Translation commentary – Page 1337

SIL Translator’s Notes on Hebrews 3:11

3:11

There are two ways to interpret the way 3:11 connects to 3:10. The connection depends on the interpretation of the word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as “So”:

(1) The word “So” indicates that God’s oath was a result of the people’s disobedience (3:8–10). For example:

So I vowed in my anger (Revised English Bible)

(2) The word “So” implies that the people who disobeyed will not enter God’s rest, just as God said they will not enter it. For example:

As I swore in my wrath (English Standard Version)

Several English versions (Good News Translation, Contemporary English Version, and New Century Version) do not translate the word “So.” It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1), along with the majority of English versions and commentaries.

3:11a–b

So I swore on oath in My anger, ‘They shall never enter My rest’: The clause So I swore on oath in My anger indicates that God was angry when the people disobeyed him, so he vowed that they would never enter his rest. Some other ways to translate the clause are:

I was angry and made a promise, “They will never enter my rest.” (New Century Version)
-or-
So in my anger I made a vow: “They will never enter my place of rest.” (New Living Translation (2004))

They shall never enter My rest: Here God vowed that those who did not trust and obey him would never receive the type of rest that he wanted to give them. Some ways to translate the meaning in this context are:

They will never receive the rest that I ⌊planned to give them⌋.
-or-
they certainly will not be able to rest under my care

For information on how to translate rest in this context, refer again to the introduction to Section 3:7–19.

© 2016, 2020 by SIL International®
Made available under the terms of a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License (CC BY-SA) creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0.
All Scripture quotations in this publication, unless otherwise indicated, are from The Holy Bible, Berean Standard Bible.
BSB is produced in cooperation with Bible Hub, Discovery Bible, OpenBible.com, and the Berean Bible Translation Committee.

SIL Translator’s Notes on Hebrews 4:8

4:8a–b

if Joshua had given them rest, God would not have spoken later about another day: Here the author asked his audience to imagine something that did not happen. The clause if Joshua had given them rest implies that Joshua did not give the people the type of rest that God promised. If the people already had the rest that God promised, God would not need to promise it again.

Some other ways to translate this sentence are:

We know that Joshua did not lead the people into that rest, because God spoke later about another day. (New Century Version)
-or-
Joshua was not able to cause people to rest as God promised, that is why God spoke again about another day.
-or-
Suppose that Joshua gave the people rest. Then God would not need to speak about a future day ⌊when he will give them rest⌋.

In some languages a rhetorical question may be a natural way to translate this sentence. For example:

If Joshua had given them rest, would God speak later about a different day ⌊when he will give it to them⌋ ?

4:8a

For: The word For introduces an explanation or reason for the previous statement. Many English versions leave it implied.

if Joshua had given them rest: Here the author referred to background information about 4:8a. Most people who heard or read Hebrews already knew that Joshua led the people of Israel into the land of Canaan. God wanted to give them rest there, but they disobeyed him. So they did not receive the true rest, which is a life of depending on God.

Some ways to translate if Joshua had given them rest are:

If Joshua had given the people the rest that God had promised… (Good News Translation)
-or-
Now if Joshua had succeeded in giving them this rest (New Living Translation (2004))

For more information about Joshua, see the OT book of Joshua, especially Joshua 11:23 and 23:1. God did use Joshua to give the people of Israel the promised land. But the book of Judges shows that they did not gain true rest because they did not obey the Lord.

Joshua: After Moses died, Joshua became the leader of the Israelites. It was Joshua who led the Israelites into Canaan, the land God promised them. See Joshua 1:1–11:23 to read about those events.

The name Joshua and the name “Jesus” are different forms of the same name. The King James Version has the form “Jesus” in this verse to refer to the Joshua who led the Israelites into Canaan. It is recommended that you spell the names Joshua and “Jesus” differently so that readers will not become confused.

4:8b

God would not have spoken later about another day: Here the author implies that sometime after Joshua died, God spoke again about another day when he will give his people rest. The author refers here to the quotation from Psalm 95:7b–11, where God used King David to repeat that promise about rest. King David lived hundreds of years after Joshua died.

Some other ways to translate this clause are:

there would no longer have been any of God’s words speaking of another day
-or-
it would not be necessary for God to tell us again about a different ⌊future⌋ time

about another day: In this context, the phrase about another day refers to another time for people to have the opportunity to obtain God’s rest.

