2 Corinthians 4:7

An Eternal Weight of Glory

4:7 But we have this treasure in clay jars, so that the extraordinary power ¹  belongs to God and does not come from us.

Hebrews 11:4

11:4 By faith Abel offered God a greater sacrifice than Cain, and through his faith ²  he was commended as righteous, because God commended him for his offerings. And through his faith ³  he still speaks, though he is dead.

Hebrews 11:2

11:2 For by it the people of old ⁴  received God’s commendation. ⁵ 

Hebrews 1:1

Introduction: God Has Spoken Fully and Finally in His Son

1:1 After God spoke long ago ⁶  in various portions ⁷  and in various ways ⁸  to our ancestors ⁹  through the prophets,

¹ tn Grk “the surpassingness of the power”; δυνάμεως (dunamew") has been translated as an attributed genitive (“extraordinary power”).

² tn Or “through his sacrifice”; Grk “through which.”

³ tn Or “through his sacrifice”; Grk “through it.”

³ tn Or “the elders,” “the ancients.”

⁴ tn Grk “were attested,” “received commendation”; and Heb 11:4-6 shows this to be from God.

⁴ tn Or “spoke formerly.”

⁵ tn Or “parts.” The idea is that God’s previous revelation came in many parts and was therefore fragmentary or partial (L&N 63.19), in comparison with the final and complete revelation contained in God’s Son. However, some interpret πολυμερῶς (polumerw") in Heb 1:1 to mean “on many different occasions” and would thus translate “many times” (L&N 67.11). This is the option followed by the NIV: “at many times and in various ways.” Finally, this word is also understood to refer to the different manners in which something may be done, and would then be translated “in many different ways” (L&N 89.81). In this last case, the two words πολυμερῶς and πολυτρόπως (polutropw") mutually reinforce one another (“in many and various ways,” NRSV).

⁶ tn These two phrases are emphasized in Greek by being placed at the beginning of the sentence and by alliteration.

⁷ tn Grk “to the fathers.”