Jesus also has the first qualification for being a high priest, the qualification mentioned in verses 2-3. As already stated in 2.10; 4.15, he has learned through his own suffering how to understand the suffering of others.
In his life on earth may be expressed as “While Jesus was living on earth” or “While Jesus was here in the world.”
Jesus and God (twice) are not in the Greek, but are clearly implied.
Prayers and requests are similar in meaning; both imply asking God for something, whether for oneself (petition) or for someone else (intercession). The context suggests petition, especially the prayer of Jesus for himself at Gethsemane (Mark 14.32-42). In some languages it may not be possible to distinguish clearly between prayers and requests, especially since in both instances verbs may be employed rather than nouns. Therefore it may be best to translate made his prayers and requests as “prayed earnestly for,” or as expressed idiomatically in some languages, “spoke to God with his heart open” or “spoke to God from his very insides.”
Loud cries does not mean “crying” in the sense of “weeping” but “crying out, shouting.” The language is similar to that of Matthew 26.37 and Luke 22.44. With loud cries and tears to God may be expressed as “he shouted out to God and cried” or “he spoke loudly to God and at the same time wept.” It is important to relate the phrase to God as an aspect of the crying out or shouting rather than to the tears.
Save him, as the following words from death show, means “rescue him.” This is a meaning of “salvation” which was noted in 1.14; see also the comment on salvation in 5.9.
Save him from death may mean either (a) prevent him from dying (as in Psa 33.19) or (b) save him, although he had already died (as in Hos 13.14). Meaning (a) fits the situation of Gethsemane better; meaning (b) would reflect belief in the resurrection, which is not emphasized in Hebrews (though see 13.20-21). Meaning (a) should probably be chosen in languages which would naturally express (a) and (b) differently, but the author may have had both ideas in mind. In keeping with the meaning of “preventing him from dying,” one may render save him from death as “cause people not to kill him,” “to prevent people from causing his death,” or even “to rescue him so that he would not have to die.”
The single Greek word which Revised Standard Version translates “godly fear,” and Good News Translation Because he was humble and devoted, may mean either (a) “fear” (in the common sense of “alarm”) or (b) “piety, reverence,” as “fear of God” in church language. In this verse, meaning (a) would be that God listened to Jesus’ prayer as a result of the fear of death which it expressed, or that Jesus’ fear of death was the reason why God listened to his prayer; meaning (b) would be that God listened to Jesus because of the trustful and obedient spirit in which he prayed Yet not what I want, but what you want (Mark 14.36). Good News Translation like most translations and commentaries, follows meaning (b) with its humble and devoted; similarly Bijbel in Gewone Taal “humble submission to God,” Phillips “willingness to obey,” Jerusalem Bible “he submitted so humbly,” and New English Bible “humble submission.”
The Greek word which Revised Standard Version translates “for” may mean either “because of” or “out of.” The first meaning is more likely, especially if the words which follow “for” are understood as “fear of God,” not “fear of death.”
God heard him is literally “he was heard.” “Hear” in biblical Greek often implies “listen and respond to.” In some languages “I hear you” is a polite way of expressing disagreement; any such suggestion must be carefully avoided in translating this verse. Since the phrase God heard him implies far more than merely “listening,” it may be clearer to render God heard him as “God answered him,” “God responded to him,” or “God paid attention to what he said.”
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 .