Hebrews 2

¹For this reason we must pay much closer attention to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away. ²For if the word spoken through angels proved firm, and every transgression and disobedience received a just repayment, ³how will we escape if we neglect so great a salvation? It began to be spoken through the Lord and was confirmed to us by those who heard, ⁴while God bore witness with signs and wonders and various deeds of power and distributions of the Holy Spirit according to his will.

⁵For it was not to angels that he subjected the inhabited world to come, about which we are speaking. ⁶But someone testified somewhere, saying, “What is a human being that you remember him, or a son of man that you care for him? ⁷You made him lower than the angels for a little while; you crowned him with glory and honor; ⁸you subjected all things beneath his feet.” For in subjecting all things, he left nothing unsubjected to him. Yet now we do not see all things subjected to him. ⁹But we see Jesus, who was made lower than the angels for a little while, crowned with glory and honor because of the suffering of death, so that apart from God he might taste death on behalf of everyone.

¹⁰For it was fitting for him, for whom and through whom all things exist, in bringing many sons to glory, to bring the pioneer of their salvation to completion through sufferings. ¹¹For the one who makes holy and those who are made holy are all from one. That is why he is not ashamed to call them brothers, ¹²saying, “I will announce your name to my brothers; in the midst of the assembly I will sing your praise.” ¹³And again, “I will put my trust in him.” And again, “Here I am, and the children God has given me.”

¹⁴Since, then, the children share in blood and flesh, he too partook of the same, so that through death he might render powerless the one who holds the power of death, that is, the devil, ¹⁵and free all those who through fear of death were subject to slavery throughout their lives. ¹⁶For surely it is not angels he takes hold of, but Abraham's seed he takes hold of. ¹⁷Therefore he had to be made like his brothers in every respect, so that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in matters relating to God, to make atonement for the sins of the people. ¹⁸For because he himself suffered when tested, he is able to help those who are being tested.

Translation notes 5

2:1–4 — Hearing and witness. “Drift away” retains the image in the warning. The word spoken through angels refers to the giving of the law, understood as involving angelic mediation. “Distributions of the Holy Spirit” may mean the Spirit's gifts or the Spirit given to people; the wording does not specify a list of gifts.

2:6–8 — Humanity and Jesus. The quotation is Psalm 8:4–6. “A son of man” preserves its human-family expression, which the argument applies to Jesus. “For a little while” can also mean “a little lower,” describing degree rather than duration. Some witnesses add after verse 7, “and you appointed him over the works of your hands.” The draft follows the shorter Greek base. The repeated language of subjection is deliberate.

2:9 — Apart from God. The Greek base reads “apart from God,” a difficult and sparsely preserved reading with ancient support. The much more widely attested alternative is “by God's grace,” printed in most Greek editions and familiar English translations. “Apart from God” may concern Jesus' experience of abandonment; another interpretation is “for everyone except God.” The text is retained provisionally without adding an explanation of separation within God. “Taste death” means undergo death, not merely sample it. The purpose clause looks back to Jesus' being made lower and suffering, rather than requiring his crowning to precede his death.

2:10–13 — Completion and family. Bringing the pioneer to completion means fitting him for his saving work through suffering; it does not say he was morally sinful. “All from one” leaves the source unspecified, most naturally God, with shared human origin another interpretation. “Sons” and “brothers” retain the family language while including the whole believing community. The quotations come from Psalm 22:22 and Isaiah 8:17–18.

2:14–18 — Flesh, seed, and help. The source places “blood” before “flesh.” Taking hold of Abraham's seed pictures help or rescue; it does not explicitly say “take on the nature of.” “Seed” means descendants. Making atonement concerns dealing with the people's sins before God; the wording does not select a complete theory of atonement. “Tested” also allows the sense “tempted,” which is significant again at 4:15.