inclusive vs. exclusive pronoun (Heb. 4:11)

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.

complete verse (Hebrews 4:11)

Following are a number of back-translations of Hebrews 4:11:

  • Uma: “So then, relatives, let us exert effort to get that rest with God, lest there be any among us who retreat from our faith, like the Yahudi people long ago who did not submit to God.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “Therefore we (incl.) should really persevere to enter into that resting-place so that none of us (incl.) happens to be like/equal-to the people of old who did not succeed-to-enter because their trust in God was lacking.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “Therefore, as for us (incl.) also, we will do our utmost so that we (incl.) also might enter into that place of rest prepared by God. Let’s not be like those people long ago who would not listen to the word of God so that there isn’t even one of us (incl.) who are not made to enter into that place of rest.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “So let’s put-forth our efforts (lit. ability) to enter that resting-place. Let’s be careful so that none of us follows-the-example of our ancestors who were not able-to-enter because of their not obeying what God said.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “Therefore let us strive to be included in this rest, so that we will not be like those other Israelita who experienced wasted effort because they did not follow/obey what God said.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “And now let all of us be strengthened to endeavor to enter into God’s resting place. Let it not be that we do like the people did who didn’t believe the word God spoke. For that reason God did not take them into his resting place.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)

Translation commentary on Hebrews 4:11

This verse forms a transition to verses 12-13, which conclude the section. Many translations agree with Revised Standard Version in beginning a new paragraph here because of the exhortation, rather than at verse 12.

Then (literally “therefore”) often begins a new paragraph (compare verses 1, 14). Verse 11 marks a new appeal to the readers. Revised Standard Version‘s “For” in verse 12 links that verse with verse 11. On the other hand, verse 11 concludes the discussion of the rest and contains the last reference to the events of Numbers 14. Then does not refer to time; it expresses a conclusion or result, rendered often as “therefore” or “as a result of all this.”

Do our best: the Greek verb can mean “hurry” as in Traduction œcuménique de la Bible (Moffatt, Phillips “be eager”). However, verse 1 did not suggest the readers’ being “too late” to enter God’s rest. The idea is rather that of enthusiastic effort, so New American Bible has “strive,” Barclay “make every effort,” and Translator’s New Testament “do our utmost.” Verses 12-13 emphasize the element of effort in Christian living.

Let us … do our best is not a request for permission but an exhortation and may often be rendered as “we should do our best” or “we should try very hard.”

Fail is weaker than Revised Standard Version‘s literal “fall.” However, Good News Translation avoids “fall” here, as in3.12, where the meaning is the same, perhaps because in church language it means “lose one’s faith.” In this verse the writer is probably still thinking of those who fell down dead in the desert (3.17).

In a great many languages it is necessary to have some type of complement for the verb fail. So that no one of us will fail must then be rendered as “so that no one of us will fail to rest” or “… fail to receive the promise of being able to rest.”

Good News Translation, unlike Revised Standard Version, completes the comparison by adding as they did. This refers back to Those who first heard the Good News in verse 6. Other common language translations have “the people in the desert” (compare 3.17; Num 14.22). The reference to they may be made in terms of the historical event, for example, “those who lived long ago.”

As they did because of their lack of faith is literally “in the same sort of disobedience.” The Greek word for “sort” means “example,” but if a similar word is used in translation, as in King James Version, Jerusalem Bible, and New English Bible, it should be made clear that a bad example is meant. Here, as in verse 6, translations are about equally divided between the related ideas of disobedience (for example, Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch, Moffatt, Jerusalem Bible) and unbelief (for example, King James Version, New English Bible). Numbers 14, especially verse 41, why are you disobeying the LORD now? suggests not only general unbelief but also specific acts of disobedience.

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 4:11

Paragraph 4:11–13

4:11

This verse is the second key verse of this section (along with verse 9). It is a solemn exhortation.

4:11a

Let us, therefore: The word therefore introduces an exhortation to enter God’s rest. It is based on what the author said in 4:1–10. Another way to translate it is:

So then
-or-
As a result of all this

Let us…make every effort to enter that rest: The verb make every effort means “be eager, try hard, strive.” Here the command Let us…make every effort includes both the author and those who heard him. This command is similar to the one in 4:1 (“let us take care that none of you should seem to have failed to reach” his rest.) The author emphasized the command by saying it at the beginning of the section and repeating it (in a slightly different way) near the end.

You should translate the two commands in a similar way. Some other ways to translate the command here are:

Let us…do our best to receive that rest (Good News Translation)
-or-
we must be committed/diligent to get that rest with God
-or-
Let us try as hard as we can to enter God’s rest (New Century Version)

4:11b

so that no one will fall by following the same pattern of disobedience: This clause tells the purpose for trying hard to enter God’s rest in 4:11a. It indicates that if we do not strive to enter God’s rest (4:11a), we may disobey God and then fall (4:11b). Another way to translate the clause is:

so that no one will fall by following their example of disobedience (New International Version)

Notice that this clause mentions two actions: they may fall and they may disobey. The disobedience causes the fall, so in some languages it is more natural to translate the actions in a different order. For example:

so that no one will disobey God like they did and then fall

so that no one will fall: The phrase no one will fall is a figure of speech. The word fall refers to sin that causes a person not to receive God’s rest. It implies that a person may disobey God and refuse the rest that God offers him, just as the Israelites disobeyed God in the wilderness and did not receive God’s rest. That implies here that the person will fail to receive salvation.

Some other ways to translate this phrase are:

so that no one among us will retreat from our faith
-or-
so that none of us will lose/reject ⌊the rest⌋

by following the same pattern of disobedience: The phrase by following the same pattern of disobedience means “by disobeying God, as the people of Israel did.” In this context the word disobedience refers to refusing to believe God. See the note on 4:6c. This is the same word that the author used in 3:18 and 4:6c. In some languages it is more natural to use a verb to translate disobedience. For example:

by following the example of those who refused to obey (God’s Word)

the same pattern of disobedience: The pronoun the same refers to the pattern of disobedience of the people of Israel at the time of Moses. In some languages it is helpful to refer to them more explicitly. For example:

like the people of Israel disobeyed long ago

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