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God Spoke Through His Son

In the past God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets. He spoke to them many times and in many different ways. And now in these last days God has spoken to us through his Son. God has chosen his Son to own all things. And he made the world through the Son. The Son reflects the glory of God. He is an exact copy of God’s nature. He holds everything together with his powerful word. The Son made people clean from their sins. Then he sat down at the right side of God, the Great One in heaven. The Son became much greater than the angels. And God gave him a name that is much greater than theirs.

This is because God never said to any of the angels,

“You are my Son.
    Today I have become your Father.” Psalm 2:7

Nor did God say of any angel,

“I will be his Father,
    and he will be my Son.” 2 Samuel 7:14

And when God brings his firstborn Son into the world, he says,

“Let all God’s angels worship him.”[a] Psalm 97:7

This is what God said about the angels:

“God makes his angels become like winds.
    He makes his servants become like flames of fire.” Psalm 104:4

But God said this about his Son:

“God, your throne will last forever and ever.
    You will rule your kingdom with fairness.
You love what is right and hate evil.
    So God has chosen you to rule those with you.
    Your God has given you much joy.” Psalm 45:6-7

10 God also says,

“Lord, in the beginning you made the earth.
    And your hands made the skies.
11 They will be destroyed, but you will remain.
    They will all wear out like clothes.
12 You will fold them like a coat.
    And, like clothes, you will change them.
But you never change.
    And your life will never end.” Psalm 102:25-27

13 And God never said this to an angel:

    “Sit by me at my right side
until I put your enemies under your control.”[b] Psalm 110:1

14 All the angels are spirits who serve God and are sent to help those who will receive salvation.

Footnotes

  1. 1:6 “Let . . . him.” These words are found in Deuteronomy 32:43 in the Septuagint, the Greek version of the Old Testament, and in a Hebrew copy among the Dead Sea Scrolls.
  2. 1:13 until . . . control Literally, “until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet.”

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

In Jesus, God has shown us who he is

Many years ago, God spoke to our ancestors by his prophets.[a] He spoke many times and in many different ways. But in these last days, he has spoken to us in his Son.[b] In the beginning, God worked through his Son to make the whole universe. He decided that everything should belong to his Son. The Son shows us completely what God is like. He shines with God's great glory. His nature is the same as God's nature. The Son's powerful word causes everything to continue. He himself made it possible for us to be clean from our sins. After he had done that, he returned to heaven. He went and he sat at the right side of God, who rules with all authority.[c]

God's Son is greater than the angels

That shows us that God's Son is much greater than the angels. God has given him a name that shows he is more important than they are. God never said this to any angel:

‘You are my Son.
Today I have become your Father.’[d]

In another place in the Bible, God says,

‘I will be his Father,
and he will be my Son.’[e]

Also, when God was ready to bring his greatest Son into the world, he said:

‘All God's angels must worship him.’

God speaks about the angels like this:

‘God makes his angels like winds.
They serve him like fires that burn brightly.’

But this is what God says to his Son:

‘You are God and you will rule as King for ever!
You will rule your kingdom in a completely good way.
You love everything that is right.
And you hate everything that is wrong.
Because of that, you will be completely happy.
I am your God and I have blessed you.
I have chosen you to be greater than others who are with you.’

10 The Bible also says this:

‘Lord, in the beginning you made the earth.
With your own power, you also made everything above the earth.
11 All these things will come to an end.
But as for you, you will continue for ever.
Like clothes, those things will all become old.
12 Then you will put them away like an old coat.
You will change them, like people change clothes.
But you will always continue to be the same.
Your life will never come to an end.’

13 Also, God has never said this to any of the angels:

‘Sit at my right side until I win against your enemies completely.
Then you will be able to put your feet on them.’

14 So we see that all the angels are spirits who serve God. God sends them as his servants to help the people that he will save.

Footnotes

  1. 1:1 Before Jesus came, God sent his prophets to speak his messages to his people, the Israelites.
  2. 1:2 Jesus was much greater than any of the prophets. He did not just bring a message from God. He clearly showed God himself. He could do this because he is God's Son, not just a servant.
  3. 1:3 After Jesus died on the cross as a sacrifice for our sins, he rose up and went to sit ‘at the right side of God’. The right side is the most important place. This means that Jesus rules with the same power and authority as God himself.
  4. 1:5 See Psalms 2:7.
  5. 1:5 See 2 Samuel 7:14; 1 Chronicles 17:13.

God’s Final Word: His Son

In the past God spoke(A) to our ancestors through the prophets(B) at many times and in various ways,(C) but in these last days(D) he has spoken to us by his Son,(E) whom he appointed heir(F) of all things, and through whom(G) also he made the universe.(H) The Son is the radiance of God’s glory(I) and the exact representation of his being,(J) sustaining all things(K) by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins,(L) he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven.(M) So he became as much superior to the angels as the name he has inherited is superior to theirs.(N)

The Son Superior to Angels

For to which of the angels did God ever say,

“You are my Son;
    today I have become your Father”[a]?(O)

Or again,

“I will be his Father,
    and he will be my Son”[b]?(P)

And again, when God brings his firstborn(Q) into the world,(R) he says,

“Let all God’s angels worship him.”[c](S)

In speaking of the angels he says,

“He makes his angels spirits,
    and his servants flames of fire.”[d](T)

But about the Son he says,

“Your throne, O God, will last for ever and ever;(U)
    a scepter of justice will be the scepter of your kingdom.
You have loved righteousness and hated wickedness;
    therefore God, your God, has set you above your companions(V)
    by anointing you with the oil(W) of joy.”[e](X)

10 He also says,

“In the beginning, Lord, you laid the foundations of the earth,
    and the heavens are the work of your hands.(Y)
11 They will perish, but you remain;
    they will all wear out like a garment.(Z)
12 You will roll them up like a robe;
    like a garment they will be changed.
But you remain the same,(AA)
    and your years will never end.”[f](AB)

13 To which of the angels did God ever say,

“Sit at my right hand(AC)
    until I make your enemies
    a footstool(AD) for your feet”[g]?(AE)

14 Are not all angels ministering spirits(AF) sent to serve those who will inherit(AG) salvation?(AH)

Footnotes

  1. Hebrews 1:5 Psalm 2:7
  2. Hebrews 1:5 2 Samuel 7:14; 1 Chron. 17:13
  3. Hebrews 1:6 Deut. 32:43 (see Dead Sea Scrolls and Septuagint)
  4. Hebrews 1:7 Psalm 104:4
  5. Hebrews 1:9 Psalm 45:6,7
  6. Hebrews 1:12 Psalm 102:25-27
  7. Hebrews 1:13 Psalm 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?