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