The Epistle to the Hebrews

⭑ Catholic Public Domain :: World English Bible Catholic ⭑

- Chapter 6 -

Therefore, interrupting an explanation of the basics of Christ, let us consider what is more advanced, not presenting again the fundamentals of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God,(a)

of the doctrine of baptism, and also of the imposition of hands, and of the resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment.

And we shall do this, if indeed God permits it.

For it is impossible for those who were once illuminated, and have even tasted of the heavenly gift, and have become sharers in the Holy Spirit,(b)

who, despite having tasted the good Word of God and the virtues of the future age, have yet fallen away,

to be renewed again to penance, since they are crucifying again in themselves the Son of God and are still maintaining pretenses.

For the earth accepts a blessing from God, by drinking in the rain that often falls upon it, and by producing plants that are useful to those by whom it is cultivated.

But whatever brings forth thorns and briers is rejected, and is closest to what is accursed; their consummation is in combustion.

But from you, most beloved, we are confident that there will be things better and closer to salvation; even though we speak in this way.

For God is not unjust, such that he would forget your work and the love that you have shown in his name. For you have ministered, and you continue to minister, to the saints.

Yet we desire that each one of you display the same solicitude toward the fulfillment of hope, even unto the end,

so that you may not be slow to act, but instead may be imitators of those who, through faith and patience, shall inherit the promises.

God’s Unchangeable Promise

For God, in making promises to Abraham, swore by himself, (because he had no one greater by whom he might swear),

saying: “Blessing, I shall bless you, and multiplying, I shall multiply you.”(c)

And in this way, by enduring patiently, he secured the promise.

For men swear by what is greater than themselves, and an oath as confirmation is the end of all their controversy.

In this matter, God, wanting to reveal more thoroughly the immutability of his counsel to the heirs of the promise, interposed an oath,

so that by two immutable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we may have the strongest solace: we who have fled together so as to hold fast to the hope set before us.

This we have as an anchor of the soul, safe and sound, which advances even to the interior of the veil,

to the place where the forerunner Jesus has entered on our behalf, so as to become the High Priest for eternity, according to the order of Melchizedek.

Footnotes

(a)6:1 The word of the beginning:The first rudiments of the Christian doctrine.(Challoner)

(b)6:4 It is impossible, etc:The meaning is, that it is impossible for such as have fallen after baptism, to be again baptized; and very hard for such as have apostatized from the faith, after having received many graces, to return again to the happy state from which they fell.(Challoner)

(c)6:14 The word ‘nisi,’ which usually means ‘except’ or ‘unless’ (or, literally, ‘if not’), in this context indicates an oath or a swearing to something. It is like saying, “If I do not do this thing that I swear to do (or, “Unless I do this thing that I swear to do”), then may that bad thing happen to me.” However, the latter part of stating the bad thing is left off, in this case because God cannot fail to accomplish what He has sworn, and because nothing bad can happen to God.(Conte)

Therefore leaving the teaching of the first principles of Christ, let’s press on to perfection—not laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works, of faith toward God,

of the teaching of baptisms, of laying on of hands, of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment.

This will we do, if God permits.

For concerning those who were once enlightened and tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Spirit,

and tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come,

and then fell away, it is impossible to renew them again to repentance; seeing they crucify the Son of God for themselves again, and put him to open shame.

For the land which has drunk the rain that comes often on it and produces a crop suitable for them for whose sake it is also tilled, receives blessing from God;

but if it bears thorns and thistles, it is rejected and near being cursed, whose end is to be burned.

But, beloved, we are persuaded of better things for you, and things that accompany salvation, even though we speak like this.

For God is not unrighteous, so as to forget your work and the labor of love which you showed toward his name, in that you served the saints, and still do serve them.

We desire that each one of you may show the same diligence to the fullness of hope even to the end,

that you won’t be sluggish, but imitators of those who through faith and perseverance inherited the promises.

God’s Unchangeable Promise

For when God made a promise to Abraham, since he could swear by no one greater, he swore by himself,

saying, “Surely blessing I will bless you, and multiplying I will multiply you.”(a)

Thus, having patiently endured, he obtained the promise.

For men indeed swear by a greater one, and in every dispute of theirs the oath is final for confirmation.

In this way God, being determined to show more abundantly to the heirs of the promise the immutability of his counsel, interposed with an oath,

that by two immutable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we may have a strong encouragement, who have fled for refuge to take hold of the hope set before us.

This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, a hope both sure and steadfast and entering into that which is within the veil,

where as a forerunner Jesus entered for us, having become a high priest forever after the order of Melchizedek.

Footnotes

(a)6:14 ℘ Genesis 22:17