Hebrews 2:14 · Bible study
Hebrews 2:14 Commentary: Christ's Death Destroys the Devil's Power
Greek · 11 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
How Christ's incarnation and death defeated the devil's power over death, liberating believers from fear. A study of Hebrews 2:14.
Research Summary
- Meaning: Christ's incarnation and death rendered the devil's power over death inoperative for believers, liberating them from the fear of dying.
- Key words: κεκοινώνηκεν (perfect, permanent human condition of the redeemed); μετέσχεν (aorist, historic act of incarnation); καταργήσῃ (render powerless, not annihilate); κράτος (dominion, sovereignty of which death is the realm).
- Main debate: Whether the devil is annihilated or merely rendered powerless, all supplied commentators agree on the latter, emphasizing that his ability to accuse and enslave through fear is destroyed.
- Theological theme: Christus Victor, Christ's victory over evil and death through his own death, freeing humanity from bondage.
- Best use: Comfort for those wrestling with fear of death; assurance of Christ's full solidarity with humanity; foundation for preaching on Christ's atoning work and victory over Satan.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
Now since the children have flesh and blood, He too shared in their humanity, so that by His death He might destroy him who holds the power of death, that is, the devil,
WEB World English Bible 2000
Since then the children have shared in flesh and blood, he also himself in the same way partook of the same, that through death he might bring to nothing him who had the power of death, that is, the devil,
KJV King James Version 1769
Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil;
ASV American Standard Version 1901
Since then the children are sharers in flesh and blood, he also himself in like manner partook of the same; that through death he might bring to nought him that had the power of death, that is, the devil;
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
Seeing, then, the children have partaken of flesh and blood, he himself also in like manner did take part of the same, that through death he might destroy him having the power of death--that is, the devil--
Darby Darby Bible 1890
Since therefore the children partake of blood and flesh, he also, in like manner, took part in the same, that through death he might annul him who has the might of death, that is, the devil;
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
Therefore because the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself in like manner hath been partaker of the same: that, through death, he might destroy him who had the empire of death, that is to say, the devil:
Translations in other languages (10 available)
Así que, por cuanto los hijos participaron de carne y sangre, él también participó de lo mismo, para destruir por la muerte al que tenía el imperio de la muerte, es á saber, al diablo,
Portanto, uma vez que os filhos compartilham do sangue e da carne, também ele, semelhantemente, participou das mesmas coisas, a fim de pela morte aniquilar ao que tinha o poder da morte, isto é, o diabo;
Ainsi donc, puisque les enfants participent au sang et à la chair, il y a également participé lui-même, afin que, par la mort, il anéantît celui qui a la puissance de la mort, c’est-à-dire le diable,
Nachdem nun die Kinder Fleisch und Blut haben, ist er dessen gleichermaßen teilhaftig geworden, auf daß er durch den Tod die Macht nehme dem, der des Todes Gewalt hatte, das ist dem Teufel,
Overmits dan de kinderen des vleses en bloeds deelachtig zijn, zo is Hij ook desgelijks derzelve deelachtig geworden, opdat Hij door den dood te niet doen zou dengene, die het geweld des doods had, dat is, den duivel;
Poiché dunque i figliuoli partecipano del sangue e della carne, anch’egli vi ha similmente partecipato, affinché, mediante la morte, distruggesse colui che avea l’impero della morte, cioè il diavolo,
Ponieważ tedy dzieci społeczność mają ciała i krwi, i on także stał się ich uczestnikiem, aby przez śmierć zniszczył tego, który miał władzę śmierci, to jest dyjabła,
А как дети причастны плоти и крови, то и Он также воспринял оные, дабы смертью лишить силы имеющего державу смерти, то есть диавола,
兒女 既 同有 血 肉之體，他 也 照樣 親自成了 血肉之體，特要 藉著 死 敗壞 那掌 死 權的，就是 魔鬼，
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;
Verse in Context
Original Language (Koine Greek)
New Testament · Koine Greek · Hebrews 2:14
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators agree that this verse anchors Christ's humanity in his purpose: to die and thereby defeat the devil. The Greek verb for have shared (κεκοινώνηκεν, perfect tense) marks the children's permanent condition of being human; Christ's took part (μετέσχεν, aorist) points to the single historical act of the incarnation (Vincent, Cambridge Bible). The adverb likewise (παραπλησίως) affirms the reality of Christ's body against those who would deny it (Barnes, Cambridge Bible). The key verb might destroy (καταργήσῃ) does not mean annihilate but render impotent or bring to nothing. As Vincent notes, the devil has not power over death but “a sovereignty of which death is the realm.” Calvin adds that the devil's power to hurt us is destroyed, so that he cannot prevail against believers. This does not mean the devil ceases to exist, but that his tyranny over those in Christ is broken. The verse thus gives the reason for the incarnation: a necessary step so that Christ, by dying, could undo the devil's hold on humanity.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Low
What is clear: Christ's death definitively broke the devil's power to hold believers in bondage through the fear of death.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning of 'destroy' (καταργήσῃ) | Christ renders the devil's power inoperative, not by annihilating him but by breaking his hold over believers. | Some traditions emphasize that the devil remains active but cannot harm those in Christ; others stress that his power was objectively defeated and awaits full consummation. |
| Identity of 'the children' | They are the redeemed, the ones God has given to Christ and is bringing to glory. | Adam Clarke argues the term includes the whole human race; Gill and most others limit it to the children of God, the elect. |
| Nature of Christ's incarnation | Christ took a real human nature, fully participating in flesh and blood. | The early church debated whether his body was real or apparent (Docetism); the verse's 'in like manner' (παραπλησίως) was used to affirm its reality. |
| The devil's power over death | Satan has a permissive sovereignty in the realm of death, exercising influence through sin, accusation, and fear. | Some see this as a direct power to inflict death; others (Vincent, Calvin) see it primarily as a legal and accusatory role, using death to terrorize. |
Historical & Cultural Context
In the first century, death carried more than physical finality. For Jewish readers of this letter, death was the penalty for sin (Genesis 2:17; Ezekiel 18:4) and the arena where Satan exercised dominion. Jewish tradition spoke of an angel of death, often called Sammael, whom they identified with Satan. This figure was believed to have the power to bring death and to accuse the dying before God (see Zechariah 3; Wisdom of Solomon 2:24). The author of Hebrews draws on this background when he calls the devil “him who had the power of death.”
The letter's immediate context is crucial. In chapter 2, the writer has argued that God is bringing many sons to glory through suffering (v.10). Christ identifies with these sons, calling them brothers (v.11, 12). The “children” in verse 14 are those whom God has given him (v.13), the redeemed. Their shared humanity, described in the phrase “flesh and blood” (or, in the Greek manuscripts, “blood and flesh”), makes them vulnerable to death and the fear it produces.
First-century readers would have recognized the logic: to rescue people trapped under the fear of death, the rescuer had to enter their condition. Angels do not die; humans do. So Christ did not take on angelic nature (v.16) but fully human nature. By becoming human, he could die. And by dying, he could meet the devil on the devil's own ground and strip him of his power to hold believers in bondage through the terror of dying. The argument completes the author's portrait of Christ as the merciful and faithful high priest who shares his people's weakness in order to deliver them (v.17, 18).
Textual Notes
The supplied sources note one significant textual variant: the order of “blood and flesh” versus “flesh and blood.” The Greek text (as reflected in earliest manuscripts like Vaticanus and Sinaiticus) reads αἵματος καὶ σαρκός (blood and flesh), while many English translations reverse the order. The meaning is unchanged, though placing “blood” first may highlight the sacrificial and life-bearing aspect of the incarnation (Jamieson-Fausset-Brown). No other variants affecting interpretation are mentioned in the consulted commentaries.
Reception History
This verse has been central to the church's understanding of the atonement as a victory over evil. Early church Fathers used it to counter Docetism, insisting on the reality of Christ's flesh (Cambridge Bible). The Latin epigram Mors mortis morti mortem nisi morte dedisset, “Had not the death of death to death by death his death-blow given”, circulated in medieval theology and is cited by both Cambridge and Jamieson-Fausset-Brown. The verse also shaped Reformation preaching on Christ's conquest of the devil and the believer's freedom from bondage. In modern liturgy, it is often read during Easter celebrations as a declaration of Christ's victory.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- Christ shared our nature. The children are human, frail, mortal, subject to fear. Christ entered that condition fully and truly (paraplēsiōs, “in like manner”). His incarnation was not a costume; it was a real participation in our weakness.
- Christ died to break the devil's power. The verb katargēsē means to render inoperative. The devil’s weapon was death; Christ took that weapon and turned it against him. By dying, Christ absorbed the penalty and destroyed the accuser’s case.
- Christ frees us from the fear of death. Verse 15 draws out the consequence: those held in lifelong bondage by the dread of death are now set free. The resurrection is the proof; the fear has lost its grip.
Five-point outline
- The children's condition: They share in blood and flesh, vulnerable, mortal, under the shadow of death.
- Christ's identification: He likewise partook of the same, without sin (4:15). He became a brother.
- Christ's strategy: Through his own death, the only means by which he could enter death's realm and defeat it from within.
- Christ's victory: He katargēsē the devil, he disabled the one who had the dominion of death, not by overpowering him from a distance but by submitting to death and rising.
