Hebrews 1:4

Hebrews 1:4 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Being made so much better than the angels, as he hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they.
• New International Version (NIV)So he became as much superior to the angels as the name he has inherited is superior to theirs.
• English Standard Version (ESV)having become as much superior to angels as the name he has inherited is more excellent than theirs.
• New King James Version (NKJV)having become so much better than the angels, as He has by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they.

Context of Hebrews 1:4

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. 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. This 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.” 6And when he brought his supreme Son into the world, God said, “Let all of God’s angels worship him.”

Hebrews 1:4 word by word

τοσούτῳ κρείττων γενόμενος τῶν ἀγγέλων, ὅσῳ διαφορώτερον παρ᾽ αὐτοὺς κεκληρονόμηκεν ὄνομα.¶Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Being madeγίνομαιginomai · to beG1096
• so muchτοσοῦτοςtosoutos · so greatG5118
• betterκρείττωνkreittōn · strongerG2909
• than the angelsὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• than the angelsἄγγελοςaggelos · angelG32
• asὅσοςhosos · just as/how muchG3745
• he hath by inheritance obtainedκληρονομέωklēronomeō · to inheritG2816
• a more excellentδιάφοροςdiaphoros · differentG1313
• nameὄνομαonoma · nameG3686
• thanπαράpara · from/with/besideG3844
• theyαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846

Cross-references for Hebrews 1:4

• Hebrews 1:9You love justice and hate evil. Therefore, O God, your God has anointed you, pouring out the oil of joy on you more than on anyone else.”
• Hebrews 2:9What we do see is Jesus, who for a little while was given a position “a little lower than the angels”; and because he suffered death for us, he is now “crowned with glory and honor.” Yes, by God’s grace, Jesus tasted death for everyone.
• Ephesians 1:21Now he is far above any ruler or authority or power or leader or anything else—not only in this world but also in the world to come.
• Colossians 1:18Christ is also the head of the church, which is his body. He is the beginning, supreme over all who rise from the dead. So he is first in everything.
• Colossians 2:10So you also are complete through your union with Christ, who is the head over every ruler and authority.
• 2 Thessalonians 1:7And God will provide rest for you who are being persecuted and also for us when the Lord Jesus appears from heaven. He will come with his mighty angels,
• 1 Peter 3:22Now Christ has gone to heaven. He is seated in the place of honor next to God, and all the angels and authorities and powers accept his authority.
• Revelation 5:11Then I looked again, and I heard the voices of thousands and millions of angels around the throne and of the living beings and the elders.
• Psalms 2:7The king proclaims the Lord’s decree: “The Lord said to me, ‘You are my son. Today I have become your Father.
• Philippians 2:9Therefore, God elevated him to the place of highest honor and gave him the name above all other names,

Commentaries on Hebrews 1:4

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 4So much better than the angels - Another argument in favor of the Divinity of our Lord. The Jews had the highest opinion of the transcendent excellence of angels, they even associate them with God in the creation of the world, and suppose them to be of the privy council of the Most High; and thus they understand Genesis 1:26; : Let us make man in our own image, in our own likeness; "And the Lord said to the ministering angels that stood before him, and…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 4Being made so much better - Being exalted so much above the angels. The word “better” here does not refer to moral character, but to exaltation of rank. As Mediator; as the Son of God in our nature, he is exalted far above the angels. Than the angels - Than all angels of every rank; see notes on Ephesians 1:21; compare 1 Peter 3:22. “Angels, and authorities, and powers being made subject unto him.” He is exalted to his mediatorial throne, and all things…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. 4The Son's high position shows that the Son is much greater than the angels in status or rank. First-century Jews admired angels and respected them greatly. By comparing him to the angels, the author of Hebrews emphasizes the Son's superiority over them. as the name He has inherited is excellent beyond theirs: Compare 2 Samuel 7:8–14. Some commentators believe that the title "Son" is the name implied here. Others think the name is Yahweh, the covenant name…Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 44. Being made ... better--by His exaltation by the Father (He 1:3, 13): in contrast to His being "made lower than the angels" (He 2:9). "Better," that is, superior to. As "being" (He 1:3) expresses His essential being so "being made" (He 7:26) marks what He became in His assumed manhood (Php 2:6-9). Paul shows that His humbled form (at which the Jews might stumble) is no objection to His divine Messiahship. As the law was given by the ministration of…Read the comment

Topics related to Hebrews 1:4

• Angel (a Spirit)

In the dictionaries

• Angel
• Birthright
• Bitter
• Ministering
• Canon of the New Testament
• Excellent
• Gershom
• Hebrews, Epistle to the
• Inheritance
• Mediation; Mediator

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