HEB 1:6 Interlinear View

SIL Open Translator’s Notes:

Section 1:5–14: Jesus is clearly greater than the angels since God calls him “Son”

In Section 1:5–14 there are seven quotations from the Old Testament, mostly from the Psalms. All the quotations are poetry and contain figurative language.

You will need to decide:

how to translate the figurative language in a clear and meaningful way.
whether to make paragraph breaks between these quotations. English versions differ in this.For example, the RSV begins a new paragraph only at 1:5. The GNT begins new paragraphs at 1:4, 1:7, and 1:14. The Notes begin a new paragraph wherever the author has a quote introduction.
how to format the quotations and whether to include an OT cross reference. English versions differ about this also. If you have made a decision about this for other NT books, you may follow that decision in Hebrews also. The quotations in this section are poetry, so many English versions format them in poetic lines.
how to introduce the quotations. Some English versions use past tense (“God said”) to introduce the quotations, since God spoke the words in the past. Other versions use present tense (“God says”), since the statements are written in the Scripture and the time when he said them is not in focus. Use an appropriate verb form in your language.

It is good to translate the section before you decide on a heading for it. Some other examples of headings for this section are:

The angels are servants of God but Jesus is his Son

God’s Son is Superior to the Angels (GW)

The Greatness of God’s Son (GNT)

Paragraph 1:5–6

In this paragraph the author gives three quotations from the Old Testament. These quotations show that Christ is better than the angels, because God calls Christ his Son and tells the angels to worship him.

1:6

In this verse the author quoted another verse from the OT to show that the Son is greater than the angels. God did not treat angels like sons or say that he was their father (1:5). Instead, he told them that they must worship the Son as God (1:6).

1:6a

And again, when God brings His firstborn into the world,

And also, when God brought his own Son, into the world,
At another time, when God was about to send his only Son to the earth,

And: The word And connects this verse closely to the preceding verses.The Greek connective used here is de. It sometimes introduces a contrast. It is different from the word kai ‘and,’ which is used in 1:5b–c. Translate the connection in a natural way in your language. In some languages a conjunction may not be needed.

again: There are two ways to interpret the word again in this context:

It introduces another OT quote to prove that Christ is greater than the angels. For example:
And again, when he brings the firstborn into the world, he says: (ESV) (BSB, ESV, NIV, RSV, NRSV, NLT, NCV, GW, GNT, JBP, REB, CEV, KJV)
It refers to the second coming of Christ into the world. For example:
But when he again brings his firstborn into the world, he says: (NET) (NET, NASB)

It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1). Most commentaries and versions favor this interpretation. Some versions do not translate the word again, but still imply that the OT quote refers to the Son’s first coming into the world.

when God brings His firstborn into the world: This statement refers to the time when God brought his Son to the earth.Scholars suggest several different specific times that this clause may refer to. It may refer either to the actual time of Jesus’ birth, or more generally to his time on earth as a man, or to his enthronement in heaven after his atoning death and his resurrection. Some other ways to translate the statement are:

when God sent his firstborn Son to this earth

when God caused his firstborn to come to the world

firstborn: The Greek word that the BSB translates as firstborn is used figuratively. In Jewish culture the firstborn son in a family was an important person. He was the heir of his father, and his father often gave him authority to represent him in important matters. See the discussion on “heir of all things” in 1:2b.

The word firstborn is a title that emphasizes Christ’s status and importance. In some cultures the term firstborn does not express that meaning. If that is true in your culture, you may need to express the meaning in a different way. For example:

honored Son

his Son who has no equal

In some languages it may be helpful to make the term for firstborn into a different statement. For example:

This Son of God is greater than all. Therefore when God sent….Otomi back translation on TW.

Christ is also called the firstborn in Colossians 1:15, 1:18; Romans 8:29; Revelation 1:5.

into the world: The word world refers to the whole inhabited earth. Some ways to translate into the world are:

to the people on earth

here to this world

1:6b

He says: “Let all God’s angels worship Him.”

he said, “All my/God’s angels must worship him.”
he declared/said that all his angels must worship his Son.

He says: “Let all God’s angels worship Him.”: The words Let all God’s angels worship Him are quoted from the Greek translation of Deuteronomy 32:43.There is a textual issue concerning Deuteronomy 32:43. Until the discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls, it was thought that the author of Hebrews was following the Greek translation of the Old Testament (the LXX) here. However, a Hebrew manuscript from the Dead Sea Scrolls also has this clause. Lane (WBC, page 28) suggests that it may be quoted from a translation provided in the Odes (songs) that were included in the Greek Psalter used in the early church. In this context it is a command. God commands that his angels must worship his Son.

In some languages it may not be natural to use the word God’s when God himself is speaking. You may need to use another way to refer to him. For example:

All of my angels must worship that Child of mine.Uma back translation on TW.

he commands all of his angels to worship him (CEV)

He says: The phrase He says introduces what God said when he brought his Son into the world. At the time that the author of Hebrews wrote this, God had already said it. Use a natural verb form in your language to introduce what God said here.

angels: The word angels refers to spirit beings that serve God. It first occurs in this book in 1:4. Check to see how you have translated it there.

worship: The Greek word that the BSB translates as worship means to express devotion, honor, and reverence for God or for other gods. Some ways to express this worship are by praying, bowing down, or kneeling to show submission, serving God obediently, and praising him.

