New English Translation
Hebrews 1:3
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.
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
1After 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. The 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. 4Thus he became so far better than the angels as he has inherited a name superior to theirs. 5For 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.”
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 1:14Now the Word became flesh and took up residence among us. We saw his glory – the glory of the one and only, full of grace and truth, who came from the Father.
- John 14:9Jesus replied, “Have I been with you for so long, and you have not known me, Philip? The person 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 shined in our hearts to give us the light of the glorious knowledge of God in the face of Christ.
- 2 Corinthians 4:4among whom the god of this age has blinded the minds of those who do not believe so they would not see the light of the glorious gospel 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 dissolve in fear, I make its pillars secure.” (Selah)
- John 1:4In him was life, and the life was the light of mankind.
- Colossians 1:17He himself is before all things and all things are held together in him.
- Revelation 4:11“You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, since you created all things, and because of your will they existed and were created!”
- Ecclesiastes 8:4Surely the king’s authority is absolute; no one can say to him, “What are you doing?”
- Romans 1:16For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is God’s power for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.
- 2 Corinthians 4:7But we have this treasure in clay jars, so that the extraordinary power belongs to God and does not come from us.
- Hebrews 7:27He has no need to do every day what those priests do, to offer sacrifices first for their own sins and then for the sins of the people, since he did this in offering himself once for all.
- Hebrews 9:12and he entered once for all into the most holy place not by the blood of goats and calves but by his own blood, and so he himself secured eternal redemption.
- John 1:29On the 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 1:7But if 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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