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:

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,

¹³ And again,

And again he says,

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)

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:

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)