SIL Translator’s Notes on Hebrews 2020 – Page 4

SIL Translator’s Notes on Hebrews 4:2

4:2

The Berean Standard Bible translates 4:2a–c as one sentence. In some languages it is more natural to use more than one sentence. For example:

We heard the good news, as our ancestors did. But the message did not help our ancestors because they did not join those who accepted it with faith.

4:2a

For…also: This part of the verse begins with two Greek conjunctions that the Berean Standard Bible translates literally as For and also. Some versions translate also as “indeed” here, because it emphasizes the statement in 4:2a. The word For indicates that 4:2c will explain why the good news did not help the Israelites who heard it (as 4:2b says). Connect the clauses in this verse in a natural way in your language.

we…received the good news just as they did: The Greek phrase which the Berean Standard Bible translates as we…received the good news just as they did is more literally “we were evangelized.” It uses a passive verb form, implying that someone told the listeners good news.

In this context the good news refers to the promise of rest that God offers his people. It does not refer specifically here to the gospel of salvation through Jesus’ death and resurrection. The phrase just as they did indicates that the Israelites whom Moses led out of Egypt (3:16) were also told good news.

Some ways to translate the phrases in 4:2a are:

• Use passive verbs. For example:

The good news was told to us, just as it was told to them

• Use verbs that focus on receiving the good news. For example:

We received the good news just as they did.
-or-
We have heard the good news just as they have.

• Use active verbs and supply subjects. For example:

⌊ Someone⌋told us the good news, just as ⌊someone⌋ told the good news to them.

Translate the verbs in a natural way in your language. A different form of the same verb is used again in 4:6.

we: The pronoun we refers to both the author and the readers.

just as they did: The phrase just as they did indicates that the readers and hearers of Hebrews received good news, just as the Israel people whom “Moses led out of Egypt” (3:16) also received good news. In some languages it may be helpful to refer to they more specifically. For example:

our ancestors
-or-
those ⌊Israel⌋ people of long ago

Refer back to them in a natural way in your language.

4:2b

but: The word but introduces a contrast. Both the readers of this letter and their ancestors received good news, but their ancestors failed to profit from the good news.

the message they heard was of no value to them: This clause indicates that hearing the message without believing it did not help the people of Israel. Some ways to translate this meaning are:

they listened to the message but they received no help from it
-or-
They heard his word but they gained nothing from hearing it

the message they heard: The phrase the message they heard refers to the good news that was told to the people of Israel (4:2a). It was God’s promise that he would give them rest in the land to which he was leading them. Indicate clearly that the message and the “good news” refer to the same message. For example:

this message that they heard
-or-
that good news that they heard

4:2c

since: The word since introduces the reason that God’s message did not benefit the people of Israel.

they did not share the faith of those who comprehended it: There is a textual issue concerning the word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as share. The form of this word causes scholars to interpret 4:2c in different ways. The two textual options are:

(1) In some Greek manuscripts the verb share is plural. The clause indicates that the people who did not enter God’s rest (3:19) did not “join” with the people who listened to what God said. For example:

they did not share the faith of those who did listen (New Jerusalem Bible)

(2) In other Greek manuscripts the word share is singular. The clause indicates that the message was heard but was not combined with faith in some people. For example:

it was not combined with faith in those who heard it (Revised English Bible)

It is recommended that you follow option (1). It is followed by many Greek manuscripts, including some of the oldest and most reliable ones. However, many scholars also support option (2), and it is also acceptable.

Since both options are acceptable, you may want to include a footnote in your translation to mention the option that you decide not to follow. For example, the New Revised Standard Version has this footnote:

Other ancient authorities read: “it did not meet with faith in those who listened.”

did not share the faith of those who comprehended it: This phrase refers to the time when most of the people of Israel did not believe the good news that God told them. He promised to give them rest in the land of Canaan. However, only Moses, Joshua, and Caleb trusted God to do what he said. The phrase did not share the faith indicates that most of the people refused to join the ones who listened to God and believed him.

