|
Chapter 6 |
| 1 | Therefore
leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection;
not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith
toward God, |
| 2
| Of the doctrine of baptisms, and of laying on of hands,
and of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment. |
| 3 | And this
will we do, if God permit. |
|
4 | For it is impossible for those who were
once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers
of the Holy Ghost, |
| 5 | And have tasted the good word of God, and the
powers of the world to come, |
|
6 | If they shall fall away, to renew them
again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh,
and put him to an open shame. |
|
7 | For the earth which drinketh in the
rain that cometh oft upon it, and bringeth forth herbs meet for them by whom it
is dressed, receiveth blessing from God: |
|
8 | But that which beareth
thorns and briers is rejected, and is nigh unto cursing; whose end is to be
burned. |
| 9 |
But, beloved, we are persuaded better things of you, and
things that accompany salvation, though we thus speak. |
| 10 | For God is
not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love, which ye have shewed
toward his name, in that ye have ministered to the saints, and do
minister. |
| 11
| And we desire that every one of you do shew the same
diligence to the full assurance of hope unto the end: |
| 12 | That ye be
not slothful, but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the
promises. |
| 13
| For when God made promise to Abraham, because he could
swear by no greater, he sware by himself, |
|
14 | Saying, Surely blessing I
will bless thee, and multiplying I will multiply thee. |
| 15 | And so,
after he had patiently endured, he obtained the promise. |
| 16 | For men
verily swear by the greater: and an oath for confirmation is to them an end of
all strife. |
|
17 | Wherein God, willing more abundantly to shew unto
the heirs of promise the immutability of his counsel, confirmed it by an
oath: |
| 18 |
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: |
| 19 | Which hope we have as an
anchor of the soul, both sure and stedfast, and which entereth into that within
the veil; |
| 20
| Whither the forerunner is for us entered, even Jesus,
made an high priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec. |
