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

God Has Spoken to Us

God, having spoken in former times in fragmentary and varied fashion to our forefathers by the prophets, has in these last days spoken to us by a Son whom he appointed to be the heir of everything and through whom he also made the universe. He is the reflection[a] of God’s glory and the exact likeness of his being, and he holds everything together by his powerful word. After he had provided a cleansing from sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Highest Majesty and became as much superior to the angels as the name he has inherited is better than theirs.

God’s Son is Superior to the Angels

For to which of the angels did God[b] ever say, “You are my Son. Today I have become your Father”?[c] Or again, “I will be his Father, and he will be my Son”?[d] And again, when he brings[e] his firstborn into the world, he says, “Let all God’s angels worship him.”[f] Now about the angels he says,

“He makes his angels winds,

and his servants flames of fire.”[g]

But about the Son he says,

“Your throne, O God,
    is forever and ever,
and the scepter of your kingdom
    is a righteous scepter.
You have loved righteousness
    and hated wickedness.
That is why God, your God,
    anointed you rather than your companions
        with the oil of gladness.”[h]

10 And,

“In the beginning, Lord,[i]
    you laid the foundation of the earth,
        and the heavens are the work of your hands.
11 They will come to an end,
    but you will remain forever.
        They will all wear out like clothes.
12 You will roll them up like a robe,
    and they will be changed like clothes.
But you remain the same,
    and your life[j] will never end.”[k]

13 But to which of the angels did he ever say,

“Sit at my right hand
    until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet”?[l]

14 All of them are spirits on a divine mission, sent to serve those who are about to inherit salvation, aren’t they?

Footnotes

  1. Hebrews 1:3 Or radiance
  2. Hebrews 1:5 Lit. he
  3. Hebrews 1:5 Cf. Ps 2:7
  4. Hebrews 1:5 Cf. 2 Sam 7:14
  5. Hebrews 1:6 Or And when he again brings
  6. Hebrews 1:6 Deut 32:43 (LXX); Ps 97:7
  7. Hebrews 1:7 Cf. Ps 104:4
  8. Hebrews 1:9 Cf. Ps 45:6-7
  9. Hebrews 1:10 MT source citation reads Lord
  10. Hebrews 1:12 Lit. years
  11. Hebrews 1:12 Cf. Ps 102:25-27
  12. Hebrews 1:13 Cf. Ps 110:1