Hebrews Chapter 1
Showing all 14 verses for Hebrews Chapter 1.
The People's Bible is written by people, for the people. Each verse below shows:
"God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, "
"In the past, God spoke to people's ancestors through the prophets, using many different times and ways of getting the message across."
I want you to know that before I came, real wisdom and guidance had already been given to your ancestors, bit by bit, across generations - so nothing here throws away the past. Value the wisdom that came before you; growth builds on foundations, it doesn't erase them.
"Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds; "
"But now, in this final period of history, God has spoken through his Son - the one he's made heir of everything, and through whom he made the entire universe."
Everything you see around you - the world, its beauty, its raw materials - I had a hand in shaping. When I speak into your life, I'm not a distant stranger commenting on someone else's creation; I'm speaking as one who knows this world, and you, from the inside out.
"Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high; "
"This Son reflects God's glory perfectly and is the exact likeness of who God is; he holds the whole universe together by his powerful word, and after dealing with human wrongdoing himself, he sat down in the place of highest honour next to God."
I didn't come to lecture you about your mistakes from a distance - I dealt with them myself, personally, and then I sat down, because the work was actually finished. You don't have to keep proving yourself to earn a clean slate; that's already been settled.
"Being made so much better than the angels, as he hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they. "
"He has become far greater than the angels, just as the title he's inherited is far superior to theirs."
Don't rank me among the impressive, powerful spiritual beings you've heard about - I'm not one contender among many. What matters for you isn't chasing status symbols either; it's recognising what's genuinely of highest worth in your own life, rather than getting distracted by lesser things that just look shiny.
"For unto which of the angels said he at any time, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee? And again, I will be to him a Father, and he shall be to me a Son? "
"God never said to any angel, "You are my son, today I have become your father," or "I will be his father and he will be my son" - but he did say that about Jesus."
I'm not asking you to take my identity on blind trust with nothing behind it - the very writings your tradition already honoured were pointing towards this all along. When something asks for your trust, it's fair to want good reasons; look for what's actually been building towards the moment.
"And again, when he bringeth in the firstbegotten into the world, he saith, And let all the angels of God worship him. "
"And again, when God brings his firstborn Son into the world, he says, "Let all God's angels worship him.""
True greatness isn't loud self-promotion - it's recognised naturally by those who can see clearly, even by beings far more perceptive than us. Don't measure your own worth by how loudly you can announce yourself; genuine value tends to be seen for what it is.
"And of the angels he saith, Who maketh his angels spirits, and his ministers a flame of fire. "
"About the angels, God says that he makes them winds and his servants flames of fire."
There's no shame in being someone who serves, who does the practical work quietly and faithfully - that has real dignity. But find peace in being exactly what you're meant to be, not more, not less.
"But unto the Son he saith, Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: a sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of thy kingdom. "
"But to the Son, God says: "Your throne, God, will last forever, and justice is the mark of your rule.""
Whatever influence or authority you're given in life - over your own choices, your family, your work - let fairness and honesty be the thing people can always count on from you. Power without justice is empty; that's the standard I hold myself to, and I ask the same integrity of you.
"Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated iniquity; therefore God, even thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows. "
"You have loved what's right and hated what's wrong; that's why God, your God, has poured out joy on you more than on anyone else."
Chase what's genuinely good, and don't be talked into tolerating what you know is wrong just because it's easier - that's the path that actually leads to a joyful life, not a joyless one. Integrity isn't a burden; it's where lasting gladness comes from.
"And, Thou, Lord, in the beginning hast laid the foundation of the earth; and the heavens are the works of thine hands: "
"And also: "You, Lord, laid the earth's foundations at the very beginning, and the heavens are the work of your own hands.""
Nothing about who I am is borrowed or second-hand - I was there before any of it began, which is exactly why I understand how fragile and temporary the things you're anxious about really are. Hold the things of this world a little more loosely; they're not the foundation your life needs to rest on.
"They shall perish; but thou remainest; and they all shall wax old as doth a garment; "
"The heavens and earth will wear out and pass away, but you will remain; they'll all grow old like a piece of clothing."
Everything around you that feels solid and permanent - your circumstances, your possessions, even the world's current shape - is, in truth, temporary, like a favourite jumper slowly wearing thin. Don't anchor your sense of security to things that are guaranteed to fade; anchor it to what doesn't.
"And as a vesture shalt thou fold them up, and they shall be changed: but thou art the same, and thy years shall not fail. "
"You'll roll them up like a cloak and they'll be changed, but you remain exactly the same, and your years never run out."
When your world feels like it's shifting under your feet - and it will, because that's what change does to everyone - I want you to know there's something in your life that isn't moving. That constancy is available to you; you don't have to build your peace on ground that keeps shifting.
"But to which of the angels said he at any time, Sit on my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool? "
"And to which angel did God ever say, "Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet"?"
I'm not still fighting a battle I might lose - the outcome is already secure, even while things around you may look unfinished. When you feel like you're in the middle of a struggle with no end in sight, remember that the victory that matters most has already been won.
"Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation? "
"Aren't all the angels simply spirits who serve, sent out to help those who are going to inherit salvation?"
You are not an afterthought in the bigger picture - help is being sent your way, even in forms you might never notice. You don't have to earn the right to be looked after; recognise the support already around you and let it strengthen your resolve to keep going.