God’s Word Translation
Hebrews 2:3
3So how will we escape punishment if we reject the important message, the message that God saved us? First, the Lord told this saving message. Then those who heard him confirmed that message.
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.
- English Standard Version (ESV)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,
- 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,
Context of Hebrews 2:3
1For this reason we must pay closer attention to what we have heard. Then we won’t drift away ⌞from the truth⌟. 2After all, the message that the angels brought was reliable, and every violation and act of disobedience was properly punished. So how will we escape punishment if we reject the important message, the message that God saved us? First, the Lord told this saving message. Then those who heard him confirmed that message. 4God verified what they said through miraculous signs, amazing things, other powerful acts, and with other gifts from the Holy Spirit as he wanted. 5He didn’t put the world that will come (about which we are talking) under the angels’ control.
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 4:1God’s promise that we may enter his place of rest still stands. We are afraid that some of you think you won’t enter his place of rest.
- Hebrews 10:28If two or three witnesses accused someone of rejecting Moses’ Teachings, that person was shown no mercy as he was executed.
- Hebrews 12:25Be careful that you do not refuse to listen when God speaks. Your ancestors didn’t escape when they refused to listen to God, who warned them on earth. We certainly won’t escape if we turn away from God, who warns us from heaven.
- Isaiah 20:6When that day comes, those who live on this coastland will say, ‘Look at what has happened to our hope. We ran ⌞to Egypt⌟ for help to be rescued from the king of Assyria. How can we escape?’ ”
- Ezekiel 17:15But the king of Judah rebelled against the king of Babylon by sending his messengers to Egypt to get horses and many soldiers. Will the king of Judah succeed? Will anyone who does such things escape? He can’t break a treaty and go unpunished.
- Matthew 23:33“You snakes! You poisonous snakes! How can you escape being condemned to hell?
- Romans 2:3When you judge people for doing these things but then do them yourself, do you think you will escape God’s judgment?
- 1 Thessalonians 5:3When people say, “Everything is safe and sound!” destruction will suddenly strike them. It will be as sudden as labor pains come to a pregnant woman. They won’t be able to escape.
- 1 Peter 4:17The time has come for the judgment to begin, and it will begin with God’s family. If it starts with us, what will be the end for those who refuse to obey the Good News of God?
- Revelation 6:16They said to the mountains and rocks, “Fall on us, and hide us from the face of the one who sits on the throne and from the anger of the lamb,
- Hebrews 5:9After he had finished his work, he became the source of eternal salvation for everyone who obeys him.
- Hebrews 7:25That is why he is always able to save those who come to God through him. He can do this because he always lives and intercedes for them.
- Isaiah 12:2Look! God is my Savior. I am confident and unafraid, because the Lord is my strength and my song. He is my Savior.”
- Isaiah 51:5My righteousness is near. My salvation is on the way. I will bring justice to people. The coastlands put their hope in me, and they wait eagerly for me.
- Isaiah 62:11The Lord has announced to the ends of the earth: “Tell my people Zion, ‘Your Savior is coming. His reward is with him, and the people he has won arrive ahead of him.’ ”
- Luke 1:69He has raised up a mighty Savior for us in the family 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
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