Douay-Rheims Catholic Bible RHE
New Revised Standard NRS
1 Wherefore, leaving the word of the beginning of Christ, let us go on to things more perfect: not laying again the foundation of penance from dead works and of faith towards God,
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Therefore let us go on toward perfection, leaving behind the basic teaching about Christ, and not laying again the foundation: repentance from dead works and faith toward God,
2 Of the doctrine of baptisms and imposition of hands, and of the resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment.
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instruction about baptisms, laying on of hands, resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment.
3 And this will we do, if God permit.
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And we will do this, if God permits.
4 For it is impossible for those who were once illuminated, have tasted also the heavenly gift and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost,
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For it is impossible to restore again to repentance those who have once been enlightened, and have tasted the heavenly gift, and have shared in the Holy Spirit,
5 Have moreover tasted the good word of God and the powers of the world to come,
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and have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the age to come,
6 And are fallen away: to be renewed again to penance, crucifying again to themselves the Son of God and making him a mockery.
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and then have fallen away, since on their own they are crucifying again the Son of God and are holding him up to contempt.
7 For the earth, that drinketh in the rain which cometh often upon it and bringeth forth herbs meet for them by whom it is tilled, receiveth blessing from God.
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Ground that drinks up the rain falling on it repeatedly, and that produces a crop useful to those for whom it is cultivated, receives a blessing from God.
8 But that which bringeth forth thorns and briers is reprobate and very near unto a curse: whose end is to be burnt.
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But if it produces thorns and thistles, it is worthless and on the verge of being cursed; its end is to be burned over.
9 But, my dearly beloved, we trust better things of you, and nearer to salvation; though we speak thus.
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Even though we speak in this way, beloved, we are confident of better things in your case, things that belong to salvation.
10 For God is not unjust, that he should forget your work and the love which you have shewn in his name, you who have ministered and do minister to the saints.
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For God is not unjust; he will not overlook your work and the love that you showed for his sake in serving the saints, as you still do.
11 And we desire that every one of you shew forth the same carefulness to the accomplishing of hope unto the end:
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And we want each one of you to show the same diligence so as to realize the full assurance of hope to the very end,
12 That you become not slothful, but followers of them who through faith and patience shall inherit the promises.
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so that you may not become sluggish, but imitators of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises.
13 For God making promises to Abraham, because he had no one greater by whom he might swear, swore by himself,
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When God made a promise to Abraham, because he had no one greater by whom to swear, he swore by himself,
14 Saying: Unless blessing I shall bless thee and multiplying I shall multiply thee.
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saying, "I will surely bless you and multiply you."
15 And so patiently enduring he obtained the promise.
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And thus Abraham, having patiently endured, obtained the promise.
16 For men swear by one greater than themselves: and an oath for confirmation is the end of all their controversy.
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Human beings, of course, swear by someone greater than themselves, and an oath given as confirmation puts an end to all dispute.
17 Wherein God, meaning more abundantly to shew to the heirs of the promise the immutability of his counsel, interposed an oath:
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In the same way, when God desired to show even more clearly to the heirs of the promise the unchangeable character of his purpose, he guaranteed it by an oath,
18 That by two immutable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we may have the strongest comfort, we who have fled for refuge to hold fast the hope set before us.
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so that through two unchangeable things, in which it is impossible that God would prove false, we who have taken refuge might be strongly encouraged to seize the hope set before us.
19 Which we have as an anchor of the soul, sure and firm, and which entereth in even within the veil:
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We have this hope, a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul, a hope that enters the inner shrine behind the curtain,
20 Where the forerunner Jesus is entered for us, made a high priest for ever according to the order of Melchisedech.
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where Jesus, a forerunner on our behalf, has entered, having become a high priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.
The Douay-Rheims Bible is in the public domain.
New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.