Heb 2 | EE | STEP | So we must be very careful. We must continue to remember the message that we have heard about God’s Son. Then we will not go in the wrong direction, and turn away from God.

Hebrews 2

Do not turn away from God’s message

1 So we must be very careful. We must continue to remember the message that we have heard about God’s Son. Then we will not go in the wrong direction, and turn away from God. 2 The message that God spoke by angels was certainly powerful. God punished people when they did not obey the Laws that he gave to Moses. In a completely right way he punished people who did anything wrong. ^{▼▼2:2 The Bible says that an angel had God’s Law to Moses on Sinai mountain many years ago. See Exodus 19 and 20, Acts 7:38,53 and Galatians 3:19.}

3 As for us, God has shown us the way in which he will save us from our sins. So we must not forget God’s message about his great way to save us. If we do, he will certainly punish us. The Lord Jesus himself first spoke that message about how God would save people. Then the people who heard him told the message to us. That is how we know that it is true. 4 God himself also showed clearly that what these people said is true. He did many miracles and powerful things which showed that he was with them. He also helped them with gifts from the Holy Spirit, in the way that he wanted. ^{▼▼2:4 The writer wrote this letter only 30-40 years after Jesus died. The writer had heard about Jesus from other people who had met Jesus himself. They had listened to him while he taught them.}

Jesus became a human person like us, to save us

5 We are speaking about the new world that will come. God did not choose angels to rule over that world. 6 No. Instead, someone wrote this somewhere in the Bible:

‘Lord God, why do you even think about human people?
You take care of men and women,
even though they do not seem to be important.
7 For a short time you made them less important than the angels
But then you made them great and powerful, like kings.
8 You caused them to rule over everything.’ ^{▼▼2:8 This is what David wrote in the Bible. See Psalm 8:6-8.}

It says that God has caused people to rule over everything. That means that there is nothing that people do not have authority over. But at this time, we do not yet see that people rule over everything. 9 But we do see Jesus! God made him less important than the angels for a short time. And now God has made him the great and powerful king. God did this because Jesus died as a sacrifice on behalf of all people. His death showed that God is very kind. ^{▼▼2:9 The writer is saying that the words from this Psalm are speaking about Jesus.}

10 It was right that God should bring Jesus back to heaven as King. All things belong to God, and he causes all things to continue. God wanted many people to become his children. He wanted them to live with him in heaven. Jesus made this possible because he died with much pain as a sacrifice. 11 Jesus is the one who makes people clean in front of God. Jesus himself and all the people that he makes clean have the same Father. So, Jesus is not ashamed to call all those people his brothers and sisters. 12 He says this to God about it:

‘I will tell my brothers and sisters that you are great.
When your people meet together,
I will stand with them,
and I will praise you with songs.’ ^{▼▼2:12 See Psalms 22:22.}

13 He also says this: ‘I will trust God completely.’

He says this too: ‘I stand here with the children that God has given me.’ ^{▼▼2:13 These words are in Isaiah 8:17-18. The writer takes all these words from the Old Testament as if Jesus is speaking them. They show that Jesus thinks about us as his family. He became a human person, like us. As a man, Jesus had to trust God. He believed that God would bring him safely through great trouble, and death. He believed that, after his death, God would bring him back to heaven.}

14 So, those people who become God’s children are human people. They have human bodies. Because of that, Jesus himself became a human person like us. In that way, when he died he was able to destroy the Devil. It is the Devil who has power over death. 15 Before, we were like slaves all our lives because we were afraid of death. But now, Jesus’ death makes us free. 16 It is clear that Jesus did not come to help the angels. He came as a human person to help people who are from Abraham’s family. ^{▼▼2:16 Abraham was the ancestor of God’s people in the Old Testament. He chose to believe God, even when that was very difficult. So, he is like the father of everyone else who believes in God. In this verse, ‘people who are from Abraham’s family’ means people who believe in Jesus. See John 8:39, Hebrews 11:8-12,17-19 and Genesis 15:1-6.}

17 Because of that, it was necessary for Jesus to become completely like us, his brothers and sisters. He had to become God’s servant on our behalf, like God’s most important priest. In that way he could serve God well and be kind to us. He died as a sacrifice so that God could forgive us for our sins. 18 While Jesus lived on earth, the Devil tried to make him do wrong things. This caused Jesus to have much pain and trouble. But because of that, he can now help us not to do wrong things.