In this contextIt was used in the Gospels, for example, when Satan tempted Jesus (Luke 4:7–8) and also when people came and knelt before Jesus, as in Matthew 8:2 and Mark 5:6. the word worship indicates that the angels must agree that the Son is God, and they must give him honor. It probably also indicates that they must bow down or prostrate themselves before the Son to show their reverence.

Other ways to translate worship in this context are:

adore

bow down to

serve/revere

uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: grammar-connect-logic-contrast

δὲ πάλιν

(Some words not found in SR-GNT: ὅταν Δέ πάλιν εἰσαγάγῃ τόν πρωτότοκον εἰς τήν οἰκουμένην λέγει Καί προσκυνησάτωσαν αὐτῷ πάντες ἄγγελοι Θεοῦ)

The word But introduces a contrast with the previous verse, which talks about what God has not said to angels. In this verse, the author identifies what God has said to angels. If it would be helpful in your language, you could use a word or phrase that would introduce this kind of contrast. Alternate translation: [Again, and in contrast,]

Note 2 topic: writing-quotations

δὲ πάλιν & λέγει

The author quotes from the Old Testament Scriptures. He does not introduce it as a quotation but instead as words that God has spoken to angels about his Son. However, the audience would have understood that this was a quotation from the Old Testament taken from the Greek translation of [Deuteronomy 32:43](../../deu/32/43.md). Since the author introduces this quotation as words that God has said to the angels, you should introduce the quotation as words that someone has said. If your readers would not know that the quotation is from the Old Testament, you could include a footnote or use some other form to identify the quotation. The phrase But again was a normal way in the author’s culture to introduce another quotation. Alternate translation: [Further … God declares]

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / pastforfuture

εἰσαγάγῃ & λέγει

˱he˲_˓may˒_bring_in & ˱he˲_˓is˒_saying

The author uses the present tense to introduce what God says. He may be referring to a past event (if brings refers to the incarnation or the ascension of Jesus) or a future event (if brings refers to the return of Jesus at the end). The author uses the present tense to focus on what God says rather than when he says it. Consider what tense would be appropriate for referring primarily to what a person says. Alternate translation: [he brought … he said]

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / infostructure

ὅταν δὲ πάλιν εἰσαγάγῃ τὸν πρωτότοκον εἰς τὴν οἰκουμένην, λέγει

whenever (Some words not found in SR-GNT: ὅταν Δέ πάλιν εἰσαγάγῃ τόν πρωτότοκον εἰς τήν οἰκουμένην λέγει Καί προσκυνησάτωσαν αὐτῷ πάντες ἄγγελοι Θεοῦ)

The word again could modify: (1) he says. In this case, again tells the audience that the author is quoting an important text again. Alternate translation: [But, when he brings the firstborn into the world, again he says] (2) he brings. In this case, again tells the audience that the firstborn has already been in the world, and God is “bringing” him into it again. The “bringing” would then refer to how Jesus returns to heaven when he ascends or how he comes back again to earth at the end. Alternate translation: [But, when he again brings the firstborn into the world, he says]

Note 5 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

τὸν πρωτότοκον

The phrase the firstborn refers to Jesus. The author refers to him as the firstborn to emphasize his importance and authority over everyone else. It does not imply that there was a time before Jesus existed or that God gave birth to him at some point. Rather, it implies that Jesus has adopted siblings; they are everyone who believes in him. If it would be helpful in your language, you could state the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: [his honored Son] or [his first Son]

εἰς τὴν οἰκουμένην

into (Some words not found in SR-GNT: ὅταν Δέ πάλιν εἰσαγάγῃ τόν πρωτότοκον εἰς τήν οἰκουμένην λέγει Καί προσκυνησάτωσαν αὐτῷ πάντες ἄγγελοι Θεοῦ)

The phrase the world could refer to: (1) the “world that is coming” (See: [2:5](../02/05.md)), which is heaven or the heavenly world. In this case, the verse refers to Jesus’ ascension into heaven. Alternate translation: [into the coming world] (2) this world as it currently exists. In this case, the verse refers either to Jesus’ incarnation or to his return to earth at the end. Alternate translation: [into our world]

Note 6 topic: figures-of-speech / imperative3p

καὶ προσκυνησάτωσαν αὐτῷ πάντες ἄγγελοι Θεοῦ

The author of the quotation uses a third-person imperative. If you have third-person imperatives in your language, you could use one here. If you do not have third-person imperatives, you could express the idea using a word or phrase such as “need to” or “must.” Alternate translation: [And all the angels of God need to worship him]

OET-LV English word order (‘Reverse’ interlinear)

Note: The OET-RV is still only a first draft, and so far only a few words have been (mostly automatically) matched to the Hebrew or Greek words that they’re translated from.

Acknowledgements: The SR Greek text, lemmas, morphology, and VLT gloss are all thanks to the CNTR.

OET interlinear HEB 1:6

SR Greek word order (including unused variant words in grey)

Section 1:5–14: Jesus is clearly greater than the angels since God calls him “Son”

Paragraph 1:5–6

1:6

1:6a

1:6b

OET-LV English word order (‘Reverse’ interlinear)