Hebrews 6 - An Understandable Version (2005 edition)

¹ So, we should leave the basic principles of Christ’s teaching and go on to maturity. [We should] not lay again a foundation of repentance [i.e., turning away] from deeds of death [i.e., acts that lead to spiritual death or that spring from a spiritually dead person], and of faith in God;

² and of teaching about immersions [Note: The use of the plural word here suggests teaching on the distinctions between Jewish washings and John’s and Christian immersion, whether in water or the Holy Spirit. See Acts 19:1-7], and about placing hands on people [Note: This act was practiced in the appointment of church leaders, in healing sick people and to impart supernatural gifts], and about people being raised from the dead and about never ending judgment.

³ And we will do so [i.e., go on to more advanced teaching] if God allows us to.

⁴ For it is impossible to get people who were once enlightened [by the Gospel message], and who had experienced the gift from heaven [i.e., forgiveness, never ending life, etc. See Rom. 6:23], and who had partaken of the [indwelling] Holy Spirit [See Acts 2:38],

⁵ and who had experienced the good teaching of God and the powers of the coming age [i.e., they had already received some of the blessings of the Christian life, perhaps even miraculous signs],

⁶ and then have [completely] fallen away [from God], to repent again. [It is] because they [continue to] crucify for themselves God’s Son all over again, and hold Him up to contempt.

⁷ For God blesses land that has soaked up the rain which has fallen on it, and it produces a profitable crop for those people for whom the land was farmed.

⁸ But if the land produces [only] thorns and thistles, it is worthless and in danger of being cursed [by God], and will end up being burned.

⁹ But, my dearly loved ones, even though we talk this way, we are persuaded that you will do better than that [i.e., you will not fall away from God], and will end up being saved.

¹⁰ For God is not [so] unjust as to forget the work you are doing and the love you have shown for Him, as you ministered to the saints [i.e., His holy people] and continue to minister [to them].

¹¹ And it is our desire that each one of you shows the same eagerness [to live for Christ], so as to be fully assured of your hope [in never ending life] until the end [of your days].

¹² We do not want you people to be [spiritually] slack, but to imitate those who will inherit [God’s] promises because of their faith and patience.

¹³ For when God made a promise to Abraham, since He could not make a vow by anyone greater, He vowed by Himself,

¹⁴ saying [Gen. 22:16-17], “I will certainly bless you and will multiply you [i.e., give you many descendants].”

¹⁵ And so, after waiting patiently, Abraham received what [God] had promised.

¹⁶ For people make vows by someone greater [than themselves], and an argument is settled when someone takes an oath [that he is telling the truth].

¹⁷ Since God wanted to show conclusively to those who would inherit the promise [i.e., Abraham and all of his spiritual descendants], how unchangeable His purpose was, He confirmed it with an oath.

¹⁸ He did this so that by two unchangeable things [i.e., His promise and His oath], (and it is impossible for God to lie), we, who have fled [to God] for refuge, could be greatly encouraged to take hold of the hope set before us [i.e., the hope of never ending life].

¹⁹ We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, [a hope] that is safe and secure, and one that enters the curtain [i.e., figuratively, of the heavenly sanctuary],

²⁰ where Jesus, our forerunner, [already] entered on our behalf, having become a Head Priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.