Hebrews 6 6

Hebrews 6:6 kjv

If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame.

Hebrews 6:6 nkjv

if they fall away, to renew them again to repentance, since they crucify again for themselves the Son of God, and put Him to an open shame.

Hebrews 6:6 niv

and who have fallen away, to be brought back to repentance. To their loss they are crucifying the Son of God all over again and subjecting him to public disgrace.

Hebrews 6:6 esv

and then have fallen away, to restore them again to repentance, since they are crucifying once again the Son of God to their own harm and holding him up to contempt.

Hebrews 6:6 nlt

and who then turn away from God. It is impossible to bring such people back to repentance; by rejecting the Son of God, they themselves are nailing him to the cross once again and holding him up to public shame.

Hebrews 6 verses

Hebrews 6 6 Meaning

Hebrews 6:6 declares the profound impossibility of restoring to repentance those who, after experiencing significant divine illumination, taste of the heavenly gift, partake of the Holy Spirit, taste the good word of God, and the powers of the coming age (Heb 6:4-5), subsequently fall away. Their falling away is so complete and definitive that it is described as re-crucifying the Son of God for themselves and publicly disgracing Him, signifying an ultimate, deliberate rejection of Christ and His atoning work. This verse serves as a solemn warning against willful and total apostasy after receiving profound spiritual light and privilege.

Hebrews 6 6 Context

Hebrews 6:6 is part of a crucial warning passage within the Epistle to the Hebrews, particularly from 5:11 through 6:12. The author begins this section by rebuking the original audience for their spiritual immaturity, lamenting that they are still on "milk" when they should be consuming "solid food" (Heb 5:11-14). This rebuke transitions into an exhortation to "press on to maturity" (Heb 6:1-3).

Immediately preceding verse 6, verses 4 and 5 describe individuals who have experienced profound spiritual blessings and enlightenment, including "having been enlightened," "tasting the heavenly gift," "sharing in the Holy Spirit," "tasting the goodness of the word of God," and "the powers of the coming age." This extensive list indicates a deep exposure to, and engagement with, the truth and power of the Gospel.

Verse 6 then presents the dire consequences if such individuals "fall away" after experiencing so much. It serves as a stern warning against apostasy, a definitive and deliberate turning away from Christ and the Christian faith after a significant encounter with it. This is not describing a temporary struggle or a lapse in obedience by a genuine believer, but rather a full, conscious renunciation of Christ. The purpose of this warning is to prevent the readers from adopting a complacent attitude towards their faith and to urge them towards steadfastness and spiritual growth. The subsequent verses (6:7-8) use the analogy of ground producing thorns or fruit to illustrate the outcome of responsiveness (or lack thereof) to divine watering.

Historically, the audience of Hebrews likely faced pressure to revert to Judaism, due to persecution or simply familiarity, making such warnings against abandoning Christ profoundly relevant. The text aims to prevent apostasy by clearly stating its serious, almost irreversible, nature, underscoring the finality and sufficiency of Christ's sacrifice.

Hebrews 6 6 Word analysis

• if they fall away:

  • Greek: kai parapesontas (καὶ παραπεσόντας) – from parapipto (παραπίπτω).
  • Parapipto means "to fall beside," "to deviate from," "to lapse," "to fall away from," or "to apostatize."
  • Significance: It implies a deliberate and definitive turning or slipping away from a standing position, not merely a stumble or momentary lapse in faith. This is a severe act of defection from previously experienced truth. It signifies an intentional and complete abandonment of Christian profession and belief, not just a struggle with sin.

• to restore them again:

  • Greek: anakainizein (ἀνακαινίζειν) – from anakainizo meaning "to renew," "to make new again." The "again" here, palin (πάλιν), emphasizes the idea of a second or repeated restoration.
  • Significance: The active voice suggests an outside agent attempting to renew them. The term "restore" (anakainizein) implies a transformation back to a previous state of spiritual vitality. The key point here is that for this specific type of apostasy, such renewal to repentance is deemed impossible (ἀδύνατον – adynaton), a very strong word in Greek.

• to repentance:

  • Greek: eis metanoian (εἰς μετάνοιαν).
  • Metanoia means "a change of mind," leading to a change of heart and action, a turning away from sin and toward God.
  • Significance: True repentance is a prerequisite for salvation and spiritual renewal (Acts 11:18). The verse states it is impossible to bring such apostates back to this life-changing repentance, as their state of hardened rejection is complete.

• since they crucify again:

  • Greek: anastaurountas palin (ἀνασταυροῦντας πάλιν) – from anastaurou meaning "to crucify afresh" or "to crucify again." palin (πάλιν) means "again."
  • Significance: This is not a literal re-crucifixion but a metaphorical one. It implies that their act of apostasy, of willfully rejecting Christ after knowing Him, aligns them with those who originally nailed Him to the cross. They are spiritually re-enacting or affirming the condemnation of Jesus as a criminal. This action is profoundly offensive, diminishing the finished work of Christ.

