Hebrews 6:1-8
New Catholic Bible
Chapter 6
1 [a]Therefore, let us leave behind the basic teaching about Christ and advance toward maturity. We must not be forever laying the foundation: repentance for actions that lead to death, faith in God, 2 instruction about baptisms and the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment. 3 And we will do so, if God permits.
4 [b]For when people have once been enlightened and have experienced the heavenly gift, and have shared in the Holy Spirit, 5 and have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the age to come, 6 and then in spite of all this have fallen away, it is impossible to restore them again to repentance. For they are crucifying the Son of God for themselves once again and are holding him up to contempt.
7 When the soil drinks in the rain that repeatedly falls on it and produces a crop that is useful to those for whom it was cultivated, it receives a blessing from God. 8 However, if it brings forth thorns and thistles, it is worthless, and a curse hangs over it. It will end by being burned.
Read full chapterFootnotes
- Hebrews 6:1 Six basic teachings are mentioned. (1) Repentance: turning away from the darkness of sin and useless rituals. (2) Faith in God: i.e., turning to the light of God. (3) Instruction about baptisms: e.g., Jewish initiation rites for proselytes, John the Baptist’s baptism, and the Baptism commanded by Jesus. (4) Laying on of hands: a rite connected with ordaining or commissioning (see Acts 6:6; 13:3; 1 Tim 5:22; 2 Tim 1:6), with healing the sick (see Mk 6:5; 16:18; Lk 4:40; Acts 28:8), and with bestowal of blessings (see Mt 19:13-15). (5) Resurrection of the dead: the resurrection of all people in the end time (see Jn 5:25-29). (6) Eternal judgment: the lot of those who reject God.
- Hebrews 6:4 The author asserts that repentance for apostates is impossible. However, he may be using hyperbole to impress on his readers that abandoning Christ is most serious.
