Hebrews
Summary
The author exhorts the believers to leave the "elementary principles of Christ" and to press on toward maturity, Warning against the danger of falling away after having been enlightened and partaking of the Holy Spirit. He uses the metaphor of ground that receives rain and either produces useful herbs or thorns and briars. Paul expresses confidence in the readers and encourages them to be followers of those who "through faith and patience inherit the promises," citing God's oath to Abraham as an anchor for the soul. The chapter concludes by pointing back to Jesus, our forerunner, who has entered within the veil as a High Priest forever after the order of Melchizedek.
Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on to perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God,
Of the doctrine of baptisms, and of laying on of hands, and of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgement.
And this will we do, if God permit.
For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Spirit,
And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come,
If they shall fall away, to renew them again to repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put Him to an open shame.
For the earth which drinks in the rain that comes often upon it, and brings forth herbs meet for those by whom it is dressed, receives blessing from God:
But that which bears thorns and briers is rejected, and is near to cursing; whose end is to be burned.
But, beloved, we are persuaded better things of you, and things that accompany salvation, though we thus speak.
For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love, which you have showed toward His name, in that you have ministered to the saints, and do minister.
And we desire that every one of you do show the same diligence to the full assurance of hope to the end:
That you be not slothful, but followers of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises.
For when God made promise to Abraham, because He could swear by no greater, He sware by Himself,
Saying, "Surely blessing I will bless you, and multiplying I will multiply you."
And so, after he had patiently endured, he obtained the promise.
For people truly swear by the greater: and an oath for confirmation is to them an end of all strife.
In which God, willing more abundantly to show to the heirs of promise the immutability of His counsel, confirmed it by an oath:
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:
Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and stedfast, and which enters into that within the veil;
Where the forerunner has for us entered, even Jesus, made an high priest forever after the order of Melchizedek.