Hebrews · Bible in Basic English
Hebrews 6 Bible in Basic English
Audio: World English Bible (WEB), read by Winfred W. Henson · About the recordings
BBE Bible in Basic English
WEB World English Bible (Classic, with Deuterocanon)
PT1904 Patriarchal Text 1904 (accented, eBible edition)
1 For this reason let us go on from the first things about Christ to full growth; not building again that on which it is based, that is, the turning of the heart from dead works, and faith in God,
1 Therefore leaving the teaching of the first principles of Christ, let’s press on to perfection—not laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works, of faith toward God,
1 Διὸ ἀφέντες τὸν τῆς ἀρχῆς τοῦ Χριστοῦ λόγον ἐπὶ τὴν τελειότητα φερώμεθα, μὴ πάλιν θεμέλιον καταβαλλόμενοι μετανοίας ἀπὸ νεκρῶν ἔργων, καὶ πίστεως ἐπὶ Θεόν,
2 The teaching of baptisms, and of the putting on of hands, and of the future life of the dead, and of the judging on the last day.
2 of the teaching of baptisms, of laying on of hands, of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment.
2 βαπτισμῶν διδαχῆς, ἐπιθέσεώς τε χειρῶν, ἀναστάσεώς τε νεκρῶν καὶ κρίματος αἰωνίου.
3 Now we will do this, if God lets us.
3 This will we do, if God permits.
3 καὶ τοῦτο ποιήσομεν, ἐάνπερ ἐπιτρέπῃ ὁ Θεός.
4 As for those who at one time saw the light, tasting the good things from heaven, and having their part in the Holy Spirit,
4 For concerning those who were once enlightened and tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Spirit,
4 ἀδύνατον γὰρ τοὺς ἅπαξ φωτισθέντας γευσαμένους τε τῆς δωρεᾶς τῆς ἐπουρανίου καὶ μετόχους γενηθέντας Πνεύματος Ἁγίου
5 With knowledge of the good word of God, and of the powers of the coming time,
5 and tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come,
5 καὶ καλὸν γευσαμένους Θεοῦ ῥῆμα δυνάμεις τε μέλλοντος αἰῶνος,
6 And then let themselves be turned away, it is not possible for their hearts to be made new a second time; because they themselves put the Son of God on the cross again, openly shaming him.
6 and then fell away, it is impossible to renew them again to repentance; seeing they crucify the Son of God for themselves again, and put him to open shame.
6 καὶ παραπεσόντας, πάλιν ἀνακαινίζειν εἰς μετάνοιαν, ἀνασταυροῦντας ἑαυτοῖς τὸν υἱὸν τοῦ Θεοῦ καὶ παραδειγματίζοντας.
7 For a land, drinking in the frequent rain and producing good plants for those for whom it is worked, has a blessing from God:
7 For the land which has drunk the rain that comes often on it and produces a crop suitable for them for whose sake it is also tilled, receives blessing from God;
7 γῆ γὰρ ἡ πιοῦσα τὸν ἐπ᾽ αὐτῆς πολλάκις ἐρχόμενον ὑετὸν καὶ τίκτουσα βοτάνην εὔθετον ἐκείνοις δι᾽ οὓς καὶ γεωργεῖται, μεταλαμβάνει εὐλογίας ἀπὸ τοῦ Θεοῦ·
8 But if it sends up thorns and evil plants, it is of no use and is ready to be cursed; its only end is to be burned.
8 but if it bears thorns and thistles, it is rejected and near being cursed, whose end is to be burned.
8 ἐκφέρουσα δὲ ἀκάνθας καὶ τριβόλους, ἀδόκιμος καὶ κατάρας ἐγγύς, ἧς τὸ τέλος εἰς καῦσιν.
9 But, my loved ones, though we say this, we are certain that you have better things in you, things which go with salvation;
9 But, beloved, we are persuaded of better things for you, and things that accompany salvation, even though we speak like this.
9 Πεπείσμεθα δὲ περὶ ὑμῶν, ἀγαπητοί, τὰ κρείττονα καὶ ἐχόμενα σωτηρίας, εἰ καὶ οὕτω λαλοῦμεν.
10 For God is true, and will not put away from him the memory of your work and of your love for his name, in the help which you gave and still give to the saints.
10 For God is not unrighteous, so as to forget your work and the labor of love which you showed toward his name, in that you served the saints, and still do serve them.
