AN EPISTLE TO HEBREWS

I

God, having of old time spoken unto the fathers in the prophets by divers portions and in divers manners, hath at the end of these days spoken unto us in a Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, through whom also he made the worlds; who, being the effulgence of his glory, and the very image of his substance, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had made purification of sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high; having become by so much better than the angels, as he hath inherited a more excellent name than they. For unto which of the angels said he at any time,

and again,

Thou art my Son,

This day have I begotten thee?

I will be to him a Father,
And he shall be to me a son?

And when he again bringeth in the firstborn into the world he saith, And let all the angels of God worship him. And of the angels he saith,

Who maketh his angels winds,

And his ministers a flame of fire:

but of the Son he saith,

Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever ;

And the sceptre of uprightness is the sceptre of thy

kingdom.

Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated iniquity;

Therefore God, thy God, hath anointed thee
With the oil of gladness above thy fellows.

And,

Thou, Lord, in the beginning hast laid the foundation of

the earth,

And the heavens are the works of thy hands:

They shall perish; but thou continuest:

And they all shall wax old as doth a garment;

And as a mantle shalt thou roll them up,
As a garment, and they shall be changed:
But thou art the same,

And thy years shall not fail.

But of which of the angels hath he said at any time,

Sit thou on my right hand,

Till I make thine enemies the footstool of thy feet?

Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to do service for the sake of them that shall inherit salvation?

Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things that were heard, lest haply we drift away. For if the word spoken through angels proved stedfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompense of reward; how shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation? which having at the first been spoken through the Lord, was confirmed unto us by them that heard; God also bearing witness with them, both by signs and wonders, and by manifold powers, and by gifts of the Holy Ghost, according to his own will. For not unto angels did he subject the world to come, whereof we speak. But one hath somewhere testified, saying,

What is man, that thou art mindful of him?
Or the son of man, that thou visitest him?
Thou madest him a little lower than the angels;
Thou crownedst him with glory and honour,
And didst set him over the works of thy hands :
Thou didst put all things in subjection under his feet.

For in that he subjected 'all things' unto him, he left nothing that is not subject to him.

But now we see not yet all things subjected to him. But we behold him who hath been made a little lower than the angels, even Jesus, because of the suffering of death