Hebrews 6

Warning Against Apostasy

1 Therefore i let us leave j the elementary doctrine of Christ and go on to maturity, not laying again a foundation of repentance k from dead works and of faith toward God, 2 and of l instruction about washings, 1 m the laying on of hands, n the resurrection of the dead, and o eternal judgment. 3 And this we will do p if God permits. 4 For it is impossible, in the case of those q who have once been enlightened, who have tasted r the heavenly gift, and s have shared in the Holy Spirit, 5 and t have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the age to come, 6 and u then have fallen away, to restore them again to repentance, since v they are crucifying once again the Son of God to their own harm and holding him up to contempt. 7 For w land that has drunk the rain that often falls on it, and produces a crop useful to those for whose sake it is cultivated, receives a blessing from God. 8 But x if it bears thorns and thistles, it is worthless and near to being cursed, y and its end is to be burned.

9 Though we speak in this way, yet in your case, beloved, we feel sure of better things - things that belong to salvation. 10 For z God is not unjust so as to overlook a your work and the love that you have shown for his name in b serving the saints, as you still do. 11 And we desire each one of you to show the same earnestness to have the full assurance c of hope until the end, 12 so that you may not be sluggish, but d imitators of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises.

The Certainty of God's Promise

13 For when God made a promise to Abraham, since he had no one greater by whom to swear, e he swore by himself, 14 saying, f "Surely I will bless you and multiply you." 15 And thus Abraham, 2 g having patiently waited, obtained the promise. 16 For people swear by something greater than themselves, and in all their disputes h an oath is final for confirmation. 17 So when God desired to show more convincingly to i the heirs of the promise j the unchangeable character of his purpose, k he guaranteed it with an oath, 18 so that by two unchangeable things, in which l it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled for refuge might have strong encouragement to hold fast to the hope m set before us. 19 We have this as a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul, a hope that enters into n the inner place behind the curtain, 20 where Jesus has gone o as a forerunner on our behalf, p having become a high priest forever after the order of Melchizedek.

