Hebrews 2:3

How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him;

Cross-reference

Hebrews 12:25 repeats the 'escape' warning, contrasting earthly and heavenly warning to reinforce the danger of refusing God.

Hebrews 10:29 describes the severer punishment for trampling Christ, directly expanding the warning here about neglecting salvation.

Hebrews 10:28 cites the death penalty for breaking the Law of Moses, setting up the contrast that neglecting salvation brings greater judgment.

Hebrews 1:2 Historical context

Hebrews 1:2 identifies the Son as God's final speaker, clarifying that 'the Lord' who began this salvation is Jesus Christ.

Hebrews 4:1 Parallel

Hebrews 4:1 urges fear of coming short of God's rest, paralleling the warning here about neglecting so great a salvation.

Hebrews 4:11 calls for diligence to enter rest and avoid disobedience, directly continuing the exhortation against neglecting salvation.

Hebrews 6:9 Contrast

Hebrews 6:9 offers assurance of things that accompany salvation, contrasting the warning in Hebrews 2:3 about neglecting it.

Hebrews 10:27 warns of fiery judgment for adversaries, echoing the warning in Hebrews 2:3 about escaping if we neglect salvation.

Hebrews 5:9 Contrast

Hebrews 5:9 states Christ is author of eternal salvation to those who obey — contrasts with neglecting salvation in Hebrews 2:3.

Hebrews 7:25 says Christ saves to the uttermost those who come through him — contrasts with the warning of neglect, showing the positive alternative.

1 Peter 4:18 asks 'where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear?' — reinforces the hopeless fate of those who neglect salvation.

Acts 2:22 Historical context

Acts 2:22 presents Peter confirming Jesus' miracles and divine approval, exemplifying the apostolic confirmation of the salvation message.

Acts 4:12 Parallel

Acts 4:12 stresses that salvation is only in Jesus' name, reinforcing the exclusivity and greatness of this salvation.

John 15:27 Parallel

John 15:27 shows the apostles were with Jesus from the beginning — precisely the eyewitnesses Hebrews 2:3 says attested to the salvation.

Acts 10:40-42 records Peter's testimony that the risen Christ appeared to chosen witnesses who then preached — exactly the 'attested to us by those who heard' in Hebrews 2:3.

Revelation 6:17 asks 'who shall be able to stand?' — directly parallels the question of escaping the great day of wrath.

John 3:16-18 explains the means and scope of salvation—God's love, belief in the Son—making the greatness explicit.

Luke 24:47 Related theme

Luke 24:47 states repentance and remission of sins are to be preached in Christ's name, detailing the content of the great salvation.

Luke 1:69 Allusion

Luke 1:69 calls Jesus the 'horn of salvation', identifying the person through whom this great salvation came.

Luke 1:2 Parallel

Luke 1:2 mentions eyewitnesses and ministers of the word who delivered the gospel, directly paralleling 'them that heard him'.

Mark 16:15–19 Historical context

Mark 16:15-19 records the apostles' commission to preach the gospel, fulfilling the confirmation by those who heard the Lord.

Mark 1:14 Historical context

Mark 1:14 shows Jesus preaching the gospel after John's imprisonment, matching the start of the Lord's speaking in this verse.

1 Timothy 1:15 states Christ came to save sinners, directly describing the substance of the great salvation.

Matthew 4:17 Historical context

Matthew 4:17 records Jesus beginning to preach repentance and the kingdom, directly illustrating 'began to be spoken by the Lord'.

1 Peter 4:17 asks 'what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel?' — parallels the question of escaping for those who neglect salvation.

Acts 13:31 Parallel

Acts 13:31 identifies the witnesses who saw Jesus after resurrection, who are the same ones that confirmed the salvation message in Hebrews 2:3.

Acts 5:32 Parallel

Acts 5:32 declares the apostles as witnesses of these things, directly supporting the confirmation of salvation by eyewitnesses in Hebrews 2:3.

Acts 4:20 Historical context

Acts 4:20 shows apostles compelled to speak what they saw and heard, confirming the message that Hebrews 2:3 says was confirmed by those who heard Him.

John 8:24 Parallel

John 8:24 warns that dying in sin awaits those who do not believe—echoing the 'how shall we escape' question here.

John 19:35 Historical context

John 19:35 is an eyewitness testimony, exactly the kind of confirmation of the salvation spoken by the Lord as mentioned here.

John 12:48 Parallel

John 12:48 states that rejecting Jesus' words brings judgment—directly aligned with the warning of no escape for neglect.

John 3:36 Parallel

John 3:36 contrasts belief (life) with unbelief (wrath)—directly paralleling the consequence of neglecting this salvation.

John 3:18 Parallel

John 3:18 makes explicit that unbelief brings condemnation—the same danger of neglecting salvation mentioned here.

Luke 9:35 Allusion

Luke 9:35 records God's command to hear Jesus, the very Lord who first spoke this salvation—underscoring the divine authority behind the message.

Matthew 22:5 shows invited guests ignoring the wedding feast — directly comparable to neglecting the great salvation.

Matthew 11:22 pronounces greater judgment on those who saw miracles yet didn't repent — paralleling the greater responsibility of neglecting salvation.

Jeremiah 44:14 declares the disobedient 'shall not escape' — directly paralleling the certainty of judgment for those who neglect God's deliverance.

Job 11:20 Parallel

Job 11:20 states the wicked 'shall not escape' — directly echoing the question 'how shall we escape' and affirming the certainty of judgment.

In Deuteronomy 18:19, God promises to require account from those who ignore the prophet — reinforcing the inescapable judgment for neglecting Christ's message.

Exodus 32:28 records 3,000 slain for idolatry — a concrete example of the 'just retribution' for transgression that Hebrews 2:2-3 contrasts with the greater salvation.

Revelation 6:16 shows people hiding from God's wrath — illustrates the inescapable judgment implied in Hebrews 2:3.

Acts 1:22 Parallel

Acts 1:22 defines a witness as one who accompanied Jesus from baptism to resurrection — the same group that attested the salvation in Hebrews 2:3.

Isaiah 55:6 Parallel

Isaiah 55:6 urges seeking the Lord while He may be found — reflecting the urgency of responding to the great salvation before it's too late.

Revelation 7:10 acclaims salvation to God and the Lamb, revealing the heavenly celebration of the same great salvation mentioned here.

2 Thessalonians 1:8 describes vengeance on those who obey not the gospel, reinforcing the warning in Hebrews 2:3 about neglecting salvation.

1 Corinthians 1:6 speaks of the testimony of Christ being confirmed in believers, echoing the confirmation of salvation in Hebrews 2:3, though with a different focus.

Acts 3:23 Parallel

Acts 3:23 warns of destruction for not heeding the prophet, echoing the warning against neglecting the salvation spoken by the Lord.

Isaiah 62:11 proclaims 'your salvation comes', directly pointing to the coming of Christ's salvation that Hebrews describes.

Isaiah 12:2 Allusion

Isaiah 12:2 declares 'God is my salvation', an OT anticipation of the great salvation spoken of in Hebrews.

Job 36:18 Parallel

Job 36:18 warns that no great ransom can deliver from God's wrath — paralleling the impossibility of escaping if one neglects the great salvation.

Leviticus 24:23 shows the execution of a blasphemer — an example of the law's retribution that Hebrews 2:2-3 says every transgression received, highlighting the greater danger of neglecting salvation.

Exodus 35:2 Contrast

Exodus 35:2 imposes death for Sabbath work — another instance of the severe penalty under the law that Hebrews 2:2-3 uses to argue how much worse neglecting salvation will be.