Hebrews 6
6
A Serious Warning Against Falling Away
1 Therefore, leaving behind the elementary message about Christ, let us move on to maturity, not laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works and faith in God, 2teaching about baptisms and laying on of hands, and resurrection of the dead and eternal judgment. 3And this we will do, if God permits. 4For it is impossible concerning those who have once been enlightened, and have tasted the heavenly gift, and become sharers of the Holy Spirit, 5and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the coming age, 6and having fallen away, to renew them again to repentance, because they#*Here “because” is supplied as a component of the participle (“have crucified again”) which is understood as causal have crucified again for themselves the Son of God and held him up to contempt. 7For ground that drinks the rain that comes often upon it, and brings forth vegetation usable to those people for whose sake#Literally “for the sake of whom” it is also cultivated, shares a blessing from God. 8But if it#*Here “if” is supplied as a component of the participle (“produces”) which is understood as conditional produces thorns and thistles, it is worthless and near to a curse, whose end is for burning.
9But even if we are speaking in this way, dear friends, we are convinced of better things concerning you, and belonging to salvation. 10For God is not unjust, so as to forget your work and the love which you demonstrated for his name by#*Here “by” is supplied as a component of the participle (“having served”) which is understood as means having served the saints, and continuing to serve them. 11And we desire each one of you to demonstrate the same diligence for the full assurance of your hope until the end, 12in order that you may not be sluggish, but imitators of those who inherit the promises through faith and patience.
The Reliability of God’s Promise
13For when#*Here “when” is supplied as a component of the temporal participle (“made a promise”) God made a promise to Abraham, since he had no one greater to swear by, he swore by himself, 14saying,
“Surely I will greatly bless#Literally “blessing I will bless” you, and I will greatly multiply#Literally “multiplying I will multiply” you.”
15And so, by#*Here “by” is supplied as a component of the participle (“persevering”) which is understood as means persevering, he obtained the promise. 16For people swear by what is greater than themselves, and the oath for confirmation is the end of all dispute for them. 17In the same way God, because he#*Here “because” is supplied as a component of the participle (“wanted”) which is understood as causal wanted to show even more to the heirs of the promise the unchangeableness of his resolve, guaranteed it with an oath, 18in order that through two unchangeable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have taken refuge may have powerful encouragement to hold fast to the hope set before us, 19which we have like an anchor of the soul, both firm and steadfast, and entering into the inside of the curtain, 20where Jesus, the forerunner for us, entered, because he#*Here “because” is supplied as a component of the participle (“became”) which is understood as causal became a high priest forever#Literally “to the age” according to the order of Melchizedek.
Currently Selected:
Hebrews 6: LEB
Highlight
Share
Copy
Want to have your highlights saved across all your devices? Sign up or sign in
2010 Logos Bible Software. Lexham is a registered trademark of Logos Bible Software
Hebrews 6
6
Moving On to Deeper Truth
1Now is the time for us to progress beyond the basic message of Christ # 6:1 Or “the Word [Logos] of the beginning of Christ.” and advance into perfection. The foundation has already been laid for us to build upon: turning away from our dead works # 6:1 Or “useless deeds.” “Dead works” are the attempts of people to please God through religion, keeping religious laws and traditions, and serving others to gain influence with God. There was one “work” that brings life to all, that was the work of Christ on the cross. to embrace faith in God, 2teaching about different baptisms, # 6:2 The New Testament speaks of seven baptisms, including the baptism of fire, the baptism of the Holy Spirit, the baptism of suffering (Jesus’ cross), the baptism into the cloud, the baptism into Moses, the baptism of repentance, and water baptism. impartation by the laying on of hands, # 6:2 This was done in the Old and New Testaments to heal, to bless others, to impart the Holy Spirit and his gifts, to identify with a person (or sacrifice), and to release others to their calling and ministry. resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment. 3So with God’s enablement # 6:3 Or “If God entrusts it to us.” The Aramaic uses here the title for God “the Lord YHWH.” we will move on to deeper truths.