Some other ways to translate this phrase are:

they did not join in with those who heard it in faith (NET Bible)
-or-
they refused to unite with the ones who believed ⌊that good message⌋

faith: In this context the word faith refers to believing the message that God was able to give the people rest in the land that he promised them. The people of Israel did not believe that this message was true. See the examples in the preceding note. For more information, see believe, sense C2, in Key Biblical Terms.

General Comment on 4:2b–c

In some languages it may be helpful to change the order of 4:2b–c. For example:

2c They, however, did not believe the good news that they heard, 2b and so it did not help them.
-or-

2c but they did not believe the good news which they heard, 2b and so it was not of any use to them

© 2016, 2020 by SIL International®
Made available under the terms of a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License (CC BY-SA) creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0.
All Scripture quotations in this publication, unless otherwise indicated, are from The Holy Bible, Berean Standard Bible.
BSB is produced in cooperation with Bible Hub, Discovery Bible, OpenBible.com, and the Berean Bible Translation Committee.

SIL Translator’s Notes on Hebrews 6:8

6:8

In this verse the author compares worthless land to the fruitful land in 6:7. In some languages it is necessary to make the comparison explicit. This may be done either at the beginning of the verse or at its end. For example:

But ⌊other people are like⌋ land that produces only thorns and thistles…
-or-
…This represents the people whom God will punish.

6:8a

But: The particle But introduces a contrast to the fruitful land in 6:7. In 6:8 the land produces useless plants like thorns and thistles and must be burned. The author implies that this land is like people who fall away from Christ (6:4–6). Translate the contrast in a natural way in your language.

land that produces thorns and thistles is worthless: Here the author refers to land where nothing grows except thorns and thistles. As in 6:7, in some languages it may not be natural to speak of land “producing” plants. Translate this meaning in a similar way as you did in 6:7. Some other ways to translate it are:

But the bad soil where weeds and thorns grow is useless.
-or-
But if that land has nothing growing on it but thorns and thistles it has no value

thorns and thistles: The words thorns and thistles refer to the most common weeds in Israel. Thorn bushes and thistle plants are not useful for anything. Even most animals will not eat them. It is fine to translate the phrase thorns and thistles with similar useless, thorny weeds that are found in your area or with general terms.

Some other ways to translate the phrase are:

nothing but sword-grass and thorns growing on it
-or-
weeds and thorny plants

These two types of plants are very similar. The word thorns refers to “plants that have thorns.” Thorns are sharp spikes that can hurt someone who touches them. The word thistles refers to prickly weeds. This word only occurs here and in Matthew 7:16. The author probably mentioned both of these plants to emphasize his meaning. In some languages it may be more natural to emphasize the meaning in a different way. For example:

only thornbushes (Contemporary English Version)
-or-
only useless/harmful plants
-or-
only weeds

Both words occur in Matthew 7:16. See how you translated them there.

is worthless: The word worthless indicates here that the land produces nothing of value. It is barren, and its owners do not get anything good from it. The author implies that it is like the people who go away from Christ. They cannot do anything good to please God. Other ways to translate this meaning are:

has no use/value
-or-
is worth nothing

6:8b

and its curse is imminent: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as imminent is often translated as “near.” There are two main ways to interpret it here:

(1) It means “in danger of.” For example:

and is in danger of being cursed (New International Version)

(2) It means “soon.” For example:

The farmer will soon condemn that field (New Living Translation (2004))

It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1). It is supported by more English versions and commentaries.

its curse: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as its curse refers here to a decision that God may make to condemn the people who are like the worthless land. When God speaks the condemnation (curse), it is a judgment that cannot be avoided.

In some cultures the meaning of curse is different from the biblical meaning here. If that is true in your culture you may have to use a different word. For example:

being judged/condemned
-or-
being punished/destroyed

The text strongly implies that God is the one who will punish the land (people). In some languages it is necessary to make that explicit. For example:

being cursed/punished by God
-or-

⌊ God⌋may soon condemn it.

In the end it will be burned: In Greek this clause is more literally “its end [is] for burning.” It means that, finally, the land will be burned. This implies that fire will burn all the plants on the land. (It does not imply that the land itself will burn.) In many places in the world, it is common to burn a field to prepare it for planting.

