(Tap footnote to read it. Old Testament quotations are underlined. "Love" with a caret ("^love") is agapé.1"agapé" The Greek words ἀγάπη (agapé, noun), and ἀγαπάω (agapaó; verb) are typically translated "love". However, unlike our English word "love" – which primarily speaks of affection and feelings – agapé centers on choice and behavior. It’s the "love" based on will, choice, behavior, and action; not feelings. (Feelings-based love is the Greek word φιλέω (phileó), which properly means "brotherly love/affection".) Thus, you could hate someone passionately and still treat him with "agapé". Agapé "love" is best understood as the pursuit of what is most beneficial to someone or something, regardless of the cost to yourself or the type of response received from the person or thing. It can also indicate a preference for someone or something over other things. )
Pay attention, lest we drift away
- Because of this, it’s abundantly necessary for us to pay attention to the things we heard, lest we drift away at some time.
- For if the word spoken through angels was dependable, and every deliberate sin and disobedience received a just recompense,
- how will we escape after having carelessly disregarded so great a salvation? (Which first began to be declared by the Lord) And having received it, it was confirmed for us by the men who heard.
- God is testifying together with them in both signs and wonders, and various miracles, and distributions of the Holy Spirit according to His will.
- For it wasn’t to angels that He subjected the world about to come, about which we speak.
- But someone solemnly testified somewhere, saying: “What is man that you remember him; or a son of man that you care for him?“
- “You made him lower than the angels for a short time, you crowned him with glory and honor [and you appointed him over the works of your hands.]“
- “You made all things subject under his feet.”1quotation/allusion to Psalm 8:4-6 For to subject all things to him, He left nothing not subject to him. But at present, we don’t yet see that all things have been subjected to him.
- But having been *made lower than the angels for a little while, we see that Jesus has been crowned with glory and honor because of the suffering of death, so that He might taste death for everyone by God’s grace.
Jesus made like His brothers
- For it was fitting for Him – because of whom are all things, and through whom are all things – to perfect the author of their salvation through sufferings, having brought many sons to glory.
- For both the One making them holy and the men being made holy are all from One Father. For that reason He isn’t ashamed to call them brothers,
- saying: “I will declare your name to My brothers, I will sing hymns of praise to you in the midst of the assembly2“assembly” this Greek word is usually translated “church”, but can be translated either way depending on the context.”3quotation/allusion to Psalm 22:22
- And again: “I will be *trusting in Him.”4quotation/allusion to Isaiah 8:17 And again: “Behold, I and the children whom God gave to Me.”5quotation/allusion to Isaiah 8:17
- Therefore, since the children have shared blood and flesh, He also similarly took part in the same, so through His death He might nullify the one holding the power of death (that is, the Accuser)
- and might release those who were being bound in slavery through fear of death throughout their whole time to live.
- For surely He doesn’t help angels, but He helps Abraham’s seed.
- Therefore, He was obligated to be made like His brothers in all things, so He might become a merciful and faithful high priest in the things pertaining to God, in order to bring reconciliation because of the sins of the people.
- For in that He Himself has suffered when He was tempted, He is able to come to the aid of the men being tempted.
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