Hebrews, 6

1. Therefore 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,

1. Therefore let us leave the elementary teaching about Christ and move forward to a more advanced knowledge without laying again the foundation, that is: turning away from dead works, faith in God,

2. Of the doctrine of baptisms, and of laying on of hands, and of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment.

2. the teaching about baptisms and laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead and the final judgment.

3. And this will we do, if God permit.

3. This is what we shall do, God permitting.

4. For [it is] impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost,

4. In any case, it would be impossible to renew again through penance those who have once been enlightened and have tasted the heavenly gift and received the Holy Spirit,

5. And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come,

5. tasted the beauty of the word of God and the wonders of the supernatural world.

6. If 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.

6. If in spite of this they have ceased to believe and have fallen away, it is impossible to move them a second time to repentance when they are crucifying, on their own account, the Son of God, and spurning him publicly.

7. For 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:

7. Soil that drinks the rain falling continually on it and produces profitable grass for those who till it, receives the blessings of God,

8. But that which beareth thorns and briers [is] rejected, and [is] nigh unto cursing; whose end [is] to be burned.

8. but the soil that produces thorns and bushes is poor soil and in danger of being cursed. In the end it will be burned.

9. But, beloved, we are persuaded better things of you, and things that accompany salvation, though we thus speak.

9. Yet even though we speak like this, we are more optimistic, dear friends, regarding you and your salvation.

10. For 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.

10. God is not unjust and will not forget everything you have done for love of his name; you have helped and still help the believers.

11. And we desire that every one of you do shew the same diligence to the full assurance of hope unto the end:

11. We desire each of you to have, until the end, the same zeal for reaching what you have hoped for.

12. That ye be not slothful, but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises.

12. Do not grow careless but imitate those who, by their faith and determination, inherit the promise.

13. For when God made promise to Abraham, because he could swear by no greater, he sware by himself,

13. Remember God's promise to Abraham. God wanted to confirm it with an oath and, as no one is higher than God,

14. Saying, Surely blessing I will bless thee, and multiplying I will multiply thee.

14. he swore by himself: I shall bless you and give you many descendants.

15. And so, after he had patiently endured, he obtained the promise.

15. By just patiently waiting, Abraham obtained the promise.

16. For men verily swear by the greater: and an oath for confirmation [is] to them an end of all strife.

16. People are used to swearing by someone higher than themselves and their oath affirms everything that could be denied.

17. Wherein God, willing more abundantly to shew unto the heirs of promise the immutability of his counsel, confirmed [it] by an oath:

17. So God committed himself with an oath in order to convince those who were to wait for his promise that he would never change his mind.

18. That 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:

18. Thus we have two certainties in which it is impossible that God be proved false: promise and oath. That is enough to encourage us strongly when we leave everything to hold to the hope set before us.

19. Which [hope] we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and stedfast, and which entereth into that within the veil;

19. This hope is like a spiritual anchor, secure and firm, thrust beyond the curtain of the Temple into the sanctuary itself,

20. Whither the forerunner is for us entered, [even] Jesus, made an high priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec.

20. where Jesus has entered ahead of us - Jesus, High Priest for ever in the order of Melchizedek.