The Supremacy of God's Son

Long ago, at many times and (A)in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but (B)in these last days (C)he has spoken to us by (D)his Son, whom he appointed (E)the heir of all things, (F)through whom also he created (G)the world. He is the radiance of the glory of God and (H)the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. (I)After making purification for sins, (J)he sat down (K)at the right hand of the Majesty on high, having become as much superior to angels as the name (L)he has inherited is more excellent than theirs.

For to which of the angels did God ever say,

(M)“You are my Son,
    today I have begotten you”?

Or again,

(N)“I will be to him a father,
    and he shall be to me a son”?

And again, when he brings (O)the firstborn into the world, he says,

(P)“Let all God's angels worship him.”

Of the angels he says,

(Q)“He makes his angels winds,
    and his ministers a flame of fire.”

But of the Son he says,

(R)“Your throne, O God, is forever and ever,
    the scepter of uprightness is the scepter of your kingdom.
You have loved righteousness and hated wickedness;
therefore God, your God, (S)has anointed you
    with (T)the oil of gladness beyond your companions.”

10 And,

(U)“You, Lord, laid the foundation of the earth in the beginning,
    and the heavens are the work of your hands;
11 they will perish, but you remain;
    they will all wear out like a garment,
12 like a robe you will roll them up,
    like a garment they will be changed.[a]
But you are (V)the same,
    and your years will have no end.”

13 And to which of the angels has he ever said,

(W)“Sit at my right hand
    (X)until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet”?

14 Are they not all ministering spirits (Y)sent out to serve for the sake of those who are to (Z)inherit salvation?

Footnotes

  1. Hebrews 1:12 Some manuscripts omit like a garment

Jesus Christ Is God’s Son

Long ago God spoke many times and in many ways to our ancestors through the prophets. And now in these final days, he has spoken to us through his Son. God promised everything to the Son as an inheritance, and through the Son he created the universe. The Son radiates God’s own glory and expresses the very character of God, and he sustains everything by the mighty power of his command. When he had cleansed us from our sins, he sat down in the place of honor at the right hand of the majestic God in heaven. This shows that the Son is far greater than the angels, just as the name God gave him is greater than their names.

The Son Is Greater Than the Angels

For God never said to any angel what he said to Jesus:

“You are my Son.
    Today I have become your Father.[a]

God also said,

“I will be his Father,
    and he will be my Son.”[b]

And when he brought his supreme[c] Son into the world, God said,[d]

“Let all of God’s angels worship him.”[e]

Regarding the angels, he says,

“He sends his angels like the winds,
    his servants like flames of fire.”[f]

But to the Son he says,

“Your throne, O God, endures forever and ever.
    You rule with a scepter of justice.
You love justice and hate evil.
    Therefore, O God, your God has anointed you,
    pouring out the oil of joy on you more than on anyone else.”[g]

10 He also says to the Son,

“In the beginning, Lord, you laid the foundation of the earth
    and made the heavens with your hands.
11 They will perish, but you remain forever.
    They will wear out like old clothing.
12 You will fold them up like a cloak
    and discard them like old clothing.
But you are always the same;
    you will live forever.”[h]

13 And God never said to any of the angels,

“Sit in the place of honor at my right hand
    until I humble your enemies,
    making them a footstool under your feet.”[i]

14 Therefore, angels are only servants—spirits sent to care for people who will inherit salvation.

Footnotes

  1. 1:5a Or Today I reveal you as my Son. Ps 2:7.
  2. 1:5b 2 Sam 7:14.
  3. 1:6a Or firstborn.
  4. 1:6b Or when he again brings his supreme Son [or firstborn Son] into the world, God will say.
  5. 1:6c Deut 32:43.
  6. 1:7 Ps 104:4 (Greek version).
  7. 1:8-9 Ps 45:6-7.
  8. 1:10-12 Ps 102:25-27.
  9. 1:13 Ps 110:1.

God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets,

Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds;

Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high:

Being made so much better than the angels, as he hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they.

For unto which of the angels said he at any time, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee? And again, I will be to him a Father, and he shall be to me a Son?

And again, when he bringeth in the firstbegotten into the world, he saith, And let all the angels of God worship him.

And of the angels he saith, Who maketh his angels spirits, and his ministers a flame of fire.

But unto the Son he saith, Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: a sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of thy kingdom.

Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated iniquity; therefore God, even thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows.

10 And, Thou, Lord, in the beginning hast laid the foundation of the earth; and the heavens are the works of thine hands:

11 They shall perish; but thou remainest; and they all shall wax old as doth a garment;

12 And as a vesture shalt thou fold them up, and they shall be changed: but thou art the same, and thy years shall not fail.

13 But to which of the angels said he at any time, Sit on my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool?

14 Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation?

In many separate revelations [[a]each of which set forth a portion of the Truth] and in different ways God spoke of old to [our] forefathers in and by the prophets,

[But] in [b]the last of these days He has spoken to us in [the person of a] Son, Whom He appointed Heir and lawful Owner of all things, also by and through Whom He created the worlds and the reaches of space and the ages of time [He made, produced, built, operated, and arranged them in order].

He is the sole expression of the glory of God [the Light-being, the [c]out-raying or radiance of the divine], and He is the perfect imprint and very image of [God’s] nature, upholding and maintaining and guiding and propelling the universe by His mighty word of power. When He had by offering Himself accomplished our cleansing of sins and riddance of guilt, He sat down at the right hand of the divine Majesty on high,

[Taking a place and rank by which] He Himself became as much superior to angels as the glorious Name (title) which He has inherited is different from and more excellent than theirs.

For to which of the angels did [God] ever say, You are My Son, today I have begotten You [established You in an official Sonship relation, with kingly dignity]? And again, I will be to Him a Father, and He will be to Me a Son?(A)

Moreover, when He brings the firstborn Son [d]again into the habitable world, He says, Let all the angels of God worship Him.

Referring to the angels He says, [God] Who makes His angels winds and His ministering servants flames of fire;(B)

But as to the Son, He says to Him, Your throne, O God, is forever and ever (to the ages of the ages), and the scepter of Your kingdom is a scepter of absolute righteousness (of justice and straightforwardness).

You have loved righteousness [You have delighted in integrity, virtue, and uprightness in purpose, thought, and action] and You have hated lawlessness (injustice and iniquity). Therefore God, [even] Your God ([e]Godhead), has anointed You with the oil of exultant joy and gladness above and beyond Your companions.(C)

10 And [further], You, Lord, did lay the foundation of the earth in the beginning, and the heavens are the works of Your hands.

11 They will perish, but You remain and continue permanently; they will all grow old and wear out like a garment.

12 Like a mantle [thrown about one’s self] You will roll them up, and they will be changed and replaced by others. But You remain the same, and Your years will never end nor come to failure.(D)

13 Besides, to which of the angels has He ever said, Sit at My right hand [associated with Me in My royal dignity] till I make your enemies a stool for your feet?(E)

14 Are not the angels all ministering spirits (servants) sent out in the service [of God for the assistance] of those who are to inherit salvation?

Footnotes

  1. Hebrews 1:1 Marvin Vincent, Word Studies in the New Testament.
  2. Hebrews 1:2 Henry Alford, The Greek New Testament, with Notes.
  3. Hebrews 1:3 Literal translation.
  4. Hebrews 1:6 Henry Alford, The Greek New Testament, with Notes and W. Robertson Nicoll, ed., The Expositor’s Greek New Testament.
  5. Hebrews 1:9 Arthur S. Way, Way’s Epistles: The Letters of St. Paul to Seven Churches and Three Friends.