SIL Translator’s Notes on Hebrews 2020 – Page 10

SIL Translator’s Notes on Hebrews 6:20

6:20a

where Jesus our forerunner has entered on our behalf: Here the word forerunner is a figure of speech. Literally, the word refers to someone who runs ahead and prepares the way for others who will come after him. Jesus is our forerunner. He has gone ahead of us into God’s presence, and he has prepared the way for us also to come to God.

Other ways to translate 6:20a are:

Jesus has entered there first on our(incl.) behalf
-or-
Jesus has gone into that holy place before us(incl.) to speak to God for us

The word where refers back to “the inner shrine.” That was the place that Jesus entered to prepare the way for us also to enter it. In some languages it is more natural to begin a new sentence here. For example:

That is the place where Jesus preceded us to speak to God for us.

our: The pronoun “us” is inclusive and refers to both the author and his hearers.

6:20b–c

Between 5:10 and 6:20, there is a long section of exhortation and warning. Now, in the last sentence of this chapter, the author repeated what he said in 5:10 about Jesus being a high priest according to the order of Melchizedek. There are some changes here in 6:20. The differences in these two verses are underlined below:

5:10 having been designated by God a high priest according to the order of Melchizedek.

6:20b–c having become a high priest forever according to the order to Melchizedek.

Try to preserve the similarities and differences in these two verses in your translation.

6:20b

He has become a high priest forever: This phrase indicates that when Jesus came into the presence of God on our behalf, he had already become a high priest forever. At that time he had offered himself and his own blood as a sacrifice to atone for our sins. In some languages it is helpful to begin a new sentence here. For example:

He had become a high priest forever.

In 5:10, the author described Jesus as “designated” by God to be a high priest. Here the verb is simply “became.” Try to maintain the similarities and differences in 5:10 and 6:20 in your translation.

high priest: The author calls Jesus high priest often in Hebrews. Translate the term as you did in 2:17b or 5:1a.

forever: The word forever indicates that Jesus will always be the high priest. He will never die, so no one will ever come after him to be high priest for us. Jesus’ priesthood is eternal.

6:20c

in the order of Melchizedek: Translate this phrase as you did in 5:6b.

General Comment on 6:20a–c

In some languages it may be more natural to start a new sentence at 6:20. For example:

On our behalf Jesus has gone in there before us and has become a high priest forever, in the priestly order of Melchizedek. (Good News Translation)
-or-
Jesus has gone there ahead of us, and he is our high priest forever, just like Melchizedek. (Contemporary English Version)

In some languages it is natural to translate 6:20 as two sentences:

Jesus has already gone in there for us. He has become our eternal High Priest in the line of Melchizedek. (New Living Translation (2004))

SIL Translator’s Notes on Hebrews 2:1

Section 2:1–4

Warning: Do not ignore what God has spoken

In the last verse of chapter 1, the author mentioned “salvation.” In 2:1–4, he told the people to pay careful attention to this salvation that God’s Son brought them. He warned them that if they did not pay attention to it, God would certainly punish them. Their punishment would be greater than the punishment of people who ignored the law, since the law was brought only by angels. This warning is the first of five important warnings in the book of Hebrews.

In some languages it may be helpful to change the order of some of the parts of 2:2–3 to help readers understand the contrast between the law and the salvation that the Son brought. See the General Comment on 2:2–3 at the end of 2:3b for an example.

It is good to translate the section before you decide on a heading for it. Some other possible headings are:

Warning Against Neglecting Salvation (English Standard Version)
-or-
We must give earnest attention to what we have heard

Some translators decide to combine this section with 2:5–10. If you decide to do that, one possible section heading is:

Everything Is Under Jesus’ Control (God’s Word)

Paragraph 2:1–4

2:1a

We: The pronoun We is inclusive and refers to the author and anyone who hears or reads this letter.

must pay closer attention:
The Greek phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as must pay closer attention is literally “it is necessary much-more to hold-to.” It indicates that it is necessary to think seriously about (what God has said), to believe it and obey it carefully.

