Hebrews 6:8 kjv
But that which beareth thorns and briers is rejected, and is nigh unto cursing; whose end is to be burned.
Hebrews 6:8 nkjv
but if it bears thorns and briers, it is rejected and near to being cursed, whose end is to be burned.
Hebrews 6:8 niv
But land that produces thorns and thistles is worthless and is in danger of being cursed. In the end it will be burned.
Hebrews 6:8 esv
But if it bears thorns and thistles, it is worthless and near to being cursed, and its end is to be burned.
Hebrews 6:8 nlt
But if a field bears thorns and thistles, it is useless. The farmer will soon condemn that field and burn it.
Hebrews 6 8 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Gen 3:17-18 | ...cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it... Thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee... | Thorns as a sign of curse/result of sin on the ground. |
| Lev 26:18-20 | If ye will not yet for all this hearken unto me, then I will punish you seven times more... and your land shall not yield her increase... | Consequences of disobedience, land not yielding fruit. |
| Deut 28:15-20 | But it shall come to pass, if thou wilt not hearken... all these curses shall come upon thee... cursed shall be the fruit of thy land... | Detailed curses for disobedience, opposite of blessing. |
| Jer 4:3 | For thus saith the LORD to the men of Judah and Jerusalem, Break up your fallow ground, and sow not among thorns. | Warning against unfruitful sowing, need for prepared hearts. |
| Hos 10:8 | The high places also of Aven, the sin of Israel, shall be destroyed: the thorn and the thistle shall come up on their altars... | Desolation and curse, thorns covering what was once used for worship. |
| Isa 5:1-7 | My wellbeloved hath a vineyard... he looked for grapes, but it brought forth wild grapes. | Unfruitful vineyard metaphor for Israel's disobedience leading to desolation. |
| Mal 4:1 | For, behold, the day cometh, that shall burn as an oven; and all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly, shall be stubble: and the day that cometh shall burn them up... | Ultimate fiery judgment for the wicked, like stubble. |
| Matt 3:10 | And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: therefore every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. | John the Baptist's warning of destruction for unfruitful lives. |
| Matt 7:19 | Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. | Jesus' warning about knowing people by their fruit, consequences of unfruitfulness. |
| Matt 13:22 | He also that received seed among the thorns is he that heareth the word; and the care of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word, and he becometh unfruitful. | Parable of the Sower, thorns choke the word, rendering it unfruitful. |
| Matt 13:40-42 | As therefore the tares are gathered and burned in the fire; so shall it be in the end of this world... them which do iniquity, And shall cast them into a furnace of fire... | Parable of the Tares, final separation and fiery judgment for the wicked. |
| Matt 25:41 | Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels. | Final judgment and curse for those who did not serve Christ. |
| Jn 15:2 | Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away... | Jesus, the True Vine, removes unfruitful branches. |
| Jn 15:6 | If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned. | Unfruitful branches, like thorns/briers, are cast into fire and burned. |
| 1 Cor 9:27 | But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway. | Paul's fear of being "adokimos" (rejected/disqualified), mirroring the "rejected" in Heb 6:8. |
| 2 Cor 13:5 | Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates? | "Reprobates" is a related term to "rejected" (adokimos), indicating those found not genuine. |
| Gal 5:7-8 | Ye did run well; who did hinder you that ye should not obey the truth?... this persuasion cometh not of him that calleth you. | Warning against falling away from the truth due to false teaching. |
| Gal 6:7-8 | For whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting. | Sowing and reaping; those producing "thorns" (flesh) reap corruption. |
| Phil 3:18-19 | (For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ: Whose end is destruction...) | Those who act as enemies of the cross, their end is destruction. |
| 2 Pet 2:20-22 | For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world... they are again entangled therein, and overcome... | A warning against those who fall back into spiritual error after experiencing truth. |
| Jude 1:12-13 | These are spots in your feasts of charity... trees whose fruit withereth, without fruit, twice dead, plucked up by the roots; Raging waves of the sea, foaming out their own shame; wandering stars, to whom is reserved the blackness of darkness for ever. | Describes those who are spiritually unfruitful and will face eternal judgment. |
| Rev 20:14-15 | And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire. | Final and ultimate "burning" for those outside God's grace. |
Hebrews 6 verses
Hebrews 6 8 Meaning
Hebrews 6:8 describes the ultimate consequence for ground, or by analogy, for individuals or communities who receive God's blessings and truth ("rain"), yet continually produce only "thorns and briers" – symbolic of harmful, unfruitful works and spiritual rebellion, rather than righteousness. Such a spiritual state is deemed "rejected" or worthless, dangerously close to a divine "cursing," leading to a final and inevitable "end to be burned," signifying utter destruction and judgment. It serves as a stark warning against apostasy and persistent unfruitfulness in the faith.
