Warning Not to Neglect Salvation

Because of this, it is all the more necessary that we pay attention to the things we have heard, lest we drift away. For if the word spoken through angels was binding and every transgression and act of disobedience received a just penalty, how will we escape if we[a] neglect so great a salvation which had its beginning when it[b] was spoken through the Lord and was confirmed to us by those who heard, while[c] God was testifying at the same time by signs and wonders and various miracles and distributions of the Holy Spirit according to his will.

The Son’s Humiliation and Suffering

For he did not subject to angels the world to come, about which we are speaking. But someone testified somewhere, saying,

“What is man, that you remember him,
    or the son of man, that you care for him?
You made him for a short time lower than the angels;
    you crowned him with glory and honor;[d]
    you subjected all things under his feet.[e]

For in subjecting all things,[f] he left nothing that was not subject to him. But now we do not yet see all things subjected to him, but we see Jesus, for a short time made lower than the angels, because of the suffering of death crowned with glory and honor, so that apart from God[g] he might taste death on behalf of everyone. 10 For it was fitting for him for whom are all things and through whom are all things in bringing many sons to glory to perfect the originator of their salvation through sufferings. 11 For both the one who sanctifies and the ones who are sanctified are all from one, for which reason he is not ashamed to call them brothers, 12 saying,

“I will proclaim your name to my brothers;
in the midst of the assembly I will sing in praise of you.”[h]

13 And again,

“I will trust in him.”[i]

And again,

“Behold, I and the children God has given me.”[j]

14 Therefore, since the children share in blood and flesh, he also in like manner shared in these same things, in order that through death he could destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, 15 and could set free these who through fear of death were subject to slavery throughout all their lives. 16 For surely he is not concerned with angels, but he is concerned with the descendants of Abraham. 17 Therefore he was obligated to be made like his brothers in all respects, in order that he could become a merciful and faithful high priest in the things relating to God, in order to make atonement for the sins of the people. 18 For in that which he himself suffered when he[k] was tempted, he is able to help those who are tempted.

Footnotes

  1. Hebrews 2:3 Here “if” is supplied as a component of the participle (“neglect”) which is understood as conditional
  2. Hebrews 2:3 Here “when” is supplied as a component of the temporal infinitive (“was spoken”)
  3. Hebrews 2:4 Here “while” is supplied as a component of the temporal genitive absolute participle (“was testifying at the same time”)
  4. Hebrews 2:7 Several important manuscripts add “and placed him over the works of your hands” to the end of v. 7
  5. Hebrews 2:8 A quotation from Ps 8:4–6
  6. Hebrews 2:8 Some manuscripts have “subjecting all things to him”
  7. Hebrews 2:9 Some manuscripts have “so that by the grace of God”
  8. Hebrews 2:12 A quotation from Ps 22:22
  9. Hebrews 2:13 A quotation from Isa 8:17
  10. Hebrews 2:13 A quotation from Isa 8:18
  11. Hebrews 2:18 Here “when” is supplied as a component of the participle (“was tempted”) which is understood as temporal

Warning to Pay Attention

We must pay the most careful attention, therefore, to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away.(A) For since the message spoken(B) through angels(C) was binding, and every violation and disobedience received its just punishment,(D) how shall we escape if we ignore so great a salvation?(E) This salvation, which was first announced by the Lord,(F) was confirmed to us by those who heard him.(G) God also testified to it by signs, wonders and various miracles,(H) and by gifts of the Holy Spirit(I) distributed according to his will.(J)

Jesus Made Fully Human

It is not to angels that he has subjected the world to come, about which we are speaking. But there is a place where someone(K) has testified:

“What is mankind that you are mindful of them,
    a son of man that you care for him?(L)
You made them a little[a] lower than the angels;
    you crowned them with glory and honor
    and put everything under their feet.”[b][c](M)

In putting everything under them,[d] God left nothing that is not subject to them.[e] Yet at present we do not see everything subject to them.[f] But we do see Jesus, who was made lower than the angels for a little while, now crowned with glory and honor(N) because he suffered death,(O) so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone.(P)

10 In bringing many sons and daughters to glory, it was fitting that God, for whom and through whom everything exists,(Q) should make the pioneer of their salvation perfect through what he suffered.(R) 11 Both the one who makes people holy(S) and those who are made holy(T) are of the same family. So Jesus is not ashamed to call them brothers and sisters.[g](U) 12 He says,

“I will declare your name to my brothers and sisters;
    in the assembly I will sing your praises.”[h](V)

13 And again,

“I will put my trust in him.”[i](W)

And again he says,

“Here am I, and the children God has given me.”[j](X)

14 Since the children have flesh and blood,(Y) he too shared in their humanity(Z) so that by his death he might break the power(AA) of him who holds the power of death—that is, the devil(AB) 15 and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear(AC) of death. 16 For surely it is not angels he helps, but Abraham’s descendants.(AD) 17 For this reason he had to be made like them,[k](AE) fully human in every way, in order that he might become a merciful(AF) and faithful high priest(AG) in service to God,(AH) and that he might make atonement for the sins of the people.(AI) 18 Because he himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.(AJ)

Footnotes

  1. Hebrews 2:7 Or them for a little while
  2. Hebrews 2:8 Psalm 8:4-6
  3. Hebrews 2:8 Or You made him a little lower than the angels;/ you crowned him with glory and honor/ and put everything under his feet.”
  4. Hebrews 2:8 Or him
  5. Hebrews 2:8 Or him
  6. Hebrews 2:8 Or him
  7. Hebrews 2:11 The Greek word for brothers and sisters (adelphoi) refers here to believers, both men and women, as part of God’s family; also in verse 12; and in 3:1, 12; 10:19; 13:22.
  8. Hebrews 2:12 Psalm 22:22
  9. Hebrews 2:13 Isaiah 8:17
  10. Hebrews 2:13 Isaiah 8:18
  11. Hebrews 2:17 Or like his brothers