10 οὐ γὰρ ἄδικος ὁ Θεὸς ἐπιλαθέσθαι τοῦ ἔργου ὑμῶν καὶ τοῦ κόπου τῆς ἀγάπης ἧς ἐνεδείξασθε εἰς τὸ ὄνομα αὐτοῦ, διακονήσαντες τοῖς ἁγίοις καὶ διακονοῦντες.
11 And it is our desire that you may all keep the same high purpose in certain hope to the end:
11 We desire that each one of you may show the same diligence to the fullness of hope even to the end,
11 ἐπιθυμοῦμεν δὲ ἕκαστον ὑμῶν τὴν αὐτὴν ἐνδείκνυσθαι σπουδὴν πρὸς τὴν πληροφορίαν τῆς ἐλπίδος ἄχρι τέλους,
12 So that you may not be slow in heart, but may take as your example those to whom God has given their heritage, because of their faith and their long waiting.
12 that you won’t be sluggish, but imitators of those who through faith and perseverance inherited the promises.
12 ἵνα μὴ νωθροὶ γένησθε, μιμηταὶ δὲ τῶν διὰ πίστεως καὶ μακροθυμίας κληρονομούντων τὰς ἐπαγγελίας.
13 For when God made his oath to Abraham, because there was no greater oath, he made it by himself,
13 For when God made a promise to Abraham, since he could swear by no one greater, he swore by himself,
13 Τῷ γὰρ Ἀβραὰμ ἐπαγγειλάμενος ὁ Θεός, ἐπεὶ κατ᾽ οὐδενὸς εἶχε μείζονος ὀμόσαι, ὤμοσε καθ᾽ ἑαυτοῦ,
14 Saying, Be certain that I will give you my blessing, and make your numbers very great.
14 saying, “Surely blessing I will bless you, and multiplying I will multiply you.”
14 λέγων· ἦ μὴν εὐλογῶν εὐλογήσω σε καὶ πληθύνων πληθυνῶ σε·
15 And so, when he had been waiting calmly for a long time, God's word to him was put into effect.
15 Thus, having patiently endured, he obtained the promise.
15 καὶ οὕτω μακροθυμήσας ἐπέτυχε τῆς ἐπαγγελίας.
16 For men at all times make their oaths by what is greater; and any argument is ended by the decision of the oath.
16 For men indeed swear by a greater one, and in every dispute of theirs the oath is final for confirmation.
16 ἄνθρωποι μὲν γὰρ κατὰ τοῦ μείζονος ὀμνύουσι, καὶ πάσης αὐτοῖς ἀντιλογίας πέρας εἰς βεβαίωσιν ὁ ὅρκος·
17 So that when it was God's desire to make it specially clear to those who by his word were to have the heritage, that his purpose was fixed, he made it more certain with an oath;
17 In this way God, being determined to show more abundantly to the heirs of the promise the immutability of his counsel, interposed with an oath,
17 ἐν ᾧ περισσότερον βουλόμενος ὁ Θεὸς ἐπιδεῖξαι τοῖς κληρονόμοις τῆς ἐπαγγελίας τὸ ἀμετάθετον τῆς βουλῆς αὐτοῦ, ἐμεσίτευσεν ὅρκῳ,
18 So that we, who have gone in flight from danger to the hope which has been put before us, may have a strong comfort in two unchanging things, in which it is not possible for God to be false;
18 that by two immutable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we may have a strong encouragement, who have fled for refuge to take hold of the hope set before us.
18 ἵνα διὰ δύο πραγμάτων ἀμεταθέτων, ἐν οἷς ἀδύνατον ψεύσασθαι Θεόν, ἰσχυρὰν παράκλησιν ἔχωμεν οἱ καταφυγόντες κρατῆσαι τῆς προκειμένης ἐλπίδος·
19 And this hope is like a strong band for our souls, fixed and certain, and going in to that which is inside the veil;
19 This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, a hope both sure and steadfast and entering into that which is within the veil,
19 ἣν ὡς ἄγκυραν ἔχομεν τῆς ψυχῆς ἀσφαλῆ τε καὶ βεβαίαν καὶ εἰσερχομένην εἰς τὸ ἐσώτερον τοῦ καταπετάσματος,
20 Where Jesus has gone before us, as a high priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek.
20 where as a forerunner Jesus entered for us, having become a high priest forever after the order of Melchizedek.
20 ὅπου πρόδρομος ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν εἰσῆλθεν Ἰησοῦς, κατὰ τὴν τάξιν Μελχισεδὲκ ἀρχιερεὺς γενόμενος εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα.
Cross references (20)
Related passages for each verse, from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge as collected and ranked by readers at OpenBible.info.
- 1 Hebrews 5:12–14; 2 Corinthians 7:1; Hebrews 9:14; Hebrews 12:13; Acts 26:20
- 2 1 Corinthians 15:13–57; Romans 6:3–5; Acts 17:31–32; Acts 6:6; Acts 10:47
- 3 Acts 18:21; 1 Corinthians 16:7; 1 Corinthians 4:19; James 4:15; Romans 15:32
- 4 Hebrews 10:26–29; 2 Peter 2:20–22; Matthew 5:13; John 15:6; Matthew 7:21–22
- 5 1 Peter 2:3; Luke 8:13; Matthew 13:20–21; Mark 4:16–17; 2 Peter 2:20
- 6 2 Peter 2:21; Hebrews 10:29; Hebrews 6:4; 1 John 5:16; Isaiah 1:28
- 7 Hosea 10:12; Isaiah 44:3; Psalm 65:9–13; Isaiah 55:10–13; Joel 2:21–26
- 8 John 15:6; Genesis 3:17–18; Luke 13:7–9; Deuteronomy 29:28; Jeremiah 44:22
- 9 Hebrews 10:39; Hebrews 6:4–6; Matthew 5:3–12; Hebrews 2:3; 2 Corinthians 7:10
- 10 Hebrews 13:16; Matthew 10:42; Galatians 6:10; 1 Thessalonians 1:3; Colossians 3:17
- 11 2 Peter 1:5–8; Hebrews 3:6; Romans 5:2–5; Hebrews 3:14; 2 Peter 1:10
- 12 Hebrews 13:7; Hebrews 10:36; Romans 12:11; 1 John 2:25; Jeremiah 6:16
- 13 Genesis 22:15–18; Luke 1:73; Psalm 105:9–10; Micah 7:20; Isaiah 45:23
- 14 Genesis 22:17; Deuteronomy 1:10; Nehemiah 9:23; Exodus 32:13; Genesis 17:2
- 15 Genesis 12:2–3; Romans 4:17–25; Genesis 15:2–6; Hebrews 6:12; Genesis 21:2–7
- 16 Exodus 22:11; Hebrews 6:13; Genesis 21:30–31; Joshua 9:15–20; Genesis 31:53
- 17 Proverbs 19:21; Hebrews 6:18; Isaiah 55:11; Isaiah 14:24; Hebrews 11:9
- 18 Numbers 23:19; Titus 1:2; 1 Samuel 15:29; 2 Timothy 2:13; Romans 3:4
- 19 Psalm 43:5; Romans 5:5–10; Romans 8:28–39; Hebrews 9:7; Leviticus 16:15
- 20 Hebrews 4:14; Hebrews 3:1; Hebrews 5:6; Hebrews 5:10; Romans 8:34
Cross references: OpenBible.info (CC BY), drawn mainly from the public-domain Treasury of Scripture Knowledge. · Sources & licences
What the Fathers said
Passages from the Church Fathers that expound or quote this chapter, verbatim from the public-domain Schaff edition (19th-century English translations).
How these were chosen
“Commentary” is the opening of a homily or exposition on this chapter (John Chrysostom’s homilies, Augustine’s tractates, sermons and expositions of the Psalms). “Quotes” are sentences where the edition’s own footnotes identify a quotation of a verse here, kept only when the wording matches the verse. Only works whose authorship is not in doubt are used. Psalms follow the Hebrew/English numbering (Augustine numbers them as the Septuagint does: his Psalm 50 is Psalm 51 here).
You have heard how much Paul found fault with the Hebrews for wishing to be always learning about the same things. And with good reason: "For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need again that some one teach you the elements of the first principles of the oracles of God." ( c. v.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 14 (1889)
… us have regard to the completion; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God, of the doctrine of the baptismal font, and of the laying on of hands, and of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment." This is the copious supply of milk, without which even they cannot live, who have …
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 7 (1888)
For it is impossible, he saith, for those who were once enlightened, &c., to renew them again unto repentance: seeing they crucify to themselves the Christ afresh, and put Him to an open shame.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 2, vol. 9 (1899)
By Himself: for He hath no greater by whom to swear. By Himself He confirmeth His promises: by Himself He confirmeth His threats.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 8 (1888)