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Hebrews 1-4
American Standard Version
Hebrews 1-4
American Standard Version
1 God, having of old time spoken unto the fathers in the prophets by divers portions and in divers manners, 2 hath at the end of these days spoken unto us in [a]his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, through whom also he made the [b]worlds; 3 who being the effulgence of his glory, and [c]the very image of his substance, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had made purification of sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high; 4 having become by so much better than the angels, as he hath inherited a more excellent name than they. 5 For unto which of the angels said he at any time,
[d]Thou art my Son,
This day have I begotten thee?
and again,
[e]I will be to him a Father,
And he shall be to me a Son?
6 [f]And when he again [g]bringeth in the firstborn into [h]the world he saith, [i]And let all the angels of God worship him. 7 And of the angels he saith,
[j]Who maketh his angels winds,
And his ministers a flame of fire:
8 but of the Son he saith,
[k][l]Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever;
And the sceptre of uprightness is the sceptre of [m]thy kingdom.
9 Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated iniquity;
Therefore God, thy God, hath anointed thee
With the oil of gladness above thy fellows.
10 And,
[n]Thou, Lord, in the beginning didst lay the foundation of the earth,
And the heavens are the works of thy hands:
11 They shall perish; but thou continuest:
And they all shall wax old as doth a garment;
12 And as a mantle shalt thou roll them up,
As a garment, and they shall be changed:
But thou art the same,
And thy years shall not fail.
13 But of which of the angels hath he said at any time,
[o]Sit thou on my right hand,
Till I make thine enemies the footstool of thy feet?
14 Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to do service for the sake of them that shall inherit salvation?
2 Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things that were heard, lest haply we drift away from them. 2 For if the word spoken through angels proved stedfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompense of reward; 3 how shall we escape, if we neglect so great a salvation? which having at the first been spoken through the Lord, was confirmed unto us by them that heard; 4 God also bearing witness with them, both by signs and wonders, and by manifold powers, and by [p]gifts of the Holy Spirit, according to his own will.
5 For not unto angels did he subject [q]the world to come, whereof we speak. 6 But one hath somewhere testified, saying,
[r]What is man, that thou art mindful of him?
Or the son of man, that thou visitest him?
7 Thou madest him [s]a little lower than the angels;
Thou crownedst him with glory and honor,
[t]And didst set him over the works of thy hands:
8 Thou didst put all things in subjection under his feet.
For in that he subjected all things unto him, he left nothing that is not subject to him. But now we see not yet all things subjected to him. 9 But we behold him who hath been made [u]a little lower than the angels, even Jesus, because of the suffering of death crowned with glory and honor, that by the grace of God he should taste of death for every man. 10 For it became him, for whom are all things, and through whom are all things, [v]in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the [w]author of their salvation perfect through sufferings. 11 For both he that sanctifieth and they that are sanctified are all of one: for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren, 12 saying,
[x]I will declare thy name unto my brethren,
In the midst of the [y]congregation will I sing thy praise.
13 And again, I will put my trust in him. And again, [z]Behold, I and the children whom God hath given me. 14 Since then the children are sharers in [aa]flesh and blood, he also himself in like manner partook of the same; that through death he [ab]might bring to nought him that [ac]had the power of death, that is, the devil; 15 and [ad]might deliver all them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage. 16 [ae]For verily not to angels doth he give help, but he giveth help to the seed of Abraham. 17 Wherefore it behooved him in all things to be made like unto his brethren, that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. 18 [af]For [ag]in that he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to succor them that are tempted.
3 Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of a heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our confession, even Jesus; 2 who was faithful to him that [ah]appointed him, as also was Moses in all [ai]his house. 3 For he hath been counted worthy of more glory than Moses, by so much as he that [aj]built the house hath more honor than the house. 4 For every house is [ak]builded by some one; but he that [al]built all things is God. 5 And Moses indeed was faithful in all [am]his house as a servant, for a testimony of those things which were afterward to be spoken; 6 but Christ as a son, over [an]his house; whose house are we, if we hold fast our boldness and the glorying of our hope firm unto the end. 7 Wherefore, even as the Holy Spirit saith,
[ao]To-day if ye shall hear his voice,
8 Harden not your hearts, as in the provocation,
Like as in the day of the trial in the wilderness,
9 [ap]Where your fathers tried me by proving me,
And saw my works forty years.
10 Wherefore I was displeased with this generation,
And said, They do always err in their heart:
But they did not know my ways;
11 [aq]As I sware in my wrath,
[ar]They shall not enter into my rest.
