“And with 1 the clouds of the sky 2
one like a son of man 3 was approaching.
He went up to the Ancient of Days
and was escorted 4 before him.
7:14 To him was given ruling authority, honor, and sovereignty.
All peoples, nations, and language groups were serving 5 him.
His authority is eternal and will not pass away. 6
His kingdom will not be destroyed. 7
2:7 but emptied himself
by taking on the form of a slave, 8
by looking like other men, 9
and by sharing in human nature. 10
2:8 He humbled himself,
by becoming obedient to the point of death
– even death on a cross!
2:9 As a result God exalted him
and gave him the name
that is above every name,
2:10 so that at the name of Jesus
every knee will bow
– in heaven and on earth and under the earth –
2:11 and every tongue confess
that Jesus Christ is Lord
to the glory of God the Father.
2:7 You made him lower than the angels for a little while.
You crowned him with glory and honor. 11
2:8 You put all things under his control.” 12
For when he put all things under his control, he left nothing outside of his control. At present we do not yet see all things under his control, 13 2:9 but we see Jesus, who was made lower than the angels for a little while, 14 now crowned with glory and honor because he suffered death, 15 so that by God’s grace he would experience 16 death on behalf of everyone.
1 tc The LXX has ἐπί (epi, “upon”) here (cf. Matt 24:30; 26:64). Theodotion has μετά (meta, “with”) here (cf. Mark 14:62; Rev 1:7).
2 tn Or “the heavens.” The Hebrew term שָׁמַיִם (shamayim) may be translated “heavens” or “sky” depending on the context.
3 sn This text is probably the main OT background for Jesus’ use of the term “son of man.” In both Jewish and Christian circles the reference in the book of Daniel has traditionally been understood to refer to an individual, usually in a messianic sense. Many modern scholars, however, understand the reference to have a corporate identity. In this view, the “son of man” is to be equated with the “holy ones” (vv. 18, 21, 22, 25) or the “people of the holy ones” (v. 27) and understood as a reference to the Jewish people. Others understand Daniel’s reference to be to the angel Michael.
4 tn Aram “they brought him near.”
5 tn Some take “serving” here in the sense of “worshiping.”
6 tn Aram “is an eternal authority which will not pass away.”
7 tn Aram “is one which will not be destroyed.”
8 tn See the note on the word “slaves” in 1:1.
9 tn Grk “by coming in the likeness of people.”
10 tn Grk “and by being found in form as a man.” The versification of vv. 7 and 8 (so also NRSV) is according to the versification in the NA27 and UBS4 editions of the Greek text. Some translations, however, break the verses in front of this phrase (NKJV, NASB, NIV, NLT). The same material has been translated in each case; the only difference is the versification of that material.
11 tc Several witnesses, many of them early and important (א A C D* P Ψ 0243 0278 33 1739 1881 al lat co), have at the end of v 7, “You have given him dominion over the works of your hands.” Other
12 tn Grk “you subjected all things under his feet.”
13 sn The expression all things under his control occurs three times in 2:8. The latter two occurrences are not exactly identical to the Greek text of Ps 8:6 quoted at the beginning of the verse, but have been adapted by the writer of Hebrews to fit his argument.
14 tn Or “who was made a little lower than the angels.”
15 tn Grk “because of the suffering of death.”
16 tn Grk “would taste.” Here the Greek verb does not mean “sample a small amount” (as a typical English reader might infer from the word “taste”), but “experience something cognitively or emotionally; come to know something” (cf. BDAG 195 s.v. γεύομαι 2).