4 By having become so much better than God’s messengers, he inherited a greater reputation than them, 5 because which of the messengers was told even once by God:[ref]

‘You are my son;

I gave birth to you today.’

And again:

‘I will be a father to him,

And he will be a son to me.’

6 Then when God brings his firstborn son into the world he said:[ref]

‘Let all of God’s messengers bow down to him.’

7 On one hand he said to his messengers:[ref]

‘The one making his messengers winds,

and making his ministers a fiery flame.’

8 And on the other hand to his son he said:[ref]

‘God, your throne will last to the end of the ages;

The ruler of his kingdom is a ruler of justice.

9 You loved righteousness and hated lawlessness,

because of this, God, your God, honoured you

with gladness beyond what your companions received.’

10 He also said to his son:[ref]

‘Master, at the beginning you established the earth,

and you made the heavens with your hands.

11 They will perish but you will continue;

They will wear out like clothes do.

12 You will roll them up like a discarded dressing gown;

they’ll be changed like we change our clothes.

But you remain the same,

and you won’t get old and fragile.’

13 To which of his messengers did God say even once:[ref]

‘Sit in the seat of honour on my right,

until I can defeat your enemies

and use them as a stool for my feet’?

14 See, those messengers are just ministering spirits sent out to serve those people who will inherit salvation.