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(A) has testified:

“What is mankind that you are mindful of them,
    a son of man that you care for him?(B)
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](C)

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(D) because he suffered death,(E) so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone.(F)

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

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

13 And again,

“I will put my trust in him.”[i](M)

And again he says,

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

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

Jesus Greater Than Moses

Therefore, holy brothers and sisters,(AA) who share in the heavenly calling,(AB) fix your thoughts on Jesus, whom we acknowledge(AC) as our apostle and high priest.(AD) He was faithful to the one who appointed him, just as Moses was faithful in all God’s house.(AE) Jesus has been found worthy of greater honor than Moses,(AF) just as the builder of a house has greater honor than the house itself. For every house is built by someone, but God is the builder of everything.(AG) “Moses was faithful as a servant(AH) in all God’s house,”[l](AI) bearing witness to what would be spoken by God in the future. But Christ is faithful as the Son(AJ) over God’s house. And we are his house,(AK) if indeed we hold firmly(AL) to our confidence and the hope(AM) in which we glory.

Warning Against Unbelief

So, as the Holy Spirit says:(AN)

“Today, if you hear his voice,
    do not harden your hearts(AO)
as you did in the rebellion,
    during the time of testing in the wilderness,
where your ancestors tested and tried me,
    though for forty years they saw what I did.(AP)
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,(AQ)
    ‘They shall never enter my rest.’ (AR)[m](AS)

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

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

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

A Sabbath-Rest for the People of God

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.(BE) 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](BF) 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](BG)

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

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,(BJ) 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](BK)

For if Joshua had given them rest,(BL) God would not have spoken(BM) later about another day. 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](BN) just as God did from his.(BO) 11 Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will perish by following their example of disobedience.(BP)

12 For the word of God(BQ) is alive(BR) and active.(BS) Sharper than any double-edged sword,(BT) it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.(BU) 13 Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight.(BV) Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account.

Jesus the Great High Priest

14 Therefore, since we have a great high priest(BW) who has ascended into heaven,[t](BX) Jesus the Son of God,(BY) let us hold firmly to the faith we profess.(BZ) 15 For we do not have a high priest(CA) who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are(CB)—yet he did not sin.(CC) 16 Let us then approach(CD) God’s throne of grace with confidence,(CE) so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.

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
  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
  20. Hebrews 4:14 Greek has gone through the heavens

For unto the angels hath he not put in subjection the world to come, whereof we speak.

But one in a certain place testified, saying, What is man, that thou art mindful of him? or the son of man that thou visitest him?

Thou madest him a little lower than the angels; thou crownedst him with glory and honour, and didst set him over the works of thy hands:

Thou hast put all things in subjection under his feet. For in that he put all in subjection under him, he left nothing that is not put under him. But now we see not yet all things put under him.

But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man.

10 For it became him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings.

11 For both he that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are all of one: for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren,

12 Saying, I will declare thy name unto my brethren, in the midst of the church will I sing praise unto thee.

13 And again, I will put my trust in him. And again, Behold I and the children which God hath given me.

14 Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil;

15 And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.

16 For verily he took not on him the nature of angels; but he took on him the seed of Abraham.

17 Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people.

18 For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to succour them that are tempted.

Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our profession, Christ Jesus;

Who was faithful to him that appointed him, as also Moses was faithful in all his house.

For this man was counted worthy of more glory than Moses, inasmuch as he who hath builded the house hath more honour than the house.

For every house is builded by some man; but he that built all things is God.

And Moses verily was faithful in all his house, as a servant, for a testimony of those things which were to be spoken after;

But Christ as a son over his own house; whose house are we, if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end.

Wherefore (as the Holy Ghost saith, To day if ye will hear his voice,

Harden not your hearts, as in the provocation, in the day of temptation in the wilderness:

When your fathers tempted me, proved me, and saw my works forty years.

10 Wherefore I was grieved with that generation, and said, They do alway err in their heart; and they have not known my ways.

11 So I sware in my wrath, They shall not enter into my rest.)

12 Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God.

13 But exhort one another daily, while it is called To day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.

14 For we are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence stedfast unto the end;

15 While it is said, To day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts, as in the provocation.

16 For some, when they had heard, did provoke: howbeit not all that came out of Egypt by Moses.

17 But with whom was he grieved forty years? was it not with them that had sinned, whose carcases fell in the wilderness?

18 And to whom sware he that they should not enter into his rest, but to them that believed not?

19 So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief.

Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being left us of entering into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it.

For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them: but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it.

For we which have believed do enter into rest, as he said, As I have sworn in my wrath, if they shall enter into my rest: although the works were finished from the foundation of the world.

For he spake in a certain place of the seventh day on this wise, And God did rest the seventh day from all his works.

And in this place again, If they shall enter into my rest.

Seeing therefore it remaineth that some must enter therein, and they to whom it was first preached entered not in because of unbelief:

Again, he limiteth a certain day, saying in David, To day, after so long a time; as it is said, To day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts.

For if Jesus had given them rest, then would he not afterward have spoken of another day.

There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God.

10 For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from his.

11 Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief.

12 For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

13 Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do.

14 Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession.

15 For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.

16 Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.