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📚Therefore leaving the basic matters of the teaching concerning Christ, let us go on to perfection✭, and not lay 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 we will do, if God permits.4 📚✭For this is something impossible: those who were once enlightened✭, and tasted of the heavenly gift✭, and were made partakers of the Holy Spirit✭, 5 📚and tasted the good word✭ of God, and the powers of the world to come✭, 6 📚if✭ they fall away✭, they cannot be renewed again to repentance because 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 often comes on it, and brings forth plants suitable for those who till it, receives blessing from God. 8 📚But that which bears thorns and briars is rejected, and is ready to be cursed. And its end is to be burned.
The writer’s confidence
9 📚✭But, dear brethren, we are persuaded better things about you, and things that go along with salvation, though we speak like this. 10 📚For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love, which you have shown toward his name in the service you have performed✭ to the saints, and are still performing. 11 📚✭And we want every one of you to show the same zeal to the full assurance✭ of hope to the end✭, 12 📚that you be not lazy✭, but followers of those who through faith and patience✭ inherit the promises.
God’s faithfulness to His promises
13 📚✭✭For when God made a promise✭ to Abraham, because he could swear by no one greater, he swore by himself, 14 📚and said, Surely in blessing I will bless you, and in multiplying I will multiply you.
15 📚And so, after he had patiently endured, he obtained the promise.
16 📚✭For men certainly swear by those greater than themselves, and an oath given for confirmation is to them an end of the whole dispute. 17 📚So God, willing more fully to show to the heirs of promise the unchangeability of his purpose, confirmed it with an oath, 18 📚so that by two unchangeable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we who have fled for refuge✭ to lay hold on the hope set before us might have strong encouragement.