will (of God) (Japanese honorifics)

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Like a number of other East Asian languages, Japanese uses a complex system of honorifics, i.e. a system where a number of different levels of politeness are expressed in language via words, word forms or grammatical constructs. These can range from addressing someone or referring to someone with contempt (very informal) to expressing the highest level of reference (as used in addressing or referring to God) or any number of levels in-between.

One way to do this is through the usage (or a lack) of an honorific prefix as shown here in the widely-used Japanese Shinkaiyaku (新改訳) Bible of 2017. When the referent is God, the “divine” honorific prefix mi- (御 or み) can be used, as in mi-kokoro (みこころ) or “will (of God)” in the referenced verses. Two verses (Ezra 10:11 and Ephesians 1:9) use mi-mune (みむね) with the same honorific prefix and meaning.

(Source: S. E. Doi, see also S. E. Doi in Journal of Translation, 18/2022, p. 37ff. )

See also will and doing the will of God.

Japanese benefactives (ataete)

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Like a number of other East Asian languages, Japanese uses a complex system of honorifics, i.e. a system where a number of different levels of politeness are expressed in language via words, word forms or grammatical constructs. These can range from addressing someone or referring to someone with contempt (very informal) to expressing the highest level of reference (as used in addressing or referring to God) or any number of levels in-between.

One way Japanese shows different degree of politeness is through the choice of a benefactive construction as shown here in the widely-used Japanese Shinkaiyaku (新改訳) Bible of 2017. Here, ataete (与えて) or “give” is used in combination with kudasaru (くださる), a respectful form of the benefactive kureru (くれる). A benefactive reflects the good will of the giver or the gratitude of a recipient of the favor. To convey this connotation, English translation needs to employ a phrase such as “for me (my sake)” or “for you (your sake).”

(Source: S. E. Doi, see also S. E. Doi in Journal of Translation, 18/2022, p. 37ff. )

Japanese benefactives (akashishite)

Click or tap here to see the rest of this insight.

Like a number of other East Asian languages, Japanese uses a complex system of honorifics, i.e. a system where a number of different levels of politeness are expressed in language via words, word forms or grammatical constructs. These can range from addressing someone or referring to someone with contempt (very informal) to expressing the highest level of reference (as used in addressing or referring to God) or any number of levels in-between. One way Japanese shows different degree of politeness is through the choice of a benefactive construction as shown here in the widely-used Japanese Shinkaiyaku (新改訳) Bible of 2017.

Here, akashishite (証しして) or “testify” is used in combination with kudasaru (くださる), a respectful form of the benefactive kureru (くれる). A benefactive reflects the good will of the giver or the gratitude of a recipient of the favor. To convey this connotation, English translation needs to employ a phrase such as “for me (my sake)” or “for you (your sake).” (Source: S. E. Doi, see also S. E. Doi in Journal of Translation, 18/2022, p. 37ff. )

Translation commentary on Hebrews 2:4

This verse confirms that the writer is more concerned with the continuity between the first Christians and his readers than with any contrast between them. How did God add his witness to those of earlier Christians? Verse 4 gives four answers (although Good News Translation combines the first two into one): (a) by signs, (b) by wonders, (c) by all kinds of powerful acts, and (d) by distributing the gifts of the Holy Spirit. When the first three terms are used separately, (a) emphasizes the significance of the events, (b) their effect in astonishing those who see them, and (c) the power behind them. However, in this verse, as often in the New Testament (for example, Mark 13.22; John 4.48; Acts 4.30; 15.12), (a) and (b) are closely connected and similar in meaning, and so Good News Translation is right to combine them and even link all kinds of with (a) and (b), as well as with (c).

At the same time may be expressed by a clause, “While this was happening.”

Added his witness translates a Greek present participle implying continuous action: “went on adding his witness.” The translation of added his witness to theirs must be rendered in such a way as to reflect the previous rendering of proved to us. For example, if proved to us is rendered “showed to us” or “made it clear to us,” then added his witness may be expressed as “also made it clear to us” or “also showed clearly to us.”

By performing all kinds of miracles and wonders may be expressed as “by doing all kinds of miracles and wonders.” In some languages miracles are spoken of simply as “great deeds” or “unusual deeds,” but sometimes more idiomatic expressions are used, for example, “open-mouth things” (something which is so astonishing that people open their mouths in wonder) or even “long-necked things” (events that are so marvelous that people stretch their necks in order to see). In order to suggest something of the meaning of the Greek, which clearly indicates the power which is necessary in the performing of such unusual deeds, one may speak of “powerful deeds” or “deeds which show God’s power.”

