Hebrews 1:6
in Hebrews 1And again, when God brings His firstborn into the world, He says: “Let all God’s angels worship Him.”
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And when he again bringeth in the firstborn into the world he saith, And let all the angels of God worship him.
KJV
And again, when he bringeth in the firstbegotten into the world, he saith, And let all the angels of God worship him.
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This verse in Hebrews 1
Commentary
18 notes on this verseIf all creation worships Christ—for by the name "angels" he denotes the higher rational beings, just as also in the passage "to what angel has he ever said, 'Sit at my right hand'?" he himself is also above them—and the word of the Scriptures forbid …
This site's exposition
Let all God’s angels worship Him
The words spoken come from Deuteronomy 32:43 as the Greek Septuagint reads it, and a Dead Sea Scrolls fragment of that verse carries them too. Worship, proskuneo, offered to the Son by the angels sets him above every creature.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers5 voices
"But when He again brings." Indeed, he brings, is as if "hands over." For then He obtained the world which was voluntarily governed by Him, when He tasted death for the whole world, and when He was believed to be God. However, in order that …
"But when He again brings the firstborn into the world." That is, when it was His good pleasure for His Firstborn to appear in flesh to those who populated the world. For He says: "And the angels came and ministered to Him (Matt. 4:11);" and: …
"Let all the angels of God worship Him," That is, in the flesh. It shows here that he is so much greater than them, as a master is greater than servants; just as if someone were to bring someone into a house, he would immediately …
A commentator
Ephrem the SyrianCOMMENTARY ON THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS · Written before 373.
proposed
And it was never announced to any man, "Let all God's angels worship him." In fact, even though men are able to subject their fellow creatures, they will never force the angels to obey them. The angels are not materially formed. "He made," Paul says, …
Both phrases, "brings the firstborn" and "let them worship," suggest the incarnation. Whence does he, the one who supports all things by the word of his power and is maker and creator of the ages, come into the world? How is he "firstborn" if he …
11 more voices on this verse
The Church Fathers2 voices
This is the way, dear friends, in which we found our salvation, Jesus Christ, the high priest of our offerings, the protector and helper of our weakness. Through him we fix our gaze on the heights of heaven. In him we see mirrored God's pure and transcendent face. Through him the eyes of our hearts have been opened. Through him our foolish and darkened understanding springs up to the light. Through him the Master has willed that we should taste immortal knowledge. For, since "he reflects the glory of God," "he is as much superior to the angels as the name he has obtained is more excellent than theirs." For thus it is written: "He makes his angels winds, and his servants flames of fire." But of his Son this is what the Master said: "You are my son, today I have begotten you. Ask of me, and I will make the nations your heritage, and the ends of the earth your possession." And again he says to him, "Sit at my right hand till I make your enemies your footstool." Who are meant by "enemies"? Those who are wicked and resist his will.
Our Lord Jesus Christ calls His coming in the flesh an exodus [or going out]: as when He saith, "The sower went out to sow." And again, "I went out from the Father, and am come." And in many places one may see this. But Paul calls it an [eisodus or] coming in, saying, "And when again He bringeth in the First-Begotten into the world," meaning by this Bringing in, His taking on Him flesh. Now why has he so used the expression? The things signified [thereby] are manifest, and in what respect it is [thus] said. For Christ indeed calls it a Going out, justly; for we were out from God. For as in royal palaces, prisoners and those who have offended the king, stand without, and he who desires to reconcile them, does not bring them in, but himself going out discourses with them, until having made them meet for the king's presence, he may bring them in, so also Christ hath done. Having gone out to us, that is, having taken flesh, and having discoursed to us of the King's matters, so He brought us in, having purged the sins, and made reconciliation. Therefore he calls it a Going out. But Paul names it a Coming in, from the metaphor of those who come to an inheritance and receive any portion or possession. For the saying, "and when again He bringeth in the First-Begotten into the world," means this, "when he putteth the world into His hand." For when He was made known, then also He obtained possession of the whole thereof, He saith not these things concerning God The Word, but concerning that which is according to the flesh. For if according to John, "He was in the world, and the world was made by Him": how is He "brought in," otherwise than in the flesh? "And," saith he, "Let all the angels of God worship Him." Whereas he is about to say something great and lofty, he prepares it beforehand, and makes it acceptable, in that he represents the Father as "bringing in" the Son. […]
The Medieval Church3 voices
A commentator
Photios I of ConstantinopleFRAGMENTS ON THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS 1.6 · Written before 893.
proposed
When he introduces his only begotten, that is, when it was pleasing for him to reveal in the flesh his only begotten son to the inhabitants of the universe, he says, "Let all the angels who serve him, worship him," and "you will see the …
54. – Then (v.6) he speaks of Christ's dominion, whereby He is heir of all things. Here he does three things: first, he describes His dominion, particularly over the angels; secondly, the nature of that dominion on the part of the angels (v.7); thirdly, on …
Christ calls His coming in the flesh a going forth, for example when He says: "A sower went out to sow" (Matt. 13:3), and again: "I came forth from the Father" (John 16:28). And rightly so, for we were outside of God, and He, having …
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
Into the world - Namely, at his incarnation. He saith, Let all the angels of God worship him - So much higher was he, when in his lowest estate, than the highest angel.
And again, when he bringeth the first begotten into the world;.... By "the first begotten" is meant Christ.
The Nineteenth Century3 voices
And again, when he bringeth in the firstbegotten - This is not a correct translation of the Greek, Ὁταν δε παλιν εισαγαγῃ τον πρωτοτοκον εις την οικουμενην· But when he bringeth again, or the second time, the first-born into the habitable world.
