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The Peril of Not Progressing

¹Therefore, ⚓leaving the discussion of the elementary principles 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, ⚓of laying on of hands, ⚓of resurrection of the dead, ⚓and of eternal judgment. ³And this we will do if God permits.
⁴For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted ⚓the heavenly gift, and ⚓have become partakers of the Holy Spirit, ⁵and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come, ⁶if they fall away, to renew them again to repentance, ⚓since they crucify again for themselves the Son of God, and put Him to an open shame.
⁷For the earth which drinks in the rain that often comes upon it, and bears herbs useful for those by whom it is cultivated, ⚓receives blessing from God; ⁸⚓but if it bears thorns and briers, it is rejected and near to being cursed, whose end is to be burned.

A Better Estimate

⁹But, beloved, we are confident of better things concerning you, yes, things that accompany salvation, though we speak in this manner. ¹⁰For ⚓God is not unjust to forget ⚓your work and labor of love which you have shown toward His name, in that you have ⚓ministered to the saints, and do minister. ¹¹And we desire that each one of you show the same diligence ⚓to the full assurance of hope until the end, ¹²that you do not become sluggish, but imitate those who through faith and patience ⚓inherit the promises.

God’s Infallible Purpose in Christ

¹³For when God made a promise to Abraham, because He could swear by no one greater, ⚓He swore by Himself, ¹⁴saying, ⚓“Surely blessing I will bless you, and multiplying I will multiply you.” ¹⁵And so, after he had patiently endured, he obtained the ⚓promise. ¹⁶For men indeed swear by the greater, and ⚓an oath for confirmation is for them an end of all dispute. ¹⁷Thus God, determining to show more abundantly to ⚓the heirs of promise ⚓the immutability of His counsel, confirmed it by an oath, ¹⁸that by two immutable things, in which it is impossible for God to ⚓lie, we might have strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold of the hope ⚓set before us.
¹⁹This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast, ⚓and which enters the Presence behind the veil, ²⁰⚓where the forerunner has entered for us, even Jesus, ⚓having become High Priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.

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¹所以，我们应当离开基督道理的基础，竭力进到成熟的地步；不必再立根基，就如懊悔致死的行为、信靠上帝、 ²各样洗礼、按手礼、死人复活，以及永远的审判等的教导。 ³上帝若准许，我们就这样做。 ^4-6论到那些已经蒙了光照、尝过天恩的滋味、又于圣灵有份、并尝过上帝的话的美味，和来世权能的人，若再离弃真道，就不可能使他们重新懊悔了；因为他们亲自把上帝的儿子重钉十字架，公然羞辱他。 ⁷就如一块田地吸收过屡次下的雨水，生长蔬菜，合乎耕种的人用，就从上帝得福。 ⁸这块田地若长荆棘和蒺藜，必被废弃，近于诅咒，结局就是焚烧。
⁹亲爱的，虽然这样说，我们仍深信你们有更好的情况，更接近救恩。 ¹⁰因为上帝并非不公义，竟忘记你们的工作和你们为他的名所显的爱心，就是你们过去和现在伺候圣徒的爱心。 ¹¹我们盼望你们各人都显出同样的热忱，一直到底，好达成所确信的指望。 ¹²这样你们才不会懒惰，却成为效法那些藉着信和忍耐承受应许的人。

上帝确切的应许

¹³当初上帝应许亚伯拉罕的时候，因为没有比自己更大的可以指着起誓，就指着自己起誓， ¹⁴说：“我必多多赐福给你；我必使你大大增多。” ¹⁵这样，亚伯拉罕因恒心等待而得了所应许的。 ¹⁶人都是指着比自己大的起誓，并且以起誓作保证，了结各样的争论。 ¹⁷照样，上帝愿意为那承受应许的人更有力地显明他的旨意不可更改，他以起誓作保证。 ¹⁸藉这两件不可更改的事—在这些事上，上帝绝不会说谎—我们这些逃往避难所的人能得到强有力的鼓励，去抓住那摆在我们前头的指望。 ¹⁹我们有这指望，如同灵魂的锚，又坚固又牢靠，进入幔子后面的至圣所。 ²⁰为我们作先锋的耶稣，既照着麦基洗德的体系成了永远的大祭司，已经进入了。