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 3:2

3:2 who is faithful to the one who appointed him, as Moses was also in God’s ⁷  house. ⁸ 

Hebrews 3:12

3:12 See to it, ⁹  brothers and sisters, ¹⁰  that none of you has ¹¹  an evil, unbelieving heart that forsakes ¹²  the living God. ¹³ 

Hebrews 5:6

5:6 as also in another place God ¹⁴  says, “You are a priest forever in the order of Melchizedek.” ¹⁵ 

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 10:27

10:27 but only a certain fearful expectation of judgment and a fury ¹⁶  of fire that will consume God’s enemies. ¹⁷ 

Hebrews 10:36

10:36 For you need endurance in order to do God’s will and so receive what is promised. ¹⁸ 

Hebrews 11:10

11:10 For he was looking forward to the city with firm foundations, ¹⁹  whose architect and builder is God.

Hebrews 11:25

11:25 choosing rather to be ill-treated with the people of God than to enjoy sin’s fleeting pleasure.

Hebrews 11:40

11:40 For God had provided something better for us, so that they would be made perfect together with us. ²⁰ 

Hebrews 13:16

13:16 And do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, ²¹  for God is pleased with such sacrifices.

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¹ tn Or “spoke formerly.”

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).

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

⁴ tn Grk “to the fathers.”

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.

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

⁷ tn Grk “his”; in the translation the referent (God) has been specified for clarity.

⁸ tc ‡ The reading adopted by the translation follows a few early mss and some versions (Ì^13,46vid B vg^ms co Ambr). The majority of mss (א A C D Ψ 0243 0278 33 1739 1881 Ï lat sy) insert “all” (“in all his house”), apparently in anticipation of Heb 3:5 which quotes directly from Num 12:7. On balance, the omission better explains the rise of ὅλῳ ({olw, “all”) than vice versa. NA²⁷ puts ὅλῳ in brackets, indicating doubts as to its authenticity.

⁹ tn Or “take care.”

¹⁰ tn Grk “brothers.” See note on the phrase “brothers and sisters” in 2:11.

¹¹ tn Grk “that there not be in any of you.”

¹² tn Or “deserts,” “rebels against.”

¹³ tn Grk “in forsaking the living God.”

¹⁴ tn Grk “he”; the referent (God) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

¹⁵ sn A quotation from Ps 110:4.

¹⁶ tn Grk “zeal,” recalling God’s jealous protection of his holiness and honor (cf. Exod 20:5).

sn An allusion to Zeph 1:18.

¹⁷ tn Grk “the enemies.”

sn An allusion to Isa 26:11.

¹⁸ tn Grk “the promise,” referring to the thing God promised, not to the pledge itself.

¹⁹ tn Grk “that has foundations.”

²⁰ tn The Greek phrasing emphasizes this point by negating the opposite: “so that they would not be made perfect without us.”

²¹ tn Grk “neglect doing good and fellowship.”