Hebrews 1:1-2:12

English Standard Version

The Supremacy of God's Son

1 Long ago, at many times and ^(A)in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, ²but ^(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. ³He 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, ⁴having become as much superior to angels as the name ^(L)he has inherited is more excellent than theirs.

⁵For 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”?

⁶And again, when he brings ^(O)the firstborn into the world, he says,

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

⁷Of the angels he says,

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

⁸But of the Son he says,

^(R)“Your throne, O God, is forever and ever,
the scepter of uprightness is the scepter of your kingdom.
⁹You have loved righteousness and hated wickedness;
therefore God, your God, ^(S)has anointed you
with ^(T)the oil of gladness beyond your companions.”

¹⁰And,

^(U)“You, Lord, laid the foundation of the earth in the beginning,
    and the heavens are the work of your hands;
¹¹they will perish, but you remain;
    they will all wear out like a garment,
¹²like 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.”

¹³And 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”?

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

Warning Against Neglecting Salvation

2 Therefore we must pay much closer attention to what we have heard, lest we drift away from it. ²For since ^(AA)the message declared by angels proved to be reliable, and ^(AB)every transgression or disobedience received a just ^(AC)retribution, ³^(AD)how shall we escape if we ^(AE)neglect such a great salvation? It was ^(AF)declared at first by the Lord, and it was ^(AG)attested to us ^(AH)by those who heard, ⁴^(AI)while God also bore witness ^(AJ)by signs and wonders and various miracles and by ^(AK)gifts of the Holy Spirit ^(AL)distributed according to his will.

The Founder of Salvation

⁵For it was not to angels that God subjected the world ^(AM)to come, of which we are speaking. ⁶It has been testified somewhere,

^(AN)“What is man, that you are mindful of him,
    or the son of man, that you care for him?
⁷You made him for a little while lower than the angels;
    you have crowned him with glory and honor,^[b]
⁸    putting everything in subjection under his feet.”

Now in putting everything in subjection to him, he left nothing outside his control. At present, ^(AO)we do not yet see everything in subjection to him. ⁹But we see him ^(AP)who for a little while was made lower than the angels, namely Jesus, ^(AQ)crowned with glory and honor ^(AR)because of the suffering of death, so that by the grace of God he might ^(AS)taste death ^(AT)for everyone.

¹⁰For it ^(AU)was fitting that he, ^(AV)for whom and by whom all things exist, in bringing many sons ^(AW)to glory, should make the ^(AX)founder of their salvation ^(AY)perfect through suffering. ¹¹For ^(AZ)he who sanctifies and ^(BA)those who are sanctified ^(BB)all have one source.^[c] That is why he is not ashamed to call them ^(BC)brothers,^[d] ¹²saying,

^(BD)“I will tell of your name to my brothers;
in the midst of the ^(BE)congregation I will sing your praise.”

Footnotes

Hebrews 1:12 Some manuscripts omit like a garment
Hebrews 2:7 Some manuscripts insert and set him over the works of your hands
Hebrews 2:11 Greek all are of one
Hebrews 2:11 Or brothers and sisters. In New Testament usage, depending on the context, the plural Greek word adelphoi (translated “brothers”) may refer either to brothers or to brothers and sisters; also verse 12