Paragraph 2:10–13
In this paragraph the author explained more fully why Jesus became a man and suffered and died for us. He did it so that people may share God’s glory and become part of God’s family. This paragraph is still part of the section which establishes that Jesus is greater than the angels. It implies that no angel provided salvation for us like Jesus did by suffering and dying for us.
Some versions do not begin a new paragraph until 2:11. That is because 2:10 is a verse that links Paragraph 2:5–9 with this new paragraph.
2:10
This verse gives an explanation for 2:9e. It explains why it was fitting for God to cause Jesus to suffer and die in order to be the perfect Savior for mankind. In the Greek text, this explanation is introduced by a conjunction that is often translated as “for” or “because.” Some English versions begin 2:10 with such a conjunction, and others do not. Connect the explanation to 2:9e in a natural way in your language.
In some languages it is more natural to change the order of clauses in this verse. For examples, see the General Comment on 2:10a–d at the end of 2:10d.
2:10a
In bringing many sons to glory: The phrase In bringing many sons to glory means “as part of the process of bringing many sons to glory.” There are two views about who is bringing many sons to glory in this verse:
(1) God is bringing them. For example:
while God was bringing many sons and daughters to glory (God’s Word)
(2) Jesus is bringing them. For example:
as Jesus led many of God’s children to be saved and to share in his glory (Contemporary English Version)
It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1), as most English versions and commentaries do.
bringing many sons to glory: In this context the phrase bringing many sons to glory indicates that God causes his many people to have the glory that is mentioned in 2:7b and 2:9c. You should translate glory in a similar way as you did there. The text does not specify here how God brings his children to glory.
The phrase many sons implies that God has many people. It does not imply a contrast with “all.”
Some other ways to translate bringing many sons to glory are:
while God was bringing many sons and daughters to glory (God’s Word)
-or-
God did that so that many would be his children whom he would call to heaven to share in his greatness.
many sons: The word sons refers here to children of (or for) God. It includes both males and females, as it often does in the NT. It also includes people of all ages. It does not refer only to children. Another way to translate the phrase is:
many sons and daughters (God’s Word)
In this context the word many contrasts with the one God. However, in some languages a phrase like many sons may imply that God did not bring all of his children to glory. (It may imply that he brought only some of them.) If that is true in your language, you should translate in a different way. For example:
his many children (New Living Translation (1996))
2:10b
it was fitting for: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as it was fitting for means “It was appropriate/right that…” It was right and proper for God to cause Jesus to suffer and die in order to become the perfect savior for people.
Some other ways to translate the phrase it was fitting are:
It was right/proper
-or-
This decision…is very appropriate
-or-
So what ⌊God⌋ did was fitting
2:10c
God, for whom and through whom all things exist: The Berean Standard Bible has supplied the word God here. It is not in the Greek text. The phrase for whom and through whom all things exist describes God. The phrase for whom indicates that everything exists to give God honor, pleasure, or benefit. The phrase through whom indicates that God is the one who caused all things to exist. They exist because he created them.
In many languages it may be more natural to translate the long description of God as a separate sentence. For example:
God is the One who made all things, and all things are for his glory. (New Century Version)
-or-
God is the one who created everything and everything was created in order that he would be praised/honored
all things: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as all things refers to everything that God created. See how you translated this word in 1:2, 1:3, and 2:8.
2:10d
to make the author of their salvation perfect through suffering: This part of the verse indicates that God made Jesus perfectly able to lead people to salvation through what Jesus suffered. It does not imply that Jesus was sinful or less than morally perfect.
The phrase the author of their salvation refers to Jesus. Be sure that the reference to him is clear in your language. In some languages it may be necessary to repeat the name Jesus. For example:
Exactly correct then was his plan to make Jesus our proper…leader through the hardship he endured because Jesus is the one who leads us in our being saved.
make…perfect: The verb phrase make…perfect means “make complete.” In this context it implies that Jesus became fully equipped to lead people to salvation. It does not imply that Jesus was sinful and needed to suffer in order to become morally perfect. The word perfect refers here to becoming completely ready to be our leader and savior. Here is another way to translate this:
God made him a perfect leader (New Living Translation (2004))
the author of their salvation: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as author refers to a strong leader who saves his people from their enemies. As the pioneer/leader, Jesus saves his people from the devil and from sin and death. He leads them to God to share in his glory. The author of Hebrews also used this title for Jesus in 12:2.
Some other ways to translate the author of their salvation are:
the leader who saves them
-or-
the one who made a way for them to be saved
through suffering: The phrase through suffering indicates the way that Jesus became a perfect leader. Because of the sufferings that Jesus endured, especially the sufferings of bearing people’s sins on the cross and of enduring temptation, he became the perfect leader for God’s people. Some other ways to translate the meaning in this context are:
from the things that Jesus suffered, he became a Redeemer who has no lack
-or-
through/in the torment that Jesus endured, he became completely able to be the Savior of his people
General Comment on 2:10a–d
In some languages it may be helpful to reorder 2:10. For example:
10c God created/made everything for himself, and he is the one who is 10a bringing/leading many children to ⌊share in his own⌋ glory/presence. 10b So it was right/necessary that 10d he made Jesus to be the perfect leader who saves them through what he suffered.
-or-
10c God is the one who made everything for himself. 10a And since ⌊he wanted to⌋ bring many children to share his glory, 10b it was right that 10d he should make Jesus the perfect leader who would save them by what he suffered.
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