No one knows for certain who wrote the book of Hebrews. Alone among the New Testament letters, it names no author, opens with no greeting, and signs off with no signature. The church has read it, preached it, and received it as Scripture for nearly two thousand years while remaining honest that its writer is unknown. As the early Christian scholar Origen famously concluded, “who wrote the epistle, in truth God knows.”
Why Hebrews is called Paul’s letter
For much of church history Hebrews was linked with the apostle Paul. The Eastern church in particular accepted Pauline authorship early, and older English Bibles reflect this: the King James Version titles the book “The Epistle of Paul the Apostle to the Hebrews.” That heading, however, was added by translators and editors, not by the author. The letter itself never claims Paul, and the association was debated from the earliest centuries rather than settled.
Why many have doubted Paul wrote it
Several features of the letter have led readers, ancient and modern, to question Pauline authorship:
- No self-identification. Paul begins his letters by naming himself — “Paul, an apostle” — but Hebrews opens with a soaring statement about God speaking through his Son, with no author named at all.
- A different style. The Greek of Hebrews is unusually polished and literary, and its way of building an argument differs noticeably from Paul’s known letters.
- A second-hand gospel. The writer says the message of salvation “was confirmed to us by those who heard” the Lord (Hebrews 2:3), placing himself in the generation after the first eyewitnesses. Paul, by contrast, insisted he received the gospel directly and not from other people (Galatians 1:12).
Because of these differences, even in the ancient church many treated Pauline authorship as uncertain, and the Western church was slow to accept the letter partly for this reason.
The other candidates
Over the centuries various names have been proposed, none provable:
- Barnabas — suggested by the early writer Tertullian. As a Levite (Acts 4:36), Barnabas would have known the temple and priesthood the letter dwells on.
- Apollos — a favorite of Martin Luther. Acts 18:24 describes Apollos as “an eloquent man… mighty in the Scriptures” and a native of Alexandria, which fits the letter’s polished Greek and deep command of the Old Testament.
- Priscilla (with her husband Aquila), Luke, Clement of Rome, and Silas have all been proposed as well.
Each suggestion rests on inference rather than evidence, which is why no candidate has ever won general agreement.
What we can actually say about the author
Though anonymous, the writer is not faceless. The letter reveals a person deeply steeped in the Hebrew Scriptures, quoting them extensively in their Greek (Septuagint) form. This was a skilled writer of Greek and a careful teacher, able to weave a sustained argument that Christ is greater than the angels, Moses, and the old priesthood. The author also knew Timothy personally, mentioning that “our brother Timothy has been set free” (Hebrews 13:23), which places the writer within Paul’s wider circle even if not Paul himself.
Why the anonymity need not trouble us
The church did not receive Hebrews because of a famous name attached to it — it had none — but because of the truth and power of its message about Christ. Its place in Scripture rests on its content and its early, wide use in the church, not on a signature. The honest answer to “who wrote Hebrews” remains the one Origen gave: we do not know, and God does.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who wrote the book of Hebrews?
The author is unknown. Hebrews is the only New Testament letter that names no writer, and while it has traditionally been linked with Paul, that attribution was disputed from early times and cannot be confirmed.
Did the apostle Paul write Hebrews?
Possibly, but it is doubted. The letter never names Paul, its Greek style differs from his, and the writer places himself among those who received the gospel from eyewitnesses (Hebrews 2:3), whereas Paul said he received it directly (Galatians 1:12). Older Bibles titled it Paul’s epistle, but that heading was added by editors.
Who are the other possible authors of Hebrews?
Names proposed over the centuries include Barnabas (suggested by Tertullian), Apollos (favored by Luther), Priscilla, Luke, Clement of Rome, and Silas. None can be proven, and no candidate has ever gained general agreement.
Why don’t we know who wrote Hebrews?
The letter is anonymous by design: it opens with no greeting and closes with no signature, unlike Paul’s letters. With no internal claim of authorship and a style distinct from other New Testament writers, its author cannot be identified with certainty.
What do we know about the author of Hebrews?
The writer was deeply learned in the Hebrew Scriptures, quoting them in their Greek form, and was a skilled writer of Greek. The author knew Timothy (Hebrews 13:23), which places him within Paul’s circle, and wrote to Jewish Christians to show that Christ is greater than all that came before.