It is rare that one can translate literally This means, for the pronoun This refers to the arguments which have immediately preceded, and means is a reference to a logical result. Accordingly, This means must in some instances be rendered as “All this results in the fact that,” “Because of all this,” or “If we understand what has just been said, then we know that.”

Had to is stronger than It was only right in verse 10; it suggests that inner compulsion was needed (that is, “ought”) if Jesus’ purpose was to be fulfilled. He had to must be rendered in some languages as “it was necessary that he” or “there was no other way but that he.”

To become like is literally “to be made like,” but the idea of God’s activity in all this has been strongly expressed in verse 10 and is not emphasized here.

His brothers does not refer only to other children of Joseph, or of Joseph and Mary. As in verses 11-12, it means all members of God’s people, whose life Jesus shared (Hebrews does not usually distinguish between God’s people in Old Testament and New Testament times).

To become like his brothers in every way may be rendered as “to become like other people in every way,” “to become just like any human being,” or “to become exactly like all other human beings.”

Beginning with in order to be…, the second half of the verse introduces an idea which will become more and more important, especially in chapters 4–5 and 7–9. Here it is mentioned only briefly, in passing. This is the idea of Jesus as High Priest, a title which is not given to Jesus anywhere else in the Bible. Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch marks this development by beginning a new sentence: “In this way he was able to be their … High Priest.” The writer of Hebrews is mainly concerned with the High Priest’s function in leading Temple worship, especially on the annual Day of Atonement, a festival concerned with the forgiveness of sins and the purification of sinners.

Faithful here implies “faithful to God.” The idea is not merely that Jesus is generally reliable, but that God has placed him in a particular position of trust, and that he has proved worthy of it (see also 3.1-6).

Faithful and merciful may be rendered as “one who is to be trusted and who shows mercy.” In some instances “to show mercy” is equivalent to “to be kind to those in need.”

High Priest should normally not be translated literally, since it would indicate merely elevation of a priest in space. What is important here is the position of this priest above other priests, and therefore a normal equivalent is “the most important priest” or “the priest above all other priests.” In many languages it is impossible to distinguish readily between “High Priest” and “chief priest,” and such a distinction is not relevant in the book of Hebrews.

In his service to God is slightly more literal than Revised Standard Version “in the service of God.” The phrase in his service to God may be rendered as “in the way in which he serves God” or “in the way in which he is God’s helper.”

The people, implying “God’s people,” is a favorite expression in which the writer includes both Israel and the church, without any distinction between Jewish and Gentile Christians. The people is thus the same as his brothers earlier in the verse.

Revised Standard Version‘s “expiation” translates a Greek word which refers to the removal of a barrier between men and God. In pagan writings, it was often used of making the gods favorable to the worshiper. In Luke 18.13 (the only other place in the New Testament where this word is used) the object is the worshiper; Good News Translation translates have pity on me. In the Old Testament it sometimes refers to the blotting out or “covering” of sins (not “covering up” with the idea of deceit!). This is the idea here. There is no question of offering sacrifices to an angry God so that he will stop being angry. It is not God who is being dealt with in this verse, but sins, and they are “forgiven” (see Barclay), “taken away” (see Translator’s New Testament), or wiped away.

The passive clause so that the people’s sins would be forgiven may be made active by introducing God as the agent; for example, “so that God would forgive people’s sins.”

Quoted with permission from Ellingworth, Paul and Nida, Eugene A. A Handbook on The Letter of the Hebrews. (UBS Handbook Series). New York: UBS, 1983. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .