¹ Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on to perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God, ² Of the doctrine of baptisms, and of laying on of hands, and of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment. ³ And this will we do, if+ God permit. ⁴ For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost, ⁵ And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come, ⁶ If they will fall away, to renew them again to repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame. ⁷ For the earth which drinks in the rain that comes oft on it, and brings forward herbs meet for them+ by who it is dressed, receives blessing from God: ⁸ But that which bears thorns and briers is rejected, and is near to cursing; whose end is to be burned. ⁹ But, beloved, we are persuaded better things of you, and things that accompany salvation, though we so speak. ¹⁰ For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love, which you have showed+ toward his name, in that you have ministered to the saints, and do minister. ¹¹ And we desire that every one of you do show the same diligence to the full assurance of hope to the end: ¹² That you be not slothful, but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises. ¹³ For when God made promise to Abraham, because he could swear by no greater, he sware by himself, ¹⁴ Saying, Surely+ blessing I will bless you, and multiplying I will multiply you. ¹⁵ And so, after he had patiently endured, he obtained the promise. ¹⁶ For men truly swear by the greater: and an oath for confirmation is to them an end of all strife. ¹⁷ In which+ God, willing more abundantly to show to the heirs of promise the immutability of his counsel, confirmed it by an oath: ¹⁸ That by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold on the hope set before us: ¹⁹ Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast, and which enters into that within the veil; ²⁰ Where the forerunner is for us entered, even Jesus, made a high priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek.