Hebrews 2:1

Warning Against Drifting Away

2:1 Therefore we must pay closer attention to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away.

Hebrews 9:20

9:20 and said, “This is the blood of the covenant that God has commanded you to keep.” ¹ 

Hebrews 13:6

13:6 So we can say with confidence, “The Lord is my helper, and ²  I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?” ³ 

Hebrews 13:22-24

13:22 Now I urge you, brothers and sisters, ⁴  bear with my message of exhortation, for in fact I have written to you briefly. 13:23 You should know that ⁵  our brother Timothy has been released. If he comes soon, he will be with me when I see you. ⁶  13:24 Greetings to all your leaders and all the saints. Those from Italy send you greetings.

Hebrews 2:3

2:3 how will we escape if we neglect such a great salvation? It was first communicated through the Lord and was confirmed to us by those who heard him,

Hebrews 5:12

5:12 For though you should in fact be teachers by this time, ⁷  you need someone to teach you the beginning elements of God’s utterances. ⁸  You have gone back to needing ⁹  milk, not ¹⁰  solid food.

Hebrews 12:25

12:25 Take care not to refuse the one who is speaking! For if they did not escape when they refused the one who warned them on earth, how much less shall we, if we reject the one who warns from heaven?

Hebrews 13:21

13:21 equip you with every good thing to do his will, working in us ¹¹  what is pleasing before him through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever. ¹²  Amen.

¹ tn Grk “which God commanded for you (or in your case).”

¹ tc Some important mss (א* C* P 0285^vid 33 1175 1739 pc lat) lack καί (kai), but because the omission conforms to the wording of Ps 118:6 (117:6 LXX), it is suspect.

² sn A quotation from Ps 118:6.

¹ tn Grk “brothers.” See note on the phrase “brothers and sisters” in 2:11.

¹ tn Grk “Know that” (an imperative).

² tn Grk “has been released, with whom, if he comes soon, I will see you.”

¹ tn Grk “because of the time.”

² tn Grk “the elements of the beginning of the oracles of God.”

³ tn Grk “you have come to have a need for.”

⁴ tc ‡ Most texts, including some early and important ones (א² A B* D Ψ 0122 0278 1881 Ï sy Cl), have καί (kai, “and”) immediately preceding οὐ (ou, “not”), but other equally significant witnesses (Ì⁴⁶ א* B² C 33 81 1739 lat Or Did) lack the conjunction. As it was a natural tendency for scribes to add a coordinating conjunction, the καί appears to be a motivated reading. On balance, it is probably best to regard the shorter reading as authentic. NA²⁷ has καί in brackets, indicating doubts as to its authenticity.

¹ tc Some mss (C P Ψ 6 629* 630 1505 pm latt sy^h) read ὑμῖν (Jumin, “in you”) here, but ἡμῖν (Jhmin) has stronger external support (Ì⁴⁶ א A D^vid K 0243 0285 33 81 104 326 365 629^c 1175 1739 1881 pm sy^p co). It is also more likely that ἡμῖν would have been changed to ὑμῖν in light of the “you” which occurs at the beginning of the verse than vice versa.

² tc ‡ Most mss (א A [C*] 0243 0285 33 1739 1881 Ï latt) include the words “and ever” here, but the shorter reading (supported by Ì⁴⁶ C³ D Ψ 6 104 365 1505 al) is preferred on internal grounds. It seemed more likely that scribes would assimilate the wording to the common NT doxological expression “for ever and ever,” found especially in the Apocalypse (cf., e.g., 1 Tim 1:17; 2 Tim 4:18; Rev 4:9; 22:5) than to the “forever” of Heb 13:8. Nevertheless, a decision is difficult here. NA²⁷ places the phrase in brackets, indicating doubts as to its authenticity.