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 1:9

1:9 You have loved righteousness and hated lawlessness.

So God, your God, has anointed you over your companions ⁵  with the oil of rejoicing.” ⁶ 

Hebrews 2:3

2:3 how will we escape if we neglect such a great salvation? It was first communicated through the Lord and was confirmed to us by those who heard him,

Hebrews 3:3

3:3 For he has come to deserve greater glory than Moses, just as the builder of a house deserves greater honor than the house itself!

Hebrews 3:10

3:10 “Therefore, I became provoked at that generation and said, ‘Their hearts are always wandering ⁷  and they have not known my ways.’

Hebrews 4:11

4:11 Thus we must make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one may fall by following the same pattern of disobedience.

Hebrews 7:26

7:26 For it is indeed fitting for us to have such a high priest: holy, innocent, undefiled, separate from sinners, and exalted above the heavens.

Hebrews 8:1

The High Priest of a Better Covenant

8:1 Now the main point of what we are saying is this: ⁸  We have such a high priest, one who sat down at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in heaven, ⁹ 

Hebrews 8:3

8:3 For every high priest is appointed to offer both gifts and sacrifices. So this one too had to have something to offer.

Hebrews 9:8

9:8 The Holy Spirit is making clear that the way into the holy place had not yet appeared as long as the old tabernacle ¹⁰  was standing.

Hebrews 10:25

10:25 not abandoning our own meetings, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging each other, and even more so because you see the day ¹¹  drawing near. ¹² 

Hebrews 11:16

11:16 But as it is, ¹³  they aspire to a better land, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore, God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them.

Hebrews 12:3

12:3 Think of him who endured such opposition against himself by sinners, so that you may not grow weary in your souls and give up.

Hebrews 13:11

13:11 For the bodies of those animals whose blood the high priest brings ¹⁴  into the sanctuary as an offering for sin are burned outside the camp.

Hebrews 13:15

13:15 Through him then let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, acknowledging his name.

[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.”

[1:9]  ⁵ sn God…has anointed you over your companions. God’s anointing gives the son a superior position and authority over his fellows.

[1:9]  ⁶ sn A quotation from Ps 45:6-7.

[3:10]  ⁹ tn Grk “they are wandering in the heart.”

[8:1]  ¹³ tn Grk “the main point of the things being said.”

[8:1]  ¹⁴ sn An allusion to Ps 110:1; see Heb 1:3, 13.

[9:8]  ¹⁷ tn Grk “the first tent.” The literal phrase “the first tent” refers to either (1) the outer chamber of the tabernacle in the wilderness (as in vv. 2, 6) or (2) the entire tabernacle as a symbol of the OT system of approaching God. The second is more likely given the contrast that follows in vv. 11-12.

[10:25]  ²¹ sn The day refers to that well-known time of Christ’s coming and judgment in the future; see a similar use of “day” in 1 Cor 3:13.

[10:25]  ²² tn This paragraph (vv. 19-25) is actually a single, skillfully composed sentence in Greek, but it must be broken into shorter segments for English idiom. It begins with several subordinate phrases (since we have confidence and a great priest), has three parallel exhortations as its main verbs (let us draw near, hold, and take thought), and concludes with several subordinate phrases related to the final exhortation (not abandoning but encouraging).

[11:16]  ²⁵ tn Grk “now.”

[13:11]  ²⁹ tn Grk “whose blood is brought by the high priest.”