Montgomery - Hebrews - 6

6:1  So let us get beyond the teaching of the elementary doctrines of Christ, and let us be borne along toward what is mature. Let us not be continually laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works,

6:2  of faith in God, of the teaching regarding ablutions and the laying on of hands, of the resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment.

6:3  And this we will do, if God permit.

6:4  For in the case of those who have been once for all enlightened and have tasted of the heavenly gift,

6:5  and become partakers of the Holy Spirit, and tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the Future Age,

6:6  and then fallen away, it is impossible to renew them again unto repentance. For they repeatedly crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and expose him to an open shame.

6:7  For land that has drunk the showers that now and again fall upon it, and produced vegetation useful for those for whom it was tilled, receives a blessing from God;

6:8  but if it produces thorns and thistles, it is considered worthless, and is in danger of being cursed, and its end will be to be burned.

6:9  But though we thus speak, we are persuaded better things of you, beloved, and things that accompany salvation.

6:10  For God is not unjust; he will not forget your work and the love you showed for his cause, in sending help to your fellow Christians, as you are still doing.

6:11  but I am longing that each of you continue to show the same diligence to realize the fulness of your hope, even to the end.

6:12  Then do not become slack, but be imitators of those who through faith and patience are inheriting the promises.

6:13  For when God make the promise to Abraham, since he could swear by none greater, he swore by himself, saying.

6:14  Surely I will bless you, and bless you; I will increase you, and increase you.

6:15  And so by patiently waiting, Abraham obtained the promise.

6:16  I am referring to the oath because men swear by what is greater than themselves, and in every dispute of theirs the oath is final for confirmation.

6:17  On which principle God, wishing to show more convincingly to the heirs of the promise the immutability of his purpose, mediated with an oath;

6:18  that by means of two immutable things - his promise and his oath - in which it is impossible for God to break faith, we refugees may have strong encouragement to grasp the hope set before us.

6:19  This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, secure and strong, and passing into the sanctuary which is beyond the veil;

6:20  whither Jesus himself is entered as a forerunner on our behalf, having become a priest forever, after the order of Melchisedek.