Some ways to translate this clause are:

finally, it will be burned
-or-
in the end, ⌊the farmer⌋ must burn the weeds off of it

In some languages it is necessary to make the meaning more explicit. For example:

it’s burned over by the owner. And the same way also, the person like this land, he will be punished by God.

General Comment on 6:7–8

Paragraph 6:7–8 compares soil and people. In some languages it is necessary to make the comparison more explicit. For example:

7 Some people are like land that gets plenty of rain. The land produces a good crop for those who work it, and it receives God’s blessings. 8 Other people are like land that grows thorns and weeds and is worthless. It is in danger of being cursed by God and will be destroyed by fire. (New Century Version)

SIL Translator’s Notes on Hebrews 6:20

6:20a

where Jesus our forerunner has entered on our behalf: Here the word forerunner is a figure of speech. Literally, the word refers to someone who runs ahead and prepares the way for others who will come after him. Jesus is our forerunner. He has gone ahead of us into God’s presence, and he has prepared the way for us also to come to God.

Other ways to translate 6:20a are:

Jesus has entered there first on our(incl.) behalf
-or-
Jesus has gone into that holy place before us(incl.) to speak to God for us

The word where refers back to “the inner shrine.” That was the place that Jesus entered to prepare the way for us also to enter it. In some languages it is more natural to begin a new sentence here. For example:

That is the place where Jesus preceded us to speak to God for us.

our: The pronoun “us” is inclusive and refers to both the author and his hearers.

6:20b–c

Between 5:10 and 6:20, there is a long section of exhortation and warning. Now, in the last sentence of this chapter, the author repeated what he said in 5:10 about Jesus being a high priest according to the order of Melchizedek. There are some changes here in 6:20. The differences in these two verses are underlined below:

5:10 having been designated by God a high priest according to the order of Melchizedek.

6:20b–c having become a high priest forever according to the order to Melchizedek.

Try to preserve the similarities and differences in these two verses in your translation.

6:20b

He has become a high priest forever: This phrase indicates that when Jesus came into the presence of God on our behalf, he had already become a high priest forever. At that time he had offered himself and his own blood as a sacrifice to atone for our sins. In some languages it is helpful to begin a new sentence here. For example:

He had become a high priest forever.

In 5:10, the author described Jesus as “designated” by God to be a high priest. Here the verb is simply “became.” Try to maintain the similarities and differences in 5:10 and 6:20 in your translation.

high priest: The author calls Jesus high priest often in Hebrews. Translate the term as you did in 2:17b or 5:1a.

forever: The word forever indicates that Jesus will always be the high priest. He will never die, so no one will ever come after him to be high priest for us. Jesus’ priesthood is eternal.

6:20c

in the order of Melchizedek: Translate this phrase as you did in 5:6b.

General Comment on 6:20a–c

In some languages it may be more natural to start a new sentence at 6:20. For example:

On our behalf Jesus has gone in there before us and has become a high priest forever, in the priestly order of Melchizedek. (Good News Translation)
-or-
Jesus has gone there ahead of us, and he is our high priest forever, just like Melchizedek. (Contemporary English Version)

In some languages it is natural to translate 6:20 as two sentences:

Jesus has already gone in there for us. He has become our eternal High Priest in the line of Melchizedek. (New Living Translation (2004))

SIL Translator’s Notes on Hebrews 6:19

6:19–20

Some versions begin a new paragraph here. In 6:18 the author said that we can be absolutely certain or sure of the things we hope for. In 6:19–20 he used three different figures of speech to describe what this hope is like, and what its results are. The three figures are an anchor, the curtain covering the inner part of the temple, and a forerunner. These figures of speech follow immediately one after the other.

6:19a

We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure: Here the author compared our hope to an anchor. Literally, an anchor is a heavy object to which a boat is tied, so that it will not move. As a metaphor, it indicates that our souls are secure. We are supported by our confidence that Jesus has become the source of eternal salvation for us (5:9).

In many cultures anchors are unknown. Some other ways to translate the metaphor are:

• Translate anchor as a simile. For example:

This hope is like a firm and steady anchor for our souls. (Contemporary English Version)
-or-
The way we hope in God is like the heavy weight that keeps a boat from drifting away.

