Hebrews 1:7

Hebrews 1:7 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And of the angels he saith, Who maketh his angels spirits, and his ministers a flame of fire.
• New International Version (NIV)In speaking of the angels he says, “He makes his angels spirits, and his servants flames of fire.”
• English Standard Version (ESV)Of the angels he says, "He makes his angels winds, and his ministers a flame of fire."
• New King James Version (NKJV)And of the angels He says: “Who makes His angels spirits And His ministers a flame of fire.”

Context of Hebrews 1:7

5God never said to any of his angels, “You are my Son. Today I have become your Father.” And God never said to any of his angels, “I will be his Father, and he will be my Son.” 6When God was about to send his firstborn Son into the world, he said, “All of God’s angels must worship him.” God said about the angels, “He makes his messengers winds. He makes his servants flames of fire.” 8But God said about his Son, “Your throne, O God, is forever and ever. The scepter in your kingdom is a scepter for justice. 9You have loved what is right and hated what is wrong. That is why God, your God, anointed you, rather than your companions, with the oil of joy.”

Hebrews 1:7 word by word

καὶ πρὸς μὲν τοὺς ἀγγέλους λέγει· ὁ ποιῶν τοὺς ἀγγέλους αὐτοῦ πνεύματα καὶ τοὺς λειτουργοὺς αὐτοῦ πυρὸς φλόγα·Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Andκαίkai · andG2532
• ofπρόςpros · to/withG4314
• ·μένmen · on the other handG3303
• the angelsὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• the angelsἄγγελοςaggelos · angelG32
• he saithλέγωlegō · to sayG3004
• makethποιέωpoieō · to do/make: doG4160
• hisαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
• spiritsπνεῦμαpneuma · spirit/breath: breathG4151
• ministersλειτουργόςleitourgos · ministerG3011
• a flameφλόξphlox · flameG5395
• of fireπῦρpur · fireG4442

Cross-references for Hebrews 1:7

• Hebrews 1:14What are all the angels? They are spirits sent to serve those who are going to receive salvation.
• 2 Kings 2:11As they continued walking and talking, a fiery chariot with fiery horses separated the two of them, and Elijah went to heaven in a windstorm.
• 2 Kings 6:17Then Elisha prayed, “Lord, please open his eyes so that he may see.” The Lord opened the servant’s eyes and let him see. The mountain around Elisha was full of fiery horses and chariots.
• Psalms 104:4You make your angels winds and your servants flames of fire.
• Isaiah 6:2Angels were standing above him. Each had six wings: With two they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they flew.
• Ezekiel 1:13The living creatures looked like burning coals and torches. Fire moved back and forth between the living creatures. The fire was bright, and lightning came out of the fire.
• Daniel 7:10A river of fire flowed. It came from him. Thousands and thousands served him. Ten thousand times ten thousand were stationed in front of him. The court convened, and the books were opened.
• Zechariah 6:5The angel answered, “They are the four spirits of heaven. They are going out after standing in the presence of the Lord of the whole earth.

Commentaries on Hebrews 1:7

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 7Who maketh his angels spirits - They are so far from being superior to Christ, that they are not called God's sons in any peculiar sense, but his servants, as tempests and lightnings are. In many respects they may have been made inferior even to man as he came out of the hands of his Maker, for he was made in the image and likeness of God; but of the angels, even the highest order of them, this is never spoken. It is very likely that the apostle refers…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 7And of the angels he saith, Who maketh his angels spirits - He gives to them an inferior name, and assigns to them a more humble office. They are mere ministers, and have not ascribed to them the name of “Son.” They have a name which implies a more humble rank and office - the name “spirit,” and the appellation of a “flame of fire.” They obey his will as the winds and the lightnings do. The “object” of the apostle in this passage is to show that the…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 4-14Verses 4-14 Many Jews had a superstitious or idolatrous respect for angels, because they had received the law and other tidings of the Divine will by their ministry. They looked upon them as mediators between God and men, and some went so far as to pay them a kind of religious homage or worship. Thus it was necessary that the apostle should insist, not only on Christ's being the Creator of all things, and therefore of angels themselves, but as being the…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 7This verse quotes Psalm 104:4 to show that angels are messengers or servants. They have a lower rank than the Son, whom they serve. In the Old Testament, angels are sometimes associated with winds and fire (see Exodus 3:2; Judges 6:21; 13:16, 20; 2 Samuel 22:11; Psalms 18:10; 35:5). This shows the angels’ connection with God’s rule over nature.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 77. of--The Greek is rather, "In reference TO the angels." spirits--or "winds": Who employeth His angels as the winds, His ministers as the lightnings; or, He maketh His angelic ministers the directing powers of winds and flames, when these latter are required to perform His will. "Commissions them to assume the agency or form of flames for His purposes" [Alford]. English Version, "maketh His angels spirits," means, He maketh them of a subtle, incorporeal…Read the comment

Topics related to Hebrews 1:7

• Angel (a Spirit)
• Quotations and Allusions

In the dictionaries

• Flame of fire
• Angel
• Bitter
• Ministering
• Canon of the New Testament
• Gershom
• Hebrews, Epistle to the
• Inspiration
• Mediation; Mediator
• 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