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

13He also says this: ‘I will trust God completely.’ He says this too: ‘I stand here with the children that God has given me.’ 14So, those people who become God's children are human. They have human bodies. Because of that, Jesus himself became human like us. In that way, when he died he was able to destroy the Devil. It is the Devil who has power over death. Before, we were like slaves all our lives because we were afraid of death. But now, Jesus' death makes us free. 16It is clear that Jesus did not come to help the angels. He came to help people who are from Abraham's family. 17Because of that, it was necessary for Jesus to become completely like us, his brothers and sisters. He had to become God's servant on our behalf, like God's most important priest. In that way, he could serve God well and be kind to us. He died as a sacrifice so that God could forgive us for our sins.

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 33:21Their bodies become very thin. People can even see their bones.
• Psalms 33:19They trust him to keep them safe from death, and to keep them alive during a time of famine.
• Psalms 56:13You have saved my life from death. You keep me safe so that I do not fall. As a result, I will serve you, God, as you give me light to live here on earth.
• Psalms 89:48Nobody can continue to live and never die. Nobody can escape from the power of death.
• Luke 1:74God said, “I will keep you safe from your enemies. Then you can serve me and not be afraid.
• 2 Corinthians 1:10We nearly died, but God saved us from that great danger. We know that we can continue to trust him. He will save us from any future danger.
• Job 18:11Everywhere a wicked person goes, things frighten him. He cannot escape from them.
• Job 24:17They all like to do evil things at night, rather than in the light of morning. They are not afraid of things that happen in the dark, as other people are.
• Psalms 55:4My heart beats fast inside me. Death seems very near, and I am very afraid.
• Psalms 73:19It will take just a moment to destroy them! Great fear will sweep them away!
• 1 Corinthians 15:50I tell you this, my Christian friends. Our weak human bodies cannot go to heaven, to join God in his kingdom there. Our human bodies will die. They cannot share in something that will continue for ever.
• Romans 8:15The Spirit that you have received from God does not make you serve him like slaves. That would make you afraid again. No. The Spirit that God has given to you causes you to become God's children. Now he takes care of you. God's Spirit makes us call God: ‘Abba, our Father.’
• Galatians 4:21I say this to you people who want God's Law to have authority over you. Think carefully about what that Law really says.
• 2 Timothy 1:7Be strong, because God has given us his Spirit. And his Spirit does not cause us to be afraid. Instead, his Spirit causes us to be powerful to serve God. He helps us to love God and other people. And he helps us to control ourselves properly.

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