• Use a similar figure of speech or one that is more general. For example:

That hoping of ours is like a foundation stone that makes our hearts stay so that our faith does not shake/rock.

• Translate the meaning without the figure of speech. For example:

This hope of ours, that is what makes firm/stable our faith, because it is certain to be fulfilled.

We: The pronoun We is inclusive and refers to both the author and the readers.

this hope: The hope refers to looking forward to something and expecting it with confidence. It does not imply that a person is not sure that he will receive it, as the English word sometimes does. Some other ways to translate it are:

confidence (God’s Word)
-or-
our hoping
-or-
our expecting ⌊to receive the promise⌋

The phrase this hope refers specifically to expecting that we will receive “the promise” that the author mentioned in 6:17. Receiving what God promised is the hope that the author referred to in 6:18d.

anchor for the soul: The phrase anchor for the soul implies here that our confidence in God makes us firm and steadfast in trusting him. Some other ways to translate this meaning are:

our hope helps us trust ⌊God⌋ steadily
-or-
it is like a firm foundation that keeps us from moving away ⌊from God⌋

soul: The word soul refers to the inner part of a person which thinks and feels and makes decisions. It was also used in 4:12c–d.

For more information, see soul, sense A_1c, in Key Biblical Terms.

firm and secure: Here the author used two similar words to emphasize his meaning (as he often does in Hebrews). The word firm means “stable, steadfast, and strong.” The word secure means “safe,” or “reliable.” Some other ways to translate this emphasis are:

strongly/completely trust

6:19b

It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain: This statement is a figure of speech. The pronoun It refers here to confidence in God’s promise and oath. It indicates that because of this confidence, we can approach God himself.

In many languages it is not natural to speak of It as entering a place. If that is true in your language, you may need to make the meaning more explicit. For example:

Because of our hope, it is as if we have already entered the exact place of God like the entering of the highest priest into the Holiest Room in the Temple which a curtain hid from view.

enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain: The phrase enters the inner sanctuary means “goes inside the most holy place behind the curtain ⌊where God is⌋.” In the OT, the inner sanctuary behind the curtain was the holiest part of the tabernacle. It was the place where God met with the high priest. The high priest represented the people of Israel there. This shrine was separated from the rest of the tabernacle by a curtain. The shrine was such a holy place that only the high priest could enter it, and he entered it only once a year. In 9:1–7 the author describes this place again.

The inner sanctuary was a place, not an altar. It was the most holy place of all in both the tabernacle and the temple, and was the place where God himself dwells. The phrase behind the curtain implies “into the presence of God.”

the curtain: In the Gospels, the word curtain always refers to the curtain that divided the most holy place in the temple from the other parts of the temple. This curtain was torn apart when Jesus died, as a sign that the way into God’s presence was now open (Matthew 27:51; Mark 15:38 and Luke 23:45). The author will refer to this curtain again later in 9:3 and 10:20.

SIL Translator’s Notes on Hebrews 6:18

6:18

In this verse the author showed that God gave us two things (a promise and an oath), so that we would be very encouraged. In some languages it is more natural to change the order of clauses in this verse. See the General Comment on 6:18a–d at the end of 6:18d for examples.

6:18a

Thus: The Greek conjunction translated Thus introduces the purpose for God confirming his promise with an oath (in 6:17). Indicate this purpose in a natural way in your language.

by two unchangeable things: The phrase by two unchangeable things indicates the means by which God assured people that he will do what he said. He reassured them in two ways: (1) by making a promise to them and (2) by confirming his promise with an oath.

Some ways to translate by two unchangeable things are:

by saying two things which cannot be changed
-or-
He did that so there would be two unchanging means by which people will know…

6:18b

in which it is impossible for God to lie: This part of the verse refers to the two unchangeable things mentioned in 6:18b. It indicates that God cannot fail to keep either his promise or his oath. He is certain to keep both of them. Another way to translate this is:

and God cannot break either of them

to lie: The verb to lie refers here to not doing what was said or promised. Here it indicates that God will never fail to do what he says. He will always do what he says he will do, and no one can ever truly say that God has not kept his promise. Another way to say this is:

to not fulfill his promise

6:18c

we who have fled: Here the author described his readers and himself as people who have fled to find refuge. He did not say what they had found refuge from. He said what they found refuge in. They took refuge in their certainty that God will do what he promised them. In many languages it is helpful to make God explicit here. For example:

we have run to God for safety (Contemporary English Version)
-or-
we have fled to him for refuge (New Living Translation (2004))

we: The pronoun we is inclusive and refers to both the author and the readers.

have fled: The Greek verb that the Berean Standard Bible translates as have fled also means “flee to a place.” It implies fleeing somewhere where they will be safe. In this context the refuge is God, and people trust him to save them.

6:18d

to take hold of the hope set before us may be strongly encouraged: The phrase may be strongly encouraged is more literally “will have strong encouragement.” It indicates God’s purpose for giving us his promise and oath. He wanted to give us great courage to persevere in trusting him to fulfill his promise. Some other ways to translate 6:18d are:

can have great confidence as we hold to the hope (New Living Translation (2004))
-or-
we will persevere in hoping/expecting ⌊what he has promised⌋

the hope: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as hope refers here to what we expect with confidence (from God). It includes all the good things that God has promised and prepared for us, including eternal life. It occurs also in 3:6, 6:11, 7:19, 10:23.

set before us: The phrase set before us is one word in Greek. It means “lying before us,” and it refers to what God will do for us in the future. The verb is passive. In some languages it is more natural to translate this with an active verb. For example:

which God has given to us
-or-
that God promised us

us: The pronoun us is inclusive and refers to both the author and the readers.

General Comment on 6:18a–d

In 6:18 the author indicated that God gave us both his promise and his oath to give us great confidence that he will save us as he promised. Neither the promise nor the oath can be broken, because it is impossible for God to lie.

In some languages it may be helpful to change the order of phrases in this verse. For example:

So we have both his promise and his oath which cannot be broken because it is impossible for God to lie. God confirmed his promise with an oath so that we might be very encouraged. We are people who have found refuge and firmly expect with hope what God has for us.
-or-
God did this so that we would be encouraged. God cannot lie when he takes an oath or makes a promise. These two things can never be changed. Those of us who have taken refuge in him hold on to the confidence we have been given. (God’s Word)

SIL Translator’s Notes on Hebrews 6:17

6:17

In this verse the author applied what he said in 6:16 to God. God made a promise and then he also swore an oath. He used the oath to show people that he will surely do what he has promised.

6:17a

So when God wanted to make the unchanging nature of His purpose very clear: The word So is more literally “in which.” It indicates that God also did what the author said that human beings do (6:16). Just as a human being swears an oath so that people will believe him, God also wanted his people to believe him. So he swore an oath to show his people that he will truly do what he promised them. Here is another way to translate this:

God…wanted to make this perfectly clear (God’s Word)

the unchanging nature of His purpose: The Greek word which the Berean Standard Bible translates as the unchanging nature means “unchangeableness.” It is used to refer to something that will never change. Here it refers to what God decided and promised to do. His decision is permanent and remains the same forever. It cannot be changed. Another way to translate this part of the verse is:

he will certainly not change what he planned/decided

of His purpose: The phrase of His purpose means “of his will,” or “of what he wants.” In some languages it is more natural to translate the noun purpose as a verb: For example:

his plans ⌊for them⌋
-or-
what he decided/intended to do for them

For more translation suggestions, see the General Comment on 6:17a–c at the end of 6:17c.

6:17b

to the heirs of the promise: The phrase the heirs of the promise means “those who would later receive what God had promised.” It does not imply here that anyone will die so that others will inherit what they owned. In some languages it is more natural to translate the phrase in a different way. For example:

those who would receive what he was promising

of the promise: The phrase of the promise includes what God promised Abraham and also what God promised to all who believe in his Son.

6:17c

He guaranteed it with an oath: The clause “he confirmed it with an oath” means “he made his promise stronger by adding an oath.” The word it refers to his promise.

Other ways to translate the clause are:

made ⌊the promise⌋ stronger by adding/swearing an oath
-or-
confirmed the promise with an oath

General Comment on 6:17a–c

The author talks about several actions in this verse, and he also mentions reasons for those actions. It is important to use a natural order in your language to translate the actions and the reasons for them. For example:

17c So God added an oath 17b for those who would receive what he had promised, 17a because he wanted to show them very clearly that his purpose/will could not be changed.
-or-

17a God wanted to show very clearly 17b to those who would inherit what he had promised, 17a that he would not change his plans for them. 17c So he added an oath to what he had promised in order to make it stronger.
-or-

17a God would not change his plan. He wanted to make this perfectly clear 17b to those who would receive his promise, 17c so he took an oath. (God’s Word)

SIL Translator’s Notes on Hebrews 6:16

Paragraph 6:16–20

In 6:16–20 the author continued to explain about God’s oath. In Greek, these verses are one long sentence, but English versions have divided it into shorter ones.

6:16a

Men swear by someone greater than themselves: This clause indicates that when people swear an oath, they swear by someone who has more power than they do. Their oath implies that they are asking someone greater than themselves to enforce the oath. If they do not do what they have sworn to do, someone greater than themselves will punish them.

Some other ways to translate this statement are:

When people take oaths, they base their oaths on someone greater than themselves. (God’s Word)
-or-
People swear by what is greater than themselves (Revised English Bible)

6:16b

and their oath serves as a confirmation: The phrase their oath serves as a confirmation implies that the oath will confirm that the person who swears it will really do what he has said that he will do. Some other ways to translate this phrase are:

and the oath confirms what is said (New International Version)
-or-
If a person wants to make known to his companions that what he is saying is true, he swears by someone….
-or-
they show that what they are saying is trustworthy by making a vow

their oath: The word oath refers to a person calling on someone or something greater than himself to ensure that he will fulfill what he promises (or that what he says is true). The oath implies that if he does not fulfill it, God (or whatever he called on) will punish him.

In some languages there are specific words that are used when a person makes the oath. You should use a natural expression in your language. Some other ways to translate it are:

make a vow in the name of one who is higher/more-important than they
-or-
the thing he uses to strengthen his promise is, he calls upon God who is greater than he is

to end all argument: The phrase to end all argument means “stops people from arguing.” It implies that people will not argue with what a person has said after he makes an oath. The people will believe that if the person did not speak truthfully, God (or whoever the person swore by) will punish him. People will believe that the person will do what he said he will do so that he will not be punished.

argument: The word argument refers to people arguing with each other. In some languages it is more natural to translate the noun argument with a verb. For example:

disagreeing ⌊with each other⌋

This word also occurs in 7:7, 12:3, and Jude 11.

SIL Translator’s Notes on Hebrews 6:15

6:15a

And so: The phrase And so means “So,” or “Because of that.”

Abraham, after waiting patiently: In this context the phrase after waiting patiently indicates when Abraham received what God promised him. He received it after he waited patiently. Abraham had to wait many years for God’s promises to be fulfilled. He was seventy-five years old when God first spoke to him (Genesis 12:3–4), and he was one hundred years old when Isaac was born (Genesis 21:5).

Some other ways to translate the phrase are:

Abraham was patient, and so (Good News Translation)
-or-
And so by persevering, Abraham (NET Bible)

6:15b

obtained the promise: The phrase obtained the promise indicates that Abraham received what God promised to give him. The birth of Isaac was a fulfillment of God’s promise. Here is another way to translate this:

And so by persevering, Abraham was given the promise. (NET Bible)

The phrase obtained the promise implies that Abraham received the promise from God, as 6:13 says. In some languages it is more natural to repeat “God” here. For example:

obtained what God promised him
-or-
received the ⌊child whom⌋ God promised to give him

General Comment on 6:15a–b

In some languages it may be natural to translate this verse as a reason and result. For example:

Abraham was patient, and so he received what God had promised. (Good News Translation)
-or-
Abraham waited patiently for this to happen, and he received what God promised. (New Century Version)

Step into the multitudes of languages of the Bible and join the worldwide conversation!

Source: SIL Translator’s Notes on Hebrews 2020