New Revised Standard NRS
The Bible in Basic English BBE
1 Therefore we must pay greater attention to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away from it.
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For this reason there is the more need for us to give attention to the things which have come to our ears, for fear that by chance we might be slipping away.
2 For if the message declared through angels was valid, and every transgression or disobedience received a just penalty,
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Because if the word which came through the angels was fixed, and in the past every evil act against God's orders was given its full punishment;
3 how can we escape if we neglect so great a salvation? It was declared at first through the Lord, and it was attested to us by those who heard him,
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What will come on us, if we do not give our minds to such a great salvation? a salvation of which our fathers first had knowledge through the words of the Lord, and which was made certain to us by those to whom his words came;
4 while God added his testimony by signs and wonders and various miracles, and by gifts of the Holy Spirit, distributed according to his will.
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And God was a witness with them, by signs and wonders, and by more than natural powers, and by his distribution of the Holy Spirit at his pleasure.
5 Now God did not subject the coming world, about which we are speaking, to angels.
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For he did not make the angels rulers over the world to come, of which I am writing.
6 But someone has testified somewhere, "What are human beings that you are mindful of them, or mortals, that you care for them?
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But a certain writer has given his witness, saying, What is man, that you keep him in mind? what is the son of man, that you take him into account?
7 You have made them for a little while lower than the angels; you have crowned them with glory and honor,
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You made him a little lower than the angels; you gave him a crown of glory and honour, and made him ruler over all the works of your hands:
8 subjecting all things under their feet." Now in subjecting all things to them, God left nothing outside their control. As it is, we do not yet see everything in subjection to them,
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You put all things under his feet. For in making man the ruler over all things, God did not put anything outside his authority; though we do not see everything under him now.
9 but we do see Jesus, who for a little while was made lower than the angels, now crowned with glory and honor because of the suffering of death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone.
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But we see him who was made a little lower than the angels, even Jesus, crowned with glory and honour, because he let himself be put to death so that by the grace of God he might undergo death for all men.
10 It was fitting that God, for whom and through whom all things exist, in bringing many children to glory, should make the pioneer of their salvation perfect through sufferings.
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Because it was right for him, for whom and through whom all things have being, in guiding his sons to glory, to make the captain of their salvation complete through pain.
11 For the one who sanctifies and those who are sanctified all have one Father. For this reason Jesus is not ashamed to call them brothers and sisters,
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For he who makes holy and those who are made holy are all of one family; and for this reason it is no shame for him to give them the name of brothers,
12 saying, "I will proclaim your name to my brothers and sisters, in the midst of the congregation I will praise you."
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Saying, I will give the knowledge of your name to my brothers, I will make a song of praise to you before the church.
13 And again, "I will put my trust in him." And again, "Here am I and the children whom God has given me."
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And again he says, I will put my faith in him. And again, See, I am here, and the children which God has given to me.
14 Since, therefore, the children share flesh and blood, he himself likewise shared the same things, so that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil,
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And because the children are flesh and blood, he took a body himself and became like them; so that by his death he might put an end to him who had the power of death, that is to say, the Evil One;
15 and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by the fear of death.
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And let those who all their lives were in chains because of their fear of death, go free.
16 For it is clear that he did not come to help angels, but the descendants of Abraham.
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For, truly, he does not take on the life of angels, but that of the seed of Abraham.
17 Therefore he had to become like his brothers and sisters in every respect, so that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God, to make a sacrifice of atonement for the sins of the people.
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Because of this it was necessary for him to be made like his brothers in every way, so that he might be a high priest full of mercy and keeping faith in everything to do with God, making offerings for the sins of the people.
18 Because he himself was tested by what he suffered, he is able to help those who are being tested.
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For having been put to the test himself, he is able to give help to others when they are tested.
New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
The Bible in Basic English is in the public domain.