Hebrews 2:4

New Testament Epistle (General) ASV (1901)

What does Hebrews 2:4 say?

The American Standard Version records this verse as: “God also bearing witness with them, both by signs and wonders, and by manifold powers, and by gifts of the Holy Spirit, according to his own will.” Read the surrounding verses and the named sources below before drawing broader conclusions.

The verse

God also bearing witness with them, both by signs and wonders, and by manifold powers, and by gifts of the Holy Spirit, according to his own will.
Hebrews 2:4 — American Standard Version

Context — Hebrews 2

American Standard Version (1901) — public domain. Click any verse for its study page.
4God also bearing witness with them, both by signs and wonders, and by manifold powers, and by gifts of the Holy Spirit, according to his own will.

What do historical commentaries say?

John Gill's Exposition
John Gill (1697–1771) · Exposition of the Old and New Testament · 18th-century historical commentary
“God also bearing them witness, etc..] The apostles of Christ; God testifying to their mission and commission, and the truth of the doctrine they preached: both with signs and wonders, and with divers miracles; such as taking up serpents without hurt, healing the sick, causing the lame to walk, and raising the dead, and casting out devils, and the like; all which were for the confirmation of the Gospel preached by them: a sign, wonder, or miracle, for these signify the same thing, is a marvellous work done before men, by the power of God, to confirm a divine truth; God is the sole author of miracles; and they were done in the first ages of Christianity, when they were necessary, to give…”
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Jamieson, Fausset & Brown
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown · Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible · 19th-century historical commentary
“them--rather, "God also [as well as Christ, Heb 2:3] bearing witness to it," &c., joining in attestation of it." signs and wonders--performed by Christ and His apostles. "Signs" and miracles, or other facts regarded as proofs of a divine mission; "wonders" are miracles viewed as prodigies, causing astonishment (Act 2:22, Act 2:33); "powers" are miracles viewed as evidences of superhuman power. divers miracles--Greek, "varied (miraculous) powers" (Co2 12:12) granted to the apostles after the ascension. gifts, &c.--Greek, "distributions." The gift of the Holy Spirit was given to Christ without measure (Joh 3:34), but to us it is distributed in various measures and operations (Rom 12:3, Rom…”
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Barnes' Notes
Albert Barnes (1798–1870) · Notes on the Whole Bible · 19th-century historical commentary
“God also bearing them witness - By miracles. Giving them the sanction of his authority, or showing that they were sent by him. No man can work a miracle by his own power. When the dead are raised, the deaf made to hear and the blind to see by a word, it is the power of God alone that does it. He thus becomes a “witness” to the divine appointment of him by whose instrumentality the miracle is performed; or furnishes an attestation that what he says is true; see notes on Acts 14:3. With signs and wonders. - These words are usually connected in the New Testament. The word rendered “signs” - σημεῖον sēmeion - means any miraculous event that is suited to show that what had been predicted by a…”
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Wesley's Explanatory Notes
John Wesley (1703–1791) · Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament and Old Testament notes · 18th-century historical commentary
“By signs and wonders - While he lived. And various miracles and distributions of the Holy Ghost - Miraculous gifts, distributed after his exaltation. According to his will - Not theirs who received them. Hebrews 2:5”
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Tyndale Open Study Notes
Tyndale House Publishers · Tyndale Open Study Notes · Modern study notes
“2:4 God confirmed the message (literally God bore witness): God himself confirmed the validity of the message of Christ and his followers by giving signs and wonders and various miracles and gifts of the Holy Spirit (see Acts 2:22; Rom 15:19; 2 Cor 12:12).”
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Treasury of Scriptural Knowledge
R. A. Torrey and contributors · The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge · Cross-reference reference work
“God: Mar 16:20; Joh 15:26; Act 2:32, Act 2:33, Act 3:15, Act 3:16, Act 4:10, Act 14:3, Act 19:11, Act 19:12; Rom 15:18, Rom 15:19 gifts: or, distributions, Co1 12:4-11; Eph 4:8-11 according: Dan 4:35; Eph 1:5, Eph 1:9 Hebrews 2:5”
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Related study paths

Sources and verification