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
"Worship Him all ye gods" ("gods," that is, exalted beings, as angels), refers to God; but it was universally admitted among the Hebrews that God would dwell, in a peculiar sense, in Messiah (so as to be in the Talmud phrase, "capable of being pointed to with the finger"); and so what was said of God was true of, and to be fulfilled in, Messiah.
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
And again - Margin, “When he bringeth in again.” The proper construction of this sentence probably is, “But when, moreover, he brings in,” etc. The word “again” refers not to the fact that the Son of God is brought “again” into the world, implying that he had been introduced before; but it refers to the course of the apostle’s argument, or to the declaration which is made about the Messiah in another place. “The name Son is not only given to him as above, but also in another place, or on another occasion when he brings in the first-begotten into the world.” “When he bringeth in.” When he introduces. So far as the “language” here is concerned this might refer to the birth of the Messiah, but it is evident from the whole connection that the writer means to refer to something that is said in the Old Testament. This is plain because the passage occurs among quotations designed to prove a specific point - that the Son of God, the Author of the Christian system, was superior to the angels. A declaration of the writer here, however true and solemn, would not have answered the purpose. A “proof-text” was missing; a text which would be admitted by those to whom he wrote to bear on the point under consideration. The meaning then is, “that on another occasion different from those to which he had referred, God, when speaking of the Messiah, or when introducing him to mankind, had used language showing that he was superior to the angels.” The meaning of the phrase, “when he bringeth in,” therefore, I take to be, when he introduces him to people; when he makes him known to the world - to wit, by the declaration which he proceeds immediately to quote. “The first-begotten.” Christ is called the “first-begotten,” with reference to his resurrection from the dead, in Rev 1:5, and Col 1:18. […]
Modern Voices1 voice
A commentator
Michael S. Heiser"Naked Bible Podcast Episode 176: Hebrews 1:5-14" show notes (drmsh.com) (2017)
The writer of Hebrews builds on his assertions that the particular son of God (Jesus) who was the agent of creation, eternal wisdom, and the essence of God, by comparing him to other supernatural sons of God (angels).
The words behind it
16 Greek wordsEvery Greek word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Greek | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ὅταν | hotan | When | G3752 → | |
| δὲ | de | then | G1161 → | 2765 times |
| πάλιν | palin | again | G3825 → | 139 times |
| εἰσαγάγῃ | eisagage | He may bring | G1521 → | |
| τὸν | ton | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| πρωτότοκον | prototokon | Firstborn | G4416 → | 8 times |
| εἰς | eis | into | G1519 → | 1755 times |
| τὴν | ten | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| οἰκουμένην | oikoumenen | world | G3625 → | |
| λέγει· | legei | He says: | G3004 → | 1325 times |
| καὶ | kai | And | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| προσκυνησάτωσαν | proskunesatosan | should worship | G4352 → | |
| αὐτῷ | auto | Him | G846 → | 5565 times |
| πάντες | pantes | all | G3956 → | 1235 times |
| ἄγγελοι | angeloi | [the] angels | G32 → | 175 times |
| θεοῦ. | theou | of God. | G2316 → | 1312 times |
ὅτανWhen
hotanG3752 →
δὲthen
deG1161 →2765 times
πάλινagain
palinG3825 →139 times
εἰσαγάγῃHe may bring
eisagageG1521 →
τὸνthe
tonG3588 →19766 times
πρωτότοκονFirstborn
prototokonG4416 →8 times
εἰςinto
eisG1519 →1755 times
τὴνthe
tenG3588 →19766 times
οἰκουμένηνworld
oikoumenenG3625 →
λέγει·He says:
legeiG3004 →1325 times
καὶAnd
kaiG2532 →9120 times
προσκυνησάτωσανshould worship
proskunesatosanG4352 →
αὐτῷHim
autoG846 →5565 times
πάντεςall
pantesG3956 →1235 times
ἄγγελοι[the] angels
angeloiG32 →175 times
θεοῦ.of God.
theouG2316 →1312 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Colossians 1:15The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation.
it leads to
- Hebrews 1:3
The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of His nature, upholding all things by His powerful word. After He had provided purification for sins, He sat down at the…
- John 14:9
Jesus replied, “Philip, I have been with you all this time, and still you do not know Me? Anyone who has seen Me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the…
- John 1:1
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
- 2 Corinthians 4:4
The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers so they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.
- John 1:18
No one has ever seen God, but the one and only Son, who is Himself God and is at the Father’s side, has made Him known.
- Hebrews 1:3
Through
Colossians 1:18And He is the head of the body, the church; He is the beginning and firstborn from among the dead, so that in all things He may have preeminence.
it leads to
- Ephesians 1:22–23
And God put everything under His feet and made Him head over everything for the church,
- Revelation 1:5
and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. To Him who loves us and has released us from our sins by…
- Ephesians 4:15–16
Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into Christ Himself, who is the head.
- Ephesians 1:22–23
Where this verse is studied
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Worship35 verses
About Hebrews

This page draws on 17 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes on the New Testament; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Clement of Rome, 1 CLEMENT 36.1-6; Didymus the Blind, FRAGMENTS ON THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS 1.6; Ephrem the Syrian, COMMENTARY ON THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Chrysostom, Homily on Hebrews 3; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament; Michael S. Heiser, "Naked Bible Podcast Episode 176: Hebrews 1:5-14" show notes (drmsh.com); Oecumenius, The Pseudo-Oecumenian Catena on Hebrews; Photios I of Constantinople, FRAGMENTS ON THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS 1.6; Sir Robert Anderson, Types in Hebrews; Theodoret of Cyrus, INTERPRETATION OF HEBREWS 1; Theophylact of Ohrid, Commentary on Hebrews and Thomas Aquinas, Commentary on Hebrews.
