Hebrews 6
1 That’s why after moving on from the beginner discussion of the Messiah, we can be brought to maturity, not laying a foundation over again of transforming the mind away from actions of dead people and toward faithfulness to God, 2 such as toward teaching about submersions, about placing hands on people, and about both the reawakening of the dead and agelong assessment. 3 We will do thisa only if God permits it. 4 You see, it is impossible—for those who were enlightened once, who tasted the heavenly gift and became partakersb of the Sacred Life-breath, 5 who tasted both God’s beautifulc talk and powerful acts of the coming Age, 6 and who fell off the path—to restore them by transforming the mind while they are exposing to public shame and crucifying the son of God over again amongd themselves. 7 You see, the land that drank up the rain that frequently falls on it and produces plants available for those who tend it receives a share of the well-wishese from God. 8 However, when it produces thorns and thistles, it is appraised as unfit and approaching a declaration of hardship,f the end of whichg is burning.
9 But even though we speak this way, loved ones, we are convinced of better things about you, specifically of holding onto liberation 10 because God is not unjust, forgetting your work and love that you demonstrated as his representatives,h since you have served and continue to serve those who are designated to sacred purposes. 11 But, we deeply desire each of youi to demonstrate the same eagerness for full confidence in our hope until the end 12 so that you won’t become reluctant, but instead, would be imitators of those who inherit the promises through faithfulness and patient perseverance.
13 When God made a promise to Abraham, since he had nothing more significant to swear by, he swore by himself, 14 “I will certainly praise you with well-wishesj and increase your flourishingk!"l 15 And that’s how, after patiently persevering, he came upon the promise. 16 People swear by something greater than themselves, and the oath is a termination of any opportunity for responsem against agreementn between them. 17 Regarding the promise, because God intended thoroughly to demonstrate his irrevocableo intention to the heirs of the promise, he intervened with an oath. 18 That way, because of it being impossible for God to lie about these two irrevocable things,p we who have sought refuge have strong encouragement to hold firmly onto the hope that has been presented. 19 That hopeq is like an anchor that we have for our very being,r both reliable and stable, that extends into the inner room behind the curtain, 20 where Jesus entered as a forerunner on our behalf since he became “a high priest based on the order of Melchizedek throughout the Age.”s
FOOTNOTES:
a Referring to ‘being brought to maturity/completion’
b Or ‘sharers in’ or ‘participants in’
c Or ‘favorable’ or ‘appealing’ or ‘genuine’ or ‘noble’ or ‘helpful’ or ‘desirable.’ Traditionally, ‘good’
d Or ‘for’ or ‘with’
e Traditionally, ‘blessings.’ This word eulogia, is one of two unrelated words traditionally translated as ‘blessing.’ This one has to do with speaking well over someone, either in the form of praise or wishing and predicting a positive future for them, typically related to their praiseworthiness.
f Traditionally, ‘curse.’ However, it means ‘curse’ as in predicting negative consequences or outcomes for someone or something, or as in ‘ill-wishes’ for someone. It does not mean a magic spell designed to cause harm or some supernatural and inescapable fate imposed from outside by God or anyone else.
g The grammar here could be referring to the ‘land’ in verse 7 or to the ‘declaration of hardship’ in verse 8.
h Literally, ‘for his name’
i The language here emphasizes each individual within the group. It implies that verse 10’s affirmation was applying to the group as a whole, and the writer wants to encourage growth so that each individual within the group is living in line with these values.
j Hebrew language used pairs of repeated words, such as ‘king of kings’ and ‘holy of holies’ as an emphatic construction to communicate the highest or most absolute sense of the meaning. This phrase is a Greek translation of a Hebrew quotation and is translated to English here as ‘praise you with well-wishes.’ More literally, it is ‘speak well over you while speaking well over you.’
k Hebrew language used pairs of repeated words, such as ‘king of kings’ and ‘holy of holies’ as an emphatic construction to communicate the highest or most absolute sense of the meaning. This phrase is a Greek translation of a Hebrew quotation and is translated to English here as ‘increasingly multiply.’ More literally, it is ‘increase you while increasing you’ or ‘multiply you while multiplying you.’
l Quotation of Genesis 22:17
m Or ‘opposition’ or ‘exchange of arguments’
n Or ‘confirmation’ or ‘guarantee’
o Or ‘unalterable’ or ‘nontransferable’ or ‘immovable’
p Or ‘actions.’ This phrase refers to the two elements of what he promised to do for Abraham: I will certainly (1) praise you with well-wishes and (2) increase your flourishing.
q Literally, ‘which’ or ‘it’
r Traditionally, ‘soul’
s Quotation of Psalm 110:4, and it refers back to Hebrews 4:6, 10.