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Hebrews 2:1-4:11
New American Standard Bible

Pay Attention

2 For this reason we must pay much closer attention to [a]what we have heard, so that (A)we do not drift away from it. 2 For if the word (B)spoken through (C)angels proved [b]unalterable, and (D)every violation and act of disobedience received a just [c](E)punishment, 3 (F)how will we escape if we neglect so great a (G)salvation? [d]After it was at first (H)spoken through the Lord, it was (I)confirmed to us by those who heard, 4 God also testifying with them, both by (J)signs and wonders, and by (K)various [e]miracles and by [f](L)gifts of the Holy Spirit (M)according to His own will.

Earth Subject to Man

5 For He did not subject to angels [g](N)the world to come, about which we are speaking. 6 But someone has testified (O)somewhere, saying,

“(P)What is man, that You think of him?
Or a son of man, that You are concerned about him?
7 (Q)You have made him [h]for a little while lower than angels;
You have crowned him with glory and honor[i];
8 (R)You have put everything in subjection under his feet.”

For in subjecting all things to him, He left nothing that is not subject to him. But now (S)we do not yet see all things subjected to him.

Jesus Briefly Humbled

9 But we do see Him who was (T)made [j]for a little while lower than the angels, namely, Jesus, (U)because of His suffering death (V)crowned with glory and honor, so that (W)by the grace of God He might (X)taste death (Y)for everyone.

10 For (Z)it was fitting for Him, (AA)for whom are all things, and through whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to (AB)perfect the [k](AC)originator of their salvation through sufferings. 11 For both He who (AD)sanctifies and those who (AE)are [l]sanctified are all (AF)from one Father; for this reason He is not ashamed to call them (AG)brothers and sisters, 12 saying,

“(AH)I will proclaim Your name to My brothers,
In the midst of the assembly I will sing Your praise.”

13 And again,

“(AI)I will put My trust in Him.”

And again,

“(AJ)Behold, I and the children whom God has given Me.”

14 Therefore, since the children share in [m](AK)flesh and blood, (AL)He Himself likewise also partook of the same, so that (AM)through death He might destroy (AN)the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, 15 and free those who through (AO)fear of death were subject to slavery all their lives. 16 For clearly He does not [n]give help to angels, but He gives help to the [o]descendants of Abraham. 17 Therefore, in all things He [p]had (AP)to be made like His brothers so that He might (AQ)become a merciful and faithful (AR)high priest in (AS)things pertaining to God, to (AT)make [q]propitiation for the sins of the people. 18 For since He Himself was [r](AU)tempted in that which He has suffered, He is able to come to the aid of those who are [s]tempted.

Jesus Our High Priest

3 Therefore, (AV)holy brothers and sisters, partakers of a (AW)heavenly calling, consider (AX)the Apostle and (AY)High Priest of our (AZ)confession: Jesus; 2 [t]He was faithful to Him who appointed Him, as (BA)Moses also was in all His house. 3 (BB)For He has been counted worthy of more glory than Moses, by just so much as the builder of the house has more honor than the house. 4 For every house is built by someone, but the builder of all things is God. 5 Now (BC)Moses was faithful in all [u]God’s house as (BD)a servant, (BE)for a testimony of those things (BF)which were to be spoken later; 6 but Christ was faithful as (BG)a Son over His house—(BH)whose house we are, (BI)if we hold firmly to our (BJ)confidence and the boast of our [v](BK)hope.

7 Therefore, just as (BL)the Holy Spirit says,

“(BM)Today if you hear His voice,
8 (BN)Do not harden your hearts as [w]when they provoked Me,
As on the day of trial in the wilderness,
9 (BO)Where your fathers put Me to the test,
And saw My works for (BP)forty years.
10 (BQ)Therefore I was angry with this generation,
And said, ‘They always go astray in their heart,
And they did not know My ways’;
11 (BR)As I swore in My anger,
‘They certainly shall not enter My rest.’”