• for themselves:

  • Greek: heautous (ἑαυτούς) – a reflexive pronoun, meaning "themselves."
  • Significance: This indicates that they are doing this to their own detriment or on their own behalf, as if they are aligning with the executioners against Jesus for their own purposes, confirming their rejection. It reflects an internal, self-chosen act with grave implications for their own destiny.

• the Son of God:

  • Greek: ton Huion tou Theou (τὸν Υἱὸν τοῦ Θεοῦ).
  • Significance: This is a profound Christological title, emphasizing Jesus' unique divine identity and relationship with the Father. By rejecting Him with such knowledge and experience, they are not just rejecting a teacher or prophet, but the very divine Being who offered the ultimate sacrifice. The high office of Jesus amplifies the severity of their betrayal and contempt.

• and hold him up to contempt:

  • Greek: kai paradeigmatizontas (καὶ παραδειγματίζοντας) – from paradeigmatizo.
  • Paradeigmatizo means "to make a public example of," "to expose to public disgrace or infamy," "to hold up to contempt," "to mock publicly."
  • Significance: This reinforces the spiritual re-crucifixion. Their apostasy is not just a private turning away but a public declaration that the Gospel, Christ's suffering, and His claim to divinity are contemptible or fraudulent. It is an act of open shaming and mockery against Him, as if joining the crowds who mocked Him on the cross. This public dishonor makes their repentance incredibly difficult, bordering on impossible, as it means reversing their public denunciation.

Hebrews 6 6 Bonus section

The "impossibility" in Hebrews 6:6 (ἀδύνατον - adynaton) should be understood as a moral or practical impossibility from a human standpoint, given the extreme hardening and wilful rejection implied by "crucifying again" and "holding to contempt." It's not necessarily an absolute metaphysical impossibility for God to save, but rather an impossibility for the apostate to be renewed to repentance, as their spiritual condition is one of deep, self-imposed blindness and hostility.

This passage is a warning, not a theological declaration of predestination for a select few. The author uses it to prod genuine believers toward diligence and maturity (Heb 6:9-12), implying that true believers will manifest the characteristics of faithfulness and perseverance, thus showing they are not among those who fall away in this specific manner. The context speaks of the "full assurance of hope" (Heb 6:11), which contrasts with the state of the apostate. The "land that bears thorns" (Heb 6:8) highlights the natural outcome of a false profession or rejection of Christ's nurturing, leading to being "burned" rather than yielding fruit unto salvation. This serves as a strong encouragement to remain in Christ, valuing His sacrifice and enduring in faith.

Hebrews 6 6 Commentary

Hebrews 6:6 presents one of the most sobering warnings in the New Testament. It is crucial to interpret it within the broader context of Hebrews and the entire biblical narrative, rather than in isolation. The verse describes an extreme form of apostasy by individuals who have experienced the Gospel's truth and power in a profound way, as outlined in verses 4 and 5. This is not about a Christian losing salvation or an everyday struggle with sin, but about a deliberate, complete, and conscious renunciation of Christ and His work after having been extensively enlightened.

The impossibility spoken of here refers to human means of restoring such individuals to a state of saving repentance, specifically after they have committed this severe form of definitive falling away. By "crucifying again for themselves the Son of God and holding Him up to contempt," these apostates are identifying with Christ's enemies, endorsing the very act that condemned Him, and publicly disgracing the one who saved them. Their internal state is one of complete hardening and defiant rejection, rendering the necessary change of heart for repentance (metanoia) unattainable from a human perspective.

The primary purpose of this verse is pastoral: to serve as a grave warning against the perils of abandoning faith. It underscores the unparalleled value and finality of Christ's sacrifice. If one willfully rejects the unique and perfect work of Christ after intimately knowing it, there is no other sacrifice or path to reconciliation available. This powerful deterrent aims to urge the readers to persevere in their faith and "not shrink back and be destroyed, but have faith and preserve their souls" (Heb 10:39). It calls believers to move forward in maturity and cling steadfastly to Christ. While the impossibility stated here is formidable, many theologians interpret it as reflecting the human perspective of inability to bring such individuals back, rather than a definitive limitation on God's absolute power to draw a soul if He so chooses, though such extreme apostasy suggests an enduring state of hardened rejection on the part of the individual.

Example: A person who has grown up in a devout Christian home, experienced powerful revival meetings, witnessed healings, and personally confessed faith in Christ, then later, due to intellectual pride or love for the world, not only abandons their faith but actively denounces Christianity, publicly ridiculing Christ's sacrifice and advocating against Him, might illustrate the severe nature of what is being described. Their actions signify a public repudiation akin to mocking the cross.