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;
• 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

1So we must listen very carefully to the truth we have heard, or we may drift away from it. 2For the message God delivered through angels has always stood firm, and every violation of the law and every act of disobedience was punished. 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? 4And God confirmed the message by giving signs and wonders and various miracles and gifts of the Holy Spirit whenever he chose. 5And furthermore, it is not angels who will control the future world we are talking about.

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 4:1God’s promise of entering his rest still stands, so we ought to tremble with fear that some of you might fail to experience it.
• Hebrews 10:28For anyone who refused to obey the law of Moses was put to death without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses.
• Hebrews 12:25Be careful that you do not refuse to listen to the One who is speaking. For if the people of Israel did not escape when they refused to listen to Moses, the earthly messenger, we will certainly not escape if we reject the One who speaks to us from heaven!
• Isaiah 20:6They will say, ‘If this can happen to Egypt, what chance do we have? We were counting on Egypt to protect us from the king of Assyria.’”
• Ezekiel 17:15“Nevertheless, this man of Israel’s royal family rebelled against Babylon, sending ambassadors to Egypt to request a great army and many horses. Can Israel break her sworn treaties like that and get away with it?
• Matthew 23:33Snakes! Sons of vipers! How will you escape the judgment of hell?
• Romans 2:3Since you judge others for doing these things, why do you think you can avoid God’s judgment when you do the same things?
• 1 Thessalonians 5:3When people are saying, “Everything is peaceful and secure,” then disaster will fall on them as suddenly as a pregnant woman’s labor pains begin. And there will be no escape.
• 1 Peter 4:17For the time has come for judgment, and it must begin with God’s household. And if judgment begins with us, what terrible fate awaits those who have never obeyed God’s Good News?
• Revelation 6:16And they cried to the mountains and the rocks, “Fall on us and hide us from the face of the one who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb.
• Hebrews 5:9In this way, God qualified him as a perfect High Priest, and he became the source of eternal salvation for all those who obey him.
• Hebrews 7:25Therefore he is able, once and forever, to save those who come to God through him. He lives forever to intercede with God on their behalf.
• Isaiah 12:2See, God has come to save me. I will trust in him and not be afraid. The Lord God is my strength and my song; he has given me victory.”
• Isaiah 51:5My mercy and justice are coming soon. My salvation is on the way. My strong arm will bring justice to the nations. All distant lands will look to me and wait in hope for my powerful arm.
• Isaiah 62:11The Lord has sent this message to every land: “Tell the people of Israel, ‘Look, your Savior is coming. See, he brings his reward with him as he comes.’”
• Luke 1:69He has sent us a mighty Savior from the royal line 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