1 This is why we must pay much closer attention to the message once heard, to keep from drifting to one side.
2 For if the message spoken through angels proved to be valid, and every violation and infraction of it had its adequate penalty,
3 how can we escape, if we pay no attention at all to a salvation that is so great? This is so because it was first proclaimed by the Lord Himself, and then it was proved to us to be valid by the very men who heard Him themselves,
4 while God continued to confirm their testimony with signs, marvels, and various sorts of wonder-works, and with gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed in accordance with His will.
5 For it was not to angels that He gave authority over that world to be, of which we are speaking.
6 For someone somewhere has solemnly said: "What is man that you should think of him, or the Son of Man that you should care for Him?
7 You made Him inferior to angels for a little while, yet you have crowned Him with glory and honor, you have set Him over the works of your hands,
8 You have put all things under His feet!" Now when He gave Him authority over everything, He did not leave a single thing that was not put under His authority. But as yet we do not see everything actually under His authority,
9 but we do see Jesus, who was made inferior to the angels for a little while, crowned with glory and honor because He suffered death, so that by God's favor He might experience death for every human being.
10 For it was appropriate for Him, who is the Final Goal and the First Cause of the universe, in bringing many children to glory, to make the Leader in their salvation perfect through the process of sufferings.
11 For both He who is purifying them and those who are being purified all spring from one Father; so He is not ashamed to call them brothers,
12 when He says: "I will announce your name to my brothers; in the midst of the congregation I will sing your praise";
13 and again, "I too will put my trust in God"; and again, "Here I am and the children God has given me."
14 Since then the children mentioned share our mortal nature, He too took on Himself a full share of the same, in order that He by His death might put a stop to the power of him who has the power of death, that is, the devil,
15 and set at liberty those who all their lifetime had been subject to slavery because of their dread of death.
16 For of course it is not angels but descendants of Abraham that He is to help.
17 Therefore He had to be made like His brothers, so that He could be a sympathetic High Priest, as well as a faithful one, in things relating to God, in order to atone for the people's sins.
18 For inasmuch as He has suffered Himself by being tempted, He is able to give immediate help to any that are tempted.