Hebrews 5:11-6:20

Warning Against Apostasy

11 of whom o we have much to say, and hard to explain, since you have become p dull of hearing. 12 For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the first principles of the 1 oracles of God; and you have come to need q milk and not solid food. 13 For everyone who partakes only of milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, for he is r a babe. 14 But solid food belongs to those who are 2 of full age, that is, those who by reason of 3 use have their senses exercised s to discern both good and evil.

Hebrews 6

1 Therefore, a leaving the discussion of the elementary principles of Christ, let us go on to 4 perfection, not laying again the foundation of repentance from b dead works and of faith toward God, 2 c of the doctrine of baptisms, d of laying on of hands, e of resurrection of the dead, f and of eternal judgment. 3 And this 5 we will do if God permits. 4 For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted g the heavenly gift, and h have become partakers of the Holy Spirit, 5 and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come, 6 6 if they fall away, to renew them again to repentance, i since they crucify again for themselves the Son of God, and put Him to an open shame. 7 For the earth which drinks in the rain that often comes upon it, and bears herbs useful for those by whom it is cultivated, j receives blessing from God; 8 k but if it bears thorns and briers, it is rejected and near to being cursed, whose end is to be burned.

9 But, beloved, we are confident of better things concerning you, yes, things that accompany salvation, though we speak in this manner. 10 For l God is not unjust to forget m your work and 7 labor of love which you have shown toward His name, in that you have n ministered to the saints, and do minister. 11 And we desire that each one of you show the same diligence o to the full assurance of hope until the end, 12 that you do not become 8 sluggish, but imitate those who through faith and patience p inherit the promises.

The Certainty of God's Promise

13 For when God made a promise to Abraham, because He could swear by no one greater, q He swore by Himself, 14 saying, r "Surely blessing I will bless you, and multiplying I will multiply you." 9 15 And so, after he had patiently endured, he obtained the s promise. 16 For men indeed swear by the greater, and t an oath for confirmation is for them an end of all dispute. 17 Thus God, determining to show more abundantly to u the heirs of promise v the 10 immutability of His counsel, 11 confirmed it by an oath, 18 that by two 12 immutable things, in which it is impossible for God to w lie, we 13 might have strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold of the hope x set before us. 19 This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast, y and which enters the Presence behind the veil, 20 z where the forerunner has entered for us, even Jesus, a having become High Priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.

