1 B ecause of this it behoveth more abundantly to take heed to the things heard, lest we may glide aside,

Since all this is true, we ought to pay much closer attention than ever to the truths that we have heard, lest in any way we drift past and slip away.

2 f or if the word being spoken through messengers did become stedfast, and every transgression and disobedience did receive a just recompense,

For if the message given through angels was authentic and proved sure, and every violation and disobedience received an appropriate (just and adequate) penalty,

3 h ow shall we escape, having neglected so great salvation? which a beginning receiving -- to be spoken through the Lord -- by those having heard was confirmed to us,

How shall we escape if we neglect and refuse to pay attention to such a great salvation ? For it was declared at first by the Lord, and it was confirmed to us and proved to be real and genuine by those who personally heard.

4 G od also bearing joint-witness both with signs and wonders, and manifold powers, and distributions of the Holy Spirit, according to His will.

it was also established and plainly endorsed by God, Who showed His approval of it by signs and wonders and various miraculous manifestations of power and by imparting the gifts of the Holy Spirit according to His own will.

5 F or not to messengers did He subject the coming world, concerning which we speak,

For it was not to angels that God subjected the habitable world of the future, of which we are speaking.

6 a nd one in a certain place did testify fully, saying, `What is man, that Thou art mindful of him, or a son of man, that Thou dost look after him?

It has been solemnly and earnestly said in a certain place, What is man that You are mindful of him, or the son of man that You graciously and helpfully care for and visit and look after him?

7 T hou didst make him some little less than messengers, with glory and honour Thou didst crown him, and didst set him over the works of Thy hands,

For some little time You have ranked him lower than and inferior to the angels; You have crowned him with glory and honor and set him over the works of Your hands,

8 a ll things Thou didst put in subjection under his feet,' for in the subjecting to him the all things, nothing did He leave to him unsubjected, and now not yet do we see the all things subjected to him,

For You have put everything in subjection under his feet. Now in putting everything in subjection to man, He left nothing outside control. But at present we do not yet see all things subjected to him.

9 a nd him who was made some little less than messengers we see -- Jesus -- because of the suffering of the death, with glory and honour having been crowned, that by the grace of God for every one he might taste of death.

But we are able to see Jesus, Who was ranked lower than the angels for a little while, crowned with glory and honor because of His having suffered death, in order that by the grace (unmerited favor) of God He might experience death for every individual person.

10 F or it was becoming to Him, because of whom the all things, and through whom the all things, many sons to glory bringing, the author of their salvation through sufferings to make perfect,

For it was an act worthy and fitting that He, for Whose sake and by Whom all things have their existence, in bringing many sons into glory, should make the Pioneer of their salvation perfect through suffering.

11 f or both he who is sanctifying and those sanctified all of one, for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren,

For both He Who sanctifies and those who are sanctified all have one. For this reason He is not ashamed to call them brethren;

12 s aying, `I will declare Thy name to my brethren, in the midst of an assembly I will sing praise to Thee;' and again, `I will be trusting on Him;'

For He says, I will declare Your name to My brethren; in the midst of the congregation I will sing hymns of praise to You.

13 a nd again, `Behold I and the children that God did give to me.'

And again He says, My trust and assured reliance and confident hope shall be fixed in Him. And yet again, Here I am, I and the children whom God has given Me.

14 S eeing, then, the children have partaken of flesh and blood, he himself also in like manner did take part of the same, that through death he might destroy him having the power of death -- that is, the devil --

Since, therefore, children share in flesh and blood, He in a similar manner partook of the same, that by death He might bring to nought and make of no effect him who had the power of death—that is, the devil—

15 a nd might deliver those, whoever, with fear of death, throughout all their life, were subjects of bondage,

And also that He might deliver and completely set free all those who through the fear of death were held in bondage throughout the whole course of their lives.

16 f or, doubtless, of messengers it doth not lay hold, but of seed of Abraham it layeth hold,

For, as we all know, He did not take hold of angels '> the fallen angels, to give them a helping and delivering hand], but He did take hold of '> the fallen] descendants of Abraham.

17 w herefore it did behove him in all things to be made like to the brethren, that he might become a kind and stedfast chief-priest in the things with God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people,

So it is evident that it was essential that He be made like His brethren in every respect, in order that He might become a merciful (sympathetic) and faithful High Priest in the things related to God, to make atonement and propitiation for the people’s sins.

18 f or in that he suffered, himself being tempted, he is able to help those who are tempted.

For because He Himself has suffered in being tempted (tested and tried), He is able to run to the cry of (assist, relieve) those who are being tempted and tested and tried.