1 So we should be finished with the beginning lessons about Christ. We should not go back to the things we started with. We began \{our life in Christ\} by turning away from the evil things we did before and by believing in God.
1 Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God,
1 THEREFORE LET us go on and get past the elementary stage in the teachings and doctrine of Christ (the Messiah), advancing steadily toward the completeness and perfection that belong to spiritual maturity. Let us not again be laying the foundation of repentance and abandonment of dead works (dead formalism) and of the faith [by which you turned] to God,
1 Wherefore leaving the doctrine of the first principles of Christ, let us press on unto perfection; not laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God,
1 So let’s press on to maturity, by moving on from the basics about Christ’s word. Let’s not lay a foundation of turning away from dead works, of faith in God,
1 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,
So surely the blood of Christ can do much, much more. Christ offered himself through the eternal Spirit {\cf2\super [106]} as a perfect sacrifice {\cf2\super [107]} to God. His blood will make us fully clean from the evil things we have done. His blood will make us pure even in our hearts. We are made pure so that we can worship (serve) the living God.
Dear friends, we have these promises \{from God\}. So we should make ourselves pure—free from anything that makes our body or our soul unclean. We should try to become perfect in the way we live, because we respect God.
I began telling people that they should change their hearts and lives and turn back to God. I told the people to do things that show that they really changed their hearts. I told these things first to people in Damascus. Then I went to Jerusalem and to every part of Judea and told these things to the people there. I also went to the non-Jewish people.
John came showing you the right way to live. And you did not believe John. But the tax collectors and prostitutes believed John. And you saw that the tax collectors and prostitutes believed him. But you still refused to change and believe him.
People were given the law {\cf2\super [62]} under the system of priests from the Levi family group. {\cf2\super [63]} But people could not be made spiritually perfect through that system of priests. So there was a need for another priest to come. I mean a priest that is like Melchizedek, {\cf2\super [64]} not Aaron. {\cf2\super [65]}
Christ gave those gifts to prepare God’s holy people {\cf2\super [34]} for the work of serving. He gave those gifts to make the body of Christ stronger.
“I tell you the truth. If a person hears what I say and believes in the One (God) who sent me, that person has life forever. That person will not be judged guilty. He has already left death and has entered into life.
Being sorry like God wants makes a person change his heart and life. This leads a person to salvation, and we cannot be sorry for that. But the kind of sorrow the world has will bring death.
But God’s strong foundation {\cf2\super [14]} continues to be the same. These words are written on that foundation: “The Lord knows those people who belong to him.” {\cf2\super [15]} Also, these words are written on that foundation: “Every person who says that he believes in the Lord must stop doing wrong.”
When the Jewish believers heard these things, they stopped arguing. They praised God and said, “So God is allowing the non-Jewish people to change their hearts and have life the same as us!”
From that time Jesus began to tell people \{what God wanted\}. This is what he said: “Change your hearts and lives, because the kingdom of heaven is coming soon.”
No person has ever seen God. But if we love each other, then God lives in us. If we love each other, then God’s love has reached its goal—it is made perfect in us.
Without faith, a person cannot please God. Any person who comes to God must believe that God is real. And any person who comes to God must believe that God rewards those people who truly want to find him.
Epaphras also says hello. He is a servant of Jesus Christ. And he is from your group. He always prays for you. He prays that you will grow to be spiritually mature (perfect) and have everything that God wants for you.
We were \{spiritually\} dead. We were dead because of the things we did wrong against God. But God gave us new life with Christ. You have been saved by God’s grace (kindness).
Yes, you will suffer for a short time. But after that, God will make everything right. He will make you strong. He will support you and keep you from falling. He is the God that gives all grace (kindness). He called you to share in his glory in Christ. That glory will continue forever.
Peter said to them, “Change your hearts and lives and be baptized, {\cf2\super [42]} each one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ. Then God will forgive your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. {\cf2\super [43]}
By doing that they will be saving a treasure for themselves \{in heaven\}. That treasure will be a strong foundation {\cf2\super [34]} —their future life can be built on that treasure. Then they will be able to have the life that is true life.
He is like a man building a house. He digs deep and builds his house on rock. The floods come, and the water tries to wash the house away. But the flood cannot move the house, because the house was built well (strong).
We teach wisdom to people that are mature. But this wisdom we teach is not from this world. It is not the wisdom of the rulers of this world. Those rulers are losing their power.