English Standard Version
Hebrews 2:3
3how shall we escape if we neglect such a great salvation? It was declared at first by the Lord, and it was attested to us by those who heard,
Hebrews 2:3 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him;
- New International Version (NIV)how shall we escape if we ignore so great a salvation? This salvation, which was first announced by the Lord, was confirmed to us by those who heard him.
- New King James Version (NKJV)how shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation, which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed to us by those who heard Him,
- New Living Translation (NLT)So what makes us think we can escape if we ignore this great salvation that was first announced by the Lord Jesus himself and then delivered to us by those who heard him speak?
Context of Hebrews 2:3
1Therefore we must pay much closer attention to what we have heard, lest we drift away from it. 2For since the message declared by angels proved to be reliable, and every transgression or disobedience received a just retribution, how shall we escape if we neglect such a great salvation? It was declared at first by the Lord, and it was attested to us by those who heard, 4while God also bore witness by signs and wonders and various miracles and by gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed according to his will. 5For it was not to angels that God subjected the world to come, of which we are speaking.
Read all of Hebrews 2Hebrews 2:3 word by word
πῶς ἡμεῖς ἐκφευξόμεθα τηλικαύτης ἀμελήσαντες σωτηρίας; ἥτις ἀρχὴν λαβοῦσα λαλεῖσθαι διὰ τοῦ κυρίου ὑπὸ τῶν ἀκουσάντων εἰς ἡμᾶς ἐβεβαιώθηRead the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Howπῶςpōs · how?!G4459
- shallἐκφεύγωekpheugō · to escapeG1628
- weἐγώegō · I/weG1473
- if we neglectἀμελέωameleo · to neglectG272
- so greatτηλικοῦτοςtēlikoutos tēlikautē · so greatG5082
- salvationσωτηρίαsōtēria · salvationG4991
- whichὅστιςhostis hētis ho6ti · who/whichG3748
- atλαμβάνωlambanō · to takeG2983
- the firstἀρχήarchē · beginningG746
- to be spokenλαλέωlaleō · to speakG2980
- byδιάdia · through/because ofG1223
- the Lordὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- the Lordκύριοςkurios · lord: GodG2962
- was confirmedβεβαιόωbebaioō · to confirmG950
- untoεἰςeis · towardG1519
- byὑπόhupo · by/under: byG5259
- them that heardἀκούωakouō · to hearG191
Cross-references for Hebrews 2:3
- Hebrews 4:1Therefore, while the promise of entering his rest still stands, let us fear lest any of you should seem to have failed to reach it.
- Hebrews 10:28Anyone who has set aside the law of Moses dies without mercy on the evidence of two or three witnesses.
- Hebrews 12:25See that you do not refuse him who is speaking. For if they did not escape when they refused him who warned them on earth, much less will we escape if we reject him who warns from heaven.
- Isaiah 20:6And the inhabitants of this coastland will say in that day, 'Behold, this is what has happened to those in whom we hoped and to whom we fled for help to be delivered from the king of Assyria! And we, how shall we escape?'"
- Ezekiel 17:15But he rebelled against him by sending his ambassadors to Egypt, that they might give him horses and a large army. Will he thrive? Can one escape who does such things? Can he break the covenant and yet escape?
- Matthew 23:33You serpents, you brood of vipers, how are you to escape being sentenced to hell?
- Romans 2:3Do you suppose, O man—you who judge those who practice such things and yet do them yourself—that you will escape the judgment of God?
- 1 Thessalonians 5:3While people are saying, "There is peace and security," then sudden destruction will come upon them as labor pains come upon a pregnant woman, and they will not escape.
- 1 Peter 4:17For it is time for judgment to begin at the household of God; and if it begins with us, what will be the outcome for those who do not obey the gospel of God?
- Revelation 6:16calling to the mountains and rocks, "Fall on us and hide us from the face of him who is seated on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb,
- Hebrews 5:9And being made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation to all who obey him,
- Hebrews 7:25Consequently, he is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them.
- Isaiah 12:2"Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and will not be afraid; for the Lord God is my strength and my song, and he has become my salvation."
- Isaiah 51:5My righteousness draws near, my salvation has gone out, and my arms will judge the peoples; the coastlands hope for me, and for my arm they wait.
- Isaiah 62:11Behold, the Lord has proclaimed to the end of the earth: Say to the daughter of Zion, "Behold, your salvation comes; behold, his reward is with him, and his recompense before him."
- Luke 1:69and has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David,
Commentaries on Hebrews 2:3
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 3How shall we escape - If they who had fewer privileges than we have, to whom God spoke in divers manners by angels and prophets, fell under the displeasure of their Maker, and were often punished with a sore destruction; how shall we escape wrath to the uttermost if we neglect the salvation provided for us, and proclaimed to us by the Son of God? Their offense was high; ours, indescribably higher. The salvation mentioned here is the whole system of…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 3How shall we escape - How shall we escape the just recompense due to transgressors? What way is there of being saved from punishment, if we suffer the great salvation to be neglected, and do not embrace its offers? The sense is, that there is no other way of salvation, and the neglect of this will be followed by certain destruction. why it will, the apostle proceeds to show, by stating that this plan of salvation was proclaimed first by the Lord himself…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 3Why do we think we can avoid consequences? The author emphasizes the serious danger of rejecting Christ and his salvation. There is no escape from punishment for those who turn away, and the punishment will be very severe (see Hebrews 6:4–12; 10:26–31; 12:29; Romans 2:5; 1 Thessalonians 2:16). Salvation means God's actions to help his people. For example, God saved his people when he brought them out of Egypt in the exodus (Deuteronomy 26:5–9). In the New…Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 33. we--who have received the message of salvation so clearly delivered to us (compare He 12:25). so great salvation--embodied in Jesus, whose very name means "salvation," including not only deliverance from foes and from death, and the grant of temporal blessings (which the law promised to the obedient), but also grace of the Spirit, forgiveness of sins, and the promise of heaven, glory, and eternal life (He 2:10). which--"inasmuch as it is a salvation…Read the comment
Topics related to Hebrews 2:3
In the dictionaries
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
English Standard Version — © 2001 Crossway Bibles
Commentaries