Section 1:1–4

Introduction: God has spoken through his Son

The first four verses of the book of Hebrews explain what the book is about. In the past God spoke to his people through his prophets. Now during this later time, he has spoken to his people through his own Son. God’s Son shows people who God is.

In 1:1–2a the author used parallelism to show a contrast between how God spoke in the past and how he speaks now. In the past God spoke through the prophets, but now God speaks to us through his Son. In your translation, it is important to emphasize this contrast, especially the fact that God now speaks to us by the Son.

1:1
1:2

in the past
in these last days

to our fathers
to us

through the prophets
by His Son

In Greek, the four verses in 1:1–4 are one long sentence that describes who the Son is and what he has done. It is common in Greek to have long sentences like this. Most English versions divide this section into several sentences. You may do what is natural in your language.

In 1:2b–3e there are seven important facts about God’s Son:

(a) God appointed his Son to be heir of all things (an important theme in 1:5–6).

(b) God created everything through his Son (an important theme in 1:7–14).

(c) The Son reflects God’s glory (an important theme in 2:5–8).

(d) The Son shows us exactly what God is like.

(e) The Son keeps everything working by his powerful word.

(f) The Son made a way to make people clean from their sin (an important theme in 2:10–17, 5:1–10, 7:1–28, and 9:1–10:18).

(g) The Son sat down on the right side of God (see 1:13 and 8:1–2).

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

God has revealed himself to us through his Son.
-or-
The greatness of the Son of God

Paragraph 1:1–4

There are several ways to arrange the phrases in 1:1–4. The Berean Standard Bible mostly follows the order of phrases in the Greek text. The New International Version uses a different order. Compare the order of the phrases in the Berean Standard Bible and New International Version below:

1 On many past occasions and in many different ways, God spoke to our fathers through the prophets. 2 But in these last days He has spoken to us by His Son… (Berean Standard Bible)

1 In the past God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways, 2 but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son… (New International Version)

The New International Version puts the phrase “at many times and in various ways” at the end of 1:1 instead of at the beginning, as in the Berean Standard Bible. Use an order that is natural in your language.

1:1a

On many past occasions: The phrase On many past occasions refers to past times that have already ended. It refers to the past in contrast to the present. In this context it refers to the times when God spoke to people through prophets. This time period ended several hundred years before the author of Hebrews wrote. Refer to it in a natural way in your language.

in many different ways:
The phrase in many different ways indicates that God gave different kinds of messages, including laws, promises, instructions, and prophecies. He communicated these messages in different ways, for example, by dreams, visions, direct messages, signs, and symbols, and events. The prophets who communicated the messages lived at different times in the past.

Other ways to translate the phrase “On many past occasions and in many different ways” are:

using various ways on many different occasions
-or-
at many different times and in many different ways (God’s Word)

1:1b

God spoke to our fathers through the prophets: The phrase spoke…through the prophets indicates that God told the prophets what he wanted them to tell the other people. Then the prophets told the people those messages from God. Some other ways to translate this meaning are:

God spoke to our ancestors by means of the prophets
-or-
God sent prophets to speak ⌊his messages⌋ to our forefathers

to our fathers: The phrase to our fathers refers to the ancestors of the author and readers of Hebrews. It refers in general to the people of Israel in the Old Testament, who were descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

prophets: The prophets were men who spoke messages from God. They told others what God revealed to them. Some ways to translate prophets are:

spokesmen for God
-or-
men who spoke his/God’s words
-or-
his message-speakers

It is good to use a general term that does not focus only on foretelling the future. Prophets did foretell the future, but they also gave people other messages from God. They spoke about their own times, and they told people to stop sinning and to obey God.

When choosing a term for prophets, consider how you will distinguish prophets from other words which are similar in meaning such as “angels,” “apostles,” and “preachers.”

See also prophet meaning 1A in Key Biblical Terms.

General Comment on 1:1a–b

It may be helpful in your language to reorder the phrases in 1:1. For example:

1a In the past 1b God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets 1b at many times and in various ways.
-or-

1a Long ago, 1b God spoke to our ancestors 1a at many different times and in many different ways. 1b He spoke to them through the prophets.

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