| New King James Version | Holman Christian Standard Bible |
| 1Therefore, leaving the discussion of the elementary principles of Christ, let us go on to perfection, not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God, | 1Therefore, leaving the elementary message about the Messiah, let us go on to maturity, not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, faith in God, |
| 2of the doctrine of baptisms, of laying on of hands, of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment. | 2teaching about ritual washings, laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment. |
| 3And this we will do if God permits. | 3And we will do this if God permits. |
| 4For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted the heavenly gift, and have become partakers of the Holy Spirit, | 4For it is impossible to renew to repentance those who were once enlightened, who tasted the heavenly gift, became companions with the Holy Spirit, |
| 5and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come, | 5tasted God's good word and the powers of the coming age, |
| 6if they fall away, to renew them again to repentance, since they crucify again for themselves the Son of God, and put Him to an open shame. | 6and who have fallen away, because, to their own harm, they are recrucifying the Son of God and holding Him up to contempt. |
| 7For the earth which drinks in the rain that often comes upon it, and bears herbs useful for those by whom it is cultivated, receives blessing from God; | 7For ground that has drunk the rain that has often fallen on it and that produces vegetation useful to those it is cultivated for receives a blessing from God. |
| 8but if it bears thorns and briers, it is rejected and near to being cursed, whose end is to be burned. | 8But if it produces thorns and thistles, it is worthless and about to be cursed, and will be burned at the end. |
| 9But, beloved, we are confident of better things concerning you, yes, things that accompany salvation, though we speak in this manner. | 9Even though we are speaking this way, dear friends, in your case we are confident of the better things connected with salvation. |
| 10For God is not unjust to forget your work and labor of love which you have shown toward His name, in that you have ministered to the saints, and do minister. | 10For God is not unjust; He will not forget your work and the love you showed for His name when you served the saints--and you continue to serve them. |
| 11And we desire that each one of you show the same diligence to the full assurance of hope until the end, | 11Now we want each of you to demonstrate the same diligence for the final realization of your hope, |
| 12that you do not become sluggish, but imitate those who through faith and patience inherit the promises. | 12so that you won't become lazy but will be imitators of those who inherit the promises through faith and perseverance. |
| 13For when God made a promise to Abraham, because He could swear by no one greater, He swore by Himself, | 13For when God made a promise to Abraham, since He had no one greater to swear by, He swore by Himself: |
| 14saying, “Surely blessing I will bless you, and multiplying I will multiply you.” | 14I will indeed bless you, and I will greatly multiply you. |
| 15And so, after he had patiently endured, he obtained the promise. | 15And so, after waiting patiently, Abraham obtained the promise. |
| 16For men indeed swear by the greater, and an oath for confirmation is for them an end of all dispute. | 16For men swear by something greater than themselves, and for them a confirming oath ends every dispute. |
| 17Thus God, determining to show more abundantly to the heirs of promise the immutability of His counsel, confirmed it by an oath, | 17Because God wanted to show His unchangeable purpose even more clearly to the heirs of the promise, He guaranteed it with an oath, |
| 18that by two immutable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we might have strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold of the hope set before us. | 18so that through two unchangeable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled for refuge might have strong encouragement to seize the hope set before us. |
| 19This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast, and which enters the Presence behind the veil, | 19We have this hope as an anchor for our lives, safe and secure. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain. |
| 20where the forerunner has entered for us, even Jesus, having become High Priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek. | 20Jesus has entered there on our behalf as a forerunner, because He has become a high priest forever in the order of Melchizedek. |
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