It is not clear whether according to his will is linked only with distributing the gifts of the Holy Spirit or with the whole of (a)-(d). 1 Corinthians 12.11 similarly speaks of the one Holy Spirit “distributing” different gifts as he wishes, suggesting that according to his will may relate to (d) alone. The parallel with 1 Corinthians 12.11 also suggests that his will may mean “the Holy Spirit’s” rather than “God’s” will, but this is not certain. Many cases will be noted in this Handbook where the writer of Hebrews does not clearly state whether “his” and similar pronouns refer to God, Jesus, or the Holy Spirit.

Most translations, like Good News Translation, refer to gifts of the Holy Spirit although gifts is implicit; the text is literally “distributions of the Holy Spirit” (compare Moffatt “distributing the Holy Spirit as it pleased him,” Bijbel in Gewone Taal “Moreover he dealt out the Holy Spirit as he wished,” Biblia Dios Habla Hoy “by means of the Holy Spirit which he has given us in different ways, according to his will”). Stress is on the origin of the gifts (the Spirit) rather than on the individual gifts themselves.

By distributing the gifts of the Holy Spirit may be expressed as a type of causative, since the distribution is basically causative while the gifts are that which comes from the Holy Spirit. Therefore by distributing the gifts of the Holy Spirit may be expressed as “by causing people to have what the Holy Spirit gives.”

Will implies a settled purpose rather than a series of separate decisions. It is generally impossible to preserve the ambiguity in the phrase according to his will, and the translator will have to specify whether this is a reference to the will of the Holy Spirit or to the will of God. In the first case one may translate the gifts of the Holy Spirit according to his will as “what the Holy Spirit gives as he wants to.” In the second case the translation would be “the gifts which the Holy Spirit gives according to what God desires.” If, however, one wishes to emphasize that it is not the gifts which come from the Holy Spirit but the Holy Spirit who is the gift, it may be necessary to translate “by God distributing or giving to people the Holy Spirit according as he wanted to.”

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 .

SIL Translator’s Notes on Hebrews 2:3-4

2:3

Hebrews 2:3a–b is the second part of the conditional sentence which began at 2:2a. This second part of the sentence is a rhetorical question based on the condition. In some languages it is more natural to change the order of 2:3a and 2:3b. See the General Comment on 2:2–3 at the end of 2:3b for more information.

2:3a–b

how shall we escape if we neglect such a great salvation?: In this clause the author compared the terrible results of neglecting God’s salvation with the results of disobeying the law in 2:2. If a person disobeyed the law, they were certainly punished. So also we certainly will be punished if we neglect God’s way of salvation. This clause is a rhetorical question that emphasizes that we will not escape punishment.

Some ways to translate the rhetorical question are:

• As a rhetorical question or a rhetorical question that includes a response. For example:

is it possible that we can escape being punished if we neglect such a great salvation?
-or-
will we indeed escape punishment if we neglect God’s great salvation? ⌊No, we will surely be punished.⌋

• As an emphatic statement. For example:

So we also will surely be punished if we do not pay attention to God’s great salvation.
-or-
We shall certainly not escape if we disregard this great salvation.

Translate this clause in a way that is natural in your language.

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

escape: In this context the Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as escape means “to avoid.” It refers back to avoiding the “punishment” that was mentioned in 2:2, the penalty of being punished by God. In some languages you may need to make that clear here also. For example:

how shall we escape ⌊God’s punishment⌋ ?
-or-

⌊ God⌋will certainly ⌊punish⌋ us

2:3b

if we neglect such a great salvation: This clause gives another condition that is connected to the question “how shall we escape?” This condition is different from the condition in 2:2, which referred to a fact about the past: Everyone who disobeyed the law was justly punished. Here in 2:3b, the condition is present or future. It refers to the possibility that we may ignore God’s great salvation.

Some other ways to translate this condition are:

if we disregard the great salvation
-or-
on those of us who will not pay attention to this great salvation

we: The pronoun we refers to both the readers and the author, as it did in 2:1b.

neglect: The Greek verb that the Berean Standard Bible translates as neglect means “disregard, ignore.” The word is also used in Matthew 22:5 when people disregarded the invitation to a feast. See the translation examples in the preceding note.

such a great salvation: The phrase such a great salvation refers to the message about the great salvation that God has spoken of through his Son. The phrase indicates that this salvation is the greatest and most powerful salvation.

For more information, see the note on 1:14a–b, and see save, sense B, in Key Biblical Terms.

In some languages it is more natural to use a verb rather than the noun salvation in your translation. Some ways to translate using a verb are:

the powerful way that God now offers to save us
-or-
this great way of being saved (Contemporary English Version)

salvation: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as salvation refers to being rescued from evil or danger. In this context it refers to being rescued from sin. It implies that the people who are saved will not be judged and condemned because of sins. They will be reconciled with God and his people. Some other ways to translate it here are:

deliverance
-or-
freedom ⌊from sin/judgment⌋

See the preceding note for examples of using a verb to translate salvation.

General Comment on 2:2–3

Hebrews 2:2–3 is one long sentence. You may need to divide it into several different sentences. For example:

2 The message ⌊about the law⌋ which the angels brought could not be changed. Those who broke the law or who disobeyed it were justly punished. 3 So how can we escape ⌊being punished by God⌋ if we ignore ⌊the message about⌋ such a great salvation?
-or-

2 Angels brought a message which could not be changed. God rightly punished those who broke the law or who disobeyed it. 3 So we also cannot escape if we pay no attention when God offers to save us so wonderfully.

In the Greek text the parts of 2:1–3 are arranged as a chiasm to emphasize the contrast between the message spoken by the Lord and the message received through angels.
-or-
God verified what they said (God’s Word)

2:4b

through signs, wonders, various miracles: This phrase tells how God confirmed that the message was true. He caused the people who spoke the message to do signs, wonders, and miracles. These three words have similar meanings. They all refer to actions that are done by supernatural power.

The word signs implies that the actions have a meaning. The word wonders implies that people are amazed by the actions. The word miracles implies that the actions are done by supernatural power.

In some languages it is more natural to use verbs to describe the actions. In other languages it is more natural to use only one or two words to refer to them. You should translate the meaning in a natural way in your language. Some other ways to translate the phrase are:

he caused them to do amazing miracles to show that the message was true
-or-
God helped them to do this work in that they did miracles before the people
-or-
all kinds of miracles and wonders (Good News Translation)

These words also occur together in Acts 2:22; 2 Corinthians 12:12 and 2 Thessalonians 2:9. If you have translated these passages, see how you translated the words there. See also the notes on each word below. For more information, see miracle, sign, wonder, mighty work in Key Biblical Terms.

signs: The word signs refers to miracles that have a meaning. They show or prove something. Here the signs showed that Jesus’ message about God’s way of salvation was true.

wonders: The word wonders refers to amazing events or actions. It often occurs with the word “signs” to refer to actions that God causes his messengers to be able to perform.

various miracles: The Greek word for miracles is the plural of the noun “power.” It can refer to a miraculous act of healing or to another act which cannot be done by human power or knowledge. The word various means “many kinds.” Other ways to translate the phrase various miracles are:

many kinds of miracles (New Century Version)
-or-
other powerful acts (God’s Word)

2:4c

and gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed according to His will: The phrase and gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed according to His will is another way by which God showed that the message of salvation was true. In some languages it may be helpful to translate 2:4c as a separate sentence. For example:

He also confirmed the message by causing the Holy Spirit to distribute special abilities. He did this just the way he wanted to do it.

gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed according to His will: Scholars differ over the exact meaning of this phrase. The most likely meaning is that when God gives his Holy Spirit to people, the Holy Spirit causes them to have the various powers and abilities that God wants them to have. Through using these abilities (gifts), his people show that the message of salvation is true.

Some ways to translate this meaning are:

and with other gifts from the Holy Spirit as he wanted (God’s Word)
-or-
and he gave them other kinds of power from the Holy Spirit, just as he decided to give ⌊to each one⌋

Holy Spirit: The Greek phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as Holy Spirit refers to the Spirit of God. The Holy Spirit is God, together with God the Father and God the Son. The Holy Spirit is “spirit” in the sense that he is a living being who does not have a physical body. He is “holy” in the sense that he is God and unique from every other being. He is perfect in every way and is completely pure and sinless.

Some ways to translate Holy Spirit are:

Spirit/Breath of God
-or-
Holy/Sacred Spirit

Do not imply that the Holy Spirit is like the ghost of a dead person or that God has died.

according to His will: The phrase according to His will means “just as God wanted.” In some languages it is more natural to translate the phrase His will with a verb or clause. For instance:

just as he wanted (New Century Version)
-or-
as he himself chose

See also the examples in the preceding note.

General Comment on 2:4a–c

In Greek this verse is the final part of a sentence that began in 2:2. Most English versions begin a new sentence here. Some ways to translate this verse are:

God himself confirmed their witness with signs and marvels and miracles of all kinds, and by distributing the gifts of the Holy Spirit in the various ways he wills. (New Jerusalem Bible)
-or-
At the same time God added his witness to theirs by performing all kinds of miracles and wonders and by distributing the gifts of the Holy Spirit according to his will. (Good News Translation)

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