  1. Cross References
    John 16:12
    I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now.
    Hebrews 7:1 - 22
    For this Melchizedek, king of Salem, priest of the Most High God, who met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings and blessed him.
  2. Cross References
    Matthew 13:15
    For the hearts of this people have grown dull. Their ears are hard of hearing, And their eyes they have closed, Lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears, Lest they should understand with their hearts and turn, So that I should heal them.
  3. Cross References
    1 Corinthians 3:1 - 3
    And I, brethren, could not speak to you as to spiritual people but as to carnal, as to babes in Christ.
    1 Peter 2:2
    As newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby.
  4. Cross References
    Ephesians 4:14
    That we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting.
  5. Cross References
    Isaiah 7:15
    Curds and honey He shall eat, that He may know to refuse the evil and choose the good.
    Philippians 1:9
    And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in knowledge and all discernment.
  6. Cross References
    Hebrews 5:12
    For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the first principles of the oracles of God; and you have come to need milk and not solid food.
  7. Cross References
    Hebrews 9:14
    How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?
  8. Cross References
    John 3:25
    Then there arose a dispute between some of John's disciples and the Jews about purification.
    Acts 19:3 - 5
    And he said to them, "Into what then were you baptized?" So they said, "Into John's baptism.
  9. Cross References
    Acts 8:17
    Then they laid hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit.
  10. Cross References
    Acts 17:31
    "because He has appointed a day on which He will judge the world in righteousness by the Man whom He has ordained. He has given assurance of this to all by raising Him from the dead."
  11. Cross References
    Acts 24:25
    Now as he reasoned about righteousness, self-control, and the judgment to come, Felix was afraid and answered, "Go away for now; when I have a convenient time I will call for you.
  12. Cross References
    John 4:10
    Jesus answered and said to her, "If you knew the gift of God, and who it is who says 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 that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God.
  13. Cross References
    Galatians 3:2
    This only I want to learn from you: Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?
    Galatians 3:5
    Therefore He who supplies the Spirit to you and works miracles among you, does He do it by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? -
    Hebrews 2:4
    God also bearing witness both with signs and wonders, with various miracles, and gifts of the Holy Spirit, according to His own will?
  14. Cross References
    Hebrews 10:29
    Of how much worse punishment, do you suppose, will he be thought worthy who has trampled the Son of God underfoot, counted the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified a common thing, and insulted the Spirit of grace?
  15. Cross References
    Psalms 65:10
    You water its ridges abundantly, You settle its furrows; You make it soft with showers, You bless its growth.
  16. Cross References
    Isaiah 5:6
    I will lay it waste; It shall not be pruned or dug, But there shall come up briers and thorns. I will also command the clouds That they rain no rain on it.
  17. Cross References
    Romans 3:4
    Certainly not! Indeed, let God be true but every man a liar. As it is written: "That You may be justified in Your words, And may overcome when You are judged.
  18. Cross References
    1 Thessalonians 1:3
    Remembering without ceasing your work of faith, labor of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ in the sight of our God and Father.
  19. Cross References
    Romans 15:25
    But now I am going to Jerusalem to minister to the saints.
    Hebrews 10:32 - 34
    But recall the former days in which, after you were illuminated, you endured a great struggle with sufferings:
  20. Cross References
    Colossians 2:2
    That their hearts may be encouraged, being knit together in love, and attaining to all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the knowledge of the mystery of God, both of the Father and of Christ.
  21. Cross References
    Hebrews 10:36
    For you have need of endurance, so that after you have done the will of God, you may receive the promise:
  22. Cross References
    Genesis 22:16
    And said: "By Myself I have sworn, says the LORD, because you have done this thing, and have not withheld your son, your only son -
    Genesis 22:17
    Blessing I will bless you, and multiplying I will multiply your descendants as the stars of the heaven and as the sand which is on the seashore; and your descendants shall possess the gate of their enemies.
    Luke 1:73
    The oath which He swore to our father Abraham:
  23. Cross References
    Genesis 22:16
    And said: "By Myself I have sworn, says the LORD, because you have done this thing, and have not withheld your son, your only son -
    Genesis 22:17
    Blessing I will bless you, and multiplying I will multiply your descendants as the stars of the heaven and as the sand which is on the seashore; and your descendants shall possess the gate of their enemies.
  24. Cross References
    Genesis 12:4
    So Abram departed as the LORD had spoken to him, and Lot went with him. And Abram was seventy-five years old when he departed from Haran.
    Genesis 21:5
    Now Abraham was one hundred years old when his son Isaac was born to him.
  25. Cross References
    Exodus 22:11
    Then an oath of the LORD shall be between them both, that he has not put his hand into his neighbor's goods; and the owner of it shall accept that, and he shall not make it good.
  26. Cross References
    Romans 8:17
    And if children, then heirs - heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together.
    Hebrews 11:9
    By faith he dwelt in the land of promise as in a foreign country, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise.
  27. Cross References
    Romans 11:29
    For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable.
  28. Cross References
    Numbers 23:19
    God is not a man, that He should lie, Nor a son of man, that He should repent. Has He said, and will He not do? Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good?
    1 Samuel 15:29
    "And also the Strength of Israel will not lie nor relent. For He is not a man, that He should relent."
    Titus 1:2
    In hope of eternal life which God, who cannot lie, promised before time began.
  29. Cross References
    Colossians 1:5
    Because of the hope which is laid up for you in heaven, of which you heard before in the word of the truth of the gospel.
    Hebrews 3:6
    But Christ as a Son over His own house, whose house we are if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm to the end.
    Hebrews 7:19
    For the law made nothing perfect; on the other hand, there is the bringing in of a better hope, through which we draw near to God.
    Hebrews 12:1
    Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us.
  30. Cross References
    Leviticus 16:2
    And the LORD said to Moses: "Tell Aaron your brother not to come at just any time into the Holy Place inside the veil, before the mercy seat which is on the ark, lest he die; for I will appear in the cloud above the mercy seat.
    Leviticus 16:15
    Then he shall kill the goat of the sin offering, which is for the people, bring its blood inside the veil, do with that blood as he did with the blood of the bull, and sprinkle it on the mercy seat and before the mercy seat.
    Hebrews 9:3
    And behind the second veil, the part of the tabernacle which is called the Holiest of All.
    Hebrews 9:7
    But into the second part the high priest went alone once a year, not without blood, which he offered for himself and for the people's sins committed in ignorance.
  31. Cross References
    John 14:2
    In My Father's house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.
    Hebrews 4:14
    Seeing then that we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession.
  32. Cross References
    Genesis 14:17 - 19
    And the king of Sodom went out to meet him at the Valley of Shaveh (that is, the King's Valley), after his return from the defeat of Chedorlaomer and the kings who were with him.
    Psalms 110:4
    The LORD has sworn And will not relent, "You are a priest forever According to the order of Melchizedek.
    Hebrews 3:1
    Therefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our confession, Christ Jesus.
    Hebrews 5:10
    Called by God as High Priest "according to the order of Melchizedek.
    Hebrews 5:11
    Of whom we have much to say, and hard to explain, since you have become dull of hearing.
New King James Version (NKJV) Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc.