Chapter 6
A Call to Maturity
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Therefore let us leave the elementary teachings about Christ [and] go on to maturity, not laying again [the] foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith in God,
Διὸ ἀφέντες τὸν τῆς ἀρχῆς λόγον τοῦ Χριστοῦ φερώμεθα ἐπὶ τὴν τελειότητα μὴ καταβαλλόμενοι πάλιν θεμέλιον μετανοίας ἀπὸ νεκρῶν ἔργων καὶ πίστεως ἐπὶ Θεόν Dio aphentes ton tēs archēs logon tou Christou pherōmetha epi tēn teleiotēta mē kataballomenoi palin themelion metanoias apo nekrōn ergōn kai pisteōs epi Theon — NA/TR · 1
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instruction about baptisms, [the] laying on of hands, [the] resurrection of [the] dead, and eternal judgment.
διδαχὴν βαπτισμῶν τε ἐπιθέσεώς χειρῶν τε ἀναστάσεώς νεκρῶν καὶ αἰωνίου κρίματος didachēn baptismōn te epitheseōs cheirōn te anastaseōs nekrōn kai aiōniou krimatos — NA/TR · 2
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And this we will do, if God permits.
καὶ τοῦτο ποιήσομεν ἐάνπερ ὁ Θεός ἐπιτρέπῃ kai touto poiēsomen eanper ho Theos epitrepē — NA/TR · 3
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- [It is] impossible for those who vvv have once been enlightened, [who] have tasted the heavenly gift, [who] have shared… in [the] Holy Spirit,
γὰρ Ἀδύνατον τοὺς ἅπαξ φωτισθέντας τε γευσαμένους τῆς τῆς ἐπουρανίου δωρεᾶς καὶ γενηθέντας μετόχους Ἁγίου Πνεύματος gar Adynaton tous hapax phōtisthentas te geusamenous tēs tēs epouraniou dōreas kai genēthentas metochous Hagiou Pneumatos — NA/TR · 4
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- who have tasted [the] goodness [of the] word of God and [the] powers [of the] coming age—
καὶ γευσαμένους καλὸν ῥῆμα Θεοῦ τε δυνάμεις μέλλοντος αἰῶνος kai geusamenous kalon rhēma Theou te dynameis mellontos aiōnos — NA/TR · 5
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and then have fallen away— to be restored… to repentance, because they themselves are crucifying the Son of God {all over again} and subjecting [Him] to open shame.
καὶ παραπεσόντας ἀνακαινίζειν πάλιν εἰς μετάνοιαν ἑαυτοῖς ἀνασταυροῦντας τὸν Υἱὸν τοῦ Θεοῦ καὶ παραδειγματίζοντας kai parapesontas anakainizein palin eis metanoian heautois anastaurountas ton Huion tou Theou kai paradeigmatizontas — NA/TR · 6
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For land that drinks in the rain often falling on it and that produces a crop useful to those for whom it is tended receives [the] blessing of God.
γὰρ Γῆ ἡ πιοῦσα τὸν ὑετόν πολλάκις ἐρχόμενον ἐπ’ αὐτῆς καὶ τίκτουσα βοτάνην εὔθετον ἐκείνοις δι’ οὓς καὶ γεωργεῖται μεταλαμβάνει εὐλογίας ἀπὸ τοῦ Θεοῦ gar Gē hē piousa ton hyeton pollakis erchomenon ep’ autēs kai tiktousa botanēn eutheton ekeinois di’ hous kai geōrgeitai metalambanei eulogias apo tou Theou — NA/TR · 7
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But [land that] produces thorns and thistles [is] worthless, and [its] curse is imminent. [In] the end vvv it will be burned.
δὲ ἐκφέρουσα ἀκάνθας καὶ τριβόλους ἀδόκιμος καὶ κατάρας ἐγγύς ἧς τὸ τέλος εἰς καῦσιν de ekpherousa akanthas kai tribolous adokimos kai kataras engys hēs to telos eis kausin — NA/TR · 8
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- Even though we speak like this, beloved, we are convinced of better [things] in your [case]— [things that] accompany salvation.
δὲ καὶ εἰ λαλοῦμεν οὕτως ἀγαπητοί Πεπείσμεθα τὰ κρείσσονα περὶ ὑμῶν καὶ ἐχόμενα σωτηρίας de kai ei laloumen houtōs agapētoi Pepeismetha ta kreissona peri hymōn kai echomena sōtērias — NA/TR · 9
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For God [is] not unjust. He will not forget your work and the love you have shown for His name as you have ministered to the saints and continue to [do so].
γὰρ ὁ Θεὸς οὐ ἄδικος ἐπιλαθέσθαι ὑμῶν τοῦ ἔργου καὶ τῆς ἀγάπης ἧς ἐνεδείξασθε εἰς αὐτοῦ τὸ ὄνομα διακονήσαντες τοῖς ἁγίοις καὶ διακονοῦντες gar ho Theos ou adikos epilathesthai hymōn tou ergou kai tēs agapēs hēs enedeixasthe eis autou to onoma diakonēsantes tois hagiois kai diakonountes — NA/TR · 10
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- We want each of you to show [this] same diligence to [the very] end, in order {to make} [your] hope sure.
δὲ Ἐπιθυμοῦμεν ἕκαστον ὑμῶν ἐνδείκνυσθαι τὴν αὐτὴν σπουδὴν ἄχρι τέλους πρὸς τῆς ἐλπίδος τὴν πληροφορίαν de Epithymoumen hekaston hymōn endeiknysthai tēn autēn spoudēn achri telous pros tēs elpidos tēn plērophorian — NA/TR · 11
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Then vvv you will not be sluggish, but vvv will imitate those who through faith and patience inherit what has been promised.
ἵνα μὴ νωθροὶ δὲ γένησθε μιμηταὶ τῶν διὰ πίστεως καὶ μακροθυμίας κληρονομούντων τὰς ἐπαγγελίας hina mē nōthroi de genēsthe mimētai tōn dia pisteōs kai makrothymias klēronomountōn tas epangelias — NA/TR · 12
God’s Unchangeable Promise
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[When] God made His promise to Abraham, since He had no one greater to swear by, He swore by Himself,
γὰρ ὁ Θεός ἐπαγγειλάμενος Τῷ Ἀβραὰμ ἐπεὶ εἶχεν οὐδενὸς μείζονος ὀμόσαι κατ’ ὤμοσεν καθ’ ἑαυτοῦ gar ho Theos epangeilamenos Tō Abraam epei eichen oudenos meizonos omosai kat’ ōmosen kath’ heautou — NA/TR · 13
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saying, “{I will} surely… vvv bless you and multiply… your [descendants].”
λέγων μὴν Εἰ εὐλογῶν εὐλογήσω σε καὶ πληθύνων πληθυνῶ σε legōn mēn Ei eulogōn eulogēsō se kai plēthynōn plēthynō se — NA/TR · 14
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And so [Abraham], after waiting patiently, obtained the promise.
καὶ οὕτως μακροθυμήσας ἐπέτυχεν τῆς ἐπαγγελίας kai houtōs makrothymēsas epetychen tēs epangelias — NA/TR · 15
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- Men swear by [someone] greater [than themselves], and [their] oath serves as a confirmation to end all argument.
γὰρ Ἄνθρωποι ὀμνύουσιν κατὰ τοῦ μείζονος καὶ ὁ ὅρκος εἰς βεβαίωσιν πέρας πάσης αὐτοῖς ἀντιλογίας gar Anthrōpoi omnyousin kata tou meizonos kai ho horkos eis bebaiōsin peras pasēs autois antilogias — NA/TR · 16
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vvv So when God wanted to make the unchanging nature of His purpose very clear to the heirs of the promise, He guaranteed [it] with an oath.
ἐν ᾧ ὁ Θεὸς βουλόμενος ἐπιδεῖξαι τὸ ἀμετάθετον τῆς αὐτοῦ βουλῆς περισσότερον τοῖς κληρονόμοις τῆς ἐπαγγελίας ἐμεσίτευσεν ὅρκῳ en hō ho Theos boulomenos epideixai to ametatheton tēs autou boulēs perissoteron tois klēronomois tēs epangelias emesiteusen horkō — NA/TR · 17
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Thus 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 strongly encouraged.
ἵνα διὰ δύο ἀμεταθέτων πραγμάτων ἐν οἷς ἀδύνατον Θεόν ψεύσασθαι τὸν οἱ καταφυγόντες κρατῆσαι τῆς ἐλπίδος προκειμένης ἔχωμεν ἰσχυρὰν παράκλησιν hina dia dyo ametathetōn pragmatōn en hois adynaton Theon pseusasthai ton hoi kataphygontes kratēsai tēs elpidos prokeimenēs echōmen ischyran paraklēsin — NA/TR · 18
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We have [this hope] as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. It enters… the inner [sanctuary] [behind] the curtain,
ἔχομεν ἣν ὡς ἄγκυραν τῆς ψυχῆς τε ἀσφαλῆ καὶ βεβαίαν καὶ εἰσερχομένην εἰς τὸ ἐσώτερον τοῦ καταπετάσματος echomen hēn hōs ankyran tēs psychēs te asphalē kai bebaian kai eiserchomenēn eis to esōteron tou katapetasmatos — NA/TR · 19
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where Jesus [our] forerunner has entered vvv on our behalf. He has become a high priest vvv vvv forever in the order of Melchizedek.
ὅπου Ἰησοῦς πρόδρομος εἰσῆλθεν ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν γενόμενος ἀρχιερεὺς εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα κατὰ τὴν τάξιν Μελχισέδεκ hopou Iēsous prodromos eisēlthen hyper hēmōn genomenos archiereus eis ton aiōna kata tēn taxin Melchisedek — NA/TR · 20