¹⁸ And the Lord God said, “It is not good that man should be alone; ^(A)I will make him a helper comparable to him.” ^19 (B)Out of the ground the Lord God formed every beast of the field and every bird of the air, and ^(C)brought them to ^[a]Adam to see what he would call them. And whatever Adam called each living creature, that was its name. ²⁰ So Adam gave names to all cattle, to the birds of the air, and to every beast of the field. But for Adam there was not found a helper comparable to him.

²¹ And the Lord God caused a ^(D)deep sleep to fall on Adam, and he slept; and He took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh in its place. ²² Then the rib which the Lord God had taken from man He ^[b]made into a woman, ^(E)and He ^(F)brought her to the man.

²³ And Adam said:

^24 (I)Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and ^(J)be^[e] joined to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.

^25 (K)And they were both naked, the man and his wife, and were not ^(L)ashamed.

Blessings of Those Who Fear the Lord

A Song of Ascents.

Do Not Neglect Salvation

2 Therefore we must give ^[a]the more earnest heed to the things we have heard, lest we drift away. ² For if the word ^(A)spoken through angels proved steadfast, and ^(B)every transgression and disobedience received a just ^[b]reward, ^3 (C)how shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation, ^(D)which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was ^(E)confirmed to us by those who heard Him, ^4 (F)God also bearing witness ^(G)both with signs and wonders, with various miracles, and ^(H)gifts^[c] of the Holy Spirit, ^(I)according to His own will?

The Son Made Lower than Angels^(J)

⁵ For He has not put ^(K)the world to come, of which we speak, in subjection to angels. ⁶ But one testified in a certain place, saying:

For in that He put all in subjection under him, He left nothing that is not put under him. But now ^(N)we do not yet see all things put under him. ⁹ But we see Jesus, ^(O)who was made ^[f]a little lower than the angels, for the suffering of death ^(P)crowned with glory and honor, that He, by the grace of God, might taste death ^(Q)for everyone.

Bringing Many Sons to Glory

¹⁰ For it was fitting for Him, ^(R)for whom are all things and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to make the captain of their salvation ^(S)perfect through sufferings. ¹¹ For ^(T)both He who ^[g]sanctifies and those who are being sanctified ^(U)are all of one, for which reason ^(V)He is not ashamed to call them brethren, ¹² saying:

¹³ And again:

And again:

¹⁴ Inasmuch then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, He ^(Z)Himself likewise shared in the same, ^(AA)that through death He might destroy him who had the power of ^(AB)death, that is, the devil, ¹⁵ and release those who ^(AC)through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage. ¹⁶ For indeed He does not ^[h]give aid to angels, but He does ^[i]give aid to the seed of Abraham. ¹⁷ Therefore, in all things He had ^(AD)to be made like His brethren, that He might be ^(AE)a merciful and faithful High Priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. ^18 (AF)For in that He Himself has suffered, being ^[j]tempted, He is able to aid those who are tempted.

^2 (A)The Pharisees came and asked Him, “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife?” testing Him.

³ And He answered and said to them, “What did Moses command you?”

⁴ They said, ^(B)“Moses permitted a man to write a certificate of divorce, and to dismiss her.”

⁵ And Jesus answered and said to them, “Because of the hardness of your heart he wrote you this ^[a]precept. ⁶ But from the beginning of the creation, God ^(C)‘made them male and female.’ ^7 (D)‘For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, ⁸ and the two shall become one flesh’; so then they are no longer two, but one flesh. ⁹ Therefore what God has joined together, let not man separate.”

¹⁰ In the house His disciples also asked Him again about the same matter. ¹¹ So He said to them, ^(E)“Whoever divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery against her. ¹² And if a woman divorces her husband and marries another, she commits adultery.”

Jesus Blesses Little Children^(F)

^13 (G)Then they brought little children to Him, that He might touch them; but the disciples rebuked those who brought them. ¹⁴ But when Jesus saw it, He was greatly displeased and said to them, “Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for ^(H)of such is the kingdom of God. ¹⁵ Assuredly, I say to you, ^(I)whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will ^(J)by no means enter it.” ¹⁶ And He took them up in His arms, laid His hands on them, and blessed them.