Hebrews 6

1Therefore, leaving the elementary message about the Messiah, let us be carried on to maturity, not laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God,

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

3And this we will do, if indeed God permits.

4For it is impossible, in the case of those who were once enlightened, and who tasted the heavenly gift, and became partakers of the Holy Spirit,

5and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the coming age,

6and having fallen away, to renew them again to repentance, since they are crucifying again for themselves the Son of God and exposing him to public shame.

7For land that drinks the rain that often comes upon it and produces vegetation useful to those for whose sake it is also cultivated receives blessing from God.

8But if it bears thorns and thistles, it is worthless and near to being cursed, and its end is for burning.

9But we are convinced of better things concerning you, beloved—things that belong to salvation—even though we speak in this way.

10For God is not unjust so as to forget your work and the love that you showed for his name in having served the saints and in continuing to serve them.

11And we desire each one of you to show the same diligence for the full assurance of hope until the end,

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

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

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

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

16For people swear by one greater than themselves, and for them an oath is the end of every dispute for confirmation.

17So when God desired to show more clearly to the heirs of the promise the unchangeable character of his purpose, he guaranteed it with an oath,

18so that through 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.

19We have this as an anchor of the soul, both secure and firm, and entering into the inner place behind the curtain,

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