Hebrews 1 & 2

  1. After God spoke long ago in various portions and in various ways to our ancestors through the prophets, 2in these last days he has spoken to us in a son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom he created the world. 3The Son is the radiance of his glory and the representation of his essence, and he sustains all things by his powerful word, and so when he had accomplished cleansing for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high.
  2. Thus he became so far better than the angels as he has inherited a name superior to theirs.
  3. For to which of the angels did God ever say, “You are my son! Today I have fathered you”? And in another place he says, “I will be his father and he will be my son.” 6But when he again brings his firstborn into the world, he says, “Let all the angels of God worship him!” 7And he says of the angels, “He makes his angels spirits and his ministers a flame of fire,”
  4. but of the Son he says,
        “Your throne, O God, is forever and ever,
            and a righteous sceptre is the sceptre of your kingdom.
  5.     You have loved righteousness and hated lawlessness.
            So God, your God, has anointed you
                over your companions with the oil of rejoicing.”
  6. And,
        “You founded the earth in the beginning, Lord,
            and the heavens are the works of your hands.
  7.     They will perish, but you continue.
            And they will all grow old like a garment,
  8.     and like a robe you will fold them up
            and like a garment they will be changed,
               but you are the same and your years will never run out.”
  9. But to which of the angels has he ever said, “Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet”? 14Are they not all ministering spirits, sent out to serve those who will inherit salvation?
  1. Therefore we must pay closer attention to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away. 2For if the message spoken through angels proved to be so firm that every violation or disobedience received its just penalty, 3how will we escape if we neglect such a great salvation? It was first communicated through the Lord and was confirmed to us by those who heard him, 4while God confirmed their witness with signs and wonders and various miracles and gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed according to his will.
  2. For it is not to angels that he has subjected the world to come, about which we are speaking. 6Instead someone testified somewhere:
    “What is man that you think of him
        or the son of man that you care for him?
  3. You made him lower than the angels for a little while.
        You crowned him with glory and honour.
  4. You put all things under his control.”

    For when he put all things under his control, he left nothing outside of his control. At present we do not yet see all things under his control, 9but we see Jesus, who was made lower than the angels for a little while, now crowned with glory and honour because he suffered death, so that by God’s grace he would experience death on behalf of everyone.
  5. For it was fitting for him, for whom and through whom all things exist, in bringing many sons to glory, to make the pioneer of their salvation perfect through sufferings. 11For indeed he who makes holy and those being made holy all have the same origin, and so he is not ashamed to call them brothers and sisters, 12saying, “I will proclaim your name to my brothers; in the midst of the assembly I will praise you.” 13Again he says, “I will be confident in him,” and again, “Here I am, with the children God has given me.”
  6. Therefore, since the children share in flesh and blood, he likewise shared in their humanity, so that through death he could destroy the one who holds the power of death (that is, the devil), 15and set free those who were held in slavery all their lives by their fear of death. 16For surely it is not for angels he is concerned, but for Abraham’s descendants. 17Therefore he had to be made like his brothers and sisters in every respect, so that he could become a merciful and faithful high priest in things relating to God, to make atonement for the sins of the people. 18For since he himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are tempted.