  1. Cross References
    Philippians 3:12 - 14
    Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own.
  2. Cross References
    Hebrews 5:12
    For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the basic principles of the oracles of God. You need milk, not solid food.
  3. Cross References
    Hebrews 9:14
    How much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, purify our conscience from dead works to serve the living God.
  4. Cross References
    Acts 19:4 - 5
    And Paul said, "John baptized with the baptism of repentance, telling the people to believe in the one who was to come after him, that is, Jesus.
  5. Cross References
    Acts 8:17
    Then they laid their hands on them and they received the Holy Spirit.
    Acts 19:6
    And when Paul had laid his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they began speaking in tongues and prophesying.
  6. Cross References
    Acts 17:31 - 32
    Because he has fixed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed; and of this he has given assurance to all by raising him from the dead.
  7. Cross References
    Acts 10:42
    And he commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that he is the one appointed by God to be judge of the living and the dead.
  8. Cross References
    1 Corinthians 16:7
    For I do not want to see you now just in passing. I hope to spend some time with you, if the Lord permits.
  9. Cross References
    Hebrews 10:32
    But recall the former days when, after you were enlightened, you endured a hard struggle with sufferings.
  10. Cross References
    John 4:10
    Jesus answered her, "If you knew the gift of God, and who it is that is saying to you, 'Give me a drink,' you would have asked him, and he would have given you living water.
    Ephesians 2:8
    For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God.
  11. Cross References
    Hebrews 2:4 - 5
    While God also bore witness by signs and wonders and various miracles and by gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed according to his will.
    Galatians 3:2
    Let me ask you only this: Did you receive the Spirit by works of the law or by hearing with faith?
    Galatians 3:5
    Does he who supplies the Spirit to you and works miracles among you do so by works of the law, or by hearing with faith -
  12. Cross References
    Psalms 34:8
    Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good! Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him!
  13. Cross References
    Matthew 19:26
    But Jesus looked at them and said, "With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.
    1 John 5:16
    If anyone sees his brother committing a sin not leading to death, he shall ask, and God will give him life - to those who commit sins that do not lead to death. There is sin that leads to death; I do not say that one should pray for that.
  14. Cross References
    Hebrews 10:29
    How much worse punishment, do you think, will be deserved by the one who has spurned the Son of God, and has profaned the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified, and has outraged the Spirit of grace?
  15. Cross References
    Psalms 65:10
    You water its furrows abundantly, settling its ridges, softening it with showers, and blessing its growth.
  16. Cross References
    Isaiah 5:1 - 7
    Let me sing for my beloved my love song concerning his vineyard: My beloved had a vineyard on a very fertile hill.
    Genesis 3:17 - 18
    And to Adam he said, "Because you have listened to the voice of your wife and have eaten of the tree of which I commanded you, 'You shall not eat of it,' cursed is the ground because of you; in pain you shall eat of it all the days of your life.
    Deuteronomy 29:22 - 23
    And the next generation, your children who rise up after you, and the foreigner who comes from a far land, will say, when they see the afflictions of that land and the sicknesses with which the Lord has made it sick -
    Jeremiah 44:22
    The Lord could no longer bear your evil deeds and the abominations that you committed. Therefore your land has become a desolation and a waste and a curse, without inhabitant, as it is this day.
    Luke 13:6 - 9
    And he told this parable: "A man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard, and he came seeking fruit on it and found none.
  17. Cross References
    Malachi 4:1
    For behold, the day is coming, burning like an oven, when all the arrogant and all evildoers will be stubble. The day that is coming shall set them ablaze, says the Lord of hosts, so that it will leave them neither root nor branch.
    John 15:6
    If anyone does not abide in me he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned.
  18. Cross References
    Proverbs 19:17
    Whoever is generous to the poor lends to the Lord, and he will repay him for his deed.
    Matthew 10:42
    And whoever gives one of these little ones even a cup of cold water because he is a disciple, truly, I say to you, he will by no means lose his reward.
    Matthew 25:40
    And the King will answer them, 'Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.
    Mark 9:41
    For truly, I say to you, whoever gives you a cup of water to drink because you belong to Christ will by no means lose his reward.
  19. Cross References
    1 Thessalonians 1:3
    Remembering before our God and Father your work of faith and labor of love and steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.
  20. Cross References
    Romans 15:31
    That I may be delivered from the unbelievers in...
    2 Corinthians 8:4
    Begging us earnestly for the favor of taking pa...
    2 Corinthians 9:1
    Now it is superfluous for me to write to you ab...
    2 Corinthians 9:12
    For the ministry of this service is not only su...
    2 Timothy 1:18
    May the Lord grant him to find mercy from the L...
    Revelation 2:19
    'I know your works, your love and faith and ser...
  21. Cross References
    Romans 5:2 - 5
    Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God.
  22. Cross References
    Hebrews 13:7
    Remember your leaders, those who spoke to you the word of God. Consider the outcome of their way of life, and imitate their faith.
    Hebrews 10:36
    For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God you may receive what is promised.
  23. Cross References
    Genesis 22:16
    And said, "By myself I have sworn, declares the Lord, because you have done this and have not withheld your son, your only son.
  24. Cross References
    Genesis 22:17
    I will surely bless you, and I will surely multiply your offspring as the stars of heaven and as the sand that is on the seashore. And your offspring shall possess the gate of his enemies.
  25. Cross References
    Genesis 22:17
    I will surely bless you, and I will surely multiply your offspring as the stars of heaven and as the sand that is on the seashore. And your offspring shall possess the gate of his enemies.
  26. Cross References
    Hebrews 6:12
    So that you may not be sluggish, but imitators of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises.
    Hebrews 6:17
    So when God desired to show more convincingly to the heirs of the promise the unchangeable character of his purpose, he guaranteed it with an oath.
    Hebrews 7:6
    But this man who does not have his descent from them received tithes from Abraham and blessed him who had the promises.
    Romans 4:13
    For the promise to Abraham and his offspring that he would be heir of the world did not come through the law but through the righteousness of faith.
  27. Cross References
    Exodus 22:11
    An oath by the Lord shall be between them both to see whether or not he has put his hand to his neighbor's property. The owner shall accept the oath, and he shall not make restitution.
  28. Cross References
    Hebrews 11:9
    By faith he went to live in the land of promise, as in a foreign land, living in tents with Isaac and Jacob, heirs with him of the same promise.
  29. Cross References
    Hebrews 6:18
    So that by two unchangeable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled for refuge might have strong encouragement to hold fast to the hope set before us.
    Psalms 110:4
    The Lord has sworn and will not change his mind, "You are a priest forever after the order of Melchizedek.
    Proverbs 19:21
    Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the Lord that will stand.
  30. Cross References
    Galatians 3:20
    Now an intermediary implies more than one, but God is one.
  31. Cross References
    Titus 1:2
    In hope of eternal life, which God, who never lies, promised before the ages began
  32. Cross References
    Hebrews 12:1 - 2
    Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us.
  33. Cross References
    Hebrews 9:7
    But into the second only the high priest goes, and he but once a year, and not without taking blood, which he offers for himself and for the unintentional sins of the people.
    Leviticus 16:15
    Then he shall kill the goat of the sin offering that is for the people and bring its blood inside the veil and do with its blood as he did with the blood of the bull, sprinkling it over the mercy seat and in front of the mercy seat.
  34. Cross References
    Hebrews 4:14
    Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession.
    Hebrews 8:1
    Now the point in what we are saying is this: we have such a high priest, one who is seated at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in heaven.
    Hebrews 9:24
    For Christ has entered, not into holy places made with hands, which are copies of the true things, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God on our behalf.
  35. Cross References
    Hebrews 3:1
    Therefore, holy brothers, you who share in a heavenly calling, consider Jesus, the apostle and high priest of our confession.
    Hebrews 5:6
    As he says also in another place, "You are a priest forever, after the order of Melchizedek.
    Hebrews 5:10
    Being designated by God a high priest after the order of Melchizedek.
    Hebrews 7:17
    For it is witnessed of him, "You are a priest forever, after the order of Melchizedek.
    Hebrews 7:21
    But this one was made a priest with an oath by the one who said to him: "The Lord has sworn and will not change his mind, 'You are a priest forever.'
English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers.
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