1: Therefore 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, 2: Of the doctrine of baptisms, and of laying on of hands, and of the 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 have been once enlightened, and have tasted the heavenly gift, and have been made partakers of the Holy Spirit. 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 to 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 often upon it, and bringeth forth herbs fit for them by whom it is dressed, receiveth blessing from God: 8: But that which beareth thorns and briers [is] rejected, and [is] nigh to 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 labor of love, which ye have shown towards his name, in that ye have ministered to the saints, and do minister. 11: And we desire every one of you to show the same diligence to the full assurance of hope to 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 swore 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 contradiction. 17: Wherein God, willing more abundantly to show to 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 steadfast, and which entereth into that within the vail; 20: Whither the forerunner hath for us entered, [even] Jesus, made a high priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec.
