11 We have a lot to say about that, but it’s hard to explain because you’ve all become lazy at listening. 12 Yes, because you all ought to be teachers by now, yet you still need to have someone teaching you the basics of God’s ways and you’ve become like those who need milk instead of solid food.[ref] 13 Everyone who drinks milk doesn’t really understand the message about righteousness, because they’re still infants, 14 but mature people have solid food meaning that their senses have been trained and they can distinguish good from evil.

6 So then, having left the basics of the messiah’s message, we should move on towards maturity—not repeating the foundations of repenting from useless religious actions and faith in God, 2 of teachings about immersion in water and prayerfully placing your hands on people, and the resurrection of the dead followed by eternal judgement. 3 And we’ll be moving on from all that if God permits.

4 It’s impossible for those who’ve understood this and who’ve tasted the heavenly gift and become partakers of the holy spirit 5 and who’ve tasted God’s message and the powers of the coming age 6 and who’ve fallen away, to be brought back to repentance. It’s like they themselves are executing God’s son again and publicly shaming him.

7 The land that soaks in the frequent rains and grows crops suitable for those who’re cultivating it, is receiving a blessing from God, 8 but if it’s producing thorns and thistles,[ref] then it’s useless and a liability and will end up being burned off.

9 But dear friends, even though we speak like this, we’ve been convinced to expect better things from you—things that accompany salvation. 10 Yes, God isn’t unjust such that he’d forget about your work and the love that you all displayed towards him, having ministered to other believers as you still do. 11 And our desire is for each of you to be displaying the same earnestness and the full assurance of hope until the end 12 so that you all won’t become sluggish, but become imitators of those who through their faith and patience will be inheriting what God has promised.