Hebrews 2:3

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;
• 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,
• 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

1We must pay the most careful attention, therefore, to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away. 2For since the message spoken through angels was binding, and every violation and disobedience received its just punishment, 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. 4God also testified to it by signs, wonders and various miracles, and by gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed according to his will. 5It is not to angels that he has subjected the world to come, about which we are speaking.

Hebrews 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, since the promise of entering his rest still stands, let us be careful that none of you be found to have fallen short of it.
• Hebrews 10:28Anyone who rejected the law of Moses died without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses.
• Hebrews 12:25See to it that you do not refuse him who speaks. If they did not escape when they refused him who warned them on earth, how much less will we, if we turn away from him who warns us from heaven?
• Isaiah 20:6In that day the people who live on this coast will say, ‘See what has happened to those we relied on, those we fled to for help and deliverance from the king of Assyria! How then can we escape?’ ”
• Ezekiel 17:15But the king rebelled against him by sending his envoys to Egypt to get horses and a large army. Will he succeed? Will he who does such things escape? Will he break the treaty and yet escape?
• Matthew 23:33“You snakes! You brood of vipers! How will you escape being condemned to hell?
• Romans 2:3So when you, a mere human being, pass judgment on them and yet do the same things, do you think you will escape God’s judgment?
• 1 Thessalonians 5:3While people are saying, “Peace and safety,” destruction will come on them suddenly, as labor pains on a pregnant woman, and they will not escape.
• 1 Peter 4:17For it is time for judgment to begin with God’s household; and if it begins with us, what will the outcome be for those who do not obey the gospel of God?
• Revelation 6:16They called to the mountains and the rocks, “Fall on us and hide us from the face of him who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb!
• Hebrews 5:9and, once made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him
• Hebrews 7:25Therefore he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them.
• Isaiah 12:2Surely God is my salvation; I will trust and not be afraid. The Lord, the Lord himself, is my strength and my defense; he has become my salvation.”
• Isaiah 51:5My righteousness draws near speedily, my salvation is on the way, and my arm will bring justice to the nations. The islands will look to me and wait in hope for my arm.
• Isaiah 62:11The Lord has made proclamation to the ends of the earth: “Say to Daughter Zion, ‘See, your Savior comes! See, his reward is with him, and his recompense accompanies him.’ ”
• Luke 1:69He 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

• Escape
• Jesus Continued
• Judgment
• Judgments
• Punishment
• Salvation
• Sin
• Testimony
• Wicked (People)
• Word of God

In the dictionaries

• Bondage
• Heed
• Neglect
• Recompense
• Reconciliation
• Salvation
• Taste
• Congregation
• Ebionism; Ebionites
• Eschatology of the New Testament

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