See Proverbs 3.11-12. Hebrews as usual follows the Septuagint, which is different from the Hebrew.

Revised Standard Version‘s “And” is omitted by most modern translations, since there is no close connection between verses 4 and 5. It probably has the meaning “What is more,” introducing a new point.

Have you forgotten could be translated “You have forgotten” (New English Bible, New American Bible, Traduction œcuménique de la Bible, and older translations). This would make good sense if verse 4 were blaming the readers, suggesting that if they had been faithful some of them would have suffered martyrdom. However, there seems to be no basis for this, so it is best to translate verse 5a as a question. Forgotten renders an unusual and strong word. In order to emphasize the significance of the term forgotten, it may be possible to use some such expression as “Have you disregarded?” or “Have you set aside in your thinking?” If Have you forgotten is understood as a rhetorical question, it may be translated “Don’t forget…” or “I am sure you have not forgotten….”

The moral of these verses is the need to endure God’s discipline even when it is painful. Translator’s New Testament‘s “comfort,” and perhaps even Good News Translation‘s encouraging, are probably too weak. The Greek includes the idea of a call to action (as in 3.13; 6.18; and especially 13.22), which Barclay conveys by “Have you forgotten that challenging passage of scripture…?” The word for encouraging is not related to the word translated become discouraged in verse 3 and be discouraged here. The encouraging words may be rendered as “the words which give you courage.” But a more satisfactory equivalent may be “the words which cause you to have confidence” or “the words which fill your hearts with confidence.”

As a comparison with Revised Standard Version shows, God is implied. The meaning may also be “Scripture encourages you” or “… challenges you.” In this and similar places (for example, verse 12) Parola Del Signore: La Bibbia in Lingua Corrente has “the *Bible says,” the asterisk referring to a glossary note which explains that in the New Testament, the word refers to the Old Testament. This avoids the church-language term “Scripture” but goes against current Christian usage, in which “the Bible” usually includes both Testaments. Jews, however, commonly use the expression “the Bible” in speaking of the Old Testament.

Revised Standard Version‘s “the exhortation which addresses you…” implies that there is someone who makes the exhortation. Most modern translations make it explicit that the encouraging words come either from God (Good News Translation and most common language translations, Knox), from Scripture (New English Bible, Barclay, Translator’s New Testament, Jerusalem Bible), or from both (Biblia Dios Habla Hoy “Have you forgotten what God advises you as his sons? He says thus in Scripture…”). The writer did not distinguish sharply between a word of God and a word of scripture. However, it is stylistically better to make “Scripture” the subject of “encourage,” since God is referred to in the third person in the quotation.

The Old Testament setting is that of an older man addressing a younger man as his son. The following verses in Hebrew suggest that the writer understands the passage in the same way. That is, he understands the quotation as being a message from God in a broad sense, like the rest of the Old Testament, but does not think that God is the speaker in the quotation. If so, it becomes easier to understand why God should be spoken of in the third person as the Lord. If this interpretation is followed, certain translation problems are legitimately avoided. Otherwise, if God is understood as the speaker in the quotation, it may be necessary in translation to change third person references to the first person; for example, “when I correct you” for when the Lord corrects you.

In the introduction to the quotation, as his sons, the writer indicates what for his purpose is its keyword, namely sons. He will comment on this word in verses 7-11. The word sons is taken from son in the quotation, but there is no emphasis on maleness, and it may be translated “children.” As is often ambiguous in English. Here it means “in your capacity as sons,” or more simply “because you are sons,” not “like sons.”

The quotation is in poetry form, and there is therefore some parallelism, even in the Septuagint, between the two halves of each couplet.

Pay attention is a positive equivalent of Revised Standard Version‘s more literal “do not regard lightly.” There is a clear parallel between corrects and rebukes.

The Greek noun translated corrects has a range of meanings which includes “upbringing,” “training,” “instruction,” “discipline,” and “punishment.” It includes practically everything involved in bringing up a child. “Punishment” is no doubt included, but “punishes” here could misleadingly suggest that the readers were suffering because God was punishing them for their sins, and this idea is not supported by the context. Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch has “Accept it, my son, when the Lord treats you hard” and continues in verse 6 “For whom the Lord loves, he brings up with strictness.”

Pay attention when the Lord corrects you may be rendered as “pay close attention when the Lord shows you that you are wrong” or “… makes you realize that you have done wrong.”

It is sometimes possible to render corrects you as “makes you recognize when you have done wrong.” This may imply some degree of punishment. In fact, it may be possible to translate “punishes you in order to make you realize that you have done wrong.”

Some commentators think corrects has the meaning of “educate” in verse 5, and “discipline” or “punish” in verse 6, but this is unlikely. Problems of translation will arise in cultures which have a different idea of what is involved in bringing up a child. This is to some extent the case in modern Western society, which would perhaps give a less prominent place to “punishment” within the family. This, however, is part of the cultural strangeness of any ancient text, which the translator should not try to remove.

The word for rebukes sometimes includes the idea of “correction” or even “punishment”; compare Revelation 3.19.

And do not be discouraged when he rebukes you may be translated as “and do not feel like giving up when he criticizes you” or even “… scolds you.”

Corrects in verse 6 renders the verbal equivalent of the Greek noun translated corrects in Heb. 12.5 (see the comments).

Everyone in verse 6a is implied; New English Bible says “those whom he loves.” Everyone in verse 6b, on the other hand, is literally “every son.”

Punishes is literally “whips” (Translator’s New Testament); Phillips has “scourgeth,” New English Bible “lays the rod on.” The writer of Hebrews probably understood the word in this harsh, literal meaning, since he avoids repeating it in his comments.

Good News Translation brings out better than Revised Standard Version the connection between accepts and as a son.

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 .