12 Take heed, brethren, lest haply there shall be in any one of you an evil heart of unbelief, in falling away from the living God: 13 but exhort one another day by day, so long as it is called To-day; lest any one of you be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin: 14 for we are become partakers [as]of Christ, if we hold fast the beginning of our confidence firm unto the end: 15 while it is said,
[at]To-day if ye shall hear his voice,
Harden not your hearts, as in the provocation.
16 For who, when they heard, did provoke? nay, did not all they that came out of Egypt by Moses? 17 And with whom was he displeased forty years? was it not with them that sinned, whose [au]bodies fell in the wilderness? 18 And to whom sware he that they should not enter into his rest, but to them that were disobedient? 19 And we see that they were not able to enter in because of unbelief.
4 Let us fear therefore, lest haply, a promise being left of entering into his rest, any one of you should seem to have come short of it. 2 For indeed we have had [av]good tidings preached unto us, even as also they: but the word of hearing did not profit them, because [aw]it was not united by faith with them that heard. 3 [ax]For we who have believed do enter into that rest; even as he hath said,
although the works were finished from the foundation of the world. 4 For he hath said somewhere of the seventh day on this wise, [bb]And God rested on the seventh day from all his works; 5 and in this place again,
6 Seeing therefore it remaineth that some should enter thereinto, and they to whom [be]the good tidings were before preached failed to enter in because of disobedience, 7 he again defineth a certain day, To-day, saying in David so long a time afterward (even as hath been said before),
[bf]To-day if ye shall hear his voice,
Harden not your hearts.
8 For if [bg]Joshua had given them rest, he would not have spoken afterward of another day. 9 There remaineth therefore a sabbath rest for the people of God. 10 For he that is entered into his rest hath himself also rested from his works, as God did from his. 11 Let us therefore give diligence to enter into that rest, that no man fall [bh]after the same example of disobedience. 12 For the word of God is living, and active, and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing even to the dividing of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and quick to discern the thoughts and intents of the heart. 13 And there is no creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and laid open before the eyes of him with whom we have to do.
14 Having then a great high priest, who hath passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. 15 For we have not a high priest that cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but one that hath been in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. 16 Let us therefore draw near with boldness unto the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy, and may find grace to help us in time of need.
Footnotes
- Hebrews 1:2 Greek a Son.
- Hebrews 1:2 Greek ages. Compare 1 Tim. 1:17.
- Hebrews 1:3 Or, the impress of his substance
- Hebrews 1:5 Ps. 2:7.
- Hebrews 1:5 2 Sam. 7:14.
- Hebrews 1:6 Or, And again, when he bringeth in
- Hebrews 1:6 Or, shall have brought in
- Hebrews 1:6 Greek the inhabited earth.
- Hebrews 1:6 Dt. 32:43 Septuagint; compare Ps. 97:7
- Hebrews 1:7 Ps. 104:4.
- Hebrews 1:8 Ps. 45:6f.
- Hebrews 1:8 Or, Thy throne is God for etc.
- Hebrews 1:8 The two oldest Greek manuscripts read, his
- Hebrews 1:10 Ps. 102:25ff.
- Hebrews 1:13 Ps. 110:1.
- Hebrews 2:4 Greek distributions.
- Hebrews 2:5 Greek the inhabited earth.
- Hebrews 2:6 Ps. 8:4ff.
- Hebrews 2:7 Or, for a little while lower
- Hebrews 2:7 Many authorities omit And didst . . . hands
- Hebrews 2:9 Or, for a little while lower
- Hebrews 2:10 Or, having brought
- Hebrews 2:10 Or, captain
- Hebrews 2:12 Ps. 22:22.
- Hebrews 2:12 Or, church
- Hebrews 2:13 Isa. 8:17f.
- Hebrews 2:14 Greek blood and flesh. Eph. 6:12.
- Hebrews 2:14 Or, may
- Hebrews 2:14 Or, hath
- Hebrews 2:15 Or, may
- Hebrews 2:16 Greek For verily not of angels doth he take hold, but he taketh hold of etc. Compare Isa. 41:9; Ecclus. 4:11; 8:9 (in the Greek).
- Hebrews 2:18 Or, For having been himself tempted in that wherein he hath suffered
- Hebrews 2:18 Or, wherein
- Hebrews 3:2 Greek made.
- Hebrews 3:2 That is, God’s house. See Num. 12:7.
- Hebrews 3:3 Or, established
- Hebrews 3:4 Or, established
- Hebrews 3:4 Or, established
- Hebrews 3:5 That is, God’s house. See Num. 12:7.
- Hebrews 3:6 That is, God’s house. See Num. 12:7.
- Hebrews 3:7 Ps. 95:7ff.
- Hebrews 3:9 Or, Wherewith
- Hebrews 3:11 Or, So
- Hebrews 3:11 Greek If they shall enter.
- Hebrews 3:14 Or, with. Compare 1:9; 3:6.
- Hebrews 3:15 Ps. 95:7f.
- Hebrews 3:17 Greek limbs.
- Hebrews 4:2 Or, a gospel
- Hebrews 4:2 Many ancient authorities read they were.
- Hebrews 4:3 Some ancient authorities read We therefore.
- Hebrews 4:3 Ps. 95:11.
- Hebrews 4:3 Or, So
- Hebrews 4:3 Greek If they shall enter.
- Hebrews 4:4 Gen. 2:2.
- Hebrews 4:5 Ps. 95:11.
- Hebrews 4:5 Greek If they shall enter.
- Hebrews 4:6 Or, the gospel was
- Hebrews 4:7 Ps. 95:7f.
- Hebrews 4:8 Greek Jesus. Compare Acts 7:45.
- Hebrews 4:11 Or, into. Greek in.
Hebrews 1-4
New International Version
Hebrews 1-4
New International Version
God’s Final Word: His Son
1 In the past God spoke(A) to our ancestors through the prophets(B) at many times and in various ways,(C) 2 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) 3 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) 4 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
5 For to which of the angels did God ever say,
Or again,
6 And again, when God brings his firstborn(Q) into the world,(R) he says,
7 In speaking of the angels he says,
8 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.
9 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,
14 Are not all angels ministering spirits(AF) sent to serve those who will inherit(AG) salvation?(AH)
Warning to Pay Attention
2 We must pay the most careful attention, therefore, to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away.(AI) 2 For since the message spoken(AJ) through angels(AK) was binding, and every violation and disobedience received its just punishment,(AL) 3 how shall we escape if we ignore so great a salvation?(AM) This salvation, which was first announced by the Lord,(AN) was confirmed to us by those who heard him.(AO) 4 God also testified to it by signs, wonders and various miracles,(AP) and by gifts of the Holy Spirit(AQ) distributed according to his will.(AR)
Jesus Made Fully Human
5 It is not to angels that he has subjected the world to come, about which we are speaking. 6 But there is a place where someone(AS) has testified:
“What is mankind that you are mindful of them,
a son of man that you care for him?(AT)
7 You made them a little[h] lower than the angels;
you crowned them with glory and honor
8 and put everything under their feet.”[i][j](AU)
In putting everything under them,[k] God left nothing that is not subject to them.[l] Yet at present we do not see everything subject to them.[m] 9 But we do see Jesus, who was made lower than the angels for a little while, now crowned with glory and honor(AV) because he suffered death,(AW) so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone.(AX)
10 In bringing many sons and daughters to glory, it was fitting that God, for whom and through whom everything exists,(AY) should make the pioneer of their salvation perfect through what he suffered.(AZ) 11 Both the one who makes people holy(BA) and those who are made holy(BB) are of the same family. So Jesus is not ashamed to call them brothers and sisters.[n](BC) 12 He says,
“I will declare your name to my brothers and sisters;
in the assembly I will sing your praises.”[o](BD)
13 And again,
And again he says,
14 Since the children have flesh and blood,(BG) he too shared in their humanity(BH) so that by his death he might break the power(BI) of him who holds the power of death—that is, the devil(BJ)— 15 and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear(BK) of death. 16 For surely it is not angels he helps, but Abraham’s descendants.(BL) 17 For this reason he had to be made like them,[r](BM) fully human in every way, in order that he might become a merciful(BN) and faithful high priest(BO) in service to God,(BP) and that he might make atonement for the sins of the people.(BQ) 18 Because he himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.(BR)
Jesus Greater Than Moses
3 Therefore, holy brothers and sisters,(BS) who share in the heavenly calling,(BT) fix your thoughts on Jesus, whom we acknowledge(BU) as our apostle and high priest.(BV) 2 He was faithful to the one who appointed him, just as Moses was faithful in all God’s house.(BW) 3 Jesus has been found worthy of greater honor than Moses,(BX) just as the builder of a house has greater honor than the house itself. 4 For every house is built by someone, but God is the builder of everything.(BY) 5 “Moses was faithful as a servant(BZ) in all God’s house,”[s](CA) bearing witness to what would be spoken by God in the future. 6 But Christ is faithful as the Son(CB) over God’s house. And we are his house,(CC) if indeed we hold firmly(CD) to our confidence and the hope(CE) in which we glory.
