Verses 10-12 are a quotation of Psalm 102.25-27, introduced simply by “And” (Revised Standard Version), which Good News Translation expands into He also said.

The two halves of the quotation in verse 10 are parallel, so and may be omitted. “And,” in English and other languages, leads the receptor to expect new information, not something largely equivalent to what has gone before. However, in Hebrew poetry “and” often introduces the second part of a parallelism. In such cases literal translation may be misleading, and the word “and” is best omitted.

The quotation in this verse is introduced by an emphatic You. The writer is not saying that God began by creating the earth and went on to make the heavens. He is saying that, at the beginning of time, it was God who laid the foundations of the earth and at the same time made the heavens with his own hands.

In the Old Testament text, “the Lord” meant God. In Hebrews, as in Paul’s letters, “the Lord” usually means the Son, and that is the probable meaning in this instance. In this context it is important to use for Lord the same term which is applied to Jesus in the Gospels, when he is addressed as “Lord.” In some languages it is necessary to make a clear distinction between (a) “Lord” as it occurs in the New Testament in reference to Jesus Christ and (b) “Lord” in the Old Testament when it refers to God. In general, however, it is advisable to use precisely the same expression despite the ambiguity or obscurity.

In the beginning is a very difficult expression to render literally in some languages, since one must always specify what is involved in such a beginning. A more appropriate equivalent may be “before there was anything” or “before anything existed.”

With your own hands is a poetic way of indicating direct involvement, but a literal rendering of such an expression might seem contradictory to those statements in Genesis which indicate that creation took place by the word of God (Gen 1.3, 6, 9). Other statements show that direct involvement without mentioning “hands” (Gen 2.7, 8, 19, 22), though they may be implied. Therefore it may be better in some languages to translate created the earth, and with your own hands you made the heavens as “you, yourself, created the earth and the sky.”

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 .

After the Old Testament text comes the explanation of it. A new step forward is marked by an imperative, be careful, and the address to the readers, fellow believers (My is implied; see comment on 3.1). The emotive level is raised by the use of such words as evil, unbelieving, and living (compare 4.12).

My fellow believers may be rendered as “You who believe even as I do” or “You who together with me believe in Christ.”

A literal rendering of be careful could suggest a positive content rather than a negative one. Therefore it may be necessary to use some such expression as “beware that you do not” or “watch out so that you will not.”

No one among you makes it clear that at this point the writer is not afraid that the whole community to which he is writing will lose its faith, but that some individuals within it may do so.

A heart so evil and unbelieving: King James Version‘s literal translation “an evil heart of unbelief” represents a phrase which would be more natural in Hebrew than in Greek. (a) “Heart of unbelief” means “unbelieving heart,” as in Revised Standard Version. (b) On heart, see discussion on 3.8. (c) “Unbelief” in the Old Testament was not just an attitude of mind but a motive for action, as the rest of the verse shows. The two Greek nouns which Good News Translation translates unbelieving here and did not believe in 4.6 are similar in meaning, and both are stronger and less passive than Good News Bible suggests. Here the idea is that of refusing to believe (Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch translates “disobedient”); in 4.6, that of refusing to obey (Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch “disobedience”). In 3.18 Good News Bible excellently translates the second word as rebelled.

In a number of languages it may be necessary to change or drop the figure of heart, since in biblical language the heart stands for the will and purpose of the individual. Therefore one may translate “beware that no one among you is so evil and so unbelieving that….” But in this context unbelieving may be better rendered as “rebellious,” “so opposed to God,” or even “so disobedient.”

Revised Standard Version translates the metaphor for “fall away” literally. Good News Translation‘s turn away revises it slightly, since “fall away” has become a technical expression in English church language for “apostatize” or “stop believing.” New English Bible uses the stronger but more literary expression “a deserter from the living God.” Any idea of a mere turning back to the past should in any case be avoided. In a number of languages turn away may be rendered “to turn one’s back on,” “to reject,” or possibly “to refuse to follow.”

Most modern translations, including Good News Translation, keep the traditional expression the living God. A comparison with similar expressions such as living messages (Acts 7.38), the living … word of God (1 Peter 1.23; compare Hebrews 4.12), a living way (10.20), a living hope (1 Peter 1.3), living bread (John 6.51), and living stone (1 Peter 2.4) suggests that the living God is not only “the God who is alive” (in contrast to idols) but also “the God who gives life.” That is how Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch first edition translated the living God in this verse.

Some of the force of the phrase the living God may be lost in the use of living as a kind of adjectival qualifier. However, in a nonrestrictive modifying clause the emphasis may be more satisfactorily reflected; for example, “to turn one’s back on God, who is indeed alive” or “… away from God; he lives.” If, however, one adopts the interpretation “who gives life,” a causative must be employed; for example, “… the one who causes people to live.”

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 .

Perfect translates a group of related words which are often used in Hebrews (see especially 2.10; 7.28). Between them they express various elements of meaning which usually cannot be translated by the same word or phrase. It is the translator’s task to decide which element in each context is the most important. The following aspects should be considered: (a) “whole,” especially “wholly faithful to God” (compare Deut 18.13 Good News Translation; Revised Standard Version‘s “blameless” is too negative); (b) “mature,” “adult” (see Heb 5.14); (c) in the Septuagint, the ordination of a priest was often called “filling his hand,” the verb for “fill” being related to perfect. The related Greek noun may suggest either (d) death, (e) the reaching of a goal, or both. Outside the Bible, such words are often used to express (f) reaching the goal of a spiritual journey, or being allowed to learn spiritual mysteries. Although these associations are usually less important in Hebrews, translations such as “having reached the end of his journey” fit the context well and may be appropriate in some languages. In the light of 4.15 (but did not sin), the translator should avoid any suggestion that Jesus’ earlier state, before being made perfect, involved sin.

When he was made perfect: see comments on 2.10. Here Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch has “after he had reached the goal,” Knox “his full achievement reached,” and Traduction œcuménique de la Bible “led to his own fulfillment.” It is through suffering that Christ became mature and fully qualified as a high priest to deal with people’s sins.

A literal translation of the clause When he was made perfect suggests imperfection in Jesus and therefore some degree of sin or guilt. It may therefore be better to avoid such a rendering. In any case, in some languages the passive construction was made would be difficult to render appropriately. The meaning may be expressed as “When he had accomplished his purpose,” “When he had done all that he was supposed to do,” or “When he had become just what he was supposed to become.”

Eternal before salvation suggests a contrast with rescue from physical death, which was mentioned in verse 7; however, the contrast is not emphasized. Salvation is a word used mainly in church circles and is therefore to be avoided in a common language translation. The corresponding verb “save” may still be part of common language. Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch has “now he can save (rescue) forever all who obey him.”

He became the source of eternal salvation must be considerably restructured in some languages, since source is an expression of cause, and salvation is what people experience. Therefore he became the source of eternal salvation may be rendered as “he became the one who causes people to be saved forever” or “… the one who saves people forever.”

Obey, here as in verse 8, involves listening and responding positively to Christ’s call. As in 2.20, what Jesus does as the unique Son benefits the “many sons” who are joined to him by faith. Those who obey him may be rendered as “those who do what he tells them to do”; this is equivalent to “those who follow him” or “those who are loyal to his commands.”

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 .

Verses 9 and 10 form a single sentence in the Greek. They sum up the references to Abraham, Levi, and the priests, tying them together with one another and with the text quoted in verse 1. This summing-up takes place in two stages, the first of which is not in the text but may need to be expressed in translation: (a) the priests are identified with their ancestor Levi; (b) Levi is then identified with his own ancestor Abraham. Good News Translation‘s expansion for readers for whom (a) needs to be made clearer involves adding whose descendants. This is followed by most common language translations. When is not emphasized; Biblia Dios Habla Hoy‘s “at the moment when” is too strong. The text means simply that Levi paid the tithe through his ancestor Abraham.

So to speak may be rendered as “one might say” or “it is possible to say.”

Abraham paid: it is important to avoid implying that Abraham was paying for something which he had received. It may be better to use some such phrase as “when Abraham gave the tenth.”

Whose descendants collected the tenth may be rendered as “those who descended from Levi received the tenth which was given to them.”

Levi … paid: see note on Abraham paid earlier in this verse.

In the Bible, descendants are often identified with their ancestors. In the Old Testament, “Israel” is sometimes the name of an individual, also called Jacob, but more often is the name of the people which descended from him. See also Romans 5.12-21; 1 Corinthians 15.22. How far the identification of ancestor and descendants needs to be made clear by expanded translation or marginal notes is a matter of culture rather than of language. In some cultures, including non-Christian cultures, this idea may be quite natural and therefore present fewer problems to the translator than in English.

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 .

Notice how verses 2-5 balance one another, as seen in the literal translation of Revised Standard Version:

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 .

Then I said is unavoidably awkward after he said in verse 5, since the writer is fitting an Old Testament quotation into a new setting. (In Psalm 40, verse 6 is part of the psalmist’s meditation, and it is quoted in Hebrews 10 as verses 5b-6; and verses 7-8a, which are quoted in Hebrews 10.7, describe the next event.) Not only is this expression Then I said somewhat awkward at the beginning of verse 7, but it is completely misleading, for many readers will interpret the I as being the writer of the letter. It may therefore be necessary in some languages to translate Then I said as “Then Christ said,” with adjustment of quotation marks as necessary.

Here I am is better than Revised Standard Version‘s “I have come,” since the only movement implied is probably in the opposite direction, away from God to earth.

A vocative expression such as O God normally occurs at the beginning of a direct quotation addressed to a particular person. The quotation may be rendered as “O God, I am here to do your will” or “… what you want me to do.” However, it may be impossible to insert a direct vocative into direct discourse, and therefore it may be necessary to relate God to the statement “Then Christ said.” The beginning of verse 7 may thus have “Then Christ said to God, ‘I am here to do your will.’ ”

The third line of this verse in Good News Translation appears as the second line in the Greek. It is an aside, that is, a parenthetical remark. It is written renders an expression often used in introducing quotations from Scripture. This introduction is not used anywhere else in Hebrews, but it is very common in the rest of the New Testament; see, for example, Mark 1.2; Acts 7.42; Romans 1.17. It suggests “it has been written, and the writing remains valid.” Just as it is written of me may be expressed as “in the same way that the words speak about me” or “just as what is written is about me.”

Of the Law is not part of the text of Hebrews, nor is it part of the Hebrew text of Psalm 40.8. The writer may be thinking of a heavenly book in which people thought that God wrote down everything people did (see Psa 139.16; Heb 12.23). Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch suggests that the reference is to the Old Testament as a whole, “as it is foretold in the Holy Scriptures.” However, in the light of constant references to the “Law” of Moses, for example, in 7.5 and 10.8, book of the Law is adopted by Bible en français courant and Translator’s New Testament. Other translations simplify the Greek “roll of the book” to “scroll” (New English Bible) or “book” (Biblia Dios Habla Hoy and New American Bible). The book of the Law may be expressed in some languages as “the book which contains the laws” or “the book containing the laws given through Moses.” In this way the reference is specifically to the Torah, in other words, the first five books of the Old Testament.

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 cites the two halves of Genesis 5.24, but in reverse order, to emphasize the fact that Enoch pleased God.

Kept Enoch from dying: Revised Standard Version‘s “see death” is a literal translation of a Hebrew idiom meaning “experience death” (compare Phillips) or simply “die.” The first sentence of this verse, namely, It was faith that kept Enoch from dying, may be rendered as “Because Enoch trusted God, he did not die.”

This verse contains some repetition: the writer first states he was taken up to God, and then cites the verse from Genesis on which this statement is based. It is difficult to make this clear in translation without producing a heavy sentence. “Instead, he was taken up to God; ‘nobody could find him, because God had taken him up’ ” gives the meaning, but quotation marks cannot be read aloud. Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch is similar, but without quotation marks, and with a full stop instead of the semicolon.

Taken up to God is unusual in English; Bijbel in Gewone Taal has “taken him away,” and Bible en français courant adds “(to be) with him,” that is, with God. Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch says explicitly “was taken to God.” The statement he was taken up to God might be assumed to mean “the angels took Enoch up to God,” but this is contradicted by the later clause because God had taken him up. It may be necessary to combine the two clauses referring to Enoch’s being taken up, translating the second sentence of verse 5 as “Instead, God took him up to heaven, and therefore no one could find him.”

And before nobody should be omitted in most languages, since it misleadingly prepares the reader for new information. The function of and in the text is simply to introduce the quotation.

Nobody could find him uses an active verb in place of Revised Standard Version‘s literal passive, “he was not found,” which is less clear in English. The Hebrew for nobody could find him is literally “and he was not.”

The scripture says is the translation generally adopted in modern versions. The literal translation is “it has been witnessed.” This renders a Greek verb used in 7.8, 17 and 10.15 of the direct “witness” of Scripture, and in 11.2, 4 of the “witness” or “approval” of God (probably also in Scripture). The tense of the Greek verb here suggests the meaning The scripture says. Traduction œcuménique de la Bible renders the last half of this verse as “before his taking up … he had received the witness that ‘he had been pleasing to God.’ ”

As in other instances, the statement The scripture says may have to be modified; for example, “As one may read in the Scriptures” or “As it is written in the Scriptures.”

The clause before Enoch was taken up may be made active by rendering it as “before God took Enoch up to heaven.”

The meaning of the Greek for pleased God is very close to the expression rendered God’s approval in verse 4. The writer as usual follows the Septuagint; the Hebrew text has literally “Enoch walked with God.” He had pleased God may be rendered as “he had caused God to be pleased with him,” “he had caused God to be happy because of what he, Enoch, had done,” or “he had pleased God’s heart.”

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 .

Let us keep our eyes fixed on Jesus may be expressed as “Let us keep looking at Jesus,” or in a figurative sense “Let us keep looking at Jesus, so to speak.” However, it may not be possible to use this type of figure, since Jesus was not in actual view, and therefore one must often translate “Let us keep constantly thinking about Jesus.”

On whom our faith depends from beginning to end is literally “the pioneer and perfecter of the faith.” Translations vary in their understanding of the Greek for “pioneer and perfecter.” For the thought, compare Colossians 1.18 and Revelation 1.17; 2.8; 22.13. On “pioneer,” see comments on For Jesus is the one … in 2.10. The word “perfecter” is related to words used in 11.40 (perfect) and many other places, but the writer seems to have invented this particular Greek term. The meaning is best seen in contrast to 4.8; Jesus, unlike Joshua, has the power to bring his people to the end of their journey. It may be necessary in translation to add our before faith, but our is not expressed here in the Greek text, which may have a wider meaning for faith, as in 11.1. If “pioneer” and “perfecter” are primarily expressions of time (“beginner” and “ender”), Jesus is thought of here as the supreme example of faith in God. On the other hand, “pioneer” and “perfecter” may refer to Jesus as the source of other people’s faith in God, and as the one who brings that faith to full maturity. “Our” may be implied if Jesus is the source but not if he is the example. In the rest of the verse it is Jesus’ example which is emphasized, but verse 3b makes a link between what Jesus suffered and the readers’ need to hold on to their faith. Most translations, except Revised Standard Version and Moffatt (“the pioneer and perfection of faith”), choose the second meaning, Jesus as the source of faith. Bible en français courant follows Good News Translation, and New English Bible is similar. Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch has “he has opened to us the way of trust and also brings us to the goal.” An additional argument in favor of the second meaning is that it includes the first.

For many translators it is easier to follow the somewhat figurative expressions of “the pioneer and perfecter of the faith,” since this may be expressed as “the one who goes ahead of us and causes our faith in God to be what it should be,” “… and makes perfect our confidence in God,” or “the one who makes it possible for us to trust in God, and also to keep on trusting in him.” The rendering in Good News Translation, on whom our faith depends from beginning to end, is somewhat more abstract in meaning and therefore more difficult to reproduce in other languages. One can, however, translate on whom our faith depends from beginning to end as “our confidence in God has always been and will always be because of Jesus” or “Jesus is the one who causes us to have confidence in God. This is always true, even from the very beginning of the time when we began to trust God.” There is always some difficulty in the use of end, since this might imply that faith would come to an end sometime during a person’s life.

The rest of this verse recalls both 2.9 and 12.1. Revised Standard Version‘s “set before him” renders the same verb as “set before us” in verse 1, and “endured” is related to “perseverance” in verse 1. These expressions should be translated similarly. Jerusalem Bible misleadingly has “the race we have started” in verse 1, and “the joy which was still in the future” in verse 2. The implied message is that there are difficult times ahead for the readers, as there were for Jesus, but that if they hold on to their faith they will share the joy of his victory.

Because of the cross is implied. The meaning is that Jesus held on to his purpose despite the suffering of the cross. The sentence He did not give up because of the cross may be rendered as “He did not give up just because he had to die on a cross.”

The phrase On the contrary may be expressed emphatically as “No, indeed.”

Because of the joy that was waiting for him may be expressed as “because of the joy which he would later have,” “… which would later be his,” or “because of the fact that later he would have joy.” Some restructuring of the Good News Translation rendering is often almost obligatory, since in many languages it is impossible to speak of joy “waiting” for anyone.

Thought nothing of or “disregarded” (so Jerusalem Bible) is better here than “despised,” since the Greek word is used here in a positive sense rather than in the usual negative sense. He thought nothing of may be best expressed as “he refused to think about.” In some languages he thought nothing of the disgrace of dying on the cross may need to be radically restructured; for example, “people thought that dying on a cross was a terrible disgrace but Jesus didn’t think so.”

Disgrace includes not only the abuse which was directed against Jesus on the cross, but the disgrace of the punishment itself compared, for example, with the honorable death of being beheaded. Crucifixion was a Roman punishment. But Galatians 3.13 identifies it with hanging from a tree (Deut 21.23), which was the Old Testament form of execution and was believed to bring God’s curse on the land. Dying on the cross brings out the implication of the text, which is literally “a cross.” Biblia Dios Habla Hoy does so more strongly: “the shame of this kind of death.”

On seated at the right side of God’s throne see comments on 1.3; 8.1; 10.12. Here the tense of the verb, changed from Psalm 110.1, includes both past and present. Good News Translation‘s now seated brings out the present element, leaving implicit the past event of sitting down on God’s right side, which was expressed in 1.3 and elsewhere.

In some parts of the world it is necessary to have a footnote, here or on 1.3, to indicate that from the biblical viewpoint the right side was the side of honor. In some societies the left side is the preferred side.

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 .