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
希伯來書 1
Chinese Standard Bible (Traditional)
聖子的本質
1 過去，神在不同的時代，用不同的方式，藉著先知們對祖先說話， 2 但在末後的這些日子裡[a]，神藉著他的[b]兒子向我們說話。神預定了他為萬有的繼承人，也藉著他造了宇宙[c]。 3 他是神榮耀的光輝，是神本體的真像，以自己大能的話語托住萬有。他成就了潔淨罪孽的事[d]，就坐在高天至尊者的右邊。 4 他遠比天使更美好，就像他所繼承的名比天使的名更尊貴。
聖子高過天使
5 從前神到底對哪一位天使說過「你是我的兒子，我今天生了你」[e]，又說「我將成為他的父親，他成為我的兒子」[f]呢？ 6 不過當神再次帶領長子[g]進入世界的時候卻說：「神所有的天使都當敬拜他。」[h] 7 關於天使，他確實說：
「神使他的天使為風，
使他的僕役為烈火。」[i]
8 但是關於兒子，他卻說：
10 他又說：
「主啊，你在起初立定了大地的根基，
諸天也是你手所造的。
11 天地[l]將要毀滅，你卻繼續存留；
天地都要像衣服那樣漸漸破舊。
12 你將要把天地像外衣那樣捲起來，
天地也要像衣服那樣[m]被更換；
你卻永不改變，
你的歲月沒有窮盡。」[n]
13 從前神到底對哪一位天使說過
：「你坐在我的右邊，
等我把你的敵人放在你的腳下做腳凳」[o]呢？
14 難道所有的天使不都是服事的靈、奉差派服事那些將要繼承救恩的人嗎？
Footnotes
- 希伯來書 1:2 在末後的這些日子裡——或譯作「在這些日子的末後」。
- 希伯來書 1:2 他的——輔助詞語。
- 希伯來書 1:2 宇宙——或譯作「各世代」。
- 希伯來書 1:3 他成就了潔淨罪孽的事——有古抄本作「他藉著自己成就了潔淨我們罪孽的事」。
- 希伯來書 1:5 《詩篇》2:7。
- 希伯來書 1:5 《撒母耳記下》7:14；《歷代志上》17:13。
- 希伯來書 1:6 長子——原文直譯「首生者」。
- 希伯來書 1:6 《申命記》32:43；《詩篇》97:7。
- 希伯來書 1:7 《詩篇》104:4。
- 希伯來書 1:9 罪惡——原文直譯「不法」。
- 希伯來書 1:9 《詩篇》45:6-7。
- 希伯來書 1:11 天地——原文直譯「它們」。
- 希伯來書 1:12 有古抄本沒有「像衣服那樣」。
- 希伯來書 1:12 《詩篇》102:25-27。
- 希伯來書 1:13 《詩篇》110:1。
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Copyright © 2011 by Global Bible Initiative