| New International Version | NET Bible |
| 1Therefore let us move beyond the elementary teachings about Christ and be taken forward to maturity, not laying again the foundation of repentance from acts that lead to death, and of faith in God, | 1Therefore we must progress beyond the elementary instructions about Christ and move on to maturity, not laying this foundation again: repentance from dead works and faith in God, |
| 2instruction about cleansing rites, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment. | 2teaching about baptisms, laying on of hands, resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment. |
| 3And God permitting, we will do so. | 3And this is what we intend to do, if God permits. |
| 4It is impossible for those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, who have shared in the Holy Spirit, | 4For it is impossible in the case of those who have once been enlightened, tasted the heavenly gift, become partakers of the Holy Spirit, |
| 5who have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the coming age | 5tasted the good word of God and the miracles of the coming age, |
| 6and who have fallen away, to be brought back to repentance. To their loss they are crucifying the Son of God all over again and subjecting him to public disgrace. | 6and then have committed apostasy, to renew them again to repentance, since they are crucifying the Son of God for themselves all over again and holding him up to contempt. |
| 7Land that drinks in the rain often falling on it and that produces a crop useful to those for whom it is farmed receives the blessing of God. | 7For the ground that has soaked up the rain that frequently falls on it and yields useful vegetation for those who tend it receives a blessing from God. |
| 8But land that produces thorns and thistles is worthless and is in danger of being cursed. In the end it will be burned. | 8But if it produces thorns and thistles, it is useless and about to be cursed; its fate is to be burned. |
| 9Even though we speak like this, dear friends, we are convinced of better things in your case--the things that have to do with salvation. | 9But in your case, dear friends, even though we speak like this, we are convinced of better things relating to salvation. |
| 10God is not unjust; he will not forget your work and the love you have shown him as you have helped his people and continue to help them. | 10For God is not unjust so as to forget your work and the love you have demonstrated for his name, in having served and continuing to serve the saints. |
| 11We want each of you to show this same diligence to the very end, so that what you hope for may be fully realized. | 11But we passionately want each of you to demonstrate the same eagerness for the fulfillment of your hope until the end, |
| 12We do not want you to become lazy, but to imitate those who through faith and patience inherit what has been promised. | 12so that you may not be sluggish, but imitators of those who through faith and perseverance inherit the promises. |
| 13When God made his promise to Abraham, since there was no one greater for him to swear by, he swore by himself, | 13Now when God made his promise to Abraham, since he could swear by no one greater, he swore by himself, |
| 14saying, "I will surely bless you and give you many descendants." | 14saying, "Surely I will bless you greatly and multiply your descendants abundantly." |
| 15And so after waiting patiently, Abraham received what was promised. | 15And so by persevering, Abraham inherited the promise. |
| 16People swear by someone greater than themselves, and the oath confirms what is said and puts an end to all argument. | 16For people swear by something greater than themselves, and the oath serves as a confirmation to end all dispute. |
| 17Because God wanted to make the unchanging nature of his purpose very clear to the heirs of what was promised, he confirmed it with an oath. | 17In the same way God wanted to demonstrate more clearly to the heirs of the promise that his purpose was unchangeable, and so he intervened with an oath, |
| 18God did this so that, by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled to take hold of the hope set before us may be greatly encouraged. | 18so that we who have found refuge in him may find strong encouragement to hold fast to the hope set before us through two unchangeable things, since it is impossible for God to lie. |
| 19We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain, | 19We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, sure and steadfast, which reaches inside behind the curtain, |
| 20where our forerunner, Jesus, has entered on our behalf. He has become a high priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek. | 20where Jesus our forerunner entered on our behalf, since he became a priest forever in the order of Melchizedek. |
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