5:12

In this verse the author rebuked his listeners for not understanding more about God’s word. He implied that they had known about Christ for a long time, so they should be ready to teach others about him. Instead they still needed someone to teach them the most basic truths that God has revealed to people.

5:12a–b

by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to reteach you: This statement implies that the listeners still did not understand basic truths about being a Christian. They had been Christians for a long time, so now they should be able to teach people about the Christian faith. However, they still needed other people to teach them.

Some other ways to translate the statement are:

By now you should have been teachers, but you still need a teacher to repeat to you what you learned before.
-or-
At a time when you should be teaching others, you need teachers yourselves (Phillips’ New Testament in Modern English)

Notice that the word reteach refers specifically here to teaching about God’s word and the Christian faith. It does not imply that the listeners should have become professional teachers or teachers of other subjects. In some languages it is necessary to refer specifically to Christian teaching. For example:

Now for a long time ⌊you have heard about Jesus Christ⌋. If you had not been sluggish in listening, you would now be teaching other people ⌊about him⌋.

5:12a

Although: The common Greek conjunction that the Berean Standard Bible translates as Although introduces an explanation. It supports what the author said about the readers being “dull of hearing” (5:11). The word Although indicates that what the author is about to say in 5:12a is unexpected. Some other ways to translate the connection between these clauses in English are:

There has been enough time for you to be teachers—yet you still need someone to teach you (Good News Translation)
-or-
You have been believers so long now that you ought to be teaching others. Instead, you need someone to teach you (New Living Translation (2004))
-or-
By now you should be teachers, but you need someone to teach you (New Century Version)

Connect the clauses in a natural way in your language.

by this time: The phrase by this time refers to the time when the author was writing to his listeners. The author implied that as he was writing to them, they had already been Christians for some time. He also implied that since they first trusted in Christ, they had been hearing God’s word, so now they should know enough to teach it to others. Other ways to translate the phrase are:

Actually it is time
-or-
By now (NET Bible)
-or-
by this time…⌊because you began to trust in Jesus long ago⌋

you ought to be teachers: The clause you ought to be teachers indicates that the listeners should be teaching other people about God’s word. Some other ways to translate this clause are:

you ought to be teaching others (New Living Translation (2004))
-or-
you should be the ones who are teaching your companions
-or-
You ought to be able to preach/teach now

you: The pronoun you is plural and refers to the people who were listening to the book of Hebrews.

teachers: The word teachers refers to people who teach others. It is a general word that can refer to anyone who teaches, either formally or informally. It was often used to describe people who taught about God. For example, it is used of John the Baptist (Luke 3:12) and of Jesus (Mark 4:38).

In some languages it is more natural to use a verb. For example:

you(plur) should be able to explain these truths to others
-or-
By now you(plur) should be teaching other people these truths.

5:12b

you need someone to reteach you: The clause you need someone to reteach you implies that someone already taught the listeners about Christ. When they joined the Christian community, they were taught the basic truths that Christians believe. Now they seem to have forgotten these truths, so they need someone to teach them again.

Some other ways to translate 5:12b are:

you still need to have someone else to teach you again
-or-
you still have to be taught/preached-to again

the basic principles of God’s word: The Greek phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as basic principles is more literally “fundamental principles of the beginning.” It refers to the simple truths and principles on which our trust in God is based.

These principles are usually the first truths that people are taught about God, Christ, and salvation when they become Christians. They are God’s word because God is the one who spoke them and revealed them to his people.

Some other ways to translate the basic principles of God’s word are:

the elementary truths of God’s word (New International Version)
-or-
the first lessons of God’s message (New Century Version)
-or-
the simplest things about what God has said (Contemporary English Version)

5:12c

You need milk, not solid food: Here the author used a metaphor. He compared basic teaching to milk. The word milk often refers to “breast milk” that babies and young children take directly from their mothers’ breasts. The author compared the teaching about Jesus being our high priest to solid food. It is a teaching for mature Christians.

In some languages this metaphor may not be clear. Some other ways to translate it are:

• Use a simile. For example:

You are like babies who need milk and cannot eat solid food. (New Living Translation (2004))
-or-
You still need basic/simple teaching that is like milk. You are not yet ready for the advanced teaching that is like solid food.

• Use a more general comparison. For example:

You are like a young child who can understand only simple teaching. You are not mature enough to understand more difficult teaching.

solid food: The phrase solid food refers to food that must be chewed, like meat or vegetables. Small babies cannot eat that kind of food because they cannot chew it. Remember that the author used solid food as a metaphor to refer to the complex truths that he wanted to teach them.

In some languages a word like solid is not necessary, because food already contrasts with milk. For example:

You again want to be like babies who are nursing, and yet it is necessary that you eat food.
-or-
It’s as if you have become a baby who still needs to nurse, because he can’t chew food.

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