Read & explore together
A Call to Maturity
Hebrews 6:1–12 urges readers to move beyond beginning lessons and keep growing. The passage gives a serious warning, then follows it with reassurance and a call to steady, loving endurance.
Understanding the passage
The setting of these words
In this part of the letter, the writer speaks about foundational teachings such as repentance, faith, baptisms, laying on of hands, resurrection and judgment. From there, the passage turns to a solemn warning, an illustration from farmland, and a hopeful appeal for continued diligence and service.
Hebrews 6:1–12Main takeaway
This passage calls believers to press on in maturity with diligence, love and perseverance, while taking seriously the warning against falling away.
Follow the letter’s teaching
Open a card to explore the full explanation and its Bible references.
01Press on from the foundationThe writer says to leave the first principles of Christ and press on to perfection, meaning maturity or completeness.
Explanation
The writer says to leave the first principles of Christ and press on to perfection, meaning maturity or completeness. The foundation listed includes repentance from dead works, faith toward God, teaching about baptisms, laying on of hands, resurrection of the dead and eternal judgment. These are presented as starting truths, not the end of growth.
02Growth depends on God and the warning is seriousThe writer adds, “This will we do, if God permits,” showing humility about progress. Then comes a strong warning about people who were enlightened, tasted the heavenly gift, shared in the Holy Spirit, tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come, and then fell away.
Explanation
The writer adds, “This will we do, if God permits,” showing humility about progress. Then comes a strong warning about people who were enlightened, tasted the heavenly gift, shared in the Holy Spirit, tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come, and then fell away. The passage describes renewal again to repentance as impossible in that case.
03The land picture explains the differenceThe warning is illustrated with land receiving frequent rain. If it produces a useful crop, it receives blessing from God.
Explanation
The warning is illustrated with land receiving frequent rain. If it produces a useful crop, it receives blessing from God. If it bears thorns and thistles, it is rejected and near being cursed, with an end in burning. The image highlights that what grows from repeated blessing matters.
04A hopeful appeal to keep servingAfter the warning, the writer calls the readers “beloved” and says he is convinced of better things for them, things that accompany salvation.
Explanation
After the warning, the writer calls the readers “beloved” and says he is convinced of better things for them, things that accompany salvation. God is not unrighteous to forget their work and labour of love shown in serving the saints. The call is for each person to continue with diligence, hope, faith and perseverance to the end.
Questions to explore
Pause, look back at the verses and talk together.
01Which teachings are named as the foundation in verses 1–2, and why does the writer say not to keep laying them again?
List the six items named, then notice the call to press on to maturity rather than staying only at the beginning.
02What do the descriptions in verses 4–6 show about the seriousness of falling away?
Stay with the phrases the passage uses, such as enlightened, tasted, shared, and then fell away, before drawing conclusions.
03How does the picture of land in verses 7–8 help explain the encouragement in verses 9–12?
Compare the crop with thorns and thistles, then connect that picture with the writer’s confidence, their loving service, and the call to diligence.
Read the Bible passage
World English Bible ClassicScripture quotation · Public domain
Hebrews 6:1–12
1Therefore 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,
2of the teaching of baptisms, of laying on of hands, of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment.
3This will we do, if God permits.
4For concerning those who were once enlightened and tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Spirit,
5and tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come,
6and 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.
7For 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;
8but if it bears thorns and thistles, it is rejected and near being cursed, whose end is to be burned.
9But, beloved, we are persuaded of better things for you, and things that accompany salvation, even though we speak like this.
10For 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.
11We desire that each one of you may show the same diligence to the fullness of hope even to the end,
12that you won’t be sluggish, but imitators of those who through faith and perseverance inherited the promises.