Hebrews 2

1 Therefore we ought to pay greater attention to the things that were heard, so that we will not drift away.

Therefore we must give still more heed to what we were taught, for fear we should drift away.

2 For if the word spoken through angels proved steadfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompense;

For, if the Message which was delivered by angels had its authority confirmed, so that every offence against it, or neglect of it, met with a fitting requital,

3 how will we escape if we neglect so great a salvation—which at the first having been spoken through the Lord, was confirmed to us by those who heard;

how can we, of all people, expect to escape, if we disregard so great a Salvation? It was the Master who at the outset spoke of this Salvation, and its authority was confirmed for us by those who heard him,

4 God also testifying with them, both by signs and wonders, by various works of power, and by gifts of the Holy Spirit, according to his own will?

while God himself added his testimony to it by signs, and marvels, and many different miracles, as well as by imparting the Holy Spirit as he saw fit.

5 For he did not subject the world to come, of which we speak, to angels.

God has not given to angels the control of that Future World of which we are speaking!

6 But one has somewhere testified, saying, "What is man, that you think of him? Or the son of man, that you care for him?

No; a writer has declared somewhere — ‘What is Man that thou shouldst remember him? Or a Son of Man that thou shouldst regard him?

7 You made him a little lower than the angels. You crowned him with glory and honor.

Thou hast made him, for a while, lower than angels; With glory and honour thou hast crowned him; Thou hast set him over all that thy hands have made;

8 You have put all things in subjection under his feet." For in that he put all things under him, he left nothing that is not under him. But now we do not yet see that all things are under him.

Thou hast placed all things beneath his feet.’ This ‘placing of everything’ under man means that there was nothing which was not placed under him. As yet, however, we do not see everything placed under man.

9 But we see him who has been made a little lower than the angels, Jesus, because of the suffering of death crowned with glory and honor, that by the grace of God he should taste of death for everyone.

What our eyes do see is Jesus, who was made for a while lower than angels, now, because of his sufferings and death, crowned with glory and honour; so that his tasting the bitterness of death should, in God’s loving-kindness, be on behalf of all mankind.

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

It was, indeed, fitting that God, for whom and through whom all things exist, should, when leading many sons to glory, make the author of their Salvation perfect through suffering.

11 For both he who sanctifies and those who are sanctified are all from one, for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brothers,

For he who purifies, and those whom he purifies, all spring from One; and therefore he is not ashamed to call them ‘Brothers.’

12 saying, "I will declare your name to my brothers. In the midst of the assembly I will praise you."

He says — ‘I will tell of thy Name to my Brothers, In the midst of the congregation I will sing thy praise.’

13 And again, "I will put my trust in him." And again, "Look, I and the children whom God has given me."

And again — ‘As for me, I will put my trust in God.’ And yet again — ‘See, here am I and the children whom God gave me.’

14 Since then the children have shared in flesh and blood, he also himself in like manner partook of the same, that through death he might bring to nothing him who had the power of death, that is, the devil,

Therefore, since human nature is the common heritage of ‘the Children,’ Jesus also shared it, in order that by death he might render powerless him whose power lies in death — that is, the Devil —

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

and so might deliver all those who, from fear of death, had all their lives been living in slavery.

16 For, truly, he did not come to help the angels, but to help the offspring of Abraham.

It was not, surely, to the help of the angels that Jesus came, but ‘to the help of the descendants of Abraham.’

17 Therefore he was obligated in all things to be made like his brothers, that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make atonement for the sins of the people.

And consequently it was necessary that he should in all points be made like ‘his Brothers,’ in order that he might prove a merciful as well as a faithful High Priest in man’s relations with God, for the purpose of expiating the sins of his People.

18 For in that he himself has suffered being tempted, he is able to help those who are tempted.

The fact that he himself suffered under temptation enables him to help those who are tempted.