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,

Therefore let us leave the elementary teachings about Christ and go on to maturity, not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith in God,

Of the doctrine of baptisms, and of laying on of hands, and of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment.

instruction about baptisms, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment.

And this will we do, if God permit.

And this we will do, if God permits.

For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost,

It is impossible for those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, who have shared in the Holy Spirit,

And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come,

who have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the coming age—

If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame.

and then have fallen away—to be restored to repentance, because they themselves are crucifying the Son of God all over again and subjecting Him to open shame.

For the earth which drinketh in the rain that cometh oft upon it, and bringeth forth herbs meet for them by whom it is dressed, receiveth blessing from God:

For land that drinks in the rain often falling on it and that produces a crop useful to those for whom it is tended receives the blessing of God.

But that which beareth thorns and briers is rejected, and is nigh unto cursing; whose end is to be burned.

But land that produces thorns and thistles is worthless, and its curse is imminent. In the end it will be burned.

But, beloved, we are persuaded better things of you, and things that accompany salvation, though we thus speak.

Even though we speak like this, beloved, we are convinced of better things in your case—things that accompany salvation.

For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love, which ye have shewed toward his name, in that ye have ministered to the saints, and do minister.

For God is not unjust. He will not forget your work and the love you have shown for His name as you have ministered to the saints and continue to do so.

And we desire that every one of you do shew the same diligence to the full assurance of hope unto the end:

We want each of you to show this same diligence to the very end, in order to make your hope sure.

That ye be not slothful, but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises.

Then you will not be sluggish, but will imitate those who through faith and patience inherit what has been promised.

For when God made promise to Abraham, because he could swear by no greater, he sware by himself,

When God made His promise to Abraham, since He had no one greater to swear by, He swore by Himself,

Saying, Surely blessing I will bless thee, and multiplying I will multiply thee.

saying, “I will surely bless you and multiply your descendants.”

And so, after he had patiently endured, he obtained the promise.

And so Abraham, after waiting patiently, obtained the promise.

For men verily swear by the greater: and an oath for confirmation is to them an end of all strife.

Men swear by someone greater than themselves, and their oath serves as a confirmation to end all argument.

Wherein God, willing more abundantly to shew unto the heirs of promise the immutability of his counsel, confirmed it by an oath:

So when God wanted to make the unchanging nature of His purpose very clear to the heirs of the promise, He guaranteed it with an oath.

That by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us:

Thus by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled to take hold of the hope set before us may be strongly encouraged.

Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and stedfast, and which entereth into that within the veil;

We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain,

Whither the forerunner is for us entered, even Jesus, made an high priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec.

where Jesus our forerunner has entered on our behalf. He has become a high priest forever in the order of Melchizedek.