Hebrews 1:3

Hebrews 1:3 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)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;
• New International Version (NIV)The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven.
• English Standard Version (ESV)He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high,
• New King James Version (NKJV)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 at the right hand of the Majesty on high,

Context of Hebrews 1:3

1God, having spoken to the fathers long ago in [the voices and writings of] the prophets in many separate revelations [each of which set forth a portion of the truth], and in many ways, 2has in these last days spoken [with finality] to us in [the person of One who is by His character and nature] His Son [namely Jesus], whom He appointed heir and lawful owner of all things, through whom also He created the universe [that is, the universe as a space-time-matter continuum]. The Son is the radiance and only expression of the glory of [our awesome] God [reflecting God’s Shekinah glory, the Light-being, the brilliant light of the divine], and the exact representation and perfect imprint of His [Father’s] essence, and upholding and maintaining and propelling all things [the entire physical and spiritual universe] by His powerful word [carrying the universe along to its predetermined goal]. When He [Himself and no other] had [by offering Himself on the cross as a sacrifice for sin] accomplished purification from sins and established our freedom from guilt, He sat down [revealing His completed work] at the right hand of the Majesty on high [revealing His Divine authority], 4having become as much superior to angels, since He has inherited a more excellent and glorious name than they [that is, Son—the name above all names]. 5For to which of the angels did the Father ever say, “You are My Son, Today I have begotten (fathered) You [established You as a Son, with kingly dignity]”? And again [did He ever say to the angels], “I shall be a Father to Him And He shall be a Son to Me”?

Hebrews 1:3 word by word

ὃς ὢν ἀπαύγασμα τῆς δόξης καὶ χαρακτὴρ τῆς ὑποστάσεως αὐτοῦ, φέρων τε τὰ πάντα τῷ ῥήματι τῆς δυνάμεως αὐτοῦ καθαρισμὸν τῶν ἁμαρτιῶν ποιησάμενος ἐκάθισεν ἐν δεξιᾷ τῆς μεγαλωσύνης ἐν ὑψηλοῖςRead the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Whoὅςhos hē ho · whichG3739
• beingεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
• the brightnessἀπαύγασμαapaugasma · radianceG541
• ofὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• ofδόξαdoxa · gloryG1391
• andκαίkai · andG2532
• the express imageχαρακτήρcharaktēr · reproductionG5481
• ofὑπόστασιςhupostasis · confidence/essenceG5287
• hisαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
• andτεte · and/bothG5037
• upholdingφέρωpherō̄ · to bear/leadG5342
• all thingsπᾶςpas · allG3956
• by the wordῥῆμαrhēma · declarationG4487
• ofδύναμιςdunamis · powerG1411
• when he hadποιέωpoieō · to do/make: doG4160
• byδιάdia · through/because ofG1223
• himselfἑαυτοῦheautou · themselfG1438
• purgedκαθαρισμόςkatharismos · cleansingG2512
• ourἐγώegō · I/weG1473
• sinsἁμαρτίαhamartia · sinG266
• sat downκαθίζωkathizō · to seatG2523
• onἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
• the right handδεξιόςdexios · rightG1188
• of the Majestyμεγαλωσύνηmegalōsunē · majestyG3172
• highὑψηλόςhupsēlos · highG5308

