‏ Hebrews 2

1Therefore we must give still more heed to what we were taught, so we do not drift away. 2For, 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, 3how 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, 4while 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 God has not given to angels the control of that future world of which we are speaking! 6No; a writer has declared somewhere — ‘What are mere mortals that you should remember them?
Or human beings that you should care for them?
7You have made them, for a while, lower than angels;
With glory and honour you have crowned them;
You have set them over all that your hands have made;
8You have placed all things beneath their feet.’
This ‘placing of everything’ under humanity means that there was nothing which was not placed under them. As yet, however, we do not see everything placed under humanity.
9What 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 humanity. 10It was, indeed, fitting that God, for whom and through whom all things exist, should, when leading many children to glory, make the author of their salvation perfect through suffering. 11For he who purifies, and those whom he purifies, all spring from One; and therefore he is not ashamed to call them his brothers and sisters.’ 12He says — ‘I will tell of your name to my brothers and sisters,
In the midst of the congregation I will sing your praise.’
13And 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.’
14Therefore, 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 — 15and so might deliver all those who, from fear of death, had all their lives been living in slavery. 16It was not, surely, to the help of the angels that Jesus came, but ‘to the help of the descendants of Abraham.’ 17And consequently it was necessary that he should in all points be made like ‘his brothers and sisters,’ in order that he might prove a merciful as well as a faithful high priest in humanity’s relations with God, for the purpose of expiating the sins of his people. 18The fact that he himself suffered under temptation enables him to help those who are tempted.
Copyright information for OEBc