A Warning to Never Turn Away
4It is impossible to restore an apostate. # 6:4 That is, one who has abandoned their faith. Because of the extraordinary length of the Greek sentence, this summary statement implied in the text is given here at the beginning of the paragraph for the sake of English narrative. To say it is impossible does not mean that God cannot bring them to repentance, but that he chooses to leave them in their hardened state, much like Pharaoh who hardened his heart to God. The Aramaic is very clear, “they cannot be renewed to conversion.” For once a person has come into God’s light, and tasted the gifts of the heavenly realm, and has received the Holy Spirit, # 6:4 Or “has been in [business] partnership with the Holy Spirit.” 5and feasted on the good Word of God, and has entered into the power of the age that is breaking in, # 6:5 Or “the age that is about to come.” 6if he abandons his faith, there is no use even trying to lead him to repentance. By their sin of apostasy # 6:6 As translated from the Aramaic and implied in the Greek. they re-crucify the Son of God, # 6:6 Or “it is impossible to crucify the Son of God again for them to change their own minds!” and have publicly repudiated him. # 6:6 Or “have made a public spectacle of him.” The Aramaic can be translated “insulted the Son of God.”
7For men’s hearts are just like the soil that drinks up the showers which often fall upon it. Some soil will yield crops as God’s blessing upon the field. 8But if the field continues to produce only thorns and thistles # 6:8 These are the consequences of sin from the time of Adam. See Gen. 3:18. a curse hangs over it and it will be burned.
9Even though we speak like this, beloved, we are fully convinced that there are more beautiful and excellent things, which flow from your salvation. # 6:9 Or “things which cling to salvation.”
10For God, the Faithful One, is not unfair. # 6:10 The Aramaic can be translated “God is not evil.” How can he forget # 6:10 He won’t remember our sins, but will remember our works of loving service to others. the beautiful work you have done for him? He remembers the love you demonstrate as you continually serve # 6:10 The Greek text implies financially providing for others. his beloved ones # 6:10 Or “saints” (or “holy ones”). for the glory of his name. 11But we long to see you passionately advance until the end and you find your hope fulfilled. 12So don’t allow your hearts to grow dull # 6:12 The Greek word for “dull of heart” is nothros, which is taken from a root word meaning “illegitimate child.” The implication is that we don’t see ourselves as a child of illegitimacy, but as a child of intimacy, and that keeps our relationship fervent and passionate. or lose your enthusiasm, but follow the example of those who fully received what God has promised # 6:12 The Aramaic can be translated “to those who were heirs of the royal proclamation.” because of their strong faith and patient endurance. # 6:12 The Aramaic can be translated “because of their faith and the outpouring of the Spirit.”
God’s Faithful Promise
13Now when God made a promise to Abraham, since there was no one greater than himself, he swore an oath on his own integrity # 6:13 See Gen. 22:16–17. to keep the promise as sure as God exists! 14So he said,
“Have no doubt, I promise to bless you over and over,
and give you a son and multiply you without measure!”
15So Abraham waited patiently in faith and succeeded in seeing the promise fulfilled. # 6:15 That is, through the birth of Isaac. The Aramaic is fascinating, for the name of Abraham is not in the Greek text in this verse: “And he [God] bestowed his Spirit and he [Abraham] received the kingdom.” 16It is very common for people to swear an oath by something greater than themselves, for the oath will confirm their statements and end all dispute. 17So in the same way, God wanted to end all doubt and confirm it even more forcefully to those who would inherit his promises. His purpose was unchangeable, so God added his vow to the promise. 18So it is impossible for God to lie for we know that his promise and his vow will never change!
And now we have run into his heart to hide ourselves in his faithfulness. This is where we find his strength and comfort, for he empowers us to seize what has already been established ahead of time—an unshakable hope! 19We have this certain hope like a strong, unbreakable anchor holding our souls to God himself. Our anchor of hope is fastened to the mercy seat # 6:19 Implied in the text and made explicit as that which is found inside the innermost chamber. in the heavenly realm beyond the sacred threshold, # 6:19 As translated from the Aramaic, which is literally “beyond the faces of the door.” 20and where Jesus, our forerunner, # 6:20 Or “trailblazer.” Jesus has blazed a trail for us to enter into the sacred chamber and seize the hope that has been fulfilled in his eyes already, to have a company of king-priests who will dwell with him in the holiest of holies and minister from there out to the nations of the earth. The clear implication of vv. 19–20 is that he takes us in to share his throne and his ministry as the royal Priest. has gone in before us. He is now and forever our royal Priest like Melchizedek. # 6:20 Or “in the order [likeness] of Melchizedek.”
Currently Selected:
:
Highlight
Share
Copy
Want to have your highlights saved across all your devices? Sign up or sign in
The Passion Translation® is a registered trademark of Passion & Fire Ministries, Inc.
Copyright © 2020 Passion & Fire Ministries, Inc.
Learn More About The Passion Translation