Passage

Hebrews 1.1-2

Book: Hebrews · ASV / WEB / KJV / YLT

Immediate context (±2 verses)

ASV (ASV)

"1. God, having of old time spoken unto the fathers in the prophets by divers portions and in divers manners, 2. hath at the end of these days spoken unto us in his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, through whom also he made the worlds;"

"3. 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; 4. having become by so much better than the angels, as he hath inherited a more excellent name than they." (Hebrews 1:1-4, ASV)

WEB (WEB)

"1. God, having in the past spoken to the fathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways, 2. has at the end of these days spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, through whom also he made the worlds."

"3. His Son is the radiance of his glory, the very image of his substance, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purified us of our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high; 4. having become so much better than the angels, as he has inherited a more excellent name than they have." (Hebrews 1:1-4, WEB)

KJV (KJV)

"1. God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, 2. Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds;"

"3. 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; 4. Being made so much better than the angels, as he hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they." (Hebrews 1:1-4, KJV)

YLT (YLT)

"1. In many parts, and many ways, God of old having spoken to the fathers in the prophets, 2. in these last days did speak to us in a Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, through whom also He did make the ages;"

"3. who being the brightness of the glory, and the impress of His subsistence, bearing up also the all things by the saying of his might, through himself having made a cleansing of our sins, sat down at the right hand of the greatness in the highest, 4. having become so much better than the messengers, as he did inherit a more excellent name than they." (Hebrews 1:1-4, YLT)

Setting

• Speaker: unknown author (traditionally Paul; modern scholarship: possibly Apollos, Barnabas, Priscilla, or unknown)
• Audience: Jewish-Christian community tempted to revert to Judaism
• Location: composition unknown
• Time period: composed c. AD 60-69 (before the AD 70 temple destruction, given the present-tense temple-language)

Theological reading

Key words

• G0165 - aion, aion (Strong's G165). Also appears in: Matthew 12.31-32, Matthew 28.18-20, Mark 3.20-30.
• G2316 - theos, theos (Strong's G2316). Also appears in: Matthew 1.23, Matthew 3.16, Matthew 5.9.
• G3956 - pas, pas (Strong's G3956). Also appears in: Matthew 1, Matthew 2.1-6, Matthew 2.16.
• G3962 - pater, pater (Strong's G3962). Also appears in: Matthew 5.48, Matthew 6.25-26, Matthew 6.25-34.
• G5207 - huios, huios (Strong's G5207). Also appears in: Matthew 1.1, Matthew 1.20, Matthew 1.21.

Quoted in

• Bible Contradictions Objection Defeater
• Christ Before Jesus Analysis
• Failed Second Coming Prophecy Objection Defeater
• Faustina Kowalska
• God is Impossible Paradox Cluster
• God's Eternity and Creation
• Hebrews 1.5-12
• Inspiration
• No True Scotsman Charge Defeater
• Tower of Babel Objection Defeater

Why these four translations

ris3n chose ASV, WEB, KJV, and YLT for two reasons together. They are the most literal English translations available (formal-equivalence: word-for-word renderings that preserve the Hebrew and Greek grammar rather than smoothing it into modern dynamic-equivalence idiom). And they are in the public domain in the United States, which means fair-use quotation at any length requires no publisher license. Modern licensed translations (NASB95, ESV, NIV) restrict volume of quotation under their copyright terms, so they are not used at stub-level coverage here. NASB95 appears only on hand-curated rich passage hubs under Lockman Foundation's fair-use allowance.

The four:

• ASV (American Standard Version, 1901). The basis of the modern critical-text English tradition.
• WEB (World English Bible, contemporary). Public-domain revision in the ASV line, in current English.
• KJV (King James Version, 1611). Reformation-era, Textus Receptus base.
• YLT (Young's Literal Translation, Robert Young, 1862). Hyper-literal preservation of Hebrew and Greek grammar; useful for word-study work even where English reads stiff.

See Bibles for the full per-translation history, translators, textual basis, strengths, and weaknesses.