American Standard Version of 1901
Versliste
But, beloved, we are persuaded better things of you, and things that {Or, belong to}accompany salvation, though we thus speak:
Of {Or, which}whom we have many things to say, and hard of interpretation, seeing ye are become dull of hearing.
For when by reason of the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need again {Or, that one teach you which are the rudiments}that some one teach you the rudiments of the {Greek: beginning.}first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of solid food.
For every one that partaketh of milk is {Or, inexperienced in}without experience of the word of righteousness; for he is a babe.
But solid food is for {Or, perfect}fullgrown men, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern good and evil.
For as touching those who were once enlightened {Or, having both tasted of…and being made…and having tasted &c.}and tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Spirit,
and {Or, tasted the word of God that it is good}tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the age to come,
and then fell away, it is impossible to renew them again unto repentance; {Or, the while}seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame.
For the land which hath drunk the rain that cometh oft upon it, and bringeth forth herbs meet for them for whose sake it is also tilled, receiveth blessing from God:
but if it beareth thorns and thistles, it is rejected and nigh unto a curse; whose end is to be burned.
For every one that partaketh of milk is {Or, inexperienced in}without experience of the word of righteousness; for he is a babe.
But solid food is for {Or, perfect}fullgrown men, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern good and evil.
{Or, because our gospel & c.}how that our {Greek: good tidings: and so elsewhere; see marginal note on Matthew 4:23.}gospel came not unto you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Spirit, and in much {Or, fulness}assurance; even as ye know what manner of men we showed ourselves toward you for your sake.
that their hearts may be comforted, they being knit together in love, and unto all riches of the {Or, fulness}full assurance of understanding, that they may know the mystery of God, {The ancient authorities vary much in the text of this passage.}even Christ,
but Christ as a son, over {That is, God's house. See Numbers 12:7.}his house; whose house are we, if we hold fast our boldness and the glorying of our hope firm unto the end.
for we are become partakers {Or, with Compare chapter 1:9; verse 6}of Christ, if we hold fast the beginning of our confidence firm unto the end: