Hebrews 1–2

Chapter 1

¹God having spoken in many parts and in many ways formerly to the fathers in the prophets, ²at the end of these days has spoken to us in the person of the Son, whom he has established heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds; ³who being the effulgence of his glory and the expression of his substance, and upholding all things by the word of his power, having made by himself the purification of sins, set himself down on the right hand of the greatness on high,

⁴taking a place by so much better than the angels, as he inherits a name more excellent than they. ⁵For to which of the angels said he ever, Thou art my Son: this day have I begotten thee? and again, I will be to him for father, and he shall be to me for son? ⁶and again, when he brings in the firstborn into the habitable world, he says, And let all God’s angels worship him. ⁷And as to the angels he says, Who makes his angels spirits and his ministers a flame of fire; ⁸but as to the Son, Thy throne, O God, is to the age of the age, and a sceptre of uprightness is the sceptre of thy kingdom. ⁹Thou hast loved righteousness and hast hated lawlessness; therefore God, thy God, has anointed thee with oil of gladness above thy companions. ¹⁰And, Thou in the beginning, Lord, hast founded the earth, and works of thy hands are the heavens. ¹¹They shall perish, but thou continuest still; and they all shall grow old as a garment, ¹²and as a covering shalt thou roll them up, and they shall be changed; but thou art the Same, and thy years shall not fail. ¹³But as to which of the angels said he ever, Sit at my right hand until I put thine enemies as footstool of thy feet? ¹⁴Are they not all ministering spirits, sent out for service on account of those who shall inherit salvation?

Chapter 2

¹For this reason we should give heed more abundantly to the things we have heard, lest in any way we should slip away. ²For if the word which was spoken by angels was firm, and every transgression and disobedience received just retribution, ³how shall we escape if we have been negligent of so great salvation, which, having had its commencement in being spoken of by the Lord, has been confirmed to us by those who have heard; ⁴God bearing, besides, witness with them to it, both by signs and wonders, and various acts of power, and distributions of the Holy Spirit, according to his will?

⁵For he has not subjected to angels the habitable world which is to come, of which we speak; ⁶but one has testified somewhere, saying, What is man, that thou rememberest him, or son of man that thou visitest him? ⁷Thou hast made him some little inferior to the angels; thou hast crowned him with glory and honour, and hast set him over the works of thy hands; ⁸thou hast subjected all things under his feet. For in subjecting all things to him, he has left nothing unsubject to him. But now we see not yet all things subjected to him, ⁹but we see Jesus, who was made some little inferior to angels on account of the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; so that by the grace of God he should taste death for every thing.

¹⁰For it became him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to make perfect the leader of their salvation through sufferings. ¹¹For both he that sanctifies and those sanctified are all of one; for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren, ¹²saying, I will declare thy name to my brethren; in the midst of the assembly will I sing thy praises. ¹³And again, I will trust in him. And again, Behold, I and the children which God has given me.

¹⁴Since therefore the children partake of blood and flesh, he also, in like manner, took part in the same, that through death he might annul him who has the might of death, that is, the devil; ¹⁵and might set free all those who through fear of death through the whole of their life were subject to bondage. ¹⁶For he does not indeed take hold of angels by the hand, but he takes hold of the seed of Abraham. ¹⁷Wherefore it behoved him in all things to be made like to his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things relating to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people; ¹⁸for, in that himself has suffered, being tempted, he is able to help those that are being tempted.