Limitless Word
Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation?
Hebrews 1:14 · King James Version
Parallel translations
  • WEB Aren’t they all serving spirits, sent out to do service for the sake of those who will inherit salvation?
  • BSB Are not the angels ministering spirits sent to serve those who will inherit salvation?
  • NKJV Are they not all ministering spirits sent forth to minister for those who will inherit salvation?
  • NASB Are they not all ministering spirits, sent out to provide service for the sake of those who will inherit salvation?
  • NLT Therefore, angels are only servants—spirits sent to care for people who will inherit salvation.

Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org

Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Quick answer

Angels are ministering spirits sent to serve those who will inherit salvation. Their dignity is real but subordinate, in the service of God's redeemed people.

Overview

The chapter closes by defining the angels' role: they are servants commissioned for the benefit of believers. Far from being objects of worship or rivals to the Son, they minister to those Christ saves. This both honors angels properly and magnifies the greatness of the salvation that the Son has secured.

Cross-references & the web

Cross-references · 40

  • Ps 34:7The angel of the LORD encampeth round about them that fear him, and delivereth them.
  • Ps 103:20–21Bless the LORD, ye his angels, that excel in strength, that do his commandments, hearkening unto the voice of his word.
  • Ps 91:11–12For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways.
  • Matt 18:10Take heed that ye despise not one of these little ones; for I say unto you, That in heaven their angels do always behold the face of my Father which is in heaven.
  • Dan 6:22My God hath sent his angel, and hath shut the lions’ mouths, that they have not hurt me: forasmuch as before him innocency was found in me; and also before thee, O king, have I done no hurt.
  • Acts 5:19But the angel of the Lord by night opened the prison doors, and brought them forth, and said,
  • Acts 27:23For there stood by me this night the angel of God, whose I am, and whom I serve,
  • Acts 10:3–4He saw in a vision evidently about the ninth hour of the day an angel of God coming in to him, and saying unto him, Cornelius.
  • Luke 1:19And the angel answering said unto him, I am Gabriel, that stand in the presence of God; and am sent to speak unto thee, and to shew thee these glad tidings.
  • Acts 12:7And, behold, the angel of the Lord came upon him, and a light shined in the prison: and he smote Peter on the side, and raised him up, saying, Arise up quickly. And his chains fell off from his hands.
  • Matt 1:20But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the LORD appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost.
  • Dan 3:28Then Nebuchadnezzar spake, and said, Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who hath sent his angel, and delivered his servants that trusted in him, and have changed the king’s word, and yielded their bodies, that they might not serve nor worship any god, except their own God.
  • Luke 16:22And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham’s bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried;
  • Acts 12:23And immediately the angel of the Lord smote him, because he gave not God the glory: and he was eaten of worms, and gave up the ghost.
  • Gen 32:1–2And Jacob went on his way, and the angels of God met him.
  • Luke 2:13And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying,
  • Luke 2:9And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.
  • Ps 104:4Who maketh his angels spirits; his ministers a flaming fire:
  • Dan 10:11–12And he said unto me, O Daniel, a man greatly beloved, understand the words that I speak unto thee, and stand upright: for unto thee am I now sent. And when he had spoken this word unto me, I stood trembling.
  • Matt 13:49–50So shall it be at the end of the world: the angels shall come forth, and sever the wicked from among the just,
  • Dan 9:21–23Yea, whiles I was speaking in prayer, even the man Gabriel, whom I had seen in the vision at the beginning, being caused to fly swiftly, touched me about the time of the evening oblation.
  • Matt 2:13And when they were departed, behold, the angel of the Lord appeareth to Joseph in a dream, saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and flee into Egypt, and be thou there until I bring thee word: for Herod will seek the young child to destroy him.
  • Gen 19:15–16And when the morning arose, then the angels hastened Lot, saying, Arise, take thy wife, and thy two daughters, which are here; lest thou be consumed in the iniquity of the city.
  • 1 Pet 1:12Unto whom it was revealed, that not unto themselves, but unto us they did minister the things, which are now reported unto you by them that have preached the gospel unto you with the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven; which things the angels desire to look into.
  • Matt 24:31And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.
  • Matt 13:41The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity;
  • Titus 3:7That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.
  • Isa 6:2–3Above it stood the seraphims: each one had six wings; with twain he covered his face, and with twain he covered his feet, and with twain he did fly.
  • Jude 1:14And Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied of these, saying, Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his saints,
  • Matt 25:34Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:
  • Dan 7:10A fiery stream issued and came forth from before him: thousand thousands ministered unto him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him: the judgment was set, and the books were opened.
  • Job 1:6Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan came also among them.
  • 2 Th 1:7And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels,
  • Gen 32:24And Jacob was left alone; and there wrestled a man with him until the breaking of the day.
  • 1 Kgs 22:19And he said, Hear thou therefore the word of the LORD: I saw the LORD sitting on his throne, and all the host of heaven standing by him on his right hand and on his left.
  • Rev 5:6And I beheld, and, lo, in the midst of the throne and of the four beasts, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent forth into all the earth.
  • 2 Cor 9:12For the administration of this service not only supplieth the want of the saints, but is abundant also by many thanksgivings unto God;
  • Phil 2:25Yet I supposed it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus, my brother, and companion in labour, and fellowsoldier, but your messenger, and he that ministered to my wants.
  • Acts 13:2As they ministered to the Lord, and fasted, the Holy Ghost said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them.
  • Rom 13:6For for this cause pay ye tribute also: for they are God’s ministers, attending continually upon this very thing.

Themes, concepts, people & topics

Topics (3)

Resources, by level

Commentaries & study tools

  • VideoBibleProject — Hebrews videosBibleProject · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Free animated overview and word-study videos for this book.

  • VideoWatch teaching on Hebrews 1:14YouTube · Lay · Free

    Sermons and teaching on this passage from across YouTube.

  • CommentaryEnduring Word — verse-by-verseDavid Guzik · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Clear, readable, conservative exposition — the best free place to start on any passage.

  • CommentaryClassic commentaries for this verseBibleHub (20+ works) · Pastoral · Free

    Matthew Henry, Barnes, Gill, the Pulpit Commentary, Ellicott, Cambridge, and more — stacked on one page for this exact verse.

  • CommentaryMatthew Henry on HebrewsMatthew Henry · Pastoral · Free · evangelical

    The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).

  • ReferenceInterlinear, lexicon & Strong'sBlue Letter Bible · Seminary · Free

    Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.

Christ at the center

Hebrews is sustained worship of Christ: better than angels, Moses, and the priests; the great High Priest after Melchizedek who by one sacrifice perfects forever those he saves.

How Hebrews 1:14 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.

Original language

Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Greek word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.