Hebrews 2:1
in Hebrews 2We must pay closer attention, therefore, to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things that were heard, lest haply we drift away from them.
KJV
Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard, lest at any time we should let them slip.
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This verse in Hebrews 2
Commentary
5 notes on this verseA commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
Therefore - Greek “On account of this” - Δια τοῦτο Dia touto - that is, on account of the exalted dignity and rank of the Messiah as stated in the previous chapter. The sense is: “Since Christ, the author of the new dispensation, is so far exalted above the prophets, and even the angels, we ought to give the more earnest attention to all that has been spoken.” We ought - It is suitable or proper (Greek δεὶ dei) that we should attend to those things.
This site's exposition
give the more earnest heed
on Hebrews 2:1-2
Therefore marks the first application of the entire opening argument: because the Son is better than the angels, we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things we have heard, lest we drift past them like a boat slipping its mooring, the sense behind let them slip. The comparison in verse 2 reaches back to Jewish tradition that the law at Sinai was given through angelic mediation, a reading Acts 7:53 and Galatians 3:19 both share, and if that word proved stedfast with a just recompence for every transgression, the greater word carries greater weight. The first of the letter's five warnings opens quietly, an exhortation rather than a threat, its force built on the argument chapter 1 has already made.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
Lest we should let them slip - As water out of a leaky vessel. So the Greek word properly signifies.
It is the great concern of every one under the gospel to give the most earnest heed to all gospel discoveries and directions, to prize them highly in his judgment as matters of the greatest importance, to hearken to them diligently in all the opportunities he has for that purpose, to read them frequently, to meditate on them closely, and to mix faith with them.
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
Therefore--Because Christ the Mediator of the new covenant is so far (Heb 1:5-14) above all angels, the mediators of the old covenant. the more earnest--Greek, "the more abundantly." heard--spoken by God (Heb 1:1); and by the Lord (Heb 2:3). let them slip--literally "flow past them" (Heb 4:1).
The words behind it
10 Greek wordsEvery Greek word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Greek | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Διὰ | dia | Because of | G1223 → | 664 times |
| τοῦτο | touto | this | G3778 → | 1381 times |
| δεῖ | dei | it behooves | G1163 → | 101 times |
| περισσοτέρως | perissoteros | more abundantly | G4056 → | |
| προσέχειν | prosechein | to give heed | G4337 → | |
| ἡμᾶς | hemas | us | G3165 → | 1936 times |
| τοῖς | tois | to the [things] | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| ἀκουσθεῖσιν, | akoustheisin | we have heard, | G191 → | 425 times |
| μήποτε | mepote | otherwise | G3361 →G4218 → | 54 times |
| παραρυῶμεν.¶ | pararuomen | we may drift away. | G3901 → |
ΔιὰBecause of
diaG1223 →664 times
τοῦτοthis
toutoG3778 →1381 times
δεῖit behooves
deiG1163 →101 times
περισσοτέρωςmore abundantly
perissoterosG4056 →
προσέχεινto give heed
prosecheinG4337 →
ἡμᾶςus
hemasG3165 →1936 times
τοῖςto the [things]
toisG3588 →19766 times
ἀκουσθεῖσιν,we have heard,
akoustheisinG191 →425 times
μήποτεotherwise
παραρυῶμεν.¶we may drift away.
pararuomenG3901 →
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
5 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Luke 8:15But the seeds on good soil are those with a noble and good heart, who hear the word, cling to it, and by persevering produce a crop.
it leads to
- Hebrews 10:36
You need to persevere, so that after you have done the will of God, you will receive what He has promised.
- Galatians 5:22–26
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
- Colossians 1:10
so that you may walk in a manner worthy of the Lord and may please Him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God,
- Luke 6:45
The good man brings good things out of the good treasure of his heart, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil treasure of his heart. For out of the overflow…
- Colossians 1:6
that has come to you. All over the world this gospel is bearing fruit and growing, just as it has been doing among you since the day you heard it and truly understood the…
- Hebrews 10:36
Where this verse is studied
About Hebrews
This page draws on Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Owen, An Exposition of the Epistle to the Hebrews; John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.