
promises.
13For when God made promise to Abraham,
because he could swear by no greater, he sware by
himself,
14Saying, Surely blessing I will bless thee,
and multiplying I will multiply thee.
15And so, after he had patiently endured, he
obtained the promise.
16For men verily swear by the greater: and an
oath for confirmation is to
them an end of all strife.
17Wherein God, willing more abundantly to
shew unto the heirs of promise the immutability of
his counsel, confirmed it by
an oath:
18That by two immutable things, in which it
was impossible for God to lie, we might have a
strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay
hold upon the hope set before us:
19Which hope we
have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and
stedfast, and which entereth into that within the
veil;
20Whither the forerunner is for us entered, even Jesus,
made an high priest for ever after the order of
Melchisedec.