Hebrews 1:1

Introduction: God Has Spoken Fully and Finally in His Son

1:1 After God spoke long ago ¹  in various portions ²  and in various ways ³  to our ancestors ⁴  through the prophets,

Hebrews 1:6

1:6 But when he again brings ⁵  his firstborn into the world, he says, “Let all the angels of God worship him!” ⁶ 

Hebrews 3:4

3:4 For every house is built by someone, but the builder of all things is God.

Hebrews 5:4

5:4 And no one assumes this honor ⁷  on his own initiative, ⁸  but only when called to it by God, ⁹  as in fact Aaron was.

Hebrews 6:5

6:5 tasted the good word of God and the miracles of the coming age,

Hebrews 6:13

6:13 Now when God made his promise to Abraham, since he could swear by no one greater, he swore by himself,

Hebrews 9:20

9:20 and said, “This is the blood of the covenant that God has commanded you to keep.” ¹⁰ 

Hebrews 10:12

10:12 But when this priest ¹¹  had offered one sacrifice for sins for all time, he sat down at the right hand ¹²  of God,

Hebrews 11:10

11:10 For he was looking forward to the city with firm foundations, ¹³  whose architect and builder is God.

Hebrews 11:40

11:40 For God had provided something better for us, so that they would be made perfect together with us. ¹⁴ 

Hebrews 13:16

13:16 And do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, ¹⁵  for God is pleased with such sacrifices.

[1:1]  ¹ tn Or “spoke formerly.”

[1:1]  ² 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).

[1:1]  ³ tn These two phrases are emphasized in Greek by being placed at the beginning of the sentence and by alliteration.

[1:1]  ⁴ tn Grk “to the fathers.”

[1:6]  ⁵ tn Or “And again when he brings.” The translation adopted in the text looks forward to Christ’s second coming to earth. Some take “again” to introduce the quotation (as in 1:5) and understand this as Christ’s first coming, but this view does not fit well with Heb 2:7. Others understand it as his exaltation/ascension to heaven, but this takes the phrase “into the world” in an unlikely way.

[1:6]  ⁶ sn A quotation combining themes from Deut 32:43 and Ps 97:7.

[5:4]  ⁹ sn Honor refers here to the honor of the high priesthood.

[5:4]  ¹⁰ tn Grk “by himself, on his own.”

[5:4]  ¹¹ tn Grk “being called by God.”

[9:20]  ¹³ tn Grk “which God commanded for you (or in your case).”

[10:12]  ¹⁷ tn Grk “this one.” This pronoun refers to Jesus, but “this priest” was used in the translation to make the contrast between the Jewish priests in v. 11 and Jesus as a priest clearer in English.

[10:12]  ¹⁸ sn An allusion to Ps 110:1.

[11:10]  ²¹ tn Grk “that has foundations.”

[11:40]  ²⁵ tn The Greek phrasing emphasizes this point by negating the opposite: “so that they would not be made perfect without us.”

[13:16]  ²⁹ tn Grk “neglect doing good and fellowship.”