General Comment on 4:6b–8b

In some languages it is more natural to combine verses 4:6b–8b to tell the events in the order that they happened. One way these three verses can be combined is:

6b Those who first heard the Good News did not receive that rest, 6c because they did not believe/obey God. 8a If Joshua had given the people the rest that God had promised, 8b God would not have spoken later about another day. 7a But many years later God set another day, which he called “Today.” 7b He spoke of it through David 7c in the Scripture already quoted: 7d If you hear God’s voice today, 7e do not be stubborn.

SIL Translator’s Notes on Hebrews 3:12

Paragraph 3:12–15

In this paragraph the author told his readers and listeners how they should apply the quotation in 3:7b–11 to themselves. Just as God warned the people of Israel to be careful not to turn away from him, the Hebrews should also be careful. They should not refuse to believe what God said, as the Israelites did.

3:12a

See to it: The Greek verb that the Berean Standard Bible translates as See to it is literally just See. In this context it is a warning. It means “be careful,” “watch out.” The author warned his readers not to commit the same sin of unbelief and disobedience that the Israelites committed. Other ways to translate this verb are:

Be careful (God’s Word)
-or-
Take care (New Revised Standard Version)

brothers: As in 3:1a, the Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as brothers refers to the author’s fellow believers in Christ. You should translate it in the same way here. Remember that the term includes both men and women. For more information, see the note on 3:1a.

In some languages it is more natural to place the word brothers first in the sentence or in a different place in the sentence. You should place it where it is most natural for your language. For example:

So brothers and sisters, be careful (New Century Version)
-or-
My friends, watch out! (Contemporary English Version)
-or-
Be careful then, dear brothers and sisters. (New Living Translation (2004))

3:12b–c

that none of you has a wicked heart of unbelief that turns away from the living God: In this context the word heart represents a person himself. It especially refers here to a person’s decision to believe in and trust God. The phrase a wicked heart of unbelief indicates that it is evil for a person to refuse to trust God.

Some other ways to translate this part of the verse are:

so that none of you has an evil mind that does not believe in God
-or-
in which his inner-being is not focused on his believing/obeying God

In other languages it may be more natural to refer to the person himself, rather than to a part of him. For example:

so that no one among you becomes evil and refuses to believe
-or-
Don’t let evil thoughts or doubts make any of you turn from the living God. (Contemporary English Version)

you: The pronoun you is plural and refers to all of the readers and hearers of Hebrews.

heart: The word heart refers here to a person’s thoughts, feelings and decisions. For more information, see the note on “harden your hearts” in 3:8a.

that turns away from the living God: The phrase turns away from is figurative. It refers to deciding to reject God. It does not literally mean that a person turns himself in a different direction. Use a natural way in your language to refer to deciding to reject someone. For example:

so that none of you turns his back on the living God
-or-
that is what will lead you to give up God who is alive without end
-or-
that will cause him to reject/refuse the living God

the living God: The phrase the living God implies that God has always been alive, and he will always continue to live. He is the one who gives life. God is a living God, not a dead god. He contrasts with false gods and idols who have no life. The author described God like this also in 9:14, 10:31, and 12:22. Other New Testament authors also used this description, for example, Matthew 16:16; Romans 9:26; 1 Thessalonians 1:9.

Some other ways to translate the living God are:

God who lives forever
-or-
the life-giving God

SIL Translator’s Notes on Hebrews 4:9

Paragraph 4:9–10

4:9

This verse is important in Section 4:1–13. It tells what readers should conclude from 4:1–8. In those verses the author used two OT scriptures (Psalm 95 and Genesis 2:2) to lead to this conclusion in 4:9: God still provides a sabbath rest for his people.

There remains, then: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as then introduces a deduction or conclusion from 4:1–8. It implies that the statement in 4:9 will tell what readers should realize and conclude from the preceding verses.

Some other ways to introduce it are:

That is how we know that…
-or-
This shows that…
-or-
So from all this we know/conclude that…

There remains…a Sabbath rest for the people of God: This clause indicates that a Sabbath rest is still available for God’s people to enjoy. Some other ways to translate it are:

there is still opportunity for the people of God to get rest with him. That rest is like God’s rest on the seventh day.
-or-
as for us, God’s people, it is possible for us to have rest like God’s rest on that seventh day
-or-
there is a special rest still waiting for the people of God (New Living Translation (2004))

remains: Here the Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as remains means “to be reserved.” It indicates here that a sabbath rest is still available for God’s people. In this context it is God who has reserved (provided) this rest for his people. Some ways to translate it in this verse are:

is still waiting/provided
-or-

⌊ God⌋has reserved
-or-
is still coming (New Century Version)

Sabbath rest: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as Sabbath rest is a rare word. It occurs only here in the Greek New Testament. The Jews rested on the seventh (final) day of every week. They called this weekly rest day the Sabbath. The phrase Sabbath rest is related to the word for “sabbath.” It is used in a figurative way here to refer to a special type of rest.

There are two main views about what this Sabbath rest refers to:

(1) It refers to a spiritual rest that begins on earth when a person believes in Christ. Then the person depends on God for salvation and for the strength to do God’s will.

(2) It refers to rest in heaven with God after a believer in Christ dies. It is symbolized in the OT by the rest that God promised the people of Israel in the land of Canaan.

Probably the word implies both of these meanings here. Some other ways to translate it are:

rest like God’s resting on the seventh day (Good News Translation)
-or-
special rest (New Living Translation (2004))

people of God: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as people often refers to a group of people who share kinship. It can also refer to people who share a common culture but are not related by blood. God created everyone, so all people belong to him. However, in the Bible the term “God’s people” is usually used in a special way to refer to the people who believe in him and obey him.

Some other ways to translate people of God here are:

the people who worship/serve God
-or-
God’s worshippers/subjects

SIL Translator’s Notes on Hebrews 3:13

3:13a

But: The word But introduces what believers should do in contrast to what the author warned believers not to do in 3:12. Instead of turning away from God and not believing him, they must encourage each other every day to keep away from sin and unbelief. Some other ways to translate this connection are:

Instead (Good News Translation)
-or-
Rather (Revised English Bible)

In some languages no conjunction is needed. For example:

You must warn each other (New Living Translation (2004))

exhort one another daily: This clause tells what believers should do (in contrast to refusing to trust the Lord in 3:12). Believers should encourage each other to continue to trust in God. The Greek verb which the Berean Standard Bible translates as exhort occurs frequently in the NT.

Some other ways to translate this clause are:

Encourage each other every day (God’s Word)
-or-
Every day strengthen/advise each other

In some languages it may not be natural to use a word like “encourage” or exhort when telling people what they should not do. If that is true in your language, use a word that is natural for this context. For example:

You must warn each other every day (New Living Translation (2004))
-or-
What you should do daily until our days are used up is to admonish one another

3:13b

as long as it is called today: The clause as long as it is called today is a figure of speech. It refers to this present time period while people still have the opportunity to hear God’s voice and obey him, as the quotation of the psalm in 3:7b said (“Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts”). When the time ends and they have not obeyed him, God will punish them, as he punished the Israelites who disobeyed him.

This special meaning of the word today is discussed more fully in chapter 4.

Some other ways to translate 3:13b are:

While you are still living in the time that is called “today”
-or-
while you have the opportunity (God’s Word)

3:13c

so that: The conjunction that the Berean Standard Bible translates as so that introduces the purpose for encouraging one another (3:13a). The purpose of encouraging one another is so that sin will not harden any of the readers.

none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness: This clause refers back to the quotation in 3:7–11. It is similar to the phrase “Do not harden your hearts” in 3:8a. Here the warning is even more explicit. It indicates that if the people continue to sin, the sin will deceive them and they will not be able to know the truth. The phrase may be hardened indicates that they may become stubborn and refuse to listen to God (as the Israelites did in the wilderness).

Some other ways to translate this purpose clause are:

If you do this, none of you will be deceived by sin and become stubborn. (God’s Word)
-or-
so that none of you will be deceived by sin to the point that your hearts cannot understand/obey what God says

you: The pronoun you is plural and refers to all the readers and hearers of Hebrews.

be hardened: The phrase be hardened is a figure of speech. It refers to becoming stubborn and refusing to listen to God. In some languages there may be a figure of speech to describe this. For example:

make your minds numb/insensitive
-or-
so that our breaths might not become hard

sin’s deceitfulness: The phrase sin’s deceitfulness is figurative. It means “sin that deceives.” It indicates that when a person sins (especially when he continues to sin for some time), the sins cause him to be unable to understand the truth. He believes what is not true. Some other ways to translate this phrase are:

your sinning causes you to believe lies
-or-
you sin and become deceived/confused

SIL Translator’s Notes on Hebrews 4:10

4:10a–b

For: The word For introduces an explanation of 4:9. The verse explains why the author used the word “Sabbath rest” to describe the rest that God’s people will enter. In some languages it is not necessary to introduce 4:10 with a connector. Connect the explanation to 4:9 in a natural way in your language.

whoever enters God’s rest also rests from his own work, just as God did from His: The phrase God’s rest refers to the rest that God offers to his people. The author compares that rest to God’s rest on the Sabbath after he created the world. There are two main ways to interpret the phrase rests from his own work here:

(1) It means that God’s people should not try to earn God’s approval by doing certain actions that they themselves decide to do.

(2) It means that God’s people will not work after they “enter God’s rest” by dying and going to heaven.

It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1). English versions are ambiguous, but the theme of Hebrews supports interpretation (1). The author did not want his hearers to try to earn God’s approval by their own sacrifices or other work. He indicated that they must trust in Jesus, their great high priest. He made the perfect sacrifice to reconcile them with God.

Some other ways to translate this are:

whoever enjoys resting with God has ceased doing things ⌊to gain God’s favor⌋ just as God ceased doing his work ⌊of creating everything⌋.
-or-
anyone who rests with God stops doing special actions/work ⌊to earn his approval⌋. ⌊He rests from doing that,⌋ as God rested from his work ⌊of creation⌋.

whoever enters God’s rest: The phrase enters God’s rest is also used in 4:1a, 4:3a, 4:5b, and 4:6a. You should translate it in the same way here. See the note on 4:1a for more information.

just as God did from His: The clause just as God did from His means “as God stopped his ⌊work⌋ ” (after he created the world). See the note on 4:4b for an explanation of the similar phrase “rested from all his works.” You should translate the phrase here in a similar way.

SIL Translator’s Notes on Hebrews 3:14

3:14

Verse 14 is similar to verse 6, both in meaning and in actual words. It is good to consider how you translated verse 6 as you translate verse 14. Below are some of the parallels between the two verses:

Verse 6
Verse 14

We are His house
We have come to share in Christ

Christ
Christ

if
if

confidence
assurance

hold firmly
hold firmly

3:14a

The Greek begins this verse with a word that many versions translate as “For.” It introduces the basis for the warning in 3:13. Believers must encourage one another so that we will resist sin, because we have become partners of Christ. Some English versions, including the Berean Standard Bible, leave the connection implied. Show the relationship between these verses in a way that is natural in your language.

We have come to share in Christ: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as share was also used in 3:1. The clause We have come to share in Christ means “we all share in the life of Christ himself.” This sharing includes all those who have become believers in him.

Some ways to translate this are:

we share in Christ (Revised Standard Version)
-or-
Because as for us, Christ is our constant companion

We: The pronoun We includes both the author and his readers.

3:14b

if we hold firmly to the end the assurance we had at first: This clause tells the condition for 3:14a. We continue to share in Christ’s life if we firmly continue to have confidence in him. Some other ways to translate this clause are:

if we are faithful to the end, trusting…just as firmly as when we first believed (New Living Translation (2004))
-or-
if we keep till the end the sure faith we had in the beginning (New Century Version)

The word hold occurred in 3:6c with the same sense as it has here. The author wrote about perseverance at other places in the letter of Hebrews. See, for example, 4:14 and 10:23.

we: The pronoun we is inclusive and refers to the author and his readers and hearers.

to the end: The phrase to the end means “to the end of our lives” or “always.”

the assurance we had at first: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as assurance was also used in 1:3, where it referred to God’s “nature” (what he is really like). Here it refers to the reality of the things which the readers strongly believed when they first committed their lives to Jesus. They trusted Jesus himself and they also had confidence in what they were taught about him.

Another way to translate the assurance we had at first is:

trusting God just as firmly as when we first believed (New Living Translation (2004))
-or-
our initial conviction ⌊that Jesus is the Messiah⌋
-or-
the sure faith we had in the beginning (New Century Version)

General Comment on 3:14a–b

In some languages it may be more natural to change the order of 3:14a and 3:14b. For example:

14b For only if we maintain firmly to the very end the original assurance, 14a then are we sharers of Christ

SIL Translator’s Notes on Hebrews 3:15

3:15a

As it has been said: The words As it has been said is a way to introduce a quotation of Scripture. Here it introduces a verse in Psalm 95 that has already been quoted in 3:7b–8b. The words in the quotation are the same in both Hebrews and the Psalm, but they are introduced in different ways. Some other ways to introduce this scripture are:

As the scripture ⌊that was already quoted⌋ said
-or-
But never forget the warning (New Living Translation (1996))
-or-

⌊ Always⌋remember what is written in God’s book:

Introduce the quotation here in a natural way in your language.

3:15b-d

Today, if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts, as you did in the rebellion: Here the author referred back to the quotation in 3:7–11 to emphasize what he was saying. The quotation is exactly the same as the original in 3:7b–8b. It is important to translate it in exactly the same way here.

Step into the multitudes of languages of the Bible and join the worldwide conversation!

Category: Translation commentary