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

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.” 6But when he again brings his firstborn into the world, he says, “Let all the angels of God worship him!” And he says of the angels, “He makes his angels spirits and his ministers a flame of fire,” 8but of the Son he says, “Your throne, O God, is forever and ever, and a righteous scepter is the scepter of your kingdom. 9You have loved righteousness and hated lawlessness. So God, your God, has anointed you over your companions with the oil of rejoicing.”

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 1:14Are they not all ministering spirits, sent out to serve those who will inherit salvation?
• 2 Kings 2:11As they were walking along and talking, suddenly a fiery chariot pulled by fiery horses appeared. They went between Elijah and Elisha, and Elijah went up to heaven in a windstorm.
• 2 Kings 6:17Then Elisha prayed, “O Lord, open his eyes so he can see.” The Lord opened the servant’s eyes and he saw that the hill was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.
• Psalms 104:4He makes the winds his messengers, and the flaming fire his attendant.
• Isaiah 6:2Seraphs stood over him; each one had six wings. With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and they used the remaining two to fly.
• Ezekiel 1:13In the middle of the living beings was something like burning coals of fire or like torches. It moved back and forth among the living beings. It was bright, and lightning was flashing out of the fire.
• Daniel 7:10A river of fire was streaming forth and proceeding from his presence. Many thousands were ministering to him; Many tens of thousands stood ready to serve him. The court convened and the books were opened.
• Zechariah 6:5The messenger replied, “These are the four spirits of heaven that have been presenting themselves before the Lord of all the 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