In some languages there may be a figurative way to talk about this type of careful attention. For example:

hold on all the more firmly to (Good News Translation)
-or-
take what we have heard and grip it more tightly
-or-
be more careful to follow (New Century Version)

In some languages it may not be natural to use a comparison without being specific about what is being compared. If that is true in your language, you may want to emphasize the careful attention without the comparison. For example:

listen very carefully (New Living Translation (2004))
-or-
give our full attention (Contemporary English Version)

therefore: The Greek phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as therefore is literally “because of this.” The Berean Standard Bible puts therefore in the middle of the clause because this is good English style, but the Greek phrase occurs at the beginning of the verse. Put the transition word or phrase wherever it is natural in your language.

The word therefore introduces what people should do as a result of what the author said in chapter 1: Now God has spoken to us through a Son (not just through angels), therefore we must pay greater attention to what we have heard through God’s Son.

Some other ways to translate this connection are:

For this reason (God’s Word)
-or-
That is why (Good News Translation)

In some languages it is necessary to refer back to the theme of chapter 1 more specifically. For example:

Since the greatness of God’s Child is like this
-or-
Because all this is true (UBS Handbook)

Connect this verse to chapter 1 in a natural way in your language.

to what we have heard: The clause to what we have heard refers to what God spoke to his people through his Son Jesus. The author and readers of Hebrews heard it from Jesus or his apostles or other people who proclaimed it. In 2:3 the author indicates that what they heard was about salvation.

In some languages it is necessary to make the phrase what we have heard more specific. For example:

the message that we have heard
-or-
the truth which was taught us
-or-
the good news which was told to us

2:1b

so that we do not drift away: The phrase so that…not introduces the purpose for the action in 2:1a. This purpose is to avoid drifting away from what God spoke through his Son. This purpose is also an implied warning. It implies that if we do not pay attention to the message (2:1a), we will drift away from it.

Some other ways to translate this purpose and warning are:

or we may drift away from it (New Living Translation (2004))
-or-
Then we will not drift away from it.

we: The pronoun we is inclusive and refers to the author and anyone who hears or reads this letter.

do not drift away: The Greek verb that the Berean Standard Bible translates as drift away often describes how a boat can be carried away by water to a different place. In this verse the verb is used as a figure of speech. It refers to the way that we might stop believing and obeying the truth if we do not pay attention to it.

In some languages this figure of speech may be difficult to understand. It may be more natural to translate the meaning in a different way. For example:

• Use a figure of speech with a similar meaning in your language. For example:

will not stray away from the truth (New Century Version)

• Translate the meaning without the figure of speech. For example:

will not gradually stop believing/obeying it

Some translations supply the phrase “from it” to indicate that drift away refers back to “what we have heard” in 2:2a. Make this clear in a natural way in your language.

General Comment on 2:1b

In this part of the verse the author used the action of drifting away (on a boat) as a figure of speech. In 6:19 he used a similar figure of speech. He compared our hope to an anchor (the heavy object that keeps a boat from drifting away).

© 2016, 2020 by SIL International®
Made available under the terms of a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License (CC BY-SA) creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0.
All Scripture quotations in this publication, unless otherwise indicated, are from The Holy Bible, Berean Standard Bible.
BSB is produced in cooperation with Bible Hub, Discovery Bible, OpenBible.com, and the Berean Bible Translation Committee.

SIL Translator’s Notes on Hebrews 3:16

Paragraph 3:16–19

In 3:16–18, the author asked his readers three rhetorical questions about the quotation from Psalm 95:8–11 (in 3:8–11). In these questions the people of Israel who rebelled against the Lord are an example for the readers of Hebrews. In 3:19 he stated his conclusion: the Lord did not allow the Israelites to enter the land where he planned to give them rest because they did not trust him.

In these verses the author answered his own rhetorical questions with other rhetorical questions. In some languages it is more natural to translate the answers as statements.

3:16

who were the ones who heard and rebelled? Were they not all those Moses led out of Egypt?: Here the author asked two rhetorical questions about the people who were “in the rebellion” (3:15). The second question answers the first question. The questions indicate that the people who heard God’s voice but then rebelled against him were the people whom Moses led out of Egypt.

Some other ways to translate this meaning are:

• Use a rhetorical question and a statement for an answer. For example:

16 Who heard God’s voice and was against him? It was all those people Moses led out of Egypt. (New Century Version)
-or-
Who were the people who heard God’s voice and rebelled against him? All those who were led out of Egypt by Moses.

• Use two statements. For example:

You know who the people are who rejected the word that God spoke. They are the people whom Moses took out of Egypt.

Translate the rhetorical questions in a natural way in your language.

3:16a

For: The Greek conjunction that the Berean Standard Bible translates literally as For here probably indicates that this verse supports earlier statements that the author has made. It may support the statement in 3:12 about not having an evil, unbelieving heart. Many English versions do not translate the conjunction.

Connect the verse to the context in a natural way in your language. In some languages a connector may not be necessary.

the ones who heard and rebelled: This phrase refers to the people who heard what God said, but they rebelled against him. In some languages it is necessary to make the meaning more explicit. For example:

who heard God’s voice and rebelled against him (Good News Translation)
-or-
who rebelled against God, even though they heard his voice (New Living Translation (2004))

3:16b

those Moses led out of Egypt: This phrase refers to all the people of Israel whom Moses led out of captivity in Egypt. The book of Exodus tells this story.

Moses: For more information about Moses, see the note on 3:2b.

Egypt: In some languages where people do not know the country of Egypt, you may need to say “⌊the country of⌋ Egypt.”

SIL Translator’s Notes on Hebrews 5:13

5:13–14

In 5:13–14, the author explained the figure of speech “You need milk, not solid food” (5:12c). People who do not know what God says about righteousness are like babies who only drink milk (5:13). Mature believers know the difference between right and wrong. They are like mature people who eat “solid food.” (5:14).

5:13a-b

For everyone who lives on milk is still an infant, inexperienced in the message of righteousness: This verse indicates that people who only pay attention to simple teaching are like babies who still drink only milk. They do not understand much about the word of righteousness.

In some languages it is necessary to make the comparison more explicit. For example:

for a person like that who lives only on the “milk” ⌊of simple teachings⌋ is like an infant. He does not know much about the word of righteousness.
-or-
A person ⌊who only understands simple teachings⌋ is like an infant living on milk. He is not trained in the teaching about righteousness.

5:13a

everyone who lives on milk is still an infant:
The phrase everyone who lives on milk is still an infant refers to someone who has no nourishment except milk because he is a baby. He cannot digest any food except milk until he becomes old enough to eat other food. In many cultures infants take only milk from their mother’s breast until they are ready to eat other food.

Another way to translate this meaning is

anyone who drinks/takes-in only milk because he is still ⌊like⌋ a baby

5:13b

inexperienced in the message of righteousness: The phrase inexperienced in the message of righteousness has several interpretations. The most likely interpretations are:

(1) It means that a person “is unskilled in the matter of what is right.” It indicates that he does not know how to decide what is right and what is wrong. For example:

without any experience in the matter of right and wrong (Good News Translation)

(Good News Translation, Contemporary English Version, New Living Translation (2004))

(2) It means that a person “does not understand the teaching about righteousness.” It indicates that he does not understand the teaching about Christ as high priest atoning for his people’s sins and making them righteous. For example:

not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness (New International Version)

(New International Version, NET Bible, New Century Version)

(3) It means that a person “is not experienced in speaking about what is right.” For example:

lack the experience to talk about what is right (God’s Word)

(God’s Word)

Some English versions are ambiguous. It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1). It fits best with the contrast in 5:14 with the mature who know how to discern between right and wrong. Another way to translate this meaning is:

is not able to distinguish between what is right and what is wrong

For more information, see just, sense C3, in Key Biblical Terms.

SIL Translator’s Notes on Hebrews 2:13

2:13a–b

In this verse the author quoted two more OT verses which he applied to Jesus. These quotations come from Isaiah 8:17–18.

And again: The phrase And again introduces another quotation from the OT. The author implied that Jesus said this about God. Introduce the quotation in a natural way in your language. Some ways to do this in English are:

He also says, “I… (Good News Translation)
-or-
Something else he caused-to-be-written says, “I…

In some languages it is helpful to use your usual key term for the Scriptures here. For example:

and in another place in God’s book/writings he said

“I will put My trust in Him.” And once again: “Here am I, and the children God has given Me.”: The phrase And once again connects two statements that are one clause in Isaiah. It emphasizes the connection between Jesus and the children (people). The pronoun I is emphatic. It implies that Jesus is the leader of his people, and they must put their trust in God, along with Jesus.

