New Living Translation
Hebrews 1:3
3The Son radiates God’s own glory and expresses the very character of God, and he sustains everything by the mighty power of his command. When he had cleansed us from our sins, he sat down in the place of honor at the right hand of the majestic God in heaven.
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 many times and in many ways to our ancestors through the prophets. 2And now in these final days, he has spoken to us through his Son. God promised everything to the Son as an inheritance, and through the Son he created the universe. The Son radiates God’s own glory and expresses the very character of God, and he sustains everything by the mighty power of his command. When he had cleansed us from our sins, he sat down in the place of honor at the right hand of the majestic God in heaven. 4This shows that the Son is far greater than the angels, just as the name God gave him is greater than their names. 5For God never said to any angel what he said to Jesus: “You are my Son. Today I have become your Father.” God also said, “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 1:14So the Word became human and made his home among us. He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness. And we have seen his glory, the glory of the Father’s one and only Son.
- John 14:9Jesus replied, “Have I been with you all this time, Philip, and yet you still don’t know who I am? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father! So why are you asking me to show him to you?
- 2 Corinthians 4:6For God, who said, “Let there be light in the darkness,” has made this light shine in our hearts so we could know the glory of God that is seen in the face of Jesus Christ.
- 2 Corinthians 4:4Satan, who is the god of this world, has blinded the minds of those who don’t believe. They are unable to see the glorious light of the Good News. They don’t understand this message about the glory of Christ, who is the exact likeness of God.
- Colossians 1:15Christ is the visible image of the invisible God. He existed before anything was created and is supreme over all creation,
- Psalms 75:3When the earth quakes and its people live in turmoil, I am the one who keeps its foundations firm. Interlude
- John 1:4The Word gave life to everything that was created, and his life brought light to everyone.
- Colossians 1:17He existed before anything else, and he holds all creation together.
- Revelation 4:11“You are worthy, O Lord our God, to receive glory and honor and power. For you created all things, and they exist because you created what you pleased.”
- Ecclesiastes 8:4His command is backed by great power. No one can resist or question it.
- Romans 1:16For I am not ashamed of this Good News about Christ. It is the power of God at work, saving everyone who believes—the Jew first and also the Gentile.
- 2 Corinthians 4:7We now have this light shining in our hearts, but we ourselves are like fragile clay jars containing this great treasure. This makes it clear that our great power is from God, not from ourselves.
- Hebrews 7:27Unlike those other high priests, he does not need to offer sacrifices every day. They did this for their own sins first and then for the sins of the people. But Jesus did this once for all when he offered himself as the sacrifice for the people’s sins.
- Hebrews 9:12With his own blood—not the blood of goats and calves—he entered the Most Holy Place once for all time and secured our redemption forever.
- 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 1:7But if we are living in the light, as God is in the light, then we have fellowship with each other, 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
New Living Translation — © 1996, 2004, 2015 Tyndale House Foundation
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