Let’s read through the book of Hebrews one verse at a time in 2023. Every day explore a single verse and its cross references. AI-generated text draws the passages together. RSS feed.
while God also bore witness by signs and wonders and various miracles and by gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed according to his will.
The cross references for Hebrews 2:4 emphasize the power and authority of God, and how He works according to His will. This is seen in the references from Daniel 4:35, Mark 16:20, Acts 2:32-33, and Acts 19:11-12, which all show God's power to work miracles and accomplish His will. The references from John 4:48, Acts 14:3, Romans 15:18-19, 1 Corinthians 12:4-11, Ephesians 1:5, and Ephesians 4:8-11 all point to the distribution of spiritual gifts, which is also according to God's will. All of these references show how God is sovereign and works according to His will, which is the main theme of Hebrews 2:4.
| Passage | How It’s Related (AI-Generated) |
|---|---|
| Daniel 4:35: all the inhabitants of the earth are accounted as nothing, and he does according to his will among the host of heaven and among the inhabitants of the earth; and none can stay his hand or say to him, “What have you done?” | Both passages demonstrate the power and sovereignty of God. In Hebrews 2:4, God's will is demonstrated through the distribution of gifts of the Holy Spirit. In Daniel 4:35, God's will is demonstrated through his power over the host of heaven and the inhabitants of the earth, with no one able to stay his hand. |
| Mark 16:20: And they went out and preached everywhere, while the Lord worked with them and confirmed the message by accompanying signs.]] | Both passages discuss the power of God to confirm His Word. Hebrews 2:4 speaks to the various signs and wonders that God used to bear witness to His Word, such as miracles, gifts of the Holy Spirit, and various other signs. Mark 16:20 speaks to the Lord working with the disciples to confirm the message they were preaching with accompanying signs. |
| John 4:48: So Jesus said to him, “Unless you see signs and wonders you will not believe.” | Both passages emphasize the importance of signs and wonders in providing evidence of the power of God. Hebrews 2:4 reveals that God demonstrates his power through signs and wonders, as well as through the distribution of the Holy Spirit according to his will. John 4:48 shows that Jesus also recognized the power of signs and wonders, as he told the official that he would not believe unless he saw them. |
| Acts 2:32-33: This Jesus God raised up, and of that we all are witnesses. Being therefore exalted at the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, he has poured out this that you yourselves are seeing and hearing. | Both passages highlight the importance of the Holy Spirit in the work of Jesus. Hebrews 2:4 emphasizes the power of the Holy Spirit, which was demonstrated through signs, wonders, and miracles. Acts 2:32–33 speaks of Jesus' exaltation at the right hand of God, and the promise of the Holy Spirit that was fulfilled through Jesus' death and resurrection. This pouring out of the Holy Spirit is what the witnesses of Jesus were seeing and hearing. |
| Acts 14:3: So they remained for a long time, speaking boldly for the Lord, who bore witness to the word of his grace, granting signs and wonders to be done by their hands. | Both passages discuss how God provided evidence of His grace and power through signs, wonders, and miracles. Hebrews 2:4 speaks of how God distributed gifts of the Holy Spirit according to His will, while Acts 14:3 talks about how God bore witness to the word of His grace by allowing signs and wonders to be done through the hands of believers. |
| Acts 19:11-12: And God was doing extraordinary miracles by the hands of Paul, so that even handkerchiefs or aprons that had touched his skin were carried away to the sick, and their diseases left them and the evil spirits came out of them. | Both passages refer to the miraculous works of God. In Hebrews 2:4, the author explains that God bore witness to his presence through signs, wonders, and miracles, as well as through the distribution of the Holy Spirit. In Acts 19:11-12, it is written that God did extraordinary miracles through Paul, so that even handkerchiefs or aprons that had touched his skin were able to bring healing to the sick and drive out evil spirits. These two passages demonstrate the power of God to perform miraculous works. |
| Romans 15:18-19: For I will not venture to speak of anything except what Christ has accomplished through me to bring the Gentiles to obedience—by word and deed, by the power of signs and wonders, by the power of the Spirit of God—so that from Jerusalem and all the way around to Illyricum I have fulfilled the ministry of the gospel of Christ; | Both passages emphasize the power of the Holy Spirit in performing miracles and signs and wonders. Hebrews 2:4 highlights the Holy Spirit's role in distributing gifts according to God's will, while Romans 15:18–19 speaks of the power of the Spirit in bringing the Gentiles to obedience and fulfilling the ministry of the gospel of Christ. The Spirit's power is seen in the signs and wonders that accompany the preaching of the gospel, as well as in the miraculous gifts distributed according to God's will. |
| 1 Corinthians 12:4-11: Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; and there are varieties of service, but the same Lord; and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who empowers them all in everyone. To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. For to one is given through the Spirit the utterance of wisdom, and to another the utterance of knowledge according to the same Spirit, | Both passages discuss the gifts of the Holy Spirit. Hebrews 2:4 states that God gave these gifts according to His will. 1 Corinthians 12:4-11 explains the different gifts of the Spirit, including wisdom, knowledge, and service, and states that it is the same God who empowers them all in everyone. |
| Ephesians 1:5: he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, | Both passages discuss God's will and how it is carried out. Hebrews 2:4 speaks of the way God's will is demonstrated through signs, wonders, miracles, and the distribution of the Holy Spirit. Ephesians 1:5 talks about how God's will is fulfilled through predestining us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ. Both passages are examples of how God's will is carried out in the world and how it is ultimately done for our benefit. |
| Ephesians 4:8-11: Therefore it says, “When he ascended on high he led a host of captives, and he gave gifts to men.” (In saying, “He ascended,” what does it mean but that he had also descended into the lower regions, the earth? He who descended is the one who also ascended far above all the heavens, that he might fill all things.) And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, | Both passages refer to the gifts of the Spirit that God has given to humanity. Hebrews 2:4 describes the gifts of the Spirit as being distributed according to God's will, while Ephesians 4:8–11 explains that these gifts were given to the apostles, prophets, evangelists, shepherds, and teachers. These gifts are meant to equip God's people to serve Him and to bring others to Him. |
Heavenly Father, we thank you for the grace you have shown us through the life and ministry of Jesus Christ. We thank you for the signs and wonders that He performed, and for the gifts of the Holy Spirit that you have distributed according to your will. We thank you for the power of the Spirit that enables us to do extraordinary things in your name.
We pray that you would continue to work in our lives and confirm your message with accompanying signs. Help us to have faith and not doubt, even when we don't see signs and wonders. Give us the strength to speak boldly for you, and to bring people to obedience through word and deed.
We thank you for the gifts you have given us, and for your will that is always done. We pray for the power of the Spirit to be manifested in each of us for the common good. May we be faithful to your calling and fulfill the ministry of the gospel of Christ.
We pray all these things in Jesus' name, Amen.
This reading plan reads through a single verse each day, six days a week, paired with the most-popular cross references for the verse. AI-generated (and human-reviewed) text provides an opening thought and concluding prayer along with an explanation for how each cross reference relates to the verse. In 2023, this reading plan works through Hebrews one verse at a time. Every seventh day is a catchup day. Want more info? Try this blog post.
Unless otherwise indicated, all content is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License. All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. Copyright ©2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Contact me: openbibleinfo (at) gmail.com.