Some other ways to connect these clauses are:

“I will put my trust in him,” that is, “I and the children God has given me.” (New Living Translation (2004))
-or-
“I trust God,” and he said moreover, “Here I am joined with the children of God that he has entrusted to me.”
-or-
He also said, “I put my hope in him,” and “I with the children whom God has given me.”

Use a natural way in your language to translate the emphatic connection between Jesus and his people.

I will put My trust in Him: The clause I will put My trust in Him indicates that Jesus is determined to trust in God only. It does not imply that Jesus was beginning to trust in God at the moment when he said this. He also trusted God before he said it.

Some other ways to translate the clause are:

I will keep my trust fixed on him. (Revised English Bible)
-or-
As for me, I have confidence only in God.

The context implies that Jesus trusts in God as the leader of all who follow him. Jesus trusts in God, and everyone who follows him must also trust God. In some languages it is helpful to make this clear in the introduction to the quotation. For example:

⌊ As our leader,⌋he also says “I will ⌊live by⌋ trusting in God

Here am I: The phrase Here am I is more literally “See/Look, I.” In this context it is a way for the speaker (Jesus) to focus the readers’ attention on himself. It also emphasizes the next statement. He emphasizes the connection between him and the people who follow him. Use a natural way in your language to focus attention on Jesus and his people here.

and the children God has given Me: The phrase the children God has given Me refers to all people who believe in Jesus and follow him. Jesus and the people he saves are brothers and sisters. They are part of God’s family and therefore God’s children.

Some other ways to translate this quotation are:

Here I am, accompanied by God’s children whom he has given me.
-or-
Here I am, joined with the children of God that he has entrusted to me.

given: Here the word given indicates that God gave Jesus responsibility for those who have become God’s children. Jesus will lead and care for them as the “author of their salvation” (2:10). Other ways to translate “the children whom God has given me” are:

the children of God given me to care for
-or-
God’s children whom he told me to lead

SIL Translator’s Notes on Hebrews 4:8

4:8a–b

if Joshua had given them rest, God would not have spoken later about another day: Here the author asked his audience to imagine something that did not happen. The clause if Joshua had given them rest implies that Joshua did not give the people the type of rest that God promised. If the people already had the rest that God promised, God would not need to promise it again.

Some other ways to translate this sentence are:

We know that Joshua did not lead the people into that rest, because God spoke later about another day. (New Century Version)
-or-
Joshua was not able to cause people to rest as God promised, that is why God spoke again about another day.
-or-
Suppose that Joshua gave the people rest. Then God would not need to speak about a future day ⌊when he will give them rest⌋.

In some languages a rhetorical question may be a natural way to translate this sentence. For example:

If Joshua had given them rest, would God speak later about a different day ⌊when he will give it to them⌋ ?

4:8a

For: The word For introduces an explanation or reason for the previous statement. Many English versions leave it implied.

if Joshua had given them rest: Here the author referred to background information about 4:8a. Most people who heard or read Hebrews already knew that Joshua led the people of Israel into the land of Canaan. God wanted to give them rest there, but they disobeyed him. So they did not receive the true rest, which is a life of depending on God.

Some ways to translate if Joshua had given them rest are:

If Joshua had given the people the rest that God had promised… (Good News Translation)
-or-
Now if Joshua had succeeded in giving them this rest (New Living Translation (2004))

For more information about Joshua, see the OT book of Joshua, especially Joshua 11:23 and 23:1. God did use Joshua to give the people of Israel the promised land. But the book of Judges shows that they did not gain true rest because they did not obey the Lord.

Joshua: After Moses died, Joshua became the leader of the Israelites. It was Joshua who led the Israelites into Canaan, the land God promised them. See Joshua 1:1–11:23 to read about those events.

The name Joshua and the name “Jesus” are different forms of the same name. The King James Version has the form “Jesus” in this verse to refer to the Joshua who led the Israelites into Canaan. It is recommended that you spell the names Joshua and “Jesus” differently so that readers will not become confused.

4:8b

God would not have spoken later about another day: Here the author implies that sometime after Joshua died, God spoke again about another day when he will give his people rest. The author refers here to the quotation from Psalm 95:7b–11, where God used King David to repeat that promise about rest. King David lived hundreds of years after Joshua died.

Some other ways to translate this clause are:

there would no longer have been any of God’s words speaking of another day
-or-
it would not be necessary for God to tell us again about a different ⌊future⌋ time

about another day: In this context, the phrase about another day refers to another time for people to have the opportunity to obtain God’s rest.

General Comment on 4:6b–8b

In some languages it is more natural to combine verses 4:6b–8b to tell the events in the order that they happened. One way these three verses can be combined is:

6b Those who first heard the Good News did not receive that rest, 6c because they did not believe/obey God. 8a If Joshua had given the people the rest that God had promised, 8b God would not have spoken later about another day. 7a But many years later God set another day, which he called “Today.” 7b He spoke of it through David 7c in the Scripture already quoted: 7d If you hear God’s voice today, 7e do not be stubborn.

SIL Translator’s Notes on Hebrews 6:10

6:10

In Greek this verse is one long sentence. In many languages it is more natural to use two or more sentences. See the General Comment on 6:10a–b at the end of 6:10b for more information.

For: Here the word For introduces a reason for the author’s statement in 6:9. It tells why he is confident that his listeners have God’s salvation. God is not unjust, so he will not forget what they have done for him. Some versions leave the connection implied. Indicate the connection between 6:9 and 6:10 in a natural way in your language.

6:10a

God is not unjust: The phrase not unjust is an emphatic way to say “God is just.” The author used two negatives not and “un just” to emphasize the meaning. He also emphasized it by putting the word not first in the Greek sentence. In some languages, it may be more natural to emphasize the statement in a different way. For example:

God is always fair. (Contemporary English Version)
-or-
God really is completely righteous.
-or-
God always treats ⌊people⌋ fairly.

not unjust: In many languages it is necessary to translate the phrase not unjust as “fair, righteous” and then to emphasize the meaning. See the examples in the preceding note.

6:10b

He will not forget your work: The word He refers to God. The phrase will not forget tells a result of 6:10a, God is just (he is not unjust). Because he is just, he will not disregard the work that they did for him. In Greek the negative will not forget emphasizes that God will notice it. It implies that he will reward them for the work that they have done.

Some other ways to translate this statement are:

He will not forget how hard you have worked for him (New Living Translation (2004))
-or-
He will remember how you helped his people (Contemporary English Version)

Notice that the phrase not forget is similar to the phrase “not unjust” in 6:10a, because it uses a negative phrase to emphasize a positive statement.

your work: The phrase your work refers here to everything that the Hebrews did for the Lord and the ways that they served him by serving God’s people (as he says in 6:10c). It does not refer to work for which they were paid. In some languages it is more natural to translate the phrase your work more specifically. For example:

the good that you have done
-or-
the work of God that you are doing

your: The pronoun your is plural and refers to the people who heard or read what the author said.

General Comment on 6:10a–b

In the Greek text, 6:10a and 6:10b are part of one clause. For example:

For God is not so unjust as to overlook your work… (Revised Standard Version)

Many English versions translate 6:10a and 6:10b as two sentences. For example:

God is not unfair. He will not forget your work… (Good News Translation)

Translate the connection in a way that is natural in your language.

6:10c–d

and the love you have shown for His name as you have ministered to the saints and continue to do so: Here the author tells the second thing about his listeners that God will not forget. God will not forget that they showed their love for him by serving their fellow Christians and continuing to serve them. He will remember that they love him and that they proved their love by helping his people.

Some other ways to translate 6:10c–d are:

and how you have shown your love to him by caring for other believers, as you still do (New Living Translation (2004))
-or-
and your love for him that you have continued to show…in your helping your companions who believe

6:10c

the love you have shown for His name: In this context the word love refers to the love that the listeners showed for God by helping his people. They did practical things to help other Christians who needed it, and their actions showed that they loved God.

In some languages it is more natural to translate love as a verb instead of a noun. For example:

and the ways you have shown that you love him
-or-
how you continue to show that you love him

See love, sense A, in Key Biblical Terms.

for His name: The phrase for His name means “for God.”

6:10d

as you have ministered to the saints and continue to do so: The phrase as you have ministered to the saints means “by helping his people.” This is the way the listeners showed that they love God. In some languages it is natural to begin a new sentence here and repeat part of 6:10a–b. For example:

It is clear that you love God, for much is your helping your one-faith relatives, both in past times and at the present time.

as you have ministered: Here the Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as as you have ministered means “to help by providing what someone needs.” Some other ways to translate the phrase are:

as you have helped (New International Version)
-or-
by caring for (New Living Translation (2004))

the saints: The phrase the saints is literally “the holy ones.” It refers to people who are dedicated to God. In this context it refers specifically to people who follow Christ. The phrase is often used in this way in the epistles to refer to Christians. Some other ways to translate the phrase are:

his holy people (God’s Word)
-or-
his people (New International Version)
-or-
other believers (New Living Translation (2004))

For more information, see holy, sense 3(a), in Key Biblical Terms.

and continue to do so: In Greek this phrase is more literally “and serving.” It completes the meaning of the preceding phrase. It indicates that the listeners continued to help their fellow believers as they did in the past. Some other ways to translate the phrase are:

and you continue to help them (God’s Word)
-or-
And he will remember that you are still serving them. (New Century Version)

General Comment on 6:10a–d

There are different ways to divide this verse into sentences and to connect the clauses. For example:

God is fair. He won’t forget what you’ve done or the love you’ve shown for him. You helped his holy people, and you continue to help them. (God’s Word)
-or-
God is not unfair. He will not forget the work you did or the love you showed for him in the help you gave and are still giving to other Christians. (Good News Translation)

Connect the clauses in a natural way in your language.

SIL Translator’s Notes on Hebrews 1:5

Division 1:5–2:18

Jesus is greater than the angels

In this division the author gave evidence to prove that Jesus is greater than the angels. This evidence was important because people honored the angels as the ones who delivered God’s law to Moses. See the section on Logical Development of the Theme of Hebrews to see how the author used this division in developing the theme of Hebrews.

The word “angels” in 1:4 is the link to the remaining verses of chapters 1 and 2. The Notes divides Division 1:5–2:18 into three sections that compare Jesus with the angels:

1:5–14
The Son is greater than the angels because God calls Jesus his Son

2:1–4
Warning: Do not ignore Jesus’ message.

2:5–18
The Son is greater because he calls us his brothers and understands our weakness.

Notice that a warning occurs in 2:1–4 before the final contrast is given in 2:5–18. Use a natural way in your language for a person to give a warning in the process of explaining a topic.

Consider whether you want to have division headings in your translation. Many versions do not have them, but they can be helpful to show more about the structure of Hebrews. Another possible heading for this division is:

God’s Son is Superior to the Angels (God’s Word)

Section 1:5–14

Jesus is clearly greater than the angels since God calls him “Son”

In Section 1:5–14 there are seven quotations from the Old Testament, mostly from the Psalms. All the quotations are poetry and contain figurative language.

You will need to decide:

(a) how to translate the figurative language in a clear and meaningful way.

(b) whether to make paragraph breaks between these quotations. English versions differ in this. The Notes begin a new paragraph wherever the author has a quote introduction.

(c) how to format the quotations and whether to include an OT cross reference. English versions differ about this also. If you have made a decision about this for other NT books, you may follow that decision in Hebrews also. The quotations in this section are poetry, so many English versions format them in poetic lines.

(d) how to introduce the quotations. Some English versions use past tense (“God said ”) to introduce the quotations, since God spoke the words in the past. Other versions use present tense (“God says ”), since the statements are written in the Scripture and the time when he said them is not in focus. Use an appropriate verb form in your language.

It is good to translate the section before you decide on a heading for it. Some other examples of headings for this section are:

The angels are servants of God but Jesus is his Son
-or-
God’s Son is Superior to the Angels (God’s Word)
-or-
The Greatness of God’s Son (Good News Translation)

Paragraph 1:5–6

In this paragraph the author gives three quotations from the Old Testament. These quotations show that Christ is better than the angels, because God calls Christ his Son and tells the angels to worship him.

1:5a

For: The word For introduces an explanation. In 1:5 the author gave a reason that the Son’s name and role is greater than the name and role that the angels have. Another way to introduce the explanation is:

This is evident/clear because

The explanation in 1:5 comes from Scripture. In some languages there may be a special way to introduce quotations from Scripture. For example:

For there is a written word of God to His son which says

Use a natural way in your language to introduce this evidence from Scripture.

to which of the angels did God ever say: This is a rhetorical question. It emphasizes the fact that God never said to any of the angels what he said to his Son in 1:5b–c. It also implies a contrast. God did say those words to his Son. That proves that his Son is greater than any angel. Some ways to translate this are:

• Use a rhetorical question. For example:

Did God ever say to any angel…?

• Use a rhetorical question and supply the answer. For example:

To whom did God say….? Did he say it to any angel? No!

• Use a statement. For example:

And God never said to any of his angels…. (God’s Word)
-or-
For God never said to any angel what he said to Jesus: (New Living Translation (2004))

Translate 1:5a in a way that emphasizes that God’s Son is greater than the angels (1:4).

1:5b–c

You are My Son; today I have become Your Father: In this part of the verse the author of Hebrews applied a quotation from Psalm 2:7 to Christ, the Messiah, as God’s Son. In this quotation God declared that Christ is his Son, and God will honor him as his Son.

When God said this, Christ was already fully mature, so the quotation does not refer to the time of his birth. It refers to the time when God gave him glory as his Son. Some other ways to translate this quotation are:

You are my Son. And now it will be known that I am your Father.
-or-
You are my Child. Today I will show that I am your Father.

You are My Son: For information on how to translate this reference to Jesus as the Son of God, see the note on “His son” in 1:2a.

today I have become Your Father: In this context the statement today I have become Your Father implies that God is giving Christ the honor and authority that he deserves as God’s Son. In biblical culture fathers often gave their adult sons great authority and honor. God gave Christ his own authority and glory after Christ accomplished the purification for our sins (1:3).

Some other ways to translate today I have become Your Father are:

Today I have fathered you. (NET Bible)
-or-
On this day I give you the honor/authority that you deserve as my Son.
-or-
I declare/reveal today that you are my Son.

In some cultures the relationship between fathers and sons is different from that relationship in biblical culture. If that is true in your language, you may need to include a footnote to explain what the term implies here. For example:

In that culture fathers gave their sons great authority. A father expected people to honor his son. If they did not honor the son, it was also an insult to the father.

1:5d

Or again: The phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as Or again is literally “and again.” It indicates that the author will quote another statement from the OT to support what he said in 1:4b. The statement will show again that God’s Son is superior to the angels. Introduce this next quotation in a natural way in your language. Some other ways to introduce it are:

And in another place in the Scriptures ⌊God said⌋
-or-
God proved this again when he said

Notice that in 1:5b–c God spoke directly to the Son, so the text uses the words “you” and “your.” Here in 1:5d God spoke to other people about the Son, using words like “he” and “his.” In some languages it may be necessary to make explicit that here God spoke to people about his Son. For example:

In another Scripture, God told ⌊people⌋, “I will be his Father…

I will be His Father, and He will be My Son: This second OT quotation is from 2 Samuel 7:14. Here the author used it to emphasize the relationship between God and Christ. It indicates that God will show people that Christ is his Son. That implies that he has the same nature as God, and God honors Christ as his Son.

Some ways to translate this are:

I will declare that I am his Father; yes, he is my Son.
-or-
I will show ⌊everyone⌋ that I am his father and he is my son.
-or-
I will be a Father to him, and he will be a Son to me.

His Father: When the Bible refers to God as the Father of Christ, it indicates that the relationship between him and Christ is similar in some ways to the relationship between human fathers and sons. It does not indicate that God procreated Christ. See the note on “you are my Son” earlier in 1:5b–c.

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Source: SIL Translator’s Notes on Hebrews 2020