Study Desk

yet for love's sake I prefer to appeal to you—since I am such a person as Paul, an old man, and now also a prisoner [for the sake] of Christ Jesus—

I appeal to you for my [own spiritual] child Onesimus, whom I have fathered [in the faith] while a captive in these chains.

I would have chosen to keep him with me, so that he might minister to me on your behalf during my imprisonment for the gospel;

Perhaps it was for this reason that he was separated from you for a while, so that you would have him back forever,

At the same time also prepare a guest room for me [in expectation of a visit], for I hope that through your prayers I will be [granted the gracious privilege of] coming to you [at Colossae].

The Son is the radiance and only expression of the glory of [our awesome] God [reflecting God's Shekinah glory, the Light-being, the brilliant light of the divine], and the exact representation and perfect imprint of His [Father's] essence, and upholding and maintaining and propelling all things [the entire physical and spiritual universe] by His powerful word [carrying the universe along to its predetermined goal]. When He [Himself and no other] had [by offering Himself on the cross as a sacrifice for sin] accomplished purification from sins and established our freedom from guilt, He sat down [revealing His completed work] at the right hand of the Majesty on high [revealing His Divine authority],

For to which of the angels did the Father ever say, "YOU ARE MY SON, TODAY I HAVE BEGOTTEN (fathered) YOU [established You as a Son, with kingly dignity]"? And again [did He ever say to the angels], "I SHALL BE A FATHER TO HIM AND HE SHALL BE A SON TO ME"?

But to which of the angels has the Father ever said, "SIT AT MY RIGHT HAND [together with me in royal dignity], UNTIL I MAKE YOUR ENEMIES A FOOTSTOOL FOR YOUR FEET [in triumphant conquest]"?

For this reason [that is, because of God's final revelation in His Son Jesus and because of Jesus' superiority to the angels] we must pay much closer attention than ever to the things that we have heard, so that we do not [in any way] drift away from truth.

For if the message given through angels [the Law given to Moses] was authentic and unalterable, and every violation and disobedient act received an appropriate penalty,

how will we escape [the penalty] if we ignore such a great salvation [the gospel, the new covenant]? For it was spoken at first by the Lord, and it was confirmed to us and proved authentic by those who personally heard [Him speak],

But one has [solemnly] testified somewhere [in Scripture], saying, "WHAT IS MAN, THAT YOU ARE MINDFUL OF HIM, OR THE SON OF MAN, THAT YOU GRACIOUSLY CARE FOR HIM?

"YOU HAVE MADE HIM FOR A LITTLE WHILE LOWER [in status] THAN THE ANGELS; YOU HAVE CROWNED HIM WITH GLORY AND HONOR, AND SET HIM OVER THE WORKS OF YOUR HANDS;

But we do see Jesus, who was made lower than the angels for a little while [by taking on the limitations of humanity], crowned with glory and honor because of His suffering of death, so that by the grace of God [extended to sinners] He might experience death for [the sins of] everyone.

For it was fitting for God [that is, an act worthy of His divine nature] that He, for whose sake are all things, and through whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, should make the author and founder of their salvation perfect through suffering [bringing to maturity the human experience necessary for Him to be perfectly equipped for His office as High Priest].

Both Jesus who sanctifies and those who are sanctified [that is, spiritually transformed, made holy, and set apart for God's purpose] are all from one Father; for this reason He is not ashamed to call them brothers and sisters,

For, as we all know, He (Christ) does not take hold of [the fallen] angels [to give them a helping hand], but He does take hold of [the fallen] descendants of Abraham [extending to them His hand of deliverance].

Therefore, it was essential that He had to be made like His brothers (mankind) in every respect, so that He might [by experience] become a merciful and faithful High Priest in things related to God, to make atonement (propitiation) for the people's sins [thereby wiping away the sin, satisfying divine justice, and providing a way of reconciliation between God and mankind].

For every house is built by someone, but the builder of all things is God.

WHERE YOUR FATHERS TRIED ME BY TESTING [My forbearance and tolerance], AND SAW MY WORKS FOR FORTY YEARS [And found I stood their test].