Hebrews 6

1So let us leave behind the elementary teaching about Christ and move on to maturity, not laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith in God,

2of teaching about washings, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment.

3And this we will do, if God permits.

4For it is impossible for those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, who have shared in the Holy Spirit,

5who have tasted the goodness of God’s word and the powers of the age to come,

6and who have then fallen away, to be brought back to repentance, since they are crucifying the Son of God all over again for themselves and holding him up to public contempt.

7For land that drinks in the rain that often falls on it, and that produces a crop useful to those for whom it is farmed, receives a blessing from God.

8But if it bears thorns and thistles, it is worthless and close to being cursed, and in the end it will be burned.

9But even though we speak like this, dear friends, we are convinced of better things in your case, things that belong to salvation.

10For God is not unjust. He will not forget your work and the love you have shown for his name in serving the saints and in continuing to serve them.

11We want each of you to show the same eagerness for the full assurance of your hope until the end,

12so that you will not become sluggish, but will imitate those who through faith and patience inherit the promises.

13For when God made his promise to Abraham, since he had no one greater to swear by, he swore by himself,

14saying, “I will surely bless you, and I will greatly multiply you.”

15And so, after waiting patiently, Abraham obtained what was promised.

16For people swear by someone greater than themselves, and for them an oath gives confirmation and puts an end to all argument.

17So when God wanted to show even more clearly to the heirs of the promise that his purpose could not change, he guaranteed it with an oath,

18so that by two unchangeable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled for refuge might be strongly encouraged to hold on to the hope set before us.

19We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. It enters the inner place behind the curtain,

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