Hebrews 1
The Voice
1 Long ago, at different times and in various ways, God’s voice came to our ancestors through the Hebrew prophets. 2 But in these last days, it has come to us through His Son, the One who has been given dominion over all things and through whom all worlds were made.
3 This is the One who—imprinted with God’s image, shimmering with His glory—sustains all that exists through the power of His word. He was seated at the right hand of God once He Himself had made the offering that purified us from all our sins. 4 This Son of God is elevated as far above the heavenly messengers as His holy name is elevated above theirs.
Most images of angels are influenced by art and pop culture—and are far removed from the Bible. The word “angel” literally means “messenger,” and it can refer to either a human being or a heavenly being. The Hebrews author is writing about heavenly messengers.
In the Bible, heavenly messengers have several functions—executors of God’s judgment, guardians of God’s people, heralds of God’s plans. They appear at critical moments to chosen people who play important roles in God’s salvation, such as arriving to announce the birth and resurrection of Jesus and to transmit God’s law to Moses. They are no more than messengers, created beings, who serve the will of God and His Son. Recognizing their place, they bow before the Son in loving adoration.
5 For no heavenly messengers have ever heard God address them with these words of the psalms:
You are My Son.
Today I have become Your Father.[a]
Or heard Him promise,
I will be to You a Father,
and You will be My Son.[b]
6 Now, when the Son, the firstborn of God, was brought into the world, God said,
Let all My heavenly messengers worship Him.[c]
7 Concerning them, God said,
I make My heavenly messengers like the winds,
and My servants like a flame.[d]
8 But to the Son He said,
God, Your throne is eternal;
You will rule Your kingdom with the scepter of justice.
9 You have loved what is right
and hated what is evil;
That is why God, Your God, has anointed You
with the oil of gladness and lifted You above Your companions.[e]
10 And God continues,
In the beginning, You, Lord, laid the foundation of the earth
and set the skies above us with Your own hands.
11 But while they will someday pass away,
You remain forever;
when they wear out like old clothes,
12 You will roll them up
and change them into something new.
But You will never change;
Your years will never come to an end.[f]
13 Did God ever say to any of the heavenly messengers,
Sit here, at My right hand, in the seat of honor;
and I’ll put all Your enemies under Your feet?[g]
14 No, of course not. The heavenly messengers are only spirits and servants, sent out to minister to those who will certainly inherit salvation.
Footnotes
- 1:5 Psalm 2:7
- 1:5 2 Samuel 7:14
- 1:6 Deuteronomy 32:43 (Septuagint and DSS only)
- 1:7 Psalm 104:4
- 1:8–9 Psalm 45:6–7
- 1:10–12 Psalm 102:25–27
- 1:13 Psalm 110:1
Hebrews 1
Modern English Version
God Has Spoken by His Son
1 God, who at various times and in diverse ways spoke long ago to the fathers through the prophets, 2 has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, and through whom He made the world. 3 He is the brightness of His glory, the express image of Himself, and upholds all things by the word of His power. When He had by Himself purged our sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high. 4 He was made so much better than the angels as He has inherited a more excellent name than they.
The Son Superior to Angels
5 For to which of the angels did He at any time say:
“You are My Son;
today I have become Your Father”[a]?
Or again,
“I will be a Father to Him,
and He shall be a Son to Me”[b]?
6 And again, when He brings the firstborn into the world, He says:
“Let all the angels of God worship Him.”[c]
7 Of the angels He says:
“He makes His angels spirits,
and His servants a flame of fire.”[d]
8 But to the Son He says:
“Your throne, O God, lasts forever and ever;
a scepter of righteousness is the scepter of Your kingdom.[e]
9 You have loved righteousness and hated wickedness;
therefore God, Your God, has anointed You
with the oil of gladness more than Your companions.”[f]
10 And,
“You, Lord, laid 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 they all will wear out like a garment;
12 as a cloak You will fold them up,
and they will be changed.
But You are the same,
and Your years will not end.”[g]
13 But to which of the angels did He at any time say:
“Sit at My right hand,
until I make Your enemies
Your footstool”[h]?
14 Are they not all ministering spirits sent out to minister to those who will inherit salvation?
Hebrews 1
King James Version
1 God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets,
2 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;
3 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:
4 Being made so much better than the angels, as he hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they.
5 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?
6 And again, when he bringeth in the firstbegotten into the world, he saith, And let all the angels of God worship him.
7 And of the angels he saith, Who maketh his angels spirits, and his ministers a flame of fire.
8 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.
9 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?
Hebrews 1
World English Bible
1 God, having in the past spoken to the fathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways, 2 has at the end of these days spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, through whom also he made the worlds. 3 His Son is the radiance of his glory, the very image of his substance, and upholding all things by the word of his power, who, when he had by himself purified us of our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high, 4 having become as much better than the angels as the more excellent name he has inherited is better than theirs. 5 For to which of the angels did he say at any time,
“You are my Son.
Today I have become your father?”
and again,
“I will be to him a Father,
and he will be to me a Son?”
6 When he again brings in the firstborn into the world he says, “Let all the angels of God worship him.”
“He makes his angels winds,
and his servants a flame of fire.”
8 But of the Son he says,
“Your throne, O God, is forever and ever.
The scepter of uprightness is the scepter of your Kingdom.
9 You have loved righteousness and hated iniquity;
therefore God, your God, has anointed you with the oil of gladness above your fellows.”
10 And,
“You, Lord, in the beginning, laid the foundation of the earth.
The heavens are the works of your hands.
11 They will perish, but you continue.
They all will grow old like a garment does.
12 You will roll them up like a mantle,
and they will be changed;
but you are the same.
Your years won’t fail.”
13 But which of the angels has he told at any time,
“Sit at my right hand,
until I make your enemies the footstool of your feet?”
14 Aren’t they all serving spirits, sent out to do service for the sake of those who will inherit salvation?
Hebrews 1
Contemporary English Version
1 Long ago in many ways and at many times God's prophets spoke his message to our ancestors. 2 (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. 3 (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. 4 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
5 (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!”
6 (D) When God brings his first-born Son[b] into the world, he commands all of his angels to worship him.
7 (E) And when God speaks about the angels, he says,
“I change my angels into wind
and my servants
into flaming fire.”
8 (F) But God says about his Son,
“You are God,
and you will rule
as King forever!
Your[c] royal power
brings about justice.
9 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.
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