The word translated Instead or “But” (Revised Standard Version) may also mean “What is more.” The problem for the translator is to decide which meaning suits the context better. If the more common meaning Instead is chosen, this will emphasize the contrast between turn away from the living God and help one another. It may be helpful to use some such introductory clause as “You shouldn’t do that but you should do this” or “Rather than turning away from God, you should….”

However, in the somewhat wider context the alternative meaning “What is more” perhaps makes better sense. The two main imperatives of verses 12 and 13 are be careful and help (or “encourage”). The writer is advising negative action in verse 12 and positive action in verse 13, but both are directed to the same end. This meaning may be brought out by some such expression as “Indeed, in order that none of you be deceived by sin and become stubborn, you must do more….”

None, like no one in the previous verse, means “no individual within the Christian community.”

On stubborn, see discussion on Heb. 3.8. The close relation between deceived by sin and stubborn may be made clear by some such translation as “in order that no one among you be made stubborn by the deceit of sin.”

Help in this context is a common language equivalent for “encourage,” though practical help is not excluded from the meaning here. There is a play on words in the Greek between the word translated help and the word for “called” (Revised Standard Version), but this has no importance for the meaning and should not influence the translation.

One another is literally “yourselves,” and some older commentators have thought that this emphasized the unity existing between members of the church; but this is rather speculative, and virtually all translations have one another.

As long as the word “Today” in the scripture applies to us states clearly, and more concisely than some modern translations, the most likely sense of a rather concentrated expression. It was common to refer to biblical passages by keywords, as in Mark 12.26, the bush, meaning “the passage about the burning bush.” Here the writer probably means “as long as we hear the word ‘Today’ spoken in its context in Psalm 95.” The psalm was probably used in Christian worship, as it is now. This interpretation is more likely than such translations as Knox “while the word To-day still has a meaning” and Jerusalem Bible “as long as this ‘today’ lasts.” The expression applies to us may be rendered as “refers to us,” “includes us,” or “is speaking to us.”

In some languages the purpose clause in order that none of you be deceived by sin and become stubborn must be shifted in order, so as to follow the main clause. If this is done, some adjustment needs to be introduced at the beginning of verse 14 in order to make the causal relationship clear.

In some languages it may be difficult to speak of “being deceived by sin.” The closest equivalent may be “become deceived by the sins that you commit” or “you sin and thus believe a lie.” And become stubborn may be rendered as “and thus become stubborn” in the sense of “and thus refuse to obey God.”

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 .