The Danger of Unbelief

12 (BS)Take care, brothers and sisters, that there will not be in any one of you an evil, unbelieving heart [x]that falls away from (BT)the living God. 13 But (BU)encourage one another every day, as long as it is still called “today,” so that none of you will be hardened by the (BV)deceitfulness of sin. 14 For we have become partakers of Christ (BW)if we keep the beginning of our [y](BX)commitment firm until the end, 15 while it is said,

“(BY)Today if you hear His voice,
Do not harden your hearts, as [z]when they provoked Me.”

16 For who (BZ)provoked Him when they had heard? Indeed, (CA)did not all those who came out of Egypt led by Moses? 17 And with whom was He angry for forty years? Was it not with those who sinned, (CB)whose dead bodies fell in the wilderness? 18 And to whom did He swear (CC)that they would not enter His rest, but to those who were (CD)disobedient? 19 And so we see that they were not able to enter because of (CE)unbelief.

The Believer’s Rest

4 Therefore, we must fear if, while a promise remains of entering His rest, any one of you may seem to have (CF)come short of it. 2 For indeed we have had good news preached to us, just as they also did; but (CG)the word [aa]they heard did not benefit them, because [ab]they were not united with those who listened with faith. 3 For we who have believed enter that rest, just as He has said,

“(CH)As I swore in My anger,
They certainly shall not enter My rest,”

although His works were finished (CI)from the foundation of the world. 4 For He has said (CJ)somewhere concerning the seventh day: “(CK)And God (CL)rested on the seventh day from all His works”; 5 and again in this passage, “(CM)They certainly shall not enter My rest.” 6 Therefore, since it remains for some to enter it, and those who previously had good news preached to them failed to enter because of (CN)disobedience, 7 He again sets a certain day, “Today,” saying [ac]through David after so long a time just (CO)as has been said before,

“(CP)Today if you hear His voice,
Do not harden your hearts.”

8 For (CQ)if [ad]Joshua had given them rest, He would not have spoken of another day after that. 9 Consequently, there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God. 10 For the one who has entered His rest has himself also (CR)rested from his works, as (CS)God did from His. 11 Therefore let’s make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will fall by following the same (CT)example of (CU)disobedience.

Footnotes

  1. Hebrews 2:1 Lit the things that have been heard
  2. Hebrews 2:2 Or steadfast
  3. Hebrews 2:2 Lit retribution
  4. Hebrews 2:3 Lit Which was
  5. Hebrews 2:4 Or works of power
  6. Hebrews 2:4 Lit distributions
  7. Hebrews 2:5 Lit the inhabited earth
  8. Hebrews 2:7 Or ...him a little lower than...
  9. Hebrews 2:7 One early ms continues, and have appointed him over the works of Your hands
  10. Hebrews 2:9 Or a little lower
  11. Hebrews 2:10 Or leader
  12. Hebrews 2:11 Or being sanctified
  13. Hebrews 2:14 Lit blood and flesh
  14. Hebrews 2:16 Lit take hold of angels, but He takes hold of
  15. Hebrews 2:16 Lit seed
  16. Hebrews 2:17 Lit was obligated to be
  17. Hebrews 2:17 I.e., reconciliation with God by atoning for the sins
  18. Hebrews 2:18 Or tested
  19. Hebrews 2:18 Or tested
  20. Hebrews 3:2 Lit being faithful
  21. Hebrews 3:5 Lit His
  22. Hebrews 3:6 One early ms adds firm until the end
  23. Hebrews 3:8 Lit in the provocation
  24. Hebrews 3:12 Or that leaves the; lit in falling away from
  25. Hebrews 3:14 Or assurance
  26. Hebrews 3:15 Lit in the rebellion
  27. Hebrews 4:2 Lit of hearing
  28. Hebrews 4:2 One early ms it was not united with faith in those who heard
  29. Hebrews 4:7 Or in
  30. Hebrews 4:8 Gr Jesus
Listen to Hebrews 2:1-4:11
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Hebrews 2:1-4:11
New International Version

Warning to Pay Attention

2 We must pay the most careful attention, therefore, to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away.(A) 2 For since the message spoken(B) through angels(C) was binding, and every violation and disobedience received its just punishment,(D) 3 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) 4 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

5 It is not to angels that he has subjected the world to come, about which we are speaking. 6 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)
7 You made them a little[a] lower than the angels;
    you crowned them with glory and honor
8     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] 9 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)

Jesus Greater Than Moses

3 Therefore, holy brothers and sisters,(AK) who share in the heavenly calling,(AL) fix your thoughts on Jesus, whom we acknowledge(AM) as our apostle and high priest.(AN) 2 He was faithful to the one who appointed him, just as Moses was faithful in all God’s house.(AO) 3 Jesus has been found worthy of greater honor than Moses,(AP) just as the builder of a house has greater honor than the house itself. 4 For every house is built by someone, but God is the builder of everything.(AQ) 5 “Moses was faithful as a servant(AR) in all God’s house,”[l](AS) bearing witness to what would be spoken by God in the future. 6 But Christ is faithful as the Son(AT) over God’s house. And we are his house,(AU) if indeed we hold firmly(AV) to our confidence and the hope(AW) in which we glory.

Warning Against Unbelief

7 So, as the Holy Spirit says:(AX)

“Today, if you hear his voice,
8     do not harden your hearts(AY)
as you did in the rebellion,
    during the time of testing in the wilderness,
9 where your ancestors tested and tried me,
    though for forty years they saw what I did.(AZ)
10 That is why I was angry with that generation;
    I said, ‘Their hearts are always going astray,
    and they have not known my ways.’
11 So I declared on oath in my anger,(BA)
    ‘They shall never enter my rest.’ (BB)”[m](BC)

12 See to it, brothers and sisters, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God.(BD) 13 But encourage one another daily,(BE) as long as it is called “Today,” so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness.(BF) 14 We have come to share in Christ, if indeed we hold(BG) our original conviction firmly to the very end.(BH) 15 As has just been said:

“Today, if you hear his voice,
    do not harden your hearts
    as you did in the rebellion.”[n](BI)

16 Who were they who heard and rebelled? Were they not all those Moses led out of Egypt?(BJ) 17 And with whom was he angry for forty years? Was it not with those who sinned, whose bodies perished in the wilderness?(BK) 18 And to whom did God swear that they would never enter his rest(BL) if not to those who disobeyed?(BM) 19 So we see that they were not able to enter, because of their unbelief.(BN)

A Sabbath-Rest for the People of God

4 Therefore, since the promise of entering his rest still stands, let us be careful that none of you be found to have fallen short of it.(BO) 2 For we also have had the good news proclaimed to us, just as they did; but the message they heard was of no value to them, because they did not share the faith of those who obeyed.[o](BP) 3 Now we who have believed enter that rest, just as God has said,

“So I declared on oath in my anger,
    ‘They shall never enter my rest.’”[p](BQ)

And yet his works have been finished since the creation of the world. 4 For somewhere he has spoken about the seventh day in these words: “On the seventh day God rested from all his works.”[q](BR) 5 And again in the passage above he says, “They shall never enter my rest.”(BS)

6 Therefore since it still remains for some to enter that rest, and since those who formerly had the good news proclaimed to them did not go in because of their disobedience,(BT) 7 God again set a certain day, calling it “Today.” This he did when a long time later he spoke through David, as in the passage already quoted:

“Today, if you hear his voice,
    do not harden your hearts.”[r](BU)

8 For if Joshua had given them rest,(BV) God would not have spoken(BW) later about another day. 9 There remains, then, a Sabbath-rest for the people of God; 10 for anyone who enters God’s rest also rests from their works,[s](BX) just as God did from his.(BY) 11 Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will perish by following their example of disobedience.(BZ)

Footnotes

  1. Hebrews 2:7 Or them for a little while
  2. Hebrews 2:8 Psalm 8:4-6
  3. Hebrews 2:8 Or 7 You made him a little lower than the angels;/ you crowned him with glory and honor/ 8 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
  12. Hebrews 3:5 Num. 12:7
  13. Hebrews 3:11 Psalm 95:7-11
  14. Hebrews 3:15 Psalm 95:7,8
  15. Hebrews 4:2 Some manuscripts because those who heard did not combine it with faith
  16. Hebrews 4:3 Psalm 95:11; also in verse 5
  17. Hebrews 4:4 Gen. 2:2
  18. Hebrews 4:7 Psalm 95:7,8
  19. Hebrews 4:10 Or labor
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