Ibrani 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,

Ibrani 1:4

1:4 Thus he became ⁵  so far better than the angels as ⁶  he has inherited a name superior to theirs.

Ibrani 1:12

1:12 and like a robe you will fold them up

and like a garment ⁷  they will be changed,

but you are the same and your years will never run out.” ⁸ 

Ibrani 2:7

2:7 You made him lower than the angels for a little while.

You crowned him with glory and honor. ⁹ 

Ibrani 2:11

2:11 For indeed he who makes holy and those being made holy all have the same origin, ¹⁰  and so ¹¹  he is not ashamed to call them brothers and sisters, ¹² 

Ibrani 2:13

2:13 Again he says, ¹³  “I will be confident in him,” and again, “Here I am, ¹⁴  with ¹⁵  the children God has given me.” ¹⁶ 

Ibrani 3:13

3:13 But exhort one another each day, as long as it is called “Today,” that none of you may become hardened by sin’s deception.

Ibrani 3:15

3:15 As it says, ¹⁷  “Oh, that today you would listen as he speaks! ¹⁸  Do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion.” ¹⁹ 

Ibrani 3:17-18

3:17 And against whom was God ²⁰  provoked for forty years? Was it not those who sinned, whose dead bodies fell in the wilderness? ²¹  3:18 And to whom did he swear they would never enter into his rest, except those who were disobedient?

Ibrani 4:1

God’s Promised Rest

4:1 Therefore we must be wary ²²  that, while the promise of entering his rest remains open, none of you may seem to have come short of it.

Ibrani 5:4

5:4 And no one assumes this honor ²³  on his own initiative, ²⁴  but only when called to it by God, ²⁵  as in fact Aaron was.

Ibrani 5:14

5:14 But solid food is for the mature, whose perceptions are trained by practice to discern both good and evil.

Ibrani 6:7

6:7 For the ground that has soaked up the rain that frequently falls on ²⁶  it and yields useful vegetation for those who tend it receives a blessing from God.

Ibrani 6:12

6:12 so that you may not be sluggish, ²⁷  but imitators of those who through faith and perseverance inherit the promises.

Ibrani 7:2

7:2 To him ²⁸  also Abraham apportioned a tithe ²⁹  of everything. ³⁰  His name first means ³¹  king of righteousness, then king of Salem, that is, king of peace.

Ibrani 7:4

7:4 But see how great he must be, if ³²  Abraham the patriarch gave him a tithe ³³  of his plunder.

Ibrani 7:19

7:19 for the law made nothing perfect. On the other hand a better hope is introduced, through which we draw near to God.

Ibrani 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.

Ibrani 8:11

8:11 “And there will be no need at all ³⁴  for each one to teach his countryman or each one to teach his brother saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ since they will all know me, from the least to the greatest. ³⁵ 

Ibrani 9:2

9:2 For a tent was prepared, the outer one, ³⁶  which contained ³⁷  the lampstand, the table, and the presentation of the loaves; this ³⁸  is called the holy place.

Ibrani 9:23

9:23 So it was necessary for the sketches ³⁹  of the things in heaven to be purified with these sacrifices, ⁴⁰  but the heavenly things themselves required ⁴¹  better sacrifices than these.

Ibrani 9:25

9:25 And he did not enter to offer ⁴²  himself again and again, the way the high priest enters the sanctuary year after year with blood that is not his own,

Ibrani 10:7

10:7 “Then I said, ‘Here I am: ⁴³  I have come – it is written of me in the scroll of the book – to do your will, O God.’” ⁴⁴ 

Ibrani 10:9

10:9 then he says, “Here I am: I have come to do your will.” ⁴⁵  He does away with ⁴⁶  the first to establish the second.

Ibrani 10:11

10:11 And every priest stands day after day ⁴⁷  serving and offering the same sacrifices again and again – sacrifices that can never take away sins.

Ibrani 10:20

10:20 by the fresh and living way that he inaugurated for us ⁴⁸  through the curtain, that is, through his flesh, ⁴⁹ 

Ibrani 10:33

10:33 At times you were publicly exposed to abuse and afflictions, and at other times you came to share with others who were treated in that way.

Ibrani 10:38

10:38 But my righteous one will live by faith, and if he shrinks back, I ⁵⁰  take no pleasure in him. ⁵¹ 

Ibrani 11:12

11:12 So in fact children ⁵²  were fathered by one man – and this one as good as dead – like the number of stars in the sky and like the innumerable grains of sand ⁵³  on the seashore. ⁵⁴ 

Ibrani 11:16

11:16 But as it is, ⁵⁵  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.

Ibrani 11:19

11:19 and he reasoned ⁵⁶  that God could even raise him from the dead, and in a sense ⁵⁷  he received him back from there.

Ibrani 11:21

11:21 By faith Jacob, as he was dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph and worshiped as he leaned on his staff. ⁵⁸ 

Ibrani 11:26

11:26 He regarded abuse suffered for Christ ⁵⁹  to be greater wealth than the treasures of Egypt, for his eyes were fixed on ⁶⁰  the reward.

Ibrani 11:28-29

11:28 By faith he kept the Passover and the sprinkling of the blood, ⁶¹  so that the one who destroyed the firstborn would not touch them. 11:29 By faith they crossed the Red Sea as if on dry ground, but when the Egyptians tried it, they were swallowed up.

Ibrani 11:32-33

11:32 And what more shall I say? For time will fail me if I tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets. 11:33 Through faith they conquered kingdoms, administered justice, ⁶²  gained what was promised, ⁶³  shut the mouths of lions,

Ibrani 12:5

12:5 And have you forgotten the exhortation addressed to you as sons?

“My son, do not scorn ⁶⁴  the Lord’s discipline

or give up when he corrects ⁶⁵  you.

Ibrani 12:7

12:7 Endure your suffering ⁶⁶  as discipline; ⁶⁷  God is treating you as sons. For what son is there that a father does not discipline?

Ibrani 12:17

12:17 For you know that ⁶⁸  later when he wanted to inherit the blessing, he was rejected, for he found no opportunity for repentance, although he sought the blessing ⁶⁹  with tears.

Ibrani 12:22

12:22 But you have come to Mount Zion, the city ⁷⁰  of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to myriads of angels, to the assembly

Ibrani 12:24

12:24 and to Jesus, the mediator ⁷¹  of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks of something better than Abel’s does. ⁷² 

Ibrani 12:26

12:26 Then his voice shook the earth, but now he has promised, “I will once more shake not only the earth but heaven too.” ⁷³ 

Ibrani 13:5-6

13:5 Your conduct must be free from the love of money and you must be content with what you have, for he has said, “I will never leave you and I will never abandon you.” ⁷⁴  13:6 So we can say with confidence, “The Lord is my helper, and ⁷⁵  I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?” ⁷⁶ 

Ibrani 13:21

13:21 equip you with every good thing to do his will, working in us ⁷⁷  what is pleasing before him through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever. ⁷⁸  Amen.

Ibrani 13:23-24

13:23 You should know that ⁷⁹  our brother Timothy has been released. If he comes soon, he will be with me when I see you. ⁸⁰  13:24 Greetings to all your leaders and all the saints. Those from Italy send you greetings.

[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.”

[1:4]  ⁵ tn Grk “having become.” This is part of the same sentence that extends from v. 1 through v. 4 in the Greek text.

[1:4]  ⁶ tn Most modern English translations attempt to make the comparison somewhat smoother by treating “name” as if it were the subject of the second element: “as the name he has inherited is superior to theirs” (cf. NAB, NIV, NRSV, CEV). However, the Son is the subject of both the first and second elements: “he became so far better”; “he has inherited a name.” The present translation maintains this parallelism even though it results in a somewhat more awkward rendering.

[1:4]  sn This comparison is somewhat awkward to express in English, but it reflects an important element in the argument of Hebrews: the superiority of Jesus Christ.

[1:12]  ⁷ tc The words “like a garment” (ὡς ἱμάτιον, Jw" Jimation) are found in excellent and early mss (Ì⁴⁶ א A B D* 1739) though absent in a majority of witnesses (D¹ Ψ 0243 0278 33 1881 Ï lat sy bo). Although it is possible that longer reading was produced by overzealous scribes who wanted to underscore the frailty of creation, it is much more likely that the shorter reading was produced by scribes who wanted to conform the wording to that of Ps 102:26 (101:27 LXX), which here lacks the second “like a garment.” Both external and internal considerations decidedly favor the longer reading, and point to the author of Hebrews as the one underscoring the difference between the Son and creation.

[1:12]  sn The phrase like a garment here is not part of the original OT text (see tc note above); for this reason it has been printed in normal type.

[1:12]  ⁸ sn A quotation from Ps 102:25-27.

[2:7]  ⁹ tc Several witnesses, many of them early and important (א A C D* P Ψ 0243 0278 33 1739 1881 al lat co), have at the end of v 7, “You have given him dominion over the works of your hands.” Other mss, not quite as impressive in weight, lack the words (Ì⁴⁶ B D² Ï). In spite of the impressive external evidence for the longer reading, it is most likely a scribal addition to conform the text of Hebrews to Ps 8:6 (8:7 LXX). Conformity of a NT quotation of the OT to the LXX was a routine scribal activity, and can hardly be in doubt here as to the cause of the longer reading.

[2:11]  ¹⁰ tn Grk “are all from one.”

[2:11]  ¹¹ tn Grk “for which reason.”

[2:11]  ¹² tn Grk “brothers,” but the Greek word may be used for “brothers and sisters” as here (cf. BDAG 18 s.v. ἀδελφός 1, where considerable nonbiblical evidence for the plural ἀδελφοί [adelfoi] meaning “brothers and sisters” is cited). The context here also indicates both men and women are in view; note especially the collective τὰ παιδία (ta paidia) in v. 14.

[2:13]  ¹³ tn Grk “and again,” as a continuation of the preceding.

[2:13]  ¹⁴ tn Grk “behold, I,” but this construction often means “here is/there is” (cf. BDAG 468 s.v. ἰδού 2).

[2:13]  ¹⁵ tn Grk “and.”

[2:13]  ¹⁶ sn A quotation from Isa 8:17-18.

[3:15]  ¹⁷ tn Grk “while it is said.”

[3:15]  ¹⁸ tn Grk “today if you hear his voice.”

[3:15]  ¹⁹ sn A quotation from Ps 95:7b-8.

[3:17]  ²⁰ tn Grk “he”; in the translation the referent (God) has been specified for clarity.

[3:17]  ²¹ sn An allusion to God’s judgment pronounced in Num 14:29, 32.

[4:1]  ²² tn Grk “let us fear.”

[5:4]  ²³ sn Honor refers here to the honor of the high priesthood.

[5:4]  ²⁴ tn Grk “by himself, on his own.”

[5:4]  ²⁵ tn Grk “being called by God.”

[6:7]  ²⁶ tn Grk “comes upon.”

[6:12]  ²⁷ tn Or “dull.”

[7:2]  ²⁸ tn Grk “to whom,” continuing the description of Melchizedek. Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation.

[7:2]  ²⁹ tn Or “a tenth part.”

[7:2]  ³⁰ sn A quotation from Gen 14:20.

[7:2]  ³¹ tn Grk “first being interpreted,” describing Melchizedek.

[7:4]  ³² tn Grk “to whom.”

[7:4]  ³³ tn Or “a tenth part.”

[8:11]  ³⁴ tn Grk “they will not teach, each one his fellow citizen…” The Greek makes this negation emphatic: “they will certainly not teach.”

[8:11]  ³⁵ tn Grk “from the small to the great.”

[9:2]  ³⁶ tn Grk “the first,” in order of approach in the ritual.

[9:2]  ³⁷ tn Grk “in which [were].”

[9:2]  ³⁸ tn Grk “which,” describing the outer tent.

[9:23]  ³⁹ tn Or “prototypes,” “outlines,” referring to the earthly sanctuary. See Heb 8:5 above for the prior use of this term.

[9:23]  ⁴⁰ tn Grk “with these”; in the translation the referent (sacrifices) has been specified for clarity.

[9:23]  ⁴¹ tn Grk “the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these.”

[9:25]  ⁴² tn Grk “and not that he might offer,” continuing the previous construction.

[10:7]  ⁴³ tn Grk “behold,” but this construction often means “here is/there is” (cf. BDAG 468 s.v. ἰδού 2).

[10:7]  ⁴⁴ sn A quotation from Ps 40:6-8 (LXX). The phrase a body you prepared for me (in v. 5) is apparently an interpretive expansion of the HT reading “ears you have dug out for me.”

[10:9]  ⁴⁵ tc The majority of mss, especially the later ones (א² 0278^vid 1739 Ï lat), have ὁ θεός (Jo qeo", “God”) at this point, while most of the earliest and best witnesses lack such an explicit addressee (so Ì⁴⁶ א* A C D K P Ψ 33 1175 1881 2464 al). The longer reading is a palpable corruption, apparently motivated in part by the wording of Ps 40:8 (39:9 LXX) and by the word order of this same verse as quoted in Heb 10:7.

[10:9]  ⁴⁶ tn Or “abolishes.”

[10:11]  ⁴⁷ tn Or “daily,” “every day.”

[10:20]  ⁴⁸ tn Grk “that he inaugurated for us as a fresh and living way,” referring to the entrance mentioned in v. 19.

[10:20]  ⁴⁹ sn Through his flesh. In a bold shift the writer changes from a spatial phrase (Christ opened the way through the curtain into the inner sanctuary) to an instrumental phrase (he did this through [by means of] his flesh in his sacrifice of himself), associating the two in an allusion to the splitting of the curtain in the temple from top to bottom (Matt 27:51; Mark 15:38; Luke 23:45). Just as the curtain was split, so Christ’s body was broken for us, to give us access into God’s presence.

[10:38]  ⁵⁰ tn Grk “my soul.”

[10:38]  ⁵¹ sn A quotation from Hab 2:4.

[11:12]  ⁵² tn Grk “these”; in the translation the referent (children) has been specified for clarity.

[11:12]  ⁵³ tn Grk a collective “the sand.”

[11:12]  ⁵⁴ sn An allusion to Gen 22:17 (which itself goes back to Gen 15:5).

[11:16]  ⁵⁵ tn Grk “now.”

[11:19]  ⁵⁶ tn Grk “having reasoned,” continuing the ideas of v. 17.

[11:19]  ⁵⁷ tn Grk “in/by a symbol.”

[11:21]  ⁵⁸ tn Grk “worshiped on the top of his staff,” a quotation from Gen 47:31 (LXX).

[11:26]  ⁵⁹ tn Grk “the abuse [or ‘reproach’] of Christ.”

[11:26]  ⁶⁰ tn Grk “he was looking away to.”

[11:28]  ⁶¹ tn Grk “the pouring out of the blood.”

[11:28]  sn The sprinkling of the blood refers here to the application of the blood to the doorways of the Israelite houses (cf. Exod 12:7, 13).

[11:33]  ⁶² tn This probably refers to the righteous rule of David and others. But it could be more general and mean “did what was righteous.”

[11:33]  ⁶³ tn Grk “obtained promises,” referring to the things God promised, not to the pledges themselves.

[11:33]  sn Gained what was promised. They saw some of God’s promises fulfilled, even though the central promise remained unfulfilled until Christ came (cf. vv. 39-40).

[12:5]  ⁶⁴ tn Or “disregard,” “think little of.”

[12:5]  ⁶⁵ tn Or “reproves,” “rebukes.” The Greek verb ἐλέγχω (elencw) implies exposing someone’s sin in order to bring correction.

[12:7]  ⁶⁶ tn Grk “endure,” with the object (“your suffering”) understood from the context.

[12:7]  ⁶⁷ tn Or “in order to become disciplined.”

[12:17]  ⁶⁸ tn Or a command: “for understand that.”

[12:17]  ⁶⁹ tn Grk “it,” referring either to the repentance or the blessing. But the account in Gen 27:34-41 (which the author appeals to here) makes it clear that the blessing is what Esau sought. Thus in the translation the referent (the blessing) is specified for clarity.

[12:22]  ⁷⁰ tn Grk “and the city”; the conjunction is omitted in translation since it seems to be functioning epexegetically – that is, explaining further what is meant by “Mount Zion.”

[12:24]  ⁷¹ tn The Greek word μεσίτης (mesith", “mediator”) in this context does not imply that Jesus was a mediator in the contemporary sense of the word, i.e., he worked for compromise between opposing parties. Here the term describes his function as the one who was used by God to enact a new covenant which established a new relationship between God and his people, but entirely on God’s terms.

[12:24]  ⁷² sn Abel’s shed blood cried out to the Lord for justice and judgment, but Jesus’ blood speaks of redemption and forgiveness, something better than Abel’s does (Gen 4:10; Heb 9:11-14; 11:4).

[12:26]  ⁷³ sn A quotation from Hag 2:6.

[13:5]  ⁷⁴ sn A quotation from Deut 31:6, 8.

[13:6]  ⁷⁵ tc Some important mss (א* C* P 0285^vid 33 1175 1739 pc lat) lack καί (kai), but because the omission conforms to the wording of Ps 118:6 (117:6 LXX), it is suspect.

[13:6]  ⁷⁶ sn A quotation from Ps 118:6.

[13:21]  ⁷⁷ tc Some mss (C P Ψ 6 629* 630 1505 pm latt sy^h) read ὑμῖν (Jumin, “in you”) here, but ἡμῖν (Jhmin) has stronger external support (Ì⁴⁶ א A D^vid K 0243 0285 33 81 104 326 365 629^c 1175 1739 1881 pm sy^p co). It is also more likely that ἡμῖν would have been changed to ὑμῖν in light of the “you” which occurs at the beginning of the verse than vice versa.

[13:21]  ⁷⁸ tc ‡ Most mss (א A [C*] 0243 0285 33 1739 1881 Ï latt) include the words “and ever” here, but the shorter reading (supported by Ì⁴⁶ C³ D Ψ 6 104 365 1505 al) is preferred on internal grounds. It seemed more likely that scribes would assimilate the wording to the common NT doxological expression “for ever and ever,” found especially in the Apocalypse (cf., e.g., 1 Tim 1:17; 2 Tim 4:18; Rev 4:9; 22:5) than to the “forever” of Heb 13:8. Nevertheless, a decision is difficult here. NA²⁷ places the phrase in brackets, indicating doubts as to its authenticity.

[13:23]  ⁷⁹ tn Grk “Know that” (an imperative).

[13:23]  ⁸⁰ tn Grk “has been released, with whom, if he comes soon, I will see you.”