Many languages distinguish between inclusive and exclusive first-person plural pronouns (“we”). (Click or tap here to see more details)
The inclusive “we” specifically includes the addressee (“you and I and possibly others”), while the exclusive “we” specifically excludes the addressee (“he/she/they and I, but not you”). This grammatical distinction is called “clusivity.” While Semitic languages such as Hebrew or most Indo-European languages such as Greek or English do not make that distinction, translators of languages with that distinction have to make a choice every time they encounter “we” or a form thereof (in English: “we,” “our,” or “us”).
For this verse, translators typically select the inclusive form (including the writer and the readers of this letter).
Source: Velma Pickett and Florence Cowan in Notes on Translation January 1962, p. 1ff.
Following are a number of back-translations of Hebrews 13:13:
- Uma: “Because of that, relatives, like Yesus went outside the village to be disparaged, thus also we must let-go-of any other followings, and follow Yesus alone, no matter who disparages us.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
- Yakan: “Therefore we (incl.) should go with him/follow him outside the Yahudi camp and we (incl.) should join him in his shame.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
- Western Bukidnon Manobo: “Therefore, brethren, let us also go outside the town and let’s go to Him, which is to say, let us no longer trust obeying the doctrines of the Jews, but rather the only thing we will trust is Jesus. We will follow Him and we will not be afraid to endure scorn because of our faith in Him.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
- Kankanaey: “Let us then go and join him outside the town, which means to say, let us leave-behind the customs of the Jews to share-in his being-shamed.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
- Tagbanwa: “Therefore let us approach him as-it-were outside the collection-of-houses of the Jews, for we will include-ourselves in those hardships and shame that he endured.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
- Tenango Otomi: “It is said that it is shameful for Jesus to have died outside the city. But let us follow Christ even though it is said that it is shameful for us to believe in Jesus.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
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