Hebrews 6 in plain modern English. New Ground English Translation.
Time Period
~AD 60-69
Location
Unknown destination, possibly Rome or a Jewish Christian community in the Mediterranean region
Audience
Jewish Christians well-versed in Old Testament Scripture and Jewish ceremonial law
Situation
The recipients were facing persecution and were tempted to abandon Christianity and return to Judaism for social and religious safety. The author warns against apostasy while urging spiritual maturity beyond elementary teachings.
Key Background
The original readers had been Christians long enough that they should have been mature teachers, but were still spiritually immature. They were familiar with Jewish practices like ceremonial washings, laying on of hands, and temple sacrifices. The author references God's oath to Abraham to assure them of the certainty of God's promises and to encourage them to persevere in faith rather than fall away from Christ.
So let's move past the about The and push toward We don't need to keep laying the same foundation over and over — completely from that to and in God,
teaching about the on of the of the dead, and the that
And this is what we'll do, if God allows it.
Because it's impossible for people who have once been the — who have the heavenly gift, who have shared in the of
who have tasted how good is and experienced the of the
and then have — it's impossible to bring them back to again. They are the of themselves and publicly humiliating him.
Think of it this way: land that soaks up the rain that frequently falls on it and produces a useful crop for those who farm it receives a from God.
But land that produces thorns and thistles is worthless and close to being — and in the end, it gets burned.
But even though we're talking like this, we're convinced of better things for you — things that come with
God isn't unfair. He won't forget your work and the you've shown for name by serving — and you're still serving them.
We want each one of you to show that same dedication all the way to the end, so your reaches its
We don't want you to become lazy. Instead, copy those who through and are inheriting what was promised.
When God made his promise to since there was no one greater to guarantee it by, he it by himself.
He said, "I will absolutely with and I will absolutely
And so, after waiting patiently, Abraham received what was promised.
People guarantee things by someone greater than themselves. An puts an end to all arguments — it's the final confirmation.
So when God wanted to make the nature of his purpose absolutely clear to those who would inherit the promise, he confirmed it with an oath.
So through — in which it's impossible for God to lie — we who have to for have powerful encouragement to grab hold of the set in front of us.
We have this hope as an for our lives — it's solid and secure, and it reaches into the the
where Jesus has gone ahead of us as a having become a — in the order of