Christian Standard Bible
Hebrews 1:3
3The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact expression of his nature, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high.
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
1Long ago God spoke to our ancestors by the prophets at different times and in different ways. 2In these last days, he has spoken to us by his Son. God has appointed him heir of all things and made the universe through him. The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact expression of his nature, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high. 4So he became superior to the angels, just as the name he inherited is more excellent than theirs. 5For to which of the angels did he ever say, You are my Son; today I have become your Father, or again, I will be his Father, and he will be my Son?
Read all of Hebrews 1Hebrews 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 1:14The Word became flesh and dwelt among us. We observed his glory, the glory as the one and only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.
- John 14:9Jesus said to him, “Have I been among you all this time and you do not know me, Philip? The one 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,” has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of God’s glory in the face of Jesus Christ.
- 2 Corinthians 4:4In their case, the god of this age has blinded the minds of the unbelievers to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.
- Colossians 1:15He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation.
- Psalms 75:3When the earth and all its inhabitants shake, I am the one who steadies its pillars.Selah
- John 1:4In him was life, and that life was the light of men.
- Colossians 1:17He is before all things, and by him all things hold together.
- Revelation 4:11Our Lord and God, you are worthy to receive glory and honor and power, because you have created all things, and by your will they exist and were created.
- Ecclesiastes 8:4For the king’s word is authoritative, and who can say to him, “What are you doing?”
- Romans 1:16For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, first to the Jew, and also to the Greek.
- 2 Corinthians 4:7Now we have this treasure in clay jars, so that this extraordinary power may be from God and not from us.
- Hebrews 7:27He doesn’t need to offer sacrifices every day, as high priests do — first for their own sins, then for those of the people. He did this once for all time when he offered himself.
- Hebrews 9:12he entered the most holy place once for all time, not by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood, having obtained eternal redemption.
- John 1:29The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!
- 1 John 1:7If we walk in the light as he himself is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.
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
In the dictionaries
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
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