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
14 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
We must pay closer attention
on Hebrews 2:1-2
The word therefore makes chapter 1 the ground of the letter's first warning, so that we do not drift away. Verse 2 recalls the law given through angels, as Acts 7:53 and Galatians 3:19 also say, and the Son's greater word carries greater weight.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers5 voices
Because, he says, the one who has spoken to us, the Son, is so much greater than the prophets and the angels who served in the Old Testament, we must pay closer attention to what has been spoken by him, rather than as we were …
And having spoken concerning the Son, both what related to the Economy, and what related to the Creation, and to His sovereignty, and having shown His co-equal dignity, and that as absolute Master He ruleth not men only but also the powers above, he next exhorts them, having made out his argument, that we ought to give heed to the things which have been heard. "Wherefore we ought to give more earnest heed" (saith he) "to the things which we have heard." Why "more earnest"? Here he meant "more earnest" than to the Law: but he suppressed the actual expression of it, and yet makes it plain in the course of reasoning, not in the way of counsel, nor of exhortation. For so it was better.
Why ought we to "give more earnest heed to the things which we have heard"? were not those former things of God, as well as these? Either then he meaneth "more earnest" than [to] the Law, or "very earnest"; not making comparison, God forbid. For since, on account of the long space of time, they had a great opinion of the Old Covenant, but these things had been despised as yet new, he proves (more than his argument required) that we ought rather to give heed to these. How? By saying in effect, Both these and those are of God, but not in a like manner. And this he shows us afterwards: but for the present he treats it somewhat superficially, but afterwards more clearly, saying "For if that first covenant had been faultless", and many other such things: "for that which decayeth and waxeth old is ready to vanish away." But as yet he ventures not to say any such thing in the beginning of his discourse, nor until he shall have first occupied and possessed his hearer by his fuller [arguments]. Why then ought we "to give more earnest heed"? "Lest at any time," saith he, "we should let them slip" - that is, lest at any time we should perish, lest we should fall away. And here he shows the grievousness of this falling away, in that it is a difficult thing for that which hath fallen away to return again, inasmuch as it hath happened through wilful negligence. And he took this form of speech from the Proverbs. For, saith he, "my son [take heed] lest thou fall away," showing both the easiness of the fall, and the grievousness of the ruin. That is, our disobedience is not without danger. And while by his mode of reasoning he shows that the chastisement is greater, yet again he leaves it in the form of a question, and not in the conclusion. […]
The design of Judas, also, respecting the betrayal of our Lord and Saviour, did not originate in the wickedness of his mind alone. For Scripture testifies that the "devil had already put it into his heart to betray Him." And therefore Solomon rightly commanded, saying, "Keep thy heart with all diligence."
A commentator
Ephrem the SyrianCOMMENTARY ON THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS · Written before 373.
proposed
"Therefore we must pay the closer attention to what we have heard" from the Son, "lest we drift away" just like the former people. "If," because of that message declared through the angel in Sodom, those who did not want to listen to it "received …
7 more voices on this verse
The Medieval Church2 voices
Since, he says, so great is the superiority of the Son who spoke to us over the prophets and angels, the ministers of the Old Testament, what He said must be heeded more than the law. But he did not say this directly, so as …
89. – After showing in a number of ways Christ's superiority over the angels, the Apostle here concludes that Christ's doctrine, namely, the New Testament, deserves more obedience than the Old Testament. In regard to this he does three things: first, he states the conclusion …
The Puritans and the Awakening3 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.
Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed,....
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
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).
Therefore - Because God has spoken to us by his Son; and because that Son is so great and glorious a personage; and because the subject which is addressed to us is of such infinite importance to our welfare. We ought to give the more earnest heed - We should hear the doctrine of Christ with care, candour, and deep concern. Lest at any time we should let them slip - Μη ποτε παραρῥυωμεν· “Lest at any time we should leak out.” This is a metaphor taken from unstanch vessels; the staves not being close together, the fluid put into them leaks through the chinks and crevices. Superficial hearers lose the benefit of the word preached, as the unseasoned vessel does its fluid; nor can any one hear to the saving of his soul, unless he give most earnest heed, which he will not do unless he consider the dignity of the speaker, the importance of the subject, and the absolute necessity of the salvation of his soul. St. Chrysostom renders it μη ποτε απολωμεθα, εκπεσωμεν, lest we perish, lest we fall away.
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
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About Hebrews
This page draws on 13 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Ephrem the Syrian, COMMENTARY ON THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Chrysostom, Homily on Hebrews 3; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); John Owen, An Exposition of the Epistle to the Hebrews; John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament; Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible; Oecumenius, The Pseudo-Oecumenian Catena on Hebrews; Origen of Alexandria, ON FIRST PRINCIPLES 3.2.4; Theophylact of Ohrid, Commentary on Hebrews and Thomas Aquinas, Commentary on Hebrews.