- Christ's deliverance: He releases those who, through fear of death, were held in slavery all their lives. The fear is gone; the bondage is broken.
Illustration hooks
- The grip of a phobia, terror of a thing that can control you until you face it and see it has no real power.
- A child afraid of the dark; a parent enters the room, turns on the light, and the shadows vanish. The darkness was not destroyed, but its power to frighten is gone.
- Medical advances that have taken the sting out of once-fatal diseases, the disease may still exist, but its threat is neutralised.
Questions your congregation is asking
- If Christ destroyed the devil's power, why does death and evil still seem so strong?
- How can I experience freedom from the fear of death in my daily life?
- What does it mean that the devil “has the power of death” if God is sovereign?
Leading a Discussion
Hebrews 2:14 lays out the central purpose behind Jesus becoming human. This passage invites us to consider not only that Christ shared our nature but why he did so, to defeat the one who held us captive through fear. As you study, keep the letter's broader argument in view: the Son, though exalted, became fully human so that he could be a merciful high priest and win salvation through suffering.
Discussion questions
- Read Hebrews 2:14-15. What do the phrases “flesh and blood” and “partook of the same” tell you about Jesus' humanity?
- The verse says Christ shared in our nature “that through death he might destroy him who had the power of death.” In what sense does the devil have “power” over death? How does Christ's death defeat that power?
- How does the word katargēsē (to render powerless) shape your understanding of Christ's victory? Does it mean the devil is no longer active?
- Verse 15 mentions “fear of death” as a form of bondage. What does that fear look like in people's lives today, whether they admit it or not?
- Why was it necessary for Christ to become human in order to defeat death? Why could an angel or direct divine intervention not achieve the same result?
- How does the knowledge that Christ has already broken the devil's power affect the way you face your own mortality or the deaths of loved ones?
- In what practical ways can a Christian live “free from the fear of death” while still acknowledging the reality of suffering?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Genesis 3:15 | I will put hostility between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring. He will bruise your head, and you will bruise his heel.” |
| Isaiah 7:14 | Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin will conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel. |
| Isaiah 25:8 | He has swallowed up death forever! The Lord Yahweh will wipe away tears from off all faces. He will take the reproach of his people away from off all the earth, for Yahweh has spoken it. |
| Isaiah 53:12 | Therefore I will give him a portion with the great. He will divide the plunder with the strong, because he poured out his soul to death and was counted with the transgressors; yet he bore the sins of many and made intercession for the transgressors. |
| Hosea 13:14 | I will ransom them from the power of Sheol. I will redeem them from death! Death, where are your plagues? Sheol, where is your destruction? “Compassion will be hidden from my eyes. |
| Matthew 25:41 | Then he will say also to those on the left hand, ‘Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire which is prepared for the devil and his angels; |
| John 1:14 | The Word became flesh and lived among us. We saw his glory, such glory as of the only born Son of the Father, full of grace and truth. |
| John 12:24 | Most certainly I tell you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains by itself alone. But if it dies, it bears much fruit. |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
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What the Commentators Say
7 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Clarke expands "children" to mean the entire human race, not just believers. He emphasizes that Christ became flesh to redeem all people, and that Christ's death counteracted Satan's intended ruin by transforming death from final destruction into the path to glory.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
The Geneva note stresses that Christ did not merely take on human nature in a general sense; he fully shared in the very flesh and blood of the children. His purpose in doing so was to use his own death to destroy the devil, who held the power of death.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill identifies the children as God's elect, not humanity in general. Christ took on the same frail human nature specifically for their sake. Through his death, Christ destroyed Satan, whom Jewish tradition calls the angel of death, breaking his power over sin and death.
Lange's Commentary Reformed 1857
Lange emphasizes that the incarnation made the Son of God genuinely capable of suffering and death, which was essential for Him to become a high priest who could redeem humanity. He carefully balances Christ's full participation in human nature with the crucial distinction that sets Him apart from all other people.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Henry draws attention to what Christ did not do: he did not take the nature of fallen angels, leaving them without hope. Instead, he took human flesh and blood specifically to save the seed of Abraham, dying to
Vincent's Word Studies Evangelical 1887
Vincent draws a precise lexical distinction: "partakers of flesh and blood" describes humanity's natural condition, while Christ "took part" in it as a deliberate act. The devil's power is not over death itself but over people through the fear of death as sin's penalty, a fear Christ never felt, breaking its hold.
Wesley's Explanatory Notes Methodist/Wesleyan 1754
Wesley pictures death as the devil's servant, delivering to him everyone caught in sin. Christ shared our full human nature so that by dying he could destroy the devil's tyranny over death, a power God permitted. The devil's work in death was plain to see, but who was wielding it remained hidden.