Hebrews, 6

1. Therefore, let us leave behind the basic teaching about Christ and advance to maturity, without laying the foundation all over again: repentance from dead works and faith in God,

1. Let us leave behind us then all the elementary teaching about Christ and go on to its completion, without going over the fundamental doctrines again: the turning away from dead actions, faith in God,

2. instruction about baptisms and laying on of hands, resurrection of the dead and eternal judgment.

2. the teaching about baptisms and the laying -- on of hands, about the resurrection of the dead and eternal judgement.

3. And we shall do this, if only God permits.

3. This, God willing, is what we propose to do.

4. For it is impossible in the case of those who have once been enlightened and tasted the heavenly gift and shared in the holy Spirit

4. As for those people who were once brought into the light, and tasted the gift from heaven, and received a share of the Holy Spirit,

5. and tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come,

5. and tasted the goodness of God's message and the powers of the world to come

6. and then have fallen away, to bring them to repentance again, since they are recrucifying the Son of God for themselves and holding him up to contempt.

6. and yet in spite of this have fallen away -- it is impossible for them to be brought to the freshness of repentance a second time, since they are crucifying the Son of God again for themselves, and making a public exhibition of him.

7. Ground that has absorbed the rain falling upon it repeatedly and brings forth crops useful to those for whom it is cultivated receives a blessing from God.

7. A field that drinks up the rain that has fallen frequently on it, and yields the crops that are wanted by the owners who grew them, receives God's blessing;

8. But if it produces thorns and thistles, it is rejected; it will soon be cursed and finally burned.

8. but one that grows brambles and thistles is worthless, and near to being cursed. It will end by being burnt.

9. But we are sure in your regard, beloved, of better things related to salvation, even though we speak in this way.

9. But you, my dear friends -- in spite of what we have just said, we are sure you are in a better state and on the way to salvation.

10. For God is not unjust so as to overlook your work and the love you have demonstrated for his name by having served and continuing to serve the holy ones.

10. God would not be so unjust as to forget all you have done, the love that you have for his name or the services you have done, and are still doing, for the holy people of God.

11. We earnestly desire each of you to demonstrate the same eagerness for the fulfillment of hope until the end,

11. Our desire is that every one of you should go on showing the same enthusiasm till the ultimate fulfilment of your hope,

12. so that you may not become sluggish, but imitators of those who, through faith and patience, are inheriting the promises.

12. never growing careless, but taking as your model those who by their faith and perseverance are heirs of the promises.

13. When God made the promise to Abraham, since he had no one greater by whom to swear, "he swore by himself,"

13. When God made the promise to Abraham, he swore by his own self, since there was no one greater he could swear by:

14. and said, "I will indeed bless you and multiply" you.

14. I will shower blessings on you and give you many descendants.

15. And so, after patient waiting, he obtained the promise.

15. Because of that, Abraham persevered and received fulfilment of the promise.

16. Human beings swear by someone greater than themselves; for them an oath serves as a guarantee and puts an end to all argument.

16. Human beings, of course, swear an oath by something greater than themselves, and between them, confirmation by an oath puts an end to all dispute.

17. So when God wanted to give the heirs of his promise an even clearer demonstration of the immutability of his purpose, he intervened with an oath,

17. In the same way, when God wanted to show the heirs of the promise even more clearly how unalterable his plan was, he conveyed it by an oath

18. so that by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we who have taken refuge might be strongly encouraged to hold fast to the hope that lies before us.

18. so that through two unalterable factors in which God could not be lying, we who have fled to him might have a vigorous encouragement to grasp the hope held out to us.

19. This we have as an anchor of the soul, sure and firm, which reaches into the interior behind the veil,

19. This is the anchor our souls have, reaching right through inside the curtain

20. where Jesus has entered on our behalf as forerunner, becoming high priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.

20. where Jesus has entered as a forerunner on our behalf, having become a high priest for ever, of the order of Melchizedek.