Warning Against Unbelief
7 So, as the Holy Spirit says:(CF)
“Today, if you hear his voice,
8 do not harden your hearts(CG)
as you did in the rebellion,
during the time of testing in the wilderness,
9 where your ancestors tested and tried me,
though for forty years they saw what I did.(CH)
10 That is why I was angry with that generation;
I said, ‘Their hearts are always going astray,
and they have not known my ways.’
11 So I declared on oath in my anger,(CI)
‘They shall never enter my rest.’ (CJ)”[t](CK)
12 See to it, brothers and sisters, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God.(CL) 13 But encourage one another daily,(CM) as long as it is called “Today,” so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness.(CN) 14 We have come to share in Christ, if indeed we hold(CO) our original conviction firmly to the very end.(CP) 15 As has just been said:
16 Who were they who heard and rebelled? Were they not all those Moses led out of Egypt?(CR) 17 And with whom was he angry for forty years? Was it not with those who sinned, whose bodies perished in the wilderness?(CS) 18 And to whom did God swear that they would never enter his rest(CT) if not to those who disobeyed?(CU) 19 So we see that they were not able to enter, because of their unbelief.(CV)
A Sabbath-Rest for the People of God
4 Therefore, since the promise of entering his rest still stands, let us be careful that none of you be found to have fallen short of it.(CW) 2 For we also have had the good news proclaimed to us, just as they did; but the message they heard was of no value to them, because they did not share the faith of those who obeyed.[v](CX) 3 Now we who have believed enter that rest, just as God has said,
And yet his works have been finished since the creation of the world. 4 For somewhere he has spoken about the seventh day in these words: “On the seventh day God rested from all his works.”[x](CZ) 5 And again in the passage above he says, “They shall never enter my rest.”(DA)
6 Therefore since it still remains for some to enter that rest, and since those who formerly had the good news proclaimed to them did not go in because of their disobedience,(DB) 7 God again set a certain day, calling it “Today.” This he did when a long time later he spoke through David, as in the passage already quoted:
8 For if Joshua had given them rest,(DD) God would not have spoken(DE) later about another day. 9 There remains, then, a Sabbath-rest for the people of God; 10 for anyone who enters God’s rest also rests from their works,[z](DF) just as God did from his.(DG) 11 Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will perish by following their example of disobedience.(DH)
12 For the word of God(DI) is alive(DJ) and active.(DK) Sharper than any double-edged sword,(DL) it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.(DM) 13 Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight.(DN) Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account.
Jesus the Great High Priest
14 Therefore, since we have a great high priest(DO) who has ascended into heaven,[aa](DP) Jesus the Son of God,(DQ) let us hold firmly to the faith we profess.(DR) 15 For we do not have a high priest(DS) who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are(DT)—yet he did not sin.(DU) 16 Let us then approach(DV) God’s throne of grace with confidence,(DW) so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.
Footnotes
- Hebrews 1:5 Psalm 2:7
- Hebrews 1:5 2 Samuel 7:14; 1 Chron. 17:13
- Hebrews 1:6 Deut. 32:43 (see Dead Sea Scrolls and Septuagint)
- Hebrews 1:7 Psalm 104:4
- Hebrews 1:9 Psalm 45:6,7
- Hebrews 1:12 Psalm 102:25-27
- Hebrews 1:13 Psalm 110:1
- Hebrews 2:7 Or them for a little while
- Hebrews 2:8 Psalm 8:4-6
- Hebrews 2:8 Or 7 You made him a little lower than the angels;/ you crowned him with glory and honor/ 8 and put everything under his feet.”
- Hebrews 2:8 Or him
- Hebrews 2:8 Or him
- Hebrews 2:8 Or him
- Hebrews 2:11 The Greek word for brothers and sisters (adelphoi) refers here to believers, both men and women, as part of God’s family; also in verse 12; and in 3:1, 12; 10:19; 13:22.
- Hebrews 2:12 Psalm 22:22
- Hebrews 2:13 Isaiah 8:17
- Hebrews 2:13 Isaiah 8:18
- Hebrews 2:17 Or like his brothers
- Hebrews 3:5 Num. 12:7
- Hebrews 3:11 Psalm 95:7-11
- Hebrews 3:15 Psalm 95:7,8
- Hebrews 4:2 Some manuscripts because those who heard did not combine it with faith
- Hebrews 4:3 Psalm 95:11; also in verse 5
- Hebrews 4:4 Gen. 2:2
- Hebrews 4:7 Psalm 95:7,8
- Hebrews 4:10 Or labor
- Hebrews 4:14 Greek has gone through the heavens
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