Cross-references for Hebrews 1:3

• John 1:14And the Word (Christ) became flesh, and lived among us; and we [actually] saw His glory, glory as belongs to the [One and] only begotten Son of the Father, [the Son who is truly unique, the only One of His kind, who is] full of grace and truth (absolutely free of deception).
• John 14:9Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you for so long a time, and you do not know Me yet, Philip, nor recognize clearly who I am? Anyone who has seen Me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father?’
• 2 Corinthians 4:6For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” is the One who has shone in our hearts to give us the Light of the knowledge of the glory and majesty of God [clearly revealed] in the face of Christ.
• 2 Corinthians 4:4among them the god of this world [Satan] has blinded the minds of the unbelieving to prevent them from seeing the illuminating light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.
• Colossians 1:15He is the exact living image [the essential manifestation] of the unseen God [the visible representation of the invisible], the firstborn [the preeminent one, the sovereign, and the originator] of all creation.
• Psalms 75:3“The earth and all the inhabitants of it melt [in tumultuous times]. It is I who will steady its pillars. Selah.
• John 1:4In Him was life [and the power to bestow life], and the life was the Light of men.
• Colossians 1:17And He Himself existed and is before all things, and in Him all things hold together. [His is the controlling, cohesive force of the universe.]
• Revelation 4:11“Worthy are You, our Lord and God, to receive the glory and the honor and the power; for You created all things, and because of Your will they exist, and were created and brought into being.”
• Ecclesiastes 8:4For the word of a king is authoritative and powerful, And who will say to him, “What are you doing?”
• Romans 1:16I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation [from His wrath and punishment] to everyone who believes [in Christ as Savior], to the Jew first and also to the Greek.
• 2 Corinthians 4:7But we have this precious treasure [the good news about salvation] in [unworthy] earthen vessels [of human frailty], so that the grandeur and surpassing greatness of the power will be [shown to be] from God [His sufficiency] and not from ourselves.
• Hebrews 7:27who has no day by day need, like those high priests, to offer sacrifices, first of all for his own [personal] sins and then for those of the people, because He [met all the requirements and] did this once for all when He offered up Himself [as a willing sacrifice].
• Hebrews 9:12He went once for all into the Holy Place [the Holy of Holies of heaven, into the presence of God], and not through the blood of goats and calves, but through His own blood, having obtained and secured eternal redemption [that is, the salvation of all who personally believe in Him as Savior].
• John 1:29The next day he saw Jesus coming to him and said, “Look! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!
• 1 John 1:7but if we [really] walk in the Light [that is, live each and every day in conformity with the precepts of God], as He Himself is in the Light, we have [true, unbroken] fellowship with one another [He with us, and we with Him], and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin [by erasing the stain of sin, keeping us cleansed from sin in all its forms and manifestations].

Commentaries on Hebrews 1:3

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 3The brightness of his glory - The resplendent outbeaming of the essential glory of God. Hesychius interprets by ̔ͅ , the splendor of the sun. The same form of expression is used by an apocryphal writer, Wis. 7:26, where, speaking of the uncreated wisdom of God, he says: "For she is the splendor of eternal light, ̈́, and the unsullied mirror of the energy of God, and the image of his goodness." The word is that which has splendor in itself is the splendor…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 3Who being the brightness of his glory - This verse is designed to state the dignity and exalted rank of the Son of God, and is exceedingly important with reference to a correct view of the Redeemer. Every word which is employed is of great importance, and should be clearly understood in order to a correct apprehension of the passage. First, in what manner does it refer to the Redeemer? To his divine nature? To the mode of his existence before he was…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 3The Greek word translated radiance is found only here in the New Testament. It means intense brightness. God's glory shows his presence (Exodus 16:7; 33:18; Isaiah 40:5). The Son's glory reflects God's glory, showing God's presence (Luke 9:32; John 1:14; 2:11; 17:5; Romans 8:17). The Greek word translated exact representation is also unique in the New Testament. It refers to a mark like one on a coin. The Son clearly shows God's character (John 1:18…Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 33. Who being--by pre-existent and essential being. brightness of his glory--Greek, the effulgence of His glory. "Light of (from) light" [Nicene Creed]. "Who is so senseless as to doubt concerning the eternal being of the Son? For when has one seen light without effulgence?" [Athanasius, Against Arius, Orations, 2]. "The sun is never seen without effulgence, nor the Father without the Son" [Theophylact]. It is because He is the brightness, &c., and because…Read the comment

Topics related to Hebrews 1:3

• Ablution
• Atonement
• Glory
• God Continued...
• Image
• Jesus Continued
• Jesus, the Christ
• Majesty
• Power

In the dictionaries

• Angel
• Bitter
• Glory
• Ministering
• Providence
• Ascension
• Begotten
• Brightness
• Canon of the New Testament
• Christ, Offices of

Commentaries on Hebrews 1

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Illustrated New Testament
• Burkitt’s Expository Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Family Bible Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Luther’s Commentary on Selected Bible Passages
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• The People’s New Testament
• Robertson’s Word Pictures
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings