Most common language translations, Jerusalem Bible, and other translations like Good News Translation, and the UBS Greek New Testament, end the verse after were made priests; King James Version, Moffatt, Revised Standard Version, and New English Bible end it after vow. This Handbook follows Good News Bible and the UBS Greek New Testament.

The writer does not often begin sentences with “And” (Revised Standard Version), so Good News Translation is right to emphasize it here by In addition. In rendering In addition, it is frequently necessary to indicate clearly what is added to what. One may say “In addition to the better hope,” “We have this better hope, but there is also God’s vow,” or “… what God vowed.”

Good News Translation makes it explicit that the vow was God’s. It also changes the double negative “it was not without” (Revised Standard Version) to a simpler positive form, there is.

There was no such vow: as in verses 3 and 14, the author argues on the basis of what Scripture does not say.

For the translation of vow, see the comment on 6.13. The word for vow used twice in this verse refers strictly to the act of taking a vow rather than to the vow itself, but the difference in meaning is slight: “God did not take a vow when the others were made priests.”

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 .