Hebrews 6 8 Context
Hebrews chapter 6 is a powerful and challenging warning against apostasy, placed immediately after a rebuke to the audience for their spiritual immaturity (Heb 5:11-14). The author desires to "go on unto perfection" (Heb 6:1), meaning to progress beyond basic Christian doctrines to a deeper understanding and maturity. However, he warns that if those who have been "once enlightened" and have "tasted of the heavenly gift" (Heb 6:4-5) subsequently fall away, it is "impossible" to restore them to repentance. This impossibility relates to a complete and wilful repudiation of Christ after experiencing His truth. Verse 8 functions as the climax of an agricultural analogy, contrasting the fertile ground in verse 7 (producing useful crops and receiving blessing) with the barren ground in verse 8 that produces "thorns and briers." This imagery highlights the serious consequences for those who, despite receiving spiritual nourishment from God, fail to produce the fruit of righteousness and instead remain spiritually unproductive or actively hostile. The context underscores the call for perseverance, genuine faith, and spiritual fruitfulness as evidence of true salvation and a hedge against a destructive end.
Hebrews 6 8 Word analysis
But: (δὲ - de) A conjunction indicating a contrast. It shifts the focus from the productive land in verse 7 to the unproductive land in verse 8.
that which beareth: (ἐκφέρουσα - ekpherousa) Present active participle, meaning "bringing forth," "producing," or "yielding." It emphasizes an ongoing characteristic or action of the ground.
thorns: (ἀκάνθας - akanthas) Wild, spiny plants, often associated with curses or wilderness in the Bible. Symbolizes unfruitfulness, sin, trouble, or opposition to God's will.
and briers: (καὶ τριβόλους - kai tribolous) Prickly, thorny plants, possibly "thistles." These are weeds that compete with good crops, requiring arduous labor to remove, or indicating neglected land. Their presence signifies spiritual unproductiveness or even hostile rejection of the sown seed.
is rejected: (ἀδόκιμος - adokimos) Means "disapproved," "tested and found wanting," "worthless," or "reprobate." It signifies a failure to pass a test or meet a standard, leading to rejection. The implication is that God inspects and finds this "ground" unfitting for His purpose.
and is nigh unto cursing: (καὶ ἐγγὺς κατάρας - kai engys kataras) Literally "and near a curse." It suggests being on the verge of experiencing God's direct judgment or condemnation. This is not yet the full curse but the immediate proximity to it, a severe warning.
whose end: (ἧς τὸ τέλος - hēs to telos) Refers to the ultimate outcome, the final destiny, or consummation of such a state. It speaks to a definitive conclusion.
is to be burned: (εἰς καῦσιν - eis kausin) Literally "for burning." This indicates the purpose or destination of the rejected land/person. Fire in biblical imagery is often associated with judgment, purification (in some contexts), or complete destruction. Here, in contrast to a harvest, it implies ruin and obliteration, rather than productive use.
"But that which beareth thorns and briers": This phrase paints a picture of ground that, despite receiving beneficial rain, produces nothing useful. Spiritually, it refers to individuals or groups who have received divine grace and instruction but, by their consistent actions and character, demonstrate an unfruitful, unholy, or even actively hostile response.
"is rejected, and is nigh unto cursing; whose end is to be burned": This sequence describes the progression of judgment. "Rejected" (ἀδόκιμος) highlights the divine verdict of worthlessness. "Nigh unto cursing" emphasizes the imminence of severe divine displeasure. "Whose end is to be burned" signifies the irreversible and destructive outcome of such a state, emphasizing ultimate condemnation and spiritual demise. The language is conclusive and absolute, portraying an irreversible trajectory of doom.
Hebrews 6 8 Bonus section
The severe imagery in Hebrews 6:8 is intentionally provocative, serving as an urgent call for introspection and perseverance. It should be understood within the broader context of God's holiness and His expectation of a response to His grace. The "burning" is not depicted as a refining fire that purifies, but as a destructive fire that consumes what is useless or harmful, signaling an irreversible divine judgment for persistent unproductiveness or deliberate rejection of Christ. This verse does not negate God's grace or His power to save, but rather highlights the extreme danger of presuming upon grace while living an unfruitful or rebellious life. It serves as a strong pastoral warning to the community addressed in Hebrews, urging them to examine their spiritual state and continue to grow in maturity, thereby demonstrating the authenticity of their faith and avoiding such a catastrophic destiny.
Hebrews 6 8 Commentary
Hebrews 6:8 provides a solemn and severe warning to those within the Christian community who, despite being exposed to and partaking in divine truth and spiritual blessings, remain spiritually barren or become apostate. The "ground" metaphor, echoing Old Testament imagery of land under covenant, illustrates that divine favor ("rain") is not universally productive if the heart ("ground") does not respond with spiritual fruitfulness. "Thorns and briers" represent the outgrowth of a spiritually unchanged or resistant heart—manifestations of sin, ungodliness, or a wilful rejection of God's ways. The phrase "is rejected" implies a divine evaluation where the individual or community is found wanting and useless for God's purposes. The progressive language of "nigh unto cursing" and "whose end is to be burned" describes an escalating scale of judgment. "Nigh unto cursing" denotes a state dangerously close to being condemned by God. The final outcome, "to be burned," signifies utter destruction, analogous to burning unproductive and thorny land to purge it, or more gravely, a fiery judgment on the unrighteous, confirming the irreversible nature of apostasy mentioned in previous verses. This is a terrifying prospect, designed to stir true believers to persevere and live out their faith genuinely, bearing spiritual fruit (e.g., of the Spirit as per Gal 5:22-23), lest they fall into such a destructive end. It stresses that hearing the word and tasting grace are not enough; there must be corresponding spiritual transformation and productive lives that demonstrate a true relationship with God.