Hebrews 2:15

Hebrews 2:15 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.
• New International Version (NIV)and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death.
• English Standard Version (ESV)and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery.
• New King James Version (NKJV)and release those who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.

Context of Hebrews 2:15

13And again [He says], “My trust and confident hope will be placed in Him.” And again, “Here I am, I and the children whom God has given Me.” 14Therefore, since [these His] children share in flesh and blood [the physical nature of mankind], He Himself in a similar manner also shared in the same [physical nature, but without sin], so that through [experiencing] death He might make powerless (ineffective, impotent) him who had the power of death—that is, the devil— and [that He] might free all those who through [the haunting] fear of death were held in slavery throughout their lives. 16For, as we all know, He (Christ) does not take hold of [the fallen] angels [to give them a helping hand], but He does take hold of [the fallen] descendants of Abraham [extending to them His hand of deliverance]. 17Therefore, it was essential that He had to be made like His brothers (mankind) in every respect, so that He might [by experience] become a merciful and faithful High Priest in things related to God, to make atonement (propitiation) for the people’s sins [thereby wiping away the sin, satisfying divine justice, and providing a way of reconciliation between God and mankind].

Hebrews 2:15 word by word

καὶ ἀπαλλάξῃ τούτους ὅσοι φόβῳ θανάτου διὰ παντὸς τοῦ ζῆν ἔνοχοι ἦσαν δουλείας.Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Andκαίkai · andG2532
• deliverἀπαλλάσσωapallassō · to releaseG525
• themοὗτοςhoutos houtoi hautē hautai · this/he/she/itG3778
• whoὅσοςhosos · just as/how muchG3745
• through fearφόβοςphobos · fearG5401
• of deathθάνατοςthanatos · deathG2288
• wereεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
• ·διάdia · through/because ofG1223
• allπᾶςpas · allG3956
• theirὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• lifetimeζάωzaō · to liveG2198
• subjectἔνοχοςenochos · liable forG1777
• to bondageδουλείαdouleia · slaveryG1397

Cross-references for Hebrews 2:15

• Job 33:21His flesh is so wasted away that it cannot be seen, And his bones which were not seen now stick out.
• Psalms 33:19To rescue their lives from death And keep them alive in famine.
• Psalms 56:13For You have rescued my soul from death, Yes, and my feet from stumbling, So that I may walk before God In the light of life.
• Psalms 89:48What man can live and not see death? Can he rescue his soul from the [powerful] hand of Sheol (the nether world, the place of the dead)? Selah.
• Luke 1:74To grant us that we, being rescued from the hand of our enemies, Might serve Him without fear,
• 2 Corinthians 1:10He rescued us from so great a threat of death, and will continue to rescue us. On Him we have set our hope. And He will again rescue us [from danger and draw us near],
• Job 18:11Terrors frighten him on every side And chase at his heels.
• Job 24:17For the morning is the same to him as the thick darkness [of midnight]; For he is familiar with the terrors of thick darkness.
• Psalms 55:4My heart is in anguish within me, And the terrors of death have fallen upon me.
• Psalms 73:19How they are destroyed in a moment! They are completely swept away by sudden terrors!
• 1 Corinthians 15:50Now I say this, believers, that flesh and blood cannot inherit nor be part of the kingdom of God; nor does the perishable (mortal) inherit the imperishable (immortal).
• Romans 8:15For you have not received a spirit of slavery leading again to fear [of God’s judgment], but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons [the Spirit producing sonship] by which we [joyfully] cry, “Abba! Father!”
• Galatians 4:21Tell me, you who are bent on being under the Law, do you not listen to [what] the Law [really says]?
• 2 Timothy 1:7For God did not give us a spirit of timidity or cowardice or fear, but [He has given us a spirit] of power and of love and of sound judgment and personal discipline [abilities that result in a calm, well-balanced mind and self-control].

Commentaries on Hebrews 2:15

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 15And deliver them who through fear of death - It is very likely that the apostle has the Gentiles here principally in view. As they had no revelation, and no certainty of immortality, they were continually in bondage to the fear of death. They preferred life in any state, with the most grievous evils, to death, because they had no hope beyond the grave. But it is also true that all men naturally fear death; even those that have the fullest persuasion and…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 15And deliver them - Not all of them “in fact,” though the way is open for all. This deliverance relates: (1) to the dread of death. He came to free them from that. (2) from death itself - that is, ultimately to bring them to a world where death shall be unknown. The dread of death may be removed by the work of Christ, and they who had been subject to constant alarms on account of it may be brought to look on it with calmness and peace; and ultimately they…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 14-18Verses 14-18 The angels fell, and remained without hope or help. Christ never designed to be the Saviour of the fallen angels, therefore he did not take their nature; and the nature of angels could not be an atoning sacrifice for the sin of man. Here is a price paid, enough for all, and suitable to all, for it was in our nature. Here the wonderful love of God appeared, that, when Christ knew what he must suffer in our nature, and how he must die in it…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 14-15The death of the Son of God as a sacrifice for sin weakened the devil's power. It made the devil's power over death ineffective (1 Corinthians 15:56). Philo, a first-century Jewish philosopher, wrote that "nothing enslaves the mind like fearing death" (Philo, That Every Good Person Is Free 3.22). Through his sacrificial death, Christ freed those who were slaves to the fear of dying.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1515. fear of death--even before they had experienced its actual power. all their lifetime--Such a life can hardly be called life. subject to bondage--literally, "subjects of bondage"; not merely liable to it, but enthralled in it (compare Ro 8:15; Ga 5:1). Contrast with this bondage, the glory of the "sons" (He 2:10). "Bondage" is defined by Aristotle, "The living not as one chooses"; "liberty," "the living as one chooses." Christ by delivering us from the…Read the comment

Topics related to Hebrews 2:15

• Afflictions and Adversities
• Death
• Jesus Continued
• Jesus, the Christ
• Righteous
• Salvation
• War

In the dictionaries

• Adoption
• Bondage
• Heed
• Neglect
• Recompense
• Reconciliation
• Taste
• Congregation
• Death
• Ebionism; Ebionites

Commentaries on Hebrews 2

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Illustrated New Testament
• Burkitt’s Expository Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Family Bible Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• The People’s New Testament
• Robertson’s Word Pictures
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings