Hebrews 2

A Warning against Drifting Away

1So we must listen very carefully to the truth we have heard, or we may drift away from it. 2For the message God delivered through angels has always stood firm, and every violation of the law and every act of disobedience was punished. 3So what makes us think we can escape if we ignore this great salvation that was first announced by the Lord Jesus himself and then delivered to us by those who heard him speak? 4And God confirmed the message by giving signs and wonders and various miracles and gifts of the Holy Spirit whenever he chose.

Jesus, the Man

5And furthermore, it is not angels who will control the future world we are talking about. 6For in one place the Scriptures say,

“What are mere mortals that you should think about them,

or a son of man#2:6 Or the Son of Man. that you should care for him?

7Yet for a little while you made them a little lower than the angels

and crowned them with glory and honor.#2:7 Some manuscripts add You gave them charge of everything you made.

8You gave them authority over all things.”#2:6-8 Ps 8:4-6 (Greek version).

Now when it says “all things,” it means nothing is left out. But we have not yet seen all things put under their authority. 9What we do see is Jesus, who for a little while was given a position “a little lower than the angels”; and because he suffered death for us, he is now “crowned with glory and honor.” Yes, by God’s grace, Jesus tasted death for everyone. 10God, for whom and through whom everything was made, chose to bring many children into glory. And it was only right that he should make Jesus, through his suffering, a perfect leader, fit to bring them into their salvation.

11So now Jesus and the ones he makes holy have the same Father. That is why Jesus is not ashamed to call them his brothers and sisters.#2:11 Greek brothers; also in 2:12. 12For he said to God,

“I will proclaim your name to my brothers and sisters.

I will praise you among your assembled people.”#2:12 Ps 22:22.

13He also said,

“I will put my trust in him,”

that is, “I and the children God has given me.”#2:13 Isa 8:17-18.

14Because God’s children are human beings—made of flesh and blood—the Son also became flesh and blood. For only as a human being could he die, and only by dying could he break the power of the devil, who had#2:14 Or has. the power of death. 15Only in this way could he set free all who have lived their lives as slaves to the fear of dying.

16We also know that the Son did not come to help angels; he came to help the descendants of Abraham. 17Therefore, it was necessary for him to be made in every respect like us, his brothers and sisters,#2:17 Greek like the brothers. so that he could be our merciful and faithful High Priest before God. Then he could offer a sacrifice that would take away the sins of the people. 18Since he himself has gone through suffering and testing, he is able to help us when we are being tested.

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Hebrews 2

Warning Against Neglecting Salvation

1Therefore we must pay much closer attention to what we have heard, lest we drift away from it. 2For since #See Acts 7:53the message declared by angels proved to be reliable, and #[ch. 10:28; Num. 15:30, 31; Deut. 4:3; 17:2, 5, 12; 27:26] every transgression or disobedience received a just #ch. 10:35; 11:26retribution, 3#[ch. 10:28, 29; 12:25] how shall we escape if we #Matt. 22:5 (Gk.) neglect such a great salvation? It was #ch. 1:2declared at first by the Lord, and it was #Mark 16:20; [Acts 5:32] attested to us #[Luke 1:2]by those who heard, 4#[See ver. 3 above] while God also bore witness #Acts 2:22, 43by signs and wonders and various miracles and by #[1 Cor. 12:4, 11] gifts of the Holy Spirit #[Eph. 1:5]distributed according to his will.

The Founder of Salvation

5For it was not to angels that God subjected the world #ch. 6:5to come, of which we are speaking. 6It has been testified somewhere,

# Cited from Ps. 8:4-6 “What is man, that you are mindful of him,

or the son of man, that you care for him?

7You made him for a little while lower than the angels;

you have crowned him with glory and honor,#2:7 Some manuscripts insert and set him over the works of your hands

8putting everything in subjection under his feet.”

Now in putting everything in subjection to him, he left nothing outside his control. At present, #[1 Cor. 15:25]we do not yet see everything in subjection to him. 9But we see him #ver. 7who for a little while was made lower than the angels, namely Jesus, #Acts 3:13; 1 Pet. 1:21; See Acts 2:33crowned with glory and honor #Phil. 2:7-9; See John 10:17because of the suffering of death, so that by the grace of God he might #Matt. 16:28; John 8:52taste death #See John 12:32for everyone.

10For it #[Luke 24:26] was fitting that he, #Rom. 11:36for whom and by whom all things exist, in bringing many sons #[ch. 3:1; Rom. 8:30] to glory, should make the #[ch. 5:9] founder of their salvation #ch. 5:9; 7:28; Luke 13:32; [Phil. 3:12]perfect through suffering. 11For #ch. 13:12he who sanctifies and #ch. 10:10, 14, 29those who are sanctified #Acts 17:28all have one source.#2:11 Greek all are of one That is why he is not ashamed to call them #Matt. 25:40brothers,#2:11 Or brothers and sisters. In New Testament usage, depending on the context, the plural Greek word adelphoi (translated “brothers”) may refer either to brothers or to brothers and sisters; also verse 12 12saying,

# Cited from Ps. 22:22 “I will tell of your name to my brothers;

in the midst of the #ch. 12:23congregation I will sing your praise.”

13And again,

# [ Ps. 18:2; Isa. 8:17; 12:2 ] “I will put my trust in him.”

And again,

# Cited from Isa. 8:18 “Behold, I and the children #See John 17:2God has given me.”

14Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise #See John 1:14partook of the same things, that #See 1 Cor. 15:54-56through death he might #[Col. 2:15; 2 Tim. 1:10] destroy #1 John 3:8; [John 16:11]the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, 15and deliver all those who #See Rom. 8:15through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery. 16For surely it is not angels that he helps, but he #Isa. 41:8, 9; [ch. 8:9]helps the offspring of Abraham. 17Therefore he had #Phil. 2:7to be made like his brothers in every respect, #ch. 4:15, 16; [ch. 5:2, 7, 8] so that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest #ch. 5:1; Rom. 15:17in the service of God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. 18For because he himself has suffered #ch. 4:15; Luke 22:28when tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.

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