hospitable

The now commonly-used German expression gastfrei, literally meaning “generous tóeward guests,” was first coined in 1522 in the German New Testament translation by Martin Luther. (Source: Günther 2017, p. 72)

For other idioms or terms in German that were coined by Bible translation, see here.

See also practice hospitality and hospitality.

angel

Click here to view graphically

The Greek, Hebrew and Aramaic that is translated as “angel” in English versions is translated in many ways:

  • Pintupi-Luritja: ngaṉka ngurrara: “one who belongs in the sky” (source: Ken Hansen quoted in Steven 1984a, p. 116.)
  • Tetela, Kpelle, Balinese, and Mandarin Chinese: “heavenly messenger”
  • Shilluk / Igede: “spirit messenger”
  • Mashco Piro: “messenger of God”
  • Batak Toba: “envoy, messenger”
  • Navajo (Dinė): “holy servant” (source for this and above: Bratcher / Nida 1961; Igede: Andy Warren-Rothlin)
  • Central Mazahua: “God’s worker” (source: Ronald D. Olson in Notes on Translation January, 1968, p. 15ff.)
  • Saramaccan: basia u Masa Gaangadu köndë or “messenger from God’s country” (source: Jabini 2015, p. 86)
  • Mairasi: atatnyev nyaa or “sent-one” (source: Enggavoter 2004)
  • Shipibo-Conibo: “word bringer” (source: James Lauriault in The Bible Translator 1951, p. 32ff. )
  • Apali: “God’s one with talk from the head” (“basically God’s messenger since head refers to any leader’s talk”) (source: Martha Wade)
  • Michoacán Nahuatl: “clean helper of God” (source: B. Moore / G. Turner in Notes on Translation 1967, p. 1ff.)
  • Noongar: Hdjin-djin-kwabba or “spirit good” (source: Warda-Kwabba Luke-Ang)
  • Wè Northern (Wɛɛ): Kea ‘a “sooa or “the Lord’s soldier” (also: “God’s soldier” or “his soldier”) (source: Drew Maust)
  • Iwaidja: “a man sent with a message” (Sam Freney explains the genesis of this term [in this article ): “For example, in Darwin last year, as we were working on a new translation of Luke 2:6–12 in Iwaidja, a Northern Territory language, the translators had written ‘angel’ as ‘a man with eagle wings’. Even before getting to the question of whether this was an accurate term (or one that imported some other information in), the word for ‘eagle’ started getting discussed. One of the translators had her teenage granddaughter with her, and this word didn’t mean anything to her at all. She’d never heard of it, as it was an archaic term that younger people didn’t use anymore. They ended up changing the translation of ‘angel’ to something like ‘a man sent with a message’, which is both more accurate and clear.”)

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) is used as in mi-tsukai (御使い) or “messenger (of God).” (Source: S. E. Doi, see also S. E. Doi in Journal of Translation, 18/2022, p. 37ff. )

See also angel (Acts 12:15) and this devotion on YouVersion .

complete verse (Hebrews 13:2)

Following are a number of back-translations of Hebrews 13:2:

  • Uma: “Don’t you stop hosting [lit., causing-to-stop-in] people who pass by. For you don’t know if they are people or perhaps angels. For there have been people who hosted people who passed by their house, they thought they were ordinary people, but in fact they were angels!” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “Remember, if there are people coming to your house whom you don’t know, you should treat-them-according-to-custom. For there were people of old when they treated-according-to-custom the people who came to their house, they didn’t know that those were, surprise, angels.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “Don’t forget that it’s necessary for you to show your kindness to people whom you do not know. Welcome them in your house because there were some people long ago who had visitors but they did not know that these visitors were angels of God from Heaven.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “See to it also that you are hospitable, because there are those who showed-hospitality to those they thought were their fellow people, and contrary-to-expectation they were angels.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “Don’t forget to be causing-to-come-up/stay in your houses those from other places. For there are some who did like this, well it-turned-out-to-be angels that they caused-to-come-up.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “Do not forget that when someone comes to your house, give them a welcome. Because there have been some people who gave a resting place in their homes, and didn’t know that it was to angels of God they were giving the resting place.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)

Translation commentary on Hebrews 13:2

Compare 11.31. There are three sound effects in the Greek of this verse which are almost plays on words. The translator should note them, but he should not worry if he cannot reproduce them, since they do not affect the meaning of the text. (a) The words for “brotherly love” (verse 1) and “hospitality” (Revised Standard Version, verse 2) begin in the same way, suggesting “friendship” both for brothers and for strangers or “guests.” There is, however, no contrast between the two; the “guest” was often a fellow-Christian. (b) The words for “neglect” and “unawares” (Revised Standard Version) are related in Greek; and (c) so are the words for “hospitality” and “entertained” (Revised Standard Version).

Remember to welcome strangers in your homes is a positive rendering of what is essentially a double negative statement in the Greek, namely, “Do not cease to be hospitable to strangers.” “Hospitable-to-strangers” is a single word in Greek, which in some contexts simply means “hospitable.” The positive expression is often more satisfactory, and it may also be rendered as “Be sure to welcome strangers in your homes,” or “Be certain that you receive strangers into your homes,” or “… receive people from far away…,” or “Be sure to be hospitable.”

Some is quite general; commentaries refer to various stories of visits by angels, both in the Old Testament and in ancient pagan writings.

Welcomed angels without knowing it means “they welcomed angels without knowing that the persons involved were angels.” In some languages it may be necessary to specify this fact.

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 .

Sung version of Hebrews 13

Living Water is produced for the Bible translation movement in association with Lutheran Bible Translators. Lyrics derived from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®).

For more information, see here .