A Call to Maturity

1Therefore 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 towards God, 2Of the doctrine of baptisms, and of laying on of hands, and of the resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment. 3And this will we do, if God permit. 4For it is impossible for those who have been once enlightened, and have tasted the heavenly gift, and have been made partakers of the Holy Spirit. 5And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come, 6If 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. 7For the earth which drinketh in the rain that cometh often upon it, and bringeth forth herbs fit for them by whom it is dressed, receiveth blessing from God: 8But that which beareth thorns and briers is rejected, and is nigh to cursing; whose end is to be burned.

9But, beloved, we are persuaded better things of you, and things that accompany salvation, though we thus speak. 10For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labor of love, which ye have shown towards his name, in that ye have ministered to the saints, and do minister. 11And we desire every one of you to show the same diligence to the full assurance of hope to the end: 12That ye be not slothful, but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises.

God's Promise is Certain

13For when God made promise to Abraham, because he could swear by no greater, he swore by himself, 14Saying, Surely blessing I will bless thee, and multiplying I will multiply thee. 15And so, after he had patiently endured, he obtained the promise. 16For men verily swear by the greater: and an oath for confirmation is to them an end of all contradiction. 17Wherein God, willing more abundantly to show to the heirs of promise the immutability of his counsel, confirmed it by an oath: 18That 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: 19Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast, and which entereth into that within the vail; 20Whither the forerunner hath for us entered, even Jesus, made a high priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec.