This verse contrasts the city which is to come with a city for us here on earth. As often in Hebrews, the language of time and space is intertwined. This verse recalls 11.10, 16. The difference between the city which is to come and the heavenly country of 11.16a is one of language, not of meaning. They are both pictures of the state of being made perfect (11.40), which even for Christians still lies in the future. Bijbel in Gewone Taal perhaps rightly emphasizes the permanence at the expense of other aspects of the city, such as size: “we have here no permanent place to live”; Parola Del Signore: La Bibbia in Lingua Corrente “a city in which we remain forever.” Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch throws the emphasis on the changing state of human life: “On earth there is no city in which we can stay,” but in view of 12.26-27, and also 1.11-12, this does not seem to give the whole meaning, which should include the idea that no city is permanent. Another possible restructuring of the first half of this verse would be “For here on earth we have no place to dwell which will always be ours.”

Looking for renders the verb used in 11.14. It is a strong Greek word which implies, not usually looking for something which is lost, but longing and striving to obtain something which is out of reach and out of sight. To come does not imply movement but means “in the future.”

We are looking for the city which is to come may be expressed as “we are looking for a future city” or “… for a city which will exist in the future.” A literal rendering of we are looking for might mean only “going around seeking to discover.” If so, it may be better to employ an expression such as “we strongly desire to have a city which will be ours in the future.”

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 .

It is very uncertain whether then is part of the original text. The UBS Greek New Testament includes it in square brackets. Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch indicates only a loose relationship with earlier verses by beginning a new paragraph at this point. However, verses 15-16 are linked with verses 10-11 by the theme of sacrifice. Sacrifice even in the Old Testament could include praise to God, for example, in Psalm 50.14, 23; 54.6. In translation a general term like “offering” may be needed, and the meaning of the term chosen needs to be carefully analyzed. In praise to God and “doing good” (verse 16), for example, there is clearly no thought of a sacrificial victim dying. The central idea is that of “giving something” to God. In verse 15 this involves response to his grace (verse 9); in verse 16 it involves action in the form of practical help.

Let us, then, always offer praise to God may need to be changed from an exhortation to a statement of obligation; for example, “Therefore, we should always praise God.” In a few languages the concept of “praising God” must be expressed as direct discourse, since it involves verbalization; for example, “Therefore, we must always say, ‘God is wonderful.’ ” The Greek for “sacrifice of praise” (Revised Standard Version) is found in the Septuagint of Psalm 50.14, where the RSV footnote has “make thanksgiving your sacrifice to God.”

Always is not emphasized but may suggest some contrast with the Old Testament sacrifices which were offered at set times.

Through Jesus is emphasized by being placed at the beginning of the Greek sentence. It is linked with the whole of the first part of the sentence, not just with sacrifice. It is a common phrase which is usually translated literally without its meaning being analyzed. Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch first edition suggested “as we call upon Jesus.” These words link verse 15 more closely with verse 12 than with verse 14. It may be difficult to link the phrase as our sacrifice through Jesus with what precedes. In fact it may be better to have an entirely new sentence, “This is our sacrifice to God which is made possible through Jesus” or “… made possible because of what Jesus did.” As our sacrifice may also be expressed as “This is the way in which we sacrifice to God.”

The offering presented…: Revised Standard Version‘s “fruit of lips that acknowledge his name” explains “sacrifice of praise.” Which is the offering presented by lips may be rendered as “what we say is our offering” or “our words are our offering.”

Confess renders the usual meaning of the Greek word, and this is followed here by Barclay “lips which publicly affirm their faith in him”; Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch “we want to confess (our faith) in him with our singing and praying.” Other translations choose the meaning “praise,” which is more commonly that of a related compound verb; Bible en français courant “let us praise his name continually with our mouths”; Moffatt “celebrate.”

Him as Lord: God’s “name” (Revised Standard Version; see comments on 1.4) is the same as his “nature,” thus referring to God himself; in 6.10, where King James Version has “toward his name,” Revised Standard Version has “for him.”

That confess him as Lord may be rendered as “when we confess him as our Lord” or “when we say, ‘He is our Lord.’ ”

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 .

Do not forget renders the same Greek word used in verse 2 (Good News Translation Remember) and in 6.10. Do not forget may sometimes be better expressed as “Make certain to” or “Be sure that you.”

To do good renders a quite general expression, but the writer immediately makes it clear that he is thinking of practical help or “sharing,” which were associated with sacrifices both in Jewish tradition and in the New Testament. To do good and to help one another may be more satisfactorily expressed as “to do good by helping one another.” These are not two different kinds of coordinate activities; to help one another is a manner in which one does good.

These are the sacrifices is stronger than Revised Standard Version‘s “such sacrifices,” and fits in better with the writer’s generally negative judgment on other types of “sacrifice,” for example, in 10.4. These are the sacrifices that please God may be rendered as “God is pleased with these kinds of sacrifices” or “when we offer these kinds of sacrifices God is pleased.” In some languages it may seem strange to speak of doing good as a sacrifice. If so, one may translate “Your good deeds will please God and will be like a sacrifice (or, offering) given to him.”

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 is more closely related to verses 8-16 than to verse 7, which speaks of former leaders. The present leaders of the Christian community are those especially responsible for seeing that its members are not “led astray” (verse 9). However, most translations, like the UBS Greek text, begin a new paragraph here.

Obey your leaders and follow their orders is not a statement of two different activities but of closely related ones, the first being general and the second more specific. Therefore it may be better in some languages to translate the first sentence of verse 17 as “Obey your leaders by following their orders” or “… by doing what they tell you to do.”

On souls, see 4.12; Barclay “Their care for you”; Bijbel in Gewone Taal and Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch “they watch over you.” A strictly literal translation of They watch over your souls without resting may be misunderstood as being the activity of a sorcerer on the lookout for people’s souls which he can control. It may therefore be better to translate They watch over your souls without resting as “They constantly care for you” or “They never rest in their concern to take care of you.”

To God and of their service are implied. Since they must give to God an account of their service may be rendered as “because they must explain to God how they have carried out their responsibility” or “… how they have done their work,” or even “… how they have cared for you.”

Translations of the rest of the verse differ more in style and language than in meaning. Revised Standard Version (see also New English Bible) would have been improved by omitting “and” before “not sadly,” since the second phrase does not add any new information.

The elliptical clause if not may require some expansion; for example, “but if you do not obey them.”

They will do it with sadness does not mean that they will go about their task with sad faces, but “they will do what they must do, but it will make them sad.”

And that would be of no help to you may be expressed as “and that will not help you” or “and you will not benefit from that.”

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 little is known about the circumstances in which this letter was written that it is impossible to be sure whether we in this verse refers to the author alone, as Moffatt thinks, or to a number of people, as other translators believe. The fact that I is used in the next verse (for the first time, see verse 22) can be used as evidence on both sides. On the one hand, it can be argued that if the writer is talking of himself in verse 19, he is likely to be doing so in verse 18 too. On the other hand, if he is already talking about himself in verse 18, why should he change from we to I in verse 19? A stronger argument in favor of “I” in verse 18 is that the writer speaks of conscience, which almost by definition is something inward and therefore individual.

In some languages the positive statement Keep on praying for us may be more effectively stated in a negative form, “Do not cease to pray for us” or “Do not ever stop praying on our behalf” or “… speaking to God for our benefit.”

We are sure we have a clear conscience may be expressed as “We are certain that our heart has no guilt.”

Most modern translations omit Revised Standard Version‘s “for.” It seems here to act as a rather weak and general connecting link, rather than marking a logical relation between the two parts of the verse.

The right thing renders an adverb related to the word for good used in verse 9 (see the comment). There is, of course, no reference to any particular thing; Barclay “to live a good life”; Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch “to do what is right.”

At all times is literally “in all (things)” or “in all (people)”; there is no explicit reference to time. “In all you do” would be a possible paraphrase; alternatively, but less probably, “in each of you.” It is also possible to translate at all times as “in all circumstances.”

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 is closely linked in meaning with verse 18, though it is a separate sentence grammatically. I beg you even more earnestly is a strong expression and may be rendered idiomatically as “with all my heart I ask you” or “with all the strength I have I plead with you.”

Revised Standard Version‘s literal “do this” is made explicit as to pray in Good News Translation and other translations. A comparison with Revised Standard Version also shows that the reference to God is implied. Some common language translations and most other translations have “the sooner” (so Revised Standard Version), implying “sooner than if you did not pray.” It may, however, simply mean “very soon” (New American Bible), “soon” (Parola Del Signore: La Bibbia in Lingua Corrente and Biblia Dios Habla Hoy), or “as soon as possible” (Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch).

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 .

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 .