1Therefore let us leave the elementary teachings about Christ and go on to maturity, not laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God, 2with instruction about baptisms, 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, and have become partakers of the Holy Spirit, 5and have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the age to come, 6and then have fallen away, to renew them again to repentance, since they crucify again for themselves the Son of God, and put him to an open shame. 7For land which drinks the rain that often falls upon it, and brings forth vegetation useful to those for whose sake it is cultivated, receives a blessing from God. 8But if it bears thorns and thistles, it is worthless and near to being cursed; its end is to be burned. 9Even though we speak like this, beloved, we are confident of better things in your case, things that accompany salvation. 10For God is not so unjust as to forget your work and the love which you have shown for his sake in serving the saints, as you still do. 11And we desire each one of you to show the same diligence in realizing the full assurance of hope until the end, 12so that you may not be sluggish, but imitators of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises. 13For when God made a promise to Abraham, since he had no one greater by whom to swear, he swore by himself, 14saying, »I will surely bless you and multiply you.« 15And so Abraham, having patiently endured, obtained the promise. 16Men swear by one greater than themselves, and in all their disputes the oath is final for confirmation. 17So when God desired to show more convincingly to the heirs of the promise the unchangeable character of his purpose, he interposed with an oath, 18so that, by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have taken refuge would have strong encouragement to take hold of the hope set before us. 19We have this as a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul, a hope that enters into the inner sanctuary 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.