Hebrews, 2

1. Therefore, we must attend all the more to what we have heard, so that we may not be carried away.

1. We ought, then, to turn our minds more attentively than before to what we have been taught, so that we do not drift away.

2. For if the word announced through angels proved firm, and every transgression and disobedience received its just recompense,

2. If a message that was spoken through angels proved to be so reliable that every infringement and disobedience brought its own proper punishment,

3. how shall we escape if we ignore so great a salvation? Announced originally through the Lord, it was confirmed for us by those who had heard.

3. then we shall certainly not go unpunished if we neglect such a great salvation. It was first announced by the Lord himself, and is guaranteed to us by those who heard him;

4. God added his testimony by signs, wonders, various acts of power, and distribution of the gifts of the holy Spirit according to his will.

4. God himself confirmed their witness with signs and marvels and miracles of all kinds, and by distributing the gifts of the Holy Spirit in the various ways he wills.

5. For it was not to angels that he subjected the world to come, of which we are speaking.

5. It was not under angels that he put the world to come, about which we are speaking.

6. Instead, someone has testified somewhere: "What is man that you are mindful of him, or the son of man that you care for him?

6. Someone witnesses to this somewhere with the words: What are human beings that you spare a thought for them, a child of Adam that you care for him?

7. You made him for a little while lower than the angels; you crowned him with glory and honor,

7. For a short while you have made him less than the angels; you have crowned him with glory and honour,

8. subjecting all things under his feet." In "subjecting" all things (to him), he left nothing not "subject to him." Yet at present we do not see "all things subject to him,"

8. put all things under his feet. For in putting all things under him he made no exceptions. At present, it is true, we are not able to see that all things are under him,

9. but we do see Jesus "crowned with glory and honor" because he suffered death, he who "for a little while" was made "lower than the angels," that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone.

9. but we do see Jesus, who was for a short while made less than the angels, now crowned with glory and honour because he submitted to death; so that by God's grace his experience of death should benefit all humanity.

10. For it was fitting that he, for whom and through whom all things exist, in bringing many children to glory, should make the leader to their salvation perfect through suffering.

10. It was fitting that God, for whom and through whom everything exists, should, in bringing many sons to glory, make perfect through suffering the leader of their salvation.

11. He who consecrates and those who are being consecrated all have one origin. Therefore, he is not ashamed to call them "brothers,"

11. For consecrator and consecrated are all of the same stock; that is why he is not ashamed to call them brothers

12. saying: "I will proclaim your name to my brothers, in the midst of the assembly I will praise you";

12. in the text: I shall proclaim your name to my brothers, praise you in full assembly; or in the text:

13. and again: "I will put my trust in him"; and again: "Behold, I and the children God has given me."

13. I shall put my hope in him; followed by Look, I and the children whom God has given me.

14. Now since the children share in blood and flesh, he likewise shared in them, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil,

14. Since all the children share the same human nature, he too shared equally in it, so that by his death he could set aside him who held the power of death, namely the devil,

15. and free those who through fear of death had been subject to slavery all their life.

15. and set free all those who had been held in slavery all their lives by the fear of death.

16. Surely he did not help angels but rather the descendants of Abraham;

16. For it was not the angels that he took to himself; he took to himself the line of Abraham.

17. therefore, he had to become like his brothers in every way, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest before God to expiate the sins of the people.

17. It was essential that he should in this way be made completely like his brothers so that he could become a compassionate and trustworthy high priest for their relationship to God, able to expiate the sins of the people.

18. Because he himself was tested through what he suffered, he is able to help those who are being tested.

18. For the suffering he himself passed through while being put to the test enables him to help others when they are being put to the test.