¹¹Of whom ^cwe have many things to say, and ^dhard to be uttered, seeing ye are ^edull of hearing. ¹²For when ^ffor the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be ^gthe first ^hprinciples of ⁱthe oracles of God; and ^care become such as have need of ^jmilk, and not of strong meat. ¹³For every one that useth ^jmilk ^†is unskilful in the word of righteousness: for he is ^ka babe. ¹⁴But strong meat belongeth to them that are ^||of full age, even those who by reason ^||of use have their senses ^lexercised ^mto ⁿdiscern both good and evil.

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Footnotes

cComp. John 16:12.
dSo 2 Pet. 3:16.
ech. 6:12 (Gk.). Comp. Matt. 13:15.
fch. 2:9. & 6:7 marg.
gch. 6:1 (Gk.).
hSee Gal. 4:3.
iSee Rom. 3:2.
cComp. John 16:12.
jSee 1 Cor. 3:2.
jSee 1 Cor. 3:2.
†Gr. hath no experience.
kSee 1 Cor. 3:1. So 1 Cor. 13:11 (Gk.).
||Or, perfect. See 1 Cor. 14:20 marg. So Phil. 3:15. Col. 1:28.
||Or, of a habit, or, perfection. Ecclus. 30:14 (Gk.).
lch. 12:11. 2 Pet. 2:14. So 1 Tim. 4:7.
mSo 1 Kin. 3:9. Isai. 7:15.
nSee Rom. 14:1 marg.

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In other versions

ESVEnglish Standard Version

About this we have much to say, and it is hard to explain, since you have become dull of hearing. For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the basic principles of the oracles of God. You need milk, not solid food, for everyone who lives on milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, since he is a child. But solid food is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil.

NIVNew International Version (2011)

We have much to say about this, but it is hard to make it clear to you because you no longer try to understand. In fact, though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the elementary truths of God’s word all over again. You need milk, not solid food! Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness. But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil.

CSBChristian Standard Bible

We have a great deal to say about this, and it is difficult to explain, since you have become too lazy to understand. Although by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the basic principles of God’s revelation again. You need milk, not solid food. Now everyone who lives on milk is inexperienced with the message about righteousness, because he is an infant. But solid food is for the mature—for those whose senses have been trained to distinguish between good and evil.

NLTNew Living Translation

There is much more we would like to say about this, but it is difficult to explain, especially since you are spiritually dull and don’t seem to listen. You have been believers so long now that you ought to be teaching others. Instead, you need someone to teach you again the basic things about God’s word. You are like babies who need milk and cannot eat solid food. For someone who lives on milk is still an infant and doesn’t know how to do what is right. Solid food is for those who are mature, who through training have the skill to recognize the difference between right and wrong.

LEBThe Lexham English Bible

Concerning this we have much to say and it is difficult to explain, since you have become sluggish in hearing. For indeed, although you ought to be teachers by this time, you have need of someone to teach you again the beginning elements of the oracles of God, and you have need of milk, not solid food. For everyone who partakes of milk is unacquainted with the message of righteousness, because he is an infant. But solid food is for the mature, who because of practice have trained their faculties for the distinguishing of both good and evil.