Other is implied, as in verse 23. The background of this verse is the order of worship on the Day of Atonement; see Leviticus 9.7; 16.6, 15 (where “Aaron” means the High Priest); see also Hebrews 5.3. This, however, was an annual, not a daily event. If other is added in translation (as in Good News Translation), it may be necessary to choose between the meanings “different in kind” and “different as individuals.” In this context the meaning “different in kind” is appropriate.

This verse includes a double contrast which should be kept in translation: (a) every day … once and for all; (b) offer sacrifices … offered himself.

He does not need to offer sacrifices may be expressed as “it is not necessary for him to offer sacrifices” or “… to sacrifice.” In some languages to offer sacrifices may be rendered as “to kill gifts for God” or “to kill animals as gifts to God.”

In rendering for his own sins, it is essential to avoid a wording which would suggest “for the benefit of his sins” in the sense of “to enhance his sins.” It is also important to avoid a rendering of for which will suggest “to pay for,” as though sacrifices were made in order to pay for sins and thus to enjoy them.

Good News Translation‘s second sentence in the Greek is literally “for this he did once-for-all, having offered himself.” “For” introduces the reason for the statement in the first part of the verse. “This,” in the light of 4.15, cannot mean “offered sacrifice both for his own sins and those of the people.” It means “offered sacrifice for the people.” This is the basis of Good News Bible‘s rearrangement.

Offered (9.28; 13.15; James 2.21; 1 Peter 1.5) is often used of “offering up” or “carrying up” a sacrifice to an altar. The meaning here is that of offering a sacrifice “up” to God, but this is not emphasized and Good News Translation leaves it implicit. This theme will be developed in chapter 9.

Once and for all and “once” (compare 6.4) in the Greek are keywords in the letter: “once and for all” 9.12 ; 10.10; “once” 9.7, 26-28; 10.2; 12.26, 27. Once and for all is an English idiom which means the same as “once,” but it is more emphatic, like the Greek word which it translates. It means “one time for all times,” not “for all people.”

When he offered himself may be rendered as “when he gave himself to God” or “when he gave himself to God as a sacrifice.”

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 .

The writer now turns back from the illustration of a will to the main subject, which is the covenant. That is why is a possible translation of the Greek, but this verse does not in fact draw a logical conclusion from verses 11-17. The link between verses 16-17 and 18 is the play on different senses of the word for will or covenant. This play on words is made possible by the fact that blood or “death” was involved in both. Jerusalem Bible has “the earlier covenant needed something to be killed in order to take effect.” A comparison or analogy, not a proof, is involved. Therefore some more general translation, such as “So,” “In this way” (Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch and Traduction œcuménique de la Bible), “Hence” (Revised Standard Version, Moffatt, New American Bible), or “Thus,” may be more appropriate than That is why or “It was for this very reason” (Barclay).

The Greek word used for went into effect is not a legal term. It is most often used in the Bible in speaking of the dedication or inauguration of the Temple; in 10.20 it means “to open a path.” Here and in verse 19 the writer is concerned with the ceremonies which took place when the first covenant came into effect. The Greek is different for reasons of style, but the meaning is close to the term translated goes into effect in verse 17, with the added suggestion of a ceremony. Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch has simply “So the first covenant became valid only through blood.”

The concept of went into effect or “was inaugurated” is sometimes expressed idiomatically; for example, “was cut,” “was made to stand,” “was tied,” or “bound the persons.”

As in verse 7, Good News Translation simplifies the double negative, meaning “not without blood,” into only with the use of blood, which is more usual in common language. With the use of blood may be expressed as “by means of blood” or “by means of death.”

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 .

This verse recalls Isaiah 26.11 in the Septuagint. A literal translation of all that is left may be confusing, since it might suggest that something has been “left” in the sense of being abandoned. The meaning is simply “the only thing we can do” or “there is nothing else for us to do but.”

To wait in fear for the coming Judgment repeats in more detail the reference to the “Day” in verse 25. The Greek contains an element of indefiniteness which King James Version translates “a certain fearful looking for of judgment.” The judgment is certain, but exactly what it will involve is not. The Greek for “fearful” means “causing fear” or “(rightly) to be feared.” See also 10.31 and 12.21.

To wait: the Greek noun here which Revised Standard Version translates “prospect,” and New English Bible more literally “expectation,” is related in form and meaning to the verb translated waits in 10.13 and waiting in 11.10.

The phrase to wait in fear may need to be expressed by two verbs; for example, “to wait and to fear” or “while we are waiting, to fear.”

For the coming Judgment may be expressed as “God’s judging will soon happen” or “the time when God will judge is near.”

The fierce fire may be expressed as “the hot fire” or “the very hot fire,” but it may be better to speak of the fire in terms of its extent; for example, “the very great fire” or “the exceedingly large fire.”

Destroy is literally “eat” (Translator’s New Testament “devour”), but clearly in an extended meaning, making fire assume the figure of a wild beast.

Those who oppose God may be rendered as “those who are enemies of God” or “those who fight against God.” However, the writer avoids the common Greek word for “enemies,” except in quotations from the Old Testament; a somewhat milder word such as “adversaries” (Revised Standard Version) may be appropriate in translation. In those who oppose God, in the Greek God is implied as in Isaiah 26.11, to which the writer may be referring; Hebrews 10.29 suggests that opposition to Christ may also be included.

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 .

See Exodus 2.11-12. Be called the son of the king’s daughter implies really having the position and privileges of Pharaoh’s grandson. Le Nouveau Testament. Version Synodale renders refuse to be called as “renounced the title of.” The king’s is literally “of Pharaoh.” “Pharaoh” is the title of kings of Egypt, not a proper name. There are various ways of dealing with this unfamiliar title, depending on the intended readers and whether the translation of Hebrews is to be published as a separate book or in a complete Bible. Normally the title “Pharaoh” should be translated the same way in both the Old and the New Testaments. Possibilities include (a) using the title “Pharaoh,” but anticipating that it will be understood in the light of the king in verse 27; (b) adding a glossary note, as for example in Good News Bible and Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch; (c) translating as “the king of Egypt” as in Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch and Biblia Dios Habla Hoy. Choice (a) is possible for readers who know the Bible well, but (b) is better for others, and (c) may be necessary in translations of Hebrews which are published separately.

Made Moses … refuse to be called the son of the king’s daughter may be rendered as “Moses refused to have people treat him as the son of the king’s daughter,” “… as the adopted son of the king’s daughter,” “… as the person whom the king’s daughter had adopted,” or “… had adopted as her son.”

The temporal clause when he had grown up must sometimes be made a separate sentence; for example, “He did this when he had grown up” or “This is what he did after he had become a man.”

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 .

The quotation is from Exodus 19.12-13; compare Deuteronomy 5.23-25. The order which said: it is clearly implied that the order was given by God, and it may be better to say so in translation. Barclay turns the sentence into indirect speech, and this may be more natural in some languages: “they were appalled by the order that, if even a beast touched the mountain, it should be stoned to death.”

Because they could not bear the order which said may be rendered as “because they could not bear what God had ordered” or “… what God had commanded.” In some instances they could not bear may be expressed as “they could not accept,” or “they refused to accept,” or “they did not want to accept.”

The writer of Hebrews increases the emphasis of the Old Testament verse he quotes. The differences may be expressed as follows:

Exodus 19.12-13 “Whoever touches the mountain … whether beast or man, shall be put to death.”

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 .

Hebrews “Not even a wild animal is allowed to touch the mountain, however lightly.” Even is important; Hebrews condenses the Old Testament passage, but the writer knows that human beings are also threatened with death.

To death is implied; see comment on 11.37. King James Version‘s “or thrust through with a dart” is not part of the original text of Hebrews. It may be too easy for the reader to understand even as applying to touching the mountain rather than as applying to an animal. Therefore it may be better to make the meaning explicit; for example, “If anyone, even an animal, touches the mountain.” Accordingly the final part of the command may be rendered as “you must stone to death that person or animal.”

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 .

Give our greetings to is literally “Greet.” As in verse 18, no one can be sure whether the writer is speaking in his own name alone or on behalf of a group. Here most translations avoid adding either our or “my” to greetings; Barclay and Translator’s New Testament have “my.” Give our greetings to all your leaders may be expressed as “Greet all your leaders with words as coming from us” or “Greet all your leaders as though we were greeting them.”

All God’s people: Revised Standard Version “all the saints” does not mean “all the outstandingly religious members of the church,” but “all the members of the Christian community,” that is, “all who have been set apart as Christians to belong to God in a special way”; see comments on 3.1.

Brothers is not expressed in the Greek text, but it is natural to assume that “those who come from Italy” (Revised Standard Version) are fellow-Christians, as in the previous verse. Jerusalem Bible thinks “saints” is implied, but this view is not shared even by Bible de Jérusalem.

The Greek is literally “those of Italy” or “those from Italy.” (a) “Of Italy” would mean that the writer is in Italy and sends greetings from the church. (b) “From Italy” would mean that the writer is somewhere else and sends greetings from a group of expatriate Italians in the same place. Most translations either leave the matter open (Moffatt “The Italians salute you”) or choose (b), like Good News Translation and Revised Standard Version. Phillips (“The Christians of Italy”) and Jerusalem Bible choose (a). No one really knows whether the writer was in Italy or not.

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 .

The quotations are (a) from Psalm 2.7 and (b) from 2 Samuel 7.14, which is narrated again in 1 Chronicles 17.13. Both Good News Translation and Revised Standard Version correctly make God explicit (King James Version “he”). At the beginning of sections it is often good to replace pronouns by nouns, since public readings of Scriptures and published selections often omit the earlier verses.

In the original, as in Revised Standard Version, this verse is a rhetorical question, that is, a question to which the answer is assumed. In this case, the only possible answer to the question “To which angel…?” is “To no angel,” so that the question is the equivalent of a strong negative statement. Knox modifies the question to make its rhetorical nature clearer: “Did God ever say to one of the angels…?” Most common language translations, and other translations such as Jerusalem Bible, New English Bible, and Translator’s New Testament, replace the question by a statement.

Good News Translation‘s For translates a common Greek word which often indicates a general causal connection, and in some places it may be omitted in translation. Here, however, the word For has its full force and implies “The Son has been given by God a higher status than angels (verse 4), and this is confirmed by God speaking in Scripture as follows….” It may therefore be better to expand For; for example, “That is why God never said to any of the angels….”

Good News Translation‘s his before angels is implicit, as Revised Standard Version shows; Biblia Dios Habla Hoy has “God never said to any angel.” God never said to any of his angels may be rendered as “God never said to any one of his messengers” or “… any one of his heavenly messengers.”

In the first quotation, You and Son are emphasized.

I have become your Father avoids the metaphor “begotten,” which could be misleading for various reasons: first, because the English word is archaic; second, because in English, as in some other languages, the verb “beget” is not often used as a metaphor; and third, because it could suggest that the Son did not exist until the moment at which God said “I have begotten you.” As the wider context shows (especially 2.14-18), it is not Christ’s existence which begins at this point, but the relationship between Father and Son which Hebrews links with the death and exaltation of Christ.

There are a number of problems in rendering today I have become your Father. Technically there should be no complication in this expression which denies God’s relationship to an angel, but indirectly this statement is to be interpreted as the relation of God to his Son. In some languages to say “I have become your father” would mean either by adoption, or by recognition that someone actually was a son even though the relationship had been previously denied. Some translators have wanted to use some such expression as “from now on you are my Son,” but this involves serious problems for the preincarnate state of Christ. One way to deal with this complex expression is to say “today I declare that you are my Son.” In this way the focus, as in the Greek, is upon the relationship between the Father and the Son without introducing what may be extraneous and otherwise misleading implications. In some languages the translation of You are my Son and I have become your Father may have to be combined into a single statement.

Nor did God say about any angel: Revised Standard Version‘s “Or again” (King James Version more literally “and again”; compare 2.13; 4.5; 10.30) is a formula which simply serves to mark the beginning of a new quotation; it has the same function as closing and reopening quotation marks. Good News Translation is followed rather closely by most other CLT’s: Bible en français courant “about an angel”; Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch, Biblia Dios Habla Hoy “about any angel”; Bijbel in Gewone Taal has simply “or,” which is quite enough.

In the second quotation, the Greek for (I) will be and (he) will be are different forms of the same verb. In some languages, where the forms for the first and third person of the verb are the same, the sentence can be made more simple by omitting the second verb; compare Bijbel in Gewone Taal “I will be his Father, and he my Son.” In some languages it may be necessary to render will be as “will become” since there is an implied change of state or relationship; for example, “I will become his Father, and he will become my 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 .

So then links the quotation in a general way with what has gone before: “You are God’s people, if you keep up your courage. So then, listen when God (or Christ) speaks to you in this psalm.” It is grammatically possible to link So then with particular verbs, either (a) do not be stubborn in verse 8, or even (b) be careful in verse 12. Choice (b) would in effect put the entire quotation in parentheses and is very artificial. Good News Translation‘s general So then, indicating a new step in the argument, is probably best. An equivalent of So then may be a phrase meaning “Therefore,” “In view of all this,” or even “As a result of what has been said.”

Mention of the Holy Spirit would lead the original readers of Hebrews to expect a quotation from Scripture; ancient Jewish teachers often introduced quotations from the Old Testament in this way. However, modern readers may need to be told more clearly that a quotation is about to begin (Biblia Dios Habla Hoy “as the Holy Spirit says in Scripture”), or even that the Holy Spirit is God’s Spirit (Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch first edition “God says through his Spirit”).

Is the correct translation If or “when” (Moffatt, Revised Standard Version)? The Greek word usually means If, but sometimes, as in John 12.32; 14.3; and 1 John 2.28, it is virtually equal to “when.” Here the question is not whether people will hear God’s voice (since God is speaking or is about to speak in this very passage), but whether, when people have heard his voice, they will obey it. New American Bible‘s “if you should hear his voice” is too indefinite, and “when” is more likely in this context. Some translations (Barclay, Translator’s New Testament; compare Jerusalem Bible) omit both “if” and “when,” and translate hear as “listen to.” Hear can mean “listen to,” as it usually does in commands. Here Barclay has “Today I plead with you, listen to his voice.” Good News Translation‘s construction is better, since it throws weight onto the first main verb of the quotation, do not be stubborn.

To speak about “hearing someone’s voice” may be heavy or repetitive in some languages. Jerusalem Bible has simply “listen to him.” Another possibility is “when you hear me speaking (to you).”

A literal rendering of If you hear God’s voice today could mean merely hearing the voice of God but not hearing the message that is actually said. It may be better, therefore, to translate the conditional clause as “When you hear what God is saying today.”

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 .