划时代的启示

在古代,上帝曾借着先知以各种方式多次向我们的祖先说话; 在这世界的末期,祂又借着自己的儿子亲自向我们说话。上帝早已立祂承受万物,并借着祂创造了宇宙万物。 祂正是上帝荣耀的光辉,是上帝本体的真像。祂用自己充满能力的话语维系万物。祂洗净了世人的罪之后,便坐在天上至高上帝的右边。 祂既承受了比天使更高的名分,就远超越天使。

上帝从未对任何一个天使说:

“你是我的儿子,我今日成为你父亲。”

或说:

“我要做你的父亲,你要做我的儿子。”

上帝差遣祂的长子到世上来时,说:

“上帝的天使都要敬拜祂。”

上帝提到天使的时候,也只是说:

“上帝使祂的天使成为风,使祂的仆役成为火焰。”

但论到祂的儿子,祂却说:

“上帝啊,你的宝座永远长存,
你以公义的杖执掌王权。
你喜爱公义,憎恶邪恶。
所以上帝,你的上帝,
用喜乐之油膏你,使你超过同伴。”

10 此外又说:

“主啊,太初你奠立大地的根基,
亲手创造诸天。
11 天地都要消亡,但你永远长存。
天地都会像衣服渐渐破旧,
12 你要像卷外衣一样把天地卷起来。
天地将如衣服一样被更换,
但你永远不变,
你的年日永无穷尽。”

13 上帝从未对任何一个天使说:

“你坐在我的右边,
等我使你的仇敌成为你的脚凳。”

14 天使岂不都是服役的灵吗?他们奉差遣,岂不是去为那些将要承受救恩的人服务吗?

Long ago in many ways and at many times God's prophets spoke his message to our ancestors. (A) But now at last, God sent his Son to bring his message to us. God created the universe by his Son, and everything will someday belong to the Son. (B) God's Son has all the brightness of God's own glory and is like him in every way. By his own mighty word, he holds the universe together.

After the Son had washed away our sins, he sat down at the right side[a] of the glorious God in heaven. He had become much greater than the angels, and the name he was given is far greater than any of theirs.

God's Son Is Greater than Angels

(C) God has never said
    to any of the angels,
“You are my Son, because today
    I have become your Father!”
Neither has God said
    to any of them,
“I will be his Father,
    and he will be my Son!”

(D) When God brings his first-born Son[b] into the world, he commands all of his angels to worship him.

(E) And when God speaks about the angels, he says,

“I change my angels into wind
and my servants
    into flaming fire.”

(F) But God says about his Son,

“You are God,
and you will rule
    as King forever!
Your[c] royal power
    brings about justice.
You loved justice
    and hated evil,
and so I, your God,
    have chosen you.
I appointed you
and made you happier
    than any of your friends.”

10 (G) The Scriptures also say,

“In the beginning, Lord,
    you were the one
who laid the foundation
of the earth
    and created the heavens.
11 They will all disappear
and wear out like clothes,
    but you will last forever.
12 You will roll them up
    like a robe
and change them
    like a garment.
But you are always the same,
    and you will live forever.”

13 (H) God never said to any
    of the angels,
“Sit at my right side
until I make your enemies
    into a footstool for you!”

14 (I) Angels are merely spirits sent to serve people who are going to be saved.

Footnotes

  1. 1.3 right side: The place of honor and power.
  2. 1.6 first-born Son: The first son born into a family had certain privileges that the other children did not have. In 12.23 (see note) “first-born” refers to God's special people.
  3. 1.8 Your: Some manuscripts have “His.”