Good News Translation but expresses in a word the contrast which the original expresses in sentence structure, literally “God having spoken … through the prophets … he has spoken to us through the Son.” If but is used in translation, it is important to employ a term that will not suggest contradiction in content but merely contrast in the way in which this communication took place, that is, through the Son rather than merely through the prophets. It may even be necessary in some languages to translate “then it was through the prophets; now it is through his Son.”
In these last days does not mean simply “these last few days,” as in Luke 24.18, where the Greek is different. The writer means that the time had now come which the Old Testament had called “the last days,” “the day of the LORD,” or simply “that day” (for example, Num 24.14; Dan 10.14; compare Joel 3.1; Acts 2.17, 20); “the last days” had become “these last days, in which we are living.” Jerusalem Bible gives the meaning “in our own time, the last days”; compare French common language translation (Bible en français courant) “in these days which are the last.” In these last days is a slightly awkward expression in English, and it was very unusual in Greek. Some translations replace these by its equivalent “now,” to give “now, at the end of time” (for example, German common language translation [Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch]; compare Bijbel in Gewone Taal). The translator should in any case avoid translating “day” by a term which can only refer to a period of twelve or twenty-four hours.
The expression in these last days is extremely difficult to translate without being misleading, for the term last must be related to some other period of time or sequence if people are really to understand what is involved. In some languages the closest equivalent of in these last days is “now at the end of this age” or “now when we are living near the end of this age.”
To us clearly includes both the writer and his readers, and probably others as well. For languages which make the distinction, an inclusive “we” must clearly be used.
Through his Son (see also notes on Heb. 1.1) is literally “through a Son,” as in Revised Standard Version. This is not a suggestion, despite 2.10, that Jesus was only one son among many sons of equal status. In writing “a Son” rather than “the Son,” the author means God has spoken to us through one who is not merely a prophet but a Son. Barclay gives a good paraphrase: “he has spoken in one whose relation to himself is that of Son.” However, in most languages the rendering of his Son by “a son” would be misleading, since the indefinite form would suggest any one of several sons. Since the reference is obviously to a particular son, it is essential in most languages to employ a definite marker, and in this instance the possessive pronoun his serves best to indicate specifically the person involved.
There is no distinction in Greek between “Son” and “son.” Most European languages keep the form “Son” in referring to Christ, but there is a general tendency to use fewer capitals, and the translator must be guided by normal usage in his own language. The translator should also remember that the distinction between “Son” and “son” is lost when a text is read aloud; the distinction should thus be made clear in other ways, depending on the context.
The second half of verse 2 contains two statements about the Son: (a) God appointed him heir of all things; (b) through him God created the world. Good News Translation and other CLT’s reverse the order of these two statements, since the first points to the future and the second points to the past. Before coming to a decision about their relation to one another, it is useful to look in more detail at certain individual words.
The word translated created is a good example of the author’s flexible use of words. A technical term for created exists in Greek, and the author uses the related noun in 4.13 and 9.11. In this verse, however, he uses the common word for “made” (King James Version, Spanish common language translation [Biblia Dios Habla Hoy]), which in Greek occurs in different meanings in 3.2; 8.9; 10.9; and elsewhere. It is not advisable in translation to use a term for “create” in the sense of “to make out of nothing.” In a number of languages there is no technical term for “create” which differs essentially in meaning from a more general term meaning “to make.” There is certainly no necessity to use a phrase meaning “to make out of nothing” in order to represent what some persons might insist is a necessary component of “create.”
The expression translated the universe can mean “the ages.” La Bible de Jérusalem (Bible de Jérusalem)—but not Jerusalem Bible—misleadingly adopts this rendering here. In this verse, as always, words must be translated according to their context. With two exceptions the writer uses the word for “age” in the singular, or in set phrases meaning “forever.” As to the two exceptions, 9.26 clearly refers to time and 11.3 to place. In 1.2 the writer is not thinking of time, but rather of the world and all it contains (compare all things, verse 2; the universe, verse 3).
In a number of languages the equivalent of the universe is “the sky and the earth.” But in other languages it may be better to translate “everything there is” or “all that exists.”
The word which Revised Standard Version translates “also” is not essential to the structure of the Greek sentence. By including it, the author emphasizes the words “he made the world.”
Chosen translates a common Greek word for “appointed”; appointment to an office implies a choice of the one appointed. Chosen does not imply “chosen among several sons.” It is therefore better in most languages to use an expression which will emphasize the fact of “being appointed.” This may be expressed in some languages by a word meaning essentially “designated” or “selected for the purpose of.” Theologians discuss at what moment Jesus was appointed heir of all things. The translator is not concerned with this, but he should note that the verb refers to an event which occurred at some particular point of time. See the comment on God spoke in Heb. 1.1.
The one … to possess is literally “heir,” as in Revised Standard Version. “Heir” in English means someone who receives or is entitled to receive something when its previous owner dies. In biblical Greek, with its Hebrew background, this idea may sometimes be present (compare 9.16; Mark 12.7 and parallel passages). However, more often the main thought is that of taking possession of land or other property, whether or not the former owner has died. In the New Testament, believers are said to “inherit” the kingdom of God, that is, to share in God’s reign or rule (for example, Matt 25.34). They are also said to “inherit” or take possession of salvation (Heb 1.14), a blessing (1 Peter 3.9), glory (Rom 8.7-18), and incorruption (1 Cor 15.50); also “the promise” (Heb 6.12). The author is probably thinking of Old Testament stories about Israel taking possession of the Promised Land. In the New Testament, inheritance is often connected with gifts which can only be fully possessed in the future. This is the basis for Good News Translation‘s possess all things at the end.
A literal rendering of the term “heir” (the expression found in many translations) can be misleading, as already noted, since one important component is the death of the individual who previously owned or possessed some object. The emphasis in the Bible is upon “coming to possess what is rightfully one’s own,” and therefore some such phrase as “to come to possess,” “to become the owner of,” or “to become the one to whom all things belong” may be more satisfactory.
At the end is implied, but Good News Translation and Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch make it explicit. There may be complications involved in the phrase at the end, since it may be necessary in some languages to specify what has come to an end or the end of what. Sometimes this may be expressed more satisfactorily as “finally possess all things.”
It is now easier to see the meaning of verse 2b as a whole. This may be expanded as follows: “By God’s command and appointment, his Son is shortly to take possession of the entire universe. But in any case, the universe belongs by right to the Son, since it was through him that God made it and everything it contains.” Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch brings out the implied logical relation between the two statements: “Through him God created the world. Therefore God also decided that at the end, everything should belong to him.” However, a slight weakness in both Good News Translation and Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch is that by making at the end explicit, they weaken to some extent the idea that “the end” has already begun (see comment on in these last days).
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 .