Hebrews 6:4

Hebrews 6:4 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost,
• New International Version (NIV)It is impossible for those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, who have shared in the Holy Spirit,
• English Standard Version (ESV)For it is impossible, in the case of those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, and have shared in the Holy Spirit,
• New King James Version (NKJV)For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted the heavenly gift, and have become partakers of the Holy Spirit,

Context of Hebrews 6:4

2teaching about ritual washings, laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment. 3And we will do this if God permits. For it is impossible to renew to repentance those who were once enlightened, who tasted the heavenly gift, who shared in the Holy Spirit, 5who tasted God’s good word and the powers of the coming age, 6and who have fallen away. This is because, to their own harm, they are recrucifying the Son of God and holding him up to contempt.

Hebrews 6:4 word by word

ἀδύνατον γὰρ τοὺς ἅπαξ φωτισθέντας, γευσαμένους τε τῆς δωρεᾶς τῆς ἐπουρανίου καὶ μετόχους γενηθέντας πνεύματος ἁγίουRead the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Forγάρgar · forG1063
• impossibleἀδύνατοςadunatos · unableG102
• for those who wereφωτίζωphōtizō · to illuminateG5461
• onceἅπαξhapax · onceG530
• andτεte · and/bothG5037
• have tastedγεύωgeuomai · to tasteG1089
• of theὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• of theδωρεάdōrea · free giftG1431
• heavenlyἐπουράνιοςepouranios · heavenlyG2032
• andκαίkai · andG2532
• were madeγίνομαιginomai · to beG1096
• partakersμέτοχοςmetochos · partakerG3353
• of theπνεῦμαpneuma · spirit/breath: spiritG4151
• Holyἅγιοςhagios · holyG40

Cross-references for Hebrews 6:4

• Hebrews 10:26For if we deliberately go on sinning after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins,
• Hebrews 12:15Make sure that no one falls short of the grace of God and that no root of bitterness springs up, causing trouble and defiling many.
• Matthew 5:13“You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt should lose its taste, how can it be made salty? It’s no longer good for anything but to be thrown out and trampled under people’s feet.
• Matthew 12:31Therefore, I tell you, people will be forgiven every sin and blasphemy, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven.
• Luke 11:24“When an unclean spirit comes out of a person, it roams through waterless places looking for rest, and not finding rest, it then says, ‘I’ll go back to my house that I came from.’
• John 15:6If anyone does not remain in me, he is thrown aside like a branch and he withers. They gather them, throw them into the fire, and they are burned.
• 2 Timothy 2:25instructing his opponents with gentleness. Perhaps God will grant them repentance leading them to the knowledge of the truth.
• 2 Timothy 4:14Alexander the coppersmith did great harm to me. The Lord will repay him according to his works.
• 2 Peter 2:20For if, having escaped the world’s impurity through the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in these things and defeated, the last state is worse for them than the first.
• 1 John 5:16If anyone sees a fellow believer committing a sin that doesn’t lead to death, he should ask, and God will give life to him — to those who commit sin that doesn’t lead to death. There is sin that leads to death. I am not saying he should pray about that.
• Hebrews 10:32Remember the earlier days when, after you had been enlightened, you endured a hard struggle with sufferings.
• Numbers 24:3and he proclaimed his poem: The oracle of Balaam son of Beor, the oracle of the man whose eyes are opened,
• Matthew 7:21“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven.
• Luke 10:19Look, I have given you the authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and over all the power of the enemy; nothing at all will harm you.
• John 3:27John responded, “No one can receive anything unless it has been given to him from heaven.
• John 4:10Jesus answered, “If you knew the gift of God, and who is saying to you, ‘Give me a drink,’ you would ask him, and he would give you living water.”

Commentaries on Hebrews 6:4

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 4For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened - Before I proceed to explain the different terms in these verses, it is necessary to give my opinion of their design and meaning: I do not consider them as having any reference to any person professing Christianity. They do not belong, nor are they applicable, to backsliders of any kind. They belong to apostates from Christianity; to such as reject the whole Christian system, and its author, the…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 4For it is impossible - It is needless to say that the passage here Hebrews 6:4-6, has given occasion to much controversy, and that the opinions of commentators and of the Christian world are yet greatly divided in regard to its meaning. On the one hand, it is held that the passage is not intended to describe those who are true Christians, but only those who have been awakened and enlightened, and who then fall back; and on the other it is maintained that…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 4In Greek, the word translated impossible starts the sentence for emphasis. It means this absolutely cannot happen (see also Hebrews 6:18; 10:4; 11:6). They were once enlightened when they "first learned about Christ" (see 10:32 and corresponding study note). The good things of heaven might refer to the manna given from heaven (Exodus 16:4, 15; Psalm 78:24) as a symbol of spiritual blessings.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 44. We must "go on toward perfection"; for if we fall away, after having received enlightenment, it will be impossible to renew us again to repentance. for those--"in the case of those." once enlightened--once for all illuminated by the word of God taught in connection with "baptism" (to which, in He 6:2, as once for all done," once enlightened" here answers); compare Ep 5:26. This passage probably originated the application of the term "illumination" to…Read the comment

Topics related to Hebrews 6:4

• Apostasy
• Backsliders
• Holy Spirit
• Reprobacy
• Unpardonable Sin

In the dictionaries

• Holy Ghost
• Afresh
• Anchor
• Backslide
• Counsel
• Crucify
• Enlighten
• Immutable
• Nigh
• Persuade

Commentaries on Hebrews 6

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Illustrated New Testament
• Burkitt’s Expository Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Family Bible Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• The People’s New Testament
• Robertson’s Word Pictures
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings