Hebrews 1
New Testament · English Majority Text Version with Greek parallel
Hebrews chapter 1 is given here in full, verse by verse, in the English Majority Text Version (EMTV), with the Byzantine Majority Text set beneath each verse. The text follows the Byzantine textual tradition used in the Orthodox Church.
3 patristic excerpts are attached to this chapter, from Saint John Chrysostom.
Hebrews 1
1God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets,Πολυμερῶς καὶ πολυτρόπως πάλαι ὁ Θεὸς λαλήσας τοῖς πατράσιν ἐν τοῖς προφήταις, ἐπ᾽ ἐσχάτου τῶν ἡμερῶν τούτων ἐλάλησεν ἡμῖν ἐν υἱῷ,
2has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the worlds;ὃν ἔθηκε κληρονόμον πάντων, δι᾽ οὗ καὶ τοὺς αἰῶνας ἐποίησεν,
3who being the radiance of His glory and the exact expression of His substance, and upholding all things by the word of His power, when He had by Himself purged our sins, sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high,ὃς ὢν ἀπαύγασμα τῆς δόξης καὶ χαρακτὴρ τῆς ὑποστάσεως αὐτοῦ, φέρων τε τὰ πάντα τῷ ῥήματι τῆς δυνάμεως αὐτοῦ, δι᾽ ἑαυτοῦ καθαρισμὸν ποιησάμενος τῶν ἁμαρτιῶν ἡμῶν, ἐκάθισεν ἐν δεξιᾷ τῆς μεγαλωσύνης ἐν ὑψηλοῖς,
4having become so much better than the angels, as He has inherited a more excellent name than they.τοσούτῳ κρείττων γενόμενος τῶν ἀγγέλων, ὅσῳ διαφορώτερον παρ᾽ αὐτοὺς κεκληρονόμηκεν ὄνομα.
5For to which of the angels did He ever say: “You are My Son, today I have begotten You”? And again: “I will be a Father to Him, and He shall be a Son to Me”?Τίνι γὰρ εἶπέ ποτε τῶν ἀγγέλων, Υἱός μου εἶ σύ, ἐγὼ σήμερον γεγέννηκά σε; Καὶ πάλιν, Ἐγὼ ἔσομαι αὐτῷ εἰς πατέρα, καὶ αὐτὸς ἔσται μοι εἰς υἱόν;
6But when He again brings the firstborn into the world, He says: “Let all the angels of God worship Him.”Ὅταν δὲ πάλιν εἰσαγάγῃ τὸν πρωτότοκον εἰς τὴν οἰκουμένην λέγει, Καὶ προσκυνησάτωσαν αὐτῷ πάντες ἄγγελοι Θεοῦ.
7And of the angels He says, “He who makes His angels spirits and His ministers flames of fire.”Καὶ πρὸς μὲν τοὺς ἀγγέλους λέγει, Ὁ ποιῶν τοὺς ἀγγέλους αὐτοῦ πνεύματα, καὶ τοὺς λειτουργοὺς αὐτοῦ πυρὸς φλόγα·
8But of the Son He says: “Your throne, O God, is forever and ever; the scepter of righteousness is the scepter of Your Kingdom.πρὸς δὲ τὸν υἱόν, Ὁ θρόνος σου, ὁ Θεός, εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα τοῦ αἰῶνος· ῥάβδος εὐθύτητος ἡ ῥάβδος τῆς βασιλείας σου.
9You have loved righteousness and hated lawlessness; therefore God, Your God, has anointed You with the oil of gladness above Your companions.”Ἠγάπησας δικαιοσύνην, καὶ ἐμίσησας ἀνομίαν· διὰ τοῦτο ἔχρισέ σε ὁ Θεός, ὁ Θεός σου, ἔλαιον ἀγαλλιάσεως παρὰ τοὺς μετόχους σου.
10And: “You, Lord, in the beginning laid the foundation of the earth, and the heavens are the work of Your hands.Καί, Σὺ κατ᾽ ἀρχάς, Κύριε, τὴν γῆν ἐθεμελίωσας, καὶ ἔργα τῶν χειρῶν σού εἰσιν οἱ οὐρανοί·
11They shall perish, but You continue; and they all shall grow old like a garment;αὐτοὶ ἀπολοῦνται, σὺ δὲ διαμένεις· καὶ πάντες ὡς ἱμάτιον παλαιωθήσονται,
12and like a cloak You will roll them up, and they shall be changed. But You are the same, and Your years shall not fail.”καὶ ὡσεὶ περιβόλαιον ἑλίξεις αὐτούς, καὶ ἀλλαγήσονται· σὺ δὲ ὁ αὐτὸς εἶ, καὶ τὰ ἔτη σου οὐκ ἐκλείψουσι.
13But to which of the angels has He ever said: “Sit at My right hand, till I make Your enemies a footstool for Your feet”?Πρὸς τίνα δὲ τῶν ἀγγέλων εἴρηκέ ποτε, Κάθου ἐκ δεξιῶν μου, ἕως ἂν θῶ τοὺς ἐχθρούς σου ὑποπόδιον τῶν ποδῶν σου;
14Are they not all ministering spirits being sent out to minister for the sake of those who shall be heirs of salvation?Οὐχὶ πάντες εἰσὶ λειτουργικὰ πνεύματα, εἰς διακονίαν ἀποστελλόμενα διὰ τοὺς μέλλοντας κληρονομεῖν σωτηρίαν;
The Fathers on Hebrews 1
Saint John Chrysostom comments on this chapter. Each excerpt below is drawn from the full text held in the Fathers Library; follow the link on any entry to read the whole work.
On Hebrews 1:1–2Saint John Chrysostom[1.] Truly, “where sin abounded, grace did much more abound.” ( Rom. v. 20.) This at least the blessed Paul intimates here also, in the very beginning of his Epistle to the Hebrews. For since as it was likely that afflicted, worn out by evils, and judging of things thereby, they would think themselves worse off than...
Read Homilies on the Epistle to the Hebrews →
On Hebrews 1:3Saint John Chrysostom[1.] Everywhere indeed a reverential mind is requisite, but especially when we say or hear anything of God: Since neither can tongue speak nor thought16 hear anything suitable to our God. And why speak I of tongue or thought?17 For not even the understanding18 which far excels these, will be able to comprehend anyth...
Read Homilies on the Epistle to the Hebrews →
On Hebrews 1:6–8Open Hebrews 1 in the interactive reader Switch translations, hear the chapter read aloud, tap any verse for its patristic commentary, and study the Greek word by word.Saint John Chrysostom[1.] Our Lord Jesus Christ calls His coming in the flesh an exodus [or going out]: as when He saith, “The sower went out to sow.” ( Matt. xiii. 3.) And again, “I went out from the Father, and am come.” ( John xvi. 28.) And in many places one may see this. But Paul calls it an [eisodus or] coming in, saying, “And whe...
Read Homilies on the Epistle to the Hebrews →