The Epistle to the Hebrews

⭑ Unlocked Dynamic Bible :: World English Bible Catholic ⭑

- Chapter 2 -

So, since that is true, we must pay very great attention to what we have heard about God’s Son, so that we do not gradually stop believing it.

When the angels spoke God’s law to the people of Israel, what they said was valid. God justly punished all who disobeyed him and violated his law.

Since this is true, we will certainly not escape God; he will certainly judge us if we ignore the good news about how he saves us. It was the Lord Jesus who first told us about this, and the disciples who heard him have assured us that he did so.

God also confirmed to us that this message was true by giving believers power to do mighty deeds that prove these things are true. And the Holy Spirit also gives many gifts to the believers, just as he desires to distribute them.

Jesus like His Brothers

God has not put the angels in charge of the new world he will make, but instead, he is putting Messiah in charge of it.

Someone solemnly spoke to God about this somewhere in the scriptures, saying, “No human being is worthy enough for you to think about him! No human is worthy enough for you to care for him!

You created humans a little less important than the angels, Yet you have greatly honored them, as people honor kings.

You have put everything under their control.” God has determined that mankind will rule over everything. That means that nothing will be left out from him ruling it. But now, at this present time, we do not see mankind ruling over everything.

However, we do know about Jesus, who appeared in this life as a little less important than the angels. Because he suffered and died, God has made him the most important of all. He has made Jesus king over everything, because Jesus died for all mankind. It was because God was so kind to us that this happened.

It was proper that God should make Jesus complete in every way by suffering and dying for us. God is the one who created all things, and he is the one for whom all things exist. And Jesus is the one who enables God to save people.

Jesus, the one who sets his people apart for God, and those same people whom God declares as good before him, are all from the same source, God himself. So Jesus is not embarrassed to proclaim them to be his own brothers and sisters.

The psalmist wrote that Messiah said to God, “I will proclaim to my brothers how awesome you are. I will sing praise to you in the middle of the assembly of believers!”

And a prophet wrote in another scripture passage what Messiah said about God: “I will trust him.” And in another scripture passage, Messiah said about those who are like his children, “I and the children whom God has given me are here.”

So since those whom God calls his children are all human beings, Jesus also became a human being just like them. The devil has the power to cause people to be afraid to die, but Messiah became human so that by his dying and defeating death he might make the devil powerless.

Jesus did this in order to free all of us who, all our lives, could not rid ourselves of the fear of death.

Because Jesus became a human being, it is not angels that he has come to help. No, it is us who trust God as Abraham did whom he wants to help.

So God had to make Jesus to be exactly like us, like his human “brothers.” He became a high priest who acts mercifully to all people and who acts faithfully for God, so he could die for the people’s sins and make a way for God to forgive them.

Jesus is able to help those who are tempted to sin because he himself suffered and was tempted to sin, just as we are tempted to sin.

Therefore we ought to pay greater attention to the things that were heard, lest perhaps we drift away.

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

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,

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?

Jesus like His Brothers

For he didn’t subject the world to come, of which we speak, to angels.

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

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

You have put all things in subjection under his feet.”(b) For in that he subjected all things to him, he left nothing that is not subject to him. But now we don’t yet see all things subjected to him.

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.

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

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,(c)

saying, “I will declare your name to my brothers. Among the congregation I will sing your praise.”(d)

Again, “I will put my trust in him.” Again, “Behold, here I am with the children whom God has given me.”(e)

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

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

For most certainly, he doesn’t give help to angels, but he gives help to the offspring(f) of Abraham.

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.

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

Footnotes

(a)2:7 TR adds “and set him over the works of your hands”

(b)2:8 ℘ Psalms 8:4-6

(c)2:11 The word for “brothers” here and where context allows may also be correctly translated “brothers and sisters” or “siblings.”

(d)2:12 ℘ Psalms 22:22

(e)2:13 ℘ Isaiah 8:18

(f)2:16 or, seed