Hebrews 1–8

The Son Is Greater Than the Angels

1In the past, God spoke to our people through the prophets. He spoke at many times. He spoke in different ways. ²But in these last days, he has spoken to us through his Son. He is the one whom God appointed to receive all things. God made everything through him. ³The Son is the gleaming brightness of God’s glory. He is the exact likeness of God’s being. He uses his powerful word to hold all things together. He provided the way for people to be made pure from sin. Then he sat down at the right hand of the King, the Majesty in heaven. ⁴So he became higher than the angels. The name he received is more excellent than theirs.

⁵God never said to any of the angels,

“You are my Son.

Today I have become your Father.”

Or,

“I will be his Father.

And he will be my Son.”

⁶God’s first and only Son is over all things. When God brings him into the world, he says,

“Let all of God’s angels worship him.”

⁷Here is something else God says about the angels.

“God makes his angels to be like winds.

He makes those who serve him to be like flashes of lightning.”

⁸But here is what he says about the Son.

“You are God. Your throne will last for ever and ever.

Your kingdom will be ruled by what is right.

⁹You have loved what is right and hated what is evil.

So your God has placed you above your companions.

He has filled you with joy by pouring the sacred oil on your head.”

¹⁰He also says,

“Lord, in the beginning you made the earth secure. You placed it on its foundations.

The heavens are the work of your hands.

¹¹They will pass away. But you remain.

They will all wear out like a piece of clothing.

¹²You will roll them up like a robe.

They will be changed as a person changes clothes.

But you remain the same.

Your years will never end.”

¹³God never said to an angel,

“Sit at my right hand

until I put your enemies

under your control.”

¹⁴All angels are spirits who serve. God sends them to serve those who will receive salvation.

A Warning to Pay Attention

2So we must pay more careful attention to what we have heard. Then we will not drift away from it. ²Even the message God spoke through angels had to be obeyed. Every time people broke the Law, they were punished. Every time they didn’t obey, they were punished. ³Then how will we escape if we don’t pay attention to God’s great salvation?

The Lord first announced that salvation. Those who heard him gave us the message about it. ⁴God gave witness to it through signs and wonders. He gave witness through different kinds of miracles. He also gave witness through the gifts of the Holy Spirit. He gave them out as it pleased him.

Jesus Was Made Like His Brothers

⁵God has not put angels in charge of the world that is going to come. We are talking about that world. ⁶There is a place where someone has given witness to it. He said,

“What is a human being that you think about him?

What is the son of man that you take care of him?

⁷You made him a little lower than the angels.

You placed on him a crown of glory and honor.

⁸You have put everything under his control.”

So God has put everything under him. Everything is under his control.

We do not now see everything under his control. ⁹But we do see Jesus already given a crown of glory and honor. He was made a little lower than the angels. He suffered death. By the grace of God, he tasted death for everyone. That is why he was given his crown.

¹⁰God has made everything. He has acted in exactly the right way. He is bringing his many sons and daughters to share in his glory. To do so, he has made the One who saved them perfect because of his sufferings.

¹¹The One who makes people holy and the people he makes holy belong to the same family. So Jesus is not ashamed to call them his brothers and sisters. ¹²He says,

“I will announce your name to my brothers and sisters.

I will sing your praises among those who worship you.”

¹³Again he says,

“I will put my trust in him.”

And again he says,

“Here I am. Here are the children God has given me.”

¹⁴Those children have bodies made out of flesh and blood. So Jesus became human like them in order to die for them. By doing that, he could destroy the one who rules over the kingdom of death. I’m talking about the devil. ¹⁵Jesus could set people free who were afraid of death. All their lives they were held as slaves by that fear.

¹⁶It is certainly Abraham’s children that he helps. He doesn’t help angels. ¹⁷So he had to be made like his brothers in every way. Then he could serve God as a kind and faithful high priest. And then he could pay for the sins of the people by dying for them.

¹⁸He himself suffered when he was tempted. Now he is able to help others who are being tempted.

Jesus Is Greater Than Moses

3Holy brothers and sisters, God chose you to be his people. So keep thinking about Jesus. He is our apostle. He is our high priest. We believe in him.

²Moses was faithful in everything he did in the house of God. In the same way, Jesus was faithful to the One who appointed him.

³The person who builds a house has greater honor than the house itself. In the same way, Jesus has been found worthy of greater honor than Moses. ⁴Every house is built by someone. But God is the builder of everything.

⁵Moses was faithful as one who serves in the house of God. He gave witness to what God would say in days to come. ⁶But Christ is faithful as a son over God’s house. We are his house if we continue to come boldly to God. We must also hold on to the hope we take pride in.

A Warning Against Unbelief

⁷The Holy Spirit says,

“Listen to his voice today.

⁸If you hear it, don’t be stubborn.

You were stubborn when you opposed me.

You did that when you were put to the test in the desert.

⁹There your people of long ago put me to the test.

For 40 years they saw what I did.

¹⁰That is why I was angry with them.

I said, ‘Their hearts are always going down the wrong path.

They have not known my ways.’

¹¹So in my anger I took an oath.

I said, ‘They will never enjoy the rest I planned for them.’ ”

¹²Brothers and sisters, make sure that none of you has a sinful heart. Do not let an unbelieving heart turn you away from the living God. ¹³But build one another up every day. Do it as long as there is still time. Then none of you will become stubborn. You won’t be fooled by sin’s tricks.

¹⁴We belong to Christ if we hold firmly to the faith we had at first. But we must hold to it until the end. ¹⁵It has just been said,

“Listen to his voice today.

If you hear it, don’t be stubborn.

You were stubborn when you opposed me.”

¹⁶Who were those who heard and refused to obey? Weren’t they all the people Moses led out of Egypt? ¹⁷Who was God angry with for 40 years? Wasn’t it with those who sinned? They died in the desert. ¹⁸What people did God promise with an oath that they would never enjoy the rest he planned for them? Wasn’t it those who didn’t obey?

¹⁹So we see that they weren’t able to enter. That’s because they didn’t believe.

God’s People Enter His Sabbath Rest

4God’s promise of enjoying his rest still stands. So be careful that none of you fails to receive it.

²The good news was preached to our people long ago. It has also been preached to us. The message they heard didn’t have any value for them. They didn’t combine it with faith. ³Now we who have believed enjoy that rest. God said,

“When I was angry I took an oath.

I said, ‘They will never enjoy the rest I planned for them.’ ”

Ever since God created the world, his work has been finished.

⁴Somewhere he spoke about the seventh day. He said, “On the seventh day God rested from all his work.” ⁵In the part of Scripture I talked about earlier God said, “They will never enjoy the rest I planned for them.”

⁶It is still true that some will enjoy that rest. But those who had the good news preached to them earlier didn’t go in. That was because they didn’t obey.

⁷So God again chose a certain day. He named it Today. He did that when he spoke through David a long time later. As it was said earlier,

“Listen to his voice today.

If you hear it, don’t be stubborn.”

⁸Suppose Joshua had given them rest. If he had, God would not have spoken later about another day. ⁹So there is still a Sabbath rest for God’s people.

¹⁰God rested from his work. Those who enjoy God’s rest also rest from their work. ¹¹So let us make every effort to enjoy that rest. Then no one will fall into sin by following the example of those who didn’t obey God.

¹²The word of God is living and active. It is sharper than any sword that has two edges. It cuts deep enough to separate soul from spirit. It can separate joints from bones. It judges the thoughts and purposes of the heart. ¹³Nothing God created is hidden from him. His eyes see everything. He will hold us accountable for everything we do.

Jesus Is the Great High Priest

¹⁴We have a great high priest. He has gone up into the heavens. He is Jesus the Son of God. So let us hold firmly to what we say we believe.

¹⁵We have a high priest who can feel it when we are weak and hurting. We have a high priest who has been tempted in every way, just as we are. But he did not sin. ¹⁶So let us boldly approach the throne of grace. Then we will receive mercy. We will find grace to help us when we need it.

5Every high priest is chosen from among men. He is appointed to act for them in everything that has to do with God. He offers gifts and sacrifices for their sins. ²He is able to deal gently with those who have gone down the wrong path without knowing it. He can do that because he himself is weak. ³That’s why he has to offer sacrifices for his own sins. He must also do it for the sins of the people.

⁴No one can take that honor for himself. He must be appointed by God, just as Aaron was.

⁵Even Christ did not take the glory of becoming a high priest for himself. God said to him,

“You are my Son.

Today I have become your Father.”

⁶In another place he said,

“You are a priest forever,

just like Melchizedek.”

⁷Jesus prayed while he lived on earth. He made his appeal with loud cries and tears. He…