The letter that was written to Jewish believers. We call this letter
Hebrews
God formerly communicated with us through the prophets, but now he has communicated with us through his son, who is just like God.
1
1 Long ago God communicated frequently to our ancestors in various ways by what the prophets wrote. 2 But now when this final age is beginning, God has communicated to us just once by means of what ◄his Son/the man who was also God► said and did. God appointed him in order that he would possess everything that truly belongs to God. God also appointed him in order that he would create the universe. 3 He manifests God's glory. He exactly represents what God is like. He ◄sustains everything/carries everything forward to its proper goal► by means of his powerful words. When he had enabled people to be freed from the guilt of their sins [MET], he sat down in heaven [EUP] to rule at the place of highest honor [MTY] with God [MTY].
Hebrews 1:4-14
God's son is greater than the angels.
4 By doing that he showed that he was very much greater than the angels, to the extent that his relationship [MTY] to God, as his Son, is more excellent than the relationship the angels have to God. 5 We know that because in the Scriptures no one [RHQ] ever reported that God said to any angel what he said to his Son,
You (sg) are my Son!
Today I have declared to all that I am your Father [DOU]!
And he said in another Scripture passage,
I will be his Father,
and he will be my Son [DOU].
6 And we know his Son is greater than the angels because in another Scripture passage someone wrote this about God's esteemed Son, when God was about to send him into the world,
All God's angels must worship him.
7 And in the Scriptures it is written that someone said this about the angels:
God makes the angels who serve him to be changeable like [MET] winds and flames of fire.
8 But on the other hand, in the Scriptures it is written that God said this to his Son:
You (sg) who are also God will rule forever [MTY],
and you will reign righteously over your kingdom [MTY].
9 You have loved people's righteous deeds and you have hated people's lawless deeds.
So I, your God, have caused you to be more joyful [MTY] than anyone else.
10 And we also know that his Son is superior to angels because in the Scriptures the Psalmist wrote that someone said to God's Son,
Lord, it was you who created the earth in the beginning.
You also made the rest of the universe (OR, the things in the sky) [MTY].
11 Those things will perish, but you will keep on living forever.
They will wear out as clothing wears out.
12 You will dispose of them as one rolls up an old coat to get rid of it.
Then, you will exchange all that is in the universe for something new,
as someone puts on a new garment in exchange for an old garment [SIM].
But you are not like what you created.
You stay the same, and you live forever [LIT]!
13 We also know that his Son is superior to angels because no one ever stated [RHQ] in the Scriptures that God said to any angel what he said to his Son,
Sit next to me and rule with me [MTY]
while I put all of your enemies completely under your control [MET]!
14 ◄The angels are only spirits who serve God./Are not the angels only spirits who serve God?► [RHQ] God sends them to earth in order to help those people who will receive what he will give to those whom he has saved (OR, those whom he will save).
Note: The Old Testament in this translation is still being worked on, and is in draft form. Updates will be posted at eBible.org/t4t/.