angel

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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 2:16)

Following are a number of back-translations of Hebrews 2:16:

  • Uma: “So, we know: it is not angels that he helps, it is we the descendants of Abraham [emphatic] that he helps.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “It is clear that it is not angels who were helped by him. But as is written in the holy-book, ‘The ones he helps are the descendants of Ibrahim.'” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “And it wasn’t the angels that He helped but rather, we (incl.) the descendants of Abraham are the ones that He helped.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “It is clear that it is not angels he is helping but rather us people who are counted/considered as Abraham’s descendants.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “Of course it’s not the angels that he is helping in this but rather we who are believing/obeying him, we who are like the descendants of Abraham.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “Now, Jesus did not come to help the angels. Rather it is the people who follow the faith of Abraham that he came to help.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)

Abraham

The name that is transliterated as “Abraham” in English is translated in the vast majority of sign languages, including American Sign Language with the sign signifying “hold back arm” (referring to Genesis 22:12).


“Abraham” in American Sign Language (source )

In Vietnamese (Hanoi) Sign Language it is translated with a sign for that demonstrates his new destiny. Previously, he had been called to wander from his home, and the name “Abram” reflected this movement (see here). The new sign name is in one location and stays there, showing Abraham will be given a land to call his own. At this time, Abraham was in the southern part of Canaan, which is shown on the base arm by the location near the elbow. (Source: The Vietnamese Sign Language translation team, VSLBT)


“Abraham” in Vietnamese Sign Language, source: SooSL

For more information on translations of proper names with sign language see Sign Language Bible Translations Have Something to Say to Hearing Christians .

In Tira it is transliterated as Abaram. The choice of this, rather than the widely-known “Ibrahim,” as used in the Tira translation of the Qu’ran, was to offset it against the Muslim transliteration which originates from Arabic. (Source: J.A. Naudé, C.L. Miller Naudé, J.O. Obono in Acta Theologica 43/2, 2023, p. 129ff. )

Click or tap here to see two short video clips about Abraham (source: Bible Lands 2012)

See also our ancestor Abraham and Abram.

Learn more on Bible Odyssey: Abraham .

Japanese benefactives (tasukedashite)

Click or tap here to see the rest of this insight.

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 Japanese shows different degree of politeness is through the choice of a benefactive construction as shown here in the widely-used Japanese Shinkaiyaku (新改訳) Bible of 2017. Here, tasukedashite (助け出して) or “save/help” is used in combination with kudasaru (くださる), a respectful form of the benefactive kureru (くれる). A benefactive reflects the good will of the giver or the gratitude of a recipient of the favor. To convey this connotation, English translation needs to employ a phrase such as “for me (my sake)” or “for you (your sake).”

(Source: S. E. Doi, see also S. E. Doi in Journal of Translation, 18/2022, p. 37ff. )

Translation commentary on Hebrews 2:16

This verse, together with verse 17, marks a new step in the argument; verse 16 is a statement from which verse 17 draws a conclusion.

It is clear: compare Knox “After all,” introducing the statement of something which almost goes without saying; Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch omits this. It is clear that it is not the angels may be expressed as “it is obviously not the angels,” “it is indeed not the angels,” or “one can readily see that it is not the angels.”

A rather literal translation is given by King James Version, “he took not on him the nature of angels,” except that “the nature of” is not expressed in the Greek. The meaning of the word, twice repeated, which Good News Translation translated helps has been the subject of furious argument for centuries, and the problem is not yet entirely solved. The first sentence may be understood in two main ways.
(a) It has often been understood to refer to God “taking on” human nature when Christ became man. This interpretation is followed by King James Version and is suggested by New English Bible‘s “takes to himself”; compare Jerusalem Bible, Phillips, Luther 1984, and Zürcher Bibel. However, the translator must always beware of forcing biblical texts into the mold of later theological ideas.
(b) Most modern translations, though of various Christian traditions, essentially agree with Good News Translation‘s helps (other common language translations, New American Bible, Barclay, Translator’s New Testament; Moffatt has “succours”; Knox “make himself the angels’ champion”). “Be concerned with” (so Revised Standard Version) is also possible, though rather weak. Good News Bible and Revised Standard Version both give an unusual meaning for a word which is not very common, but literal meanings such as “grasp” are impossible. In Sirach 4.11 New English Bible translates “cares for.”

As the scripture says (compare Bible en français courant, Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch) is not in the text but is added to show that the following words are an allusion—in this case, to Isaiah 41.8-9. As elsewhere, the phrase as the scripture says must be rendered “as one may read in the holy writings” or “as in the words of the holy writings.”

Descendants of Abraham is literally “seed of Abraham,” that is, Israel. Descendants of Abraham may be expressed as “those in the lineage of Abraham” or “those who claim Abraham as a forefather.”

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 2:16

2:16

For: The conjunction For indicates that 2:16 is an explanation for 2:14–15. The word For introduces the reason why Jesus became a human being, rather than an angel. He became human because human beings are the ones whom he came to earth to help. He did not come to earth to help angels. Use a natural way in your language to indicate that 2:16 is the explanation for the statement in 2:14–15.

surely: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as surely only occurs here in the NT. It introduces a fact that is obviously true. Some other ways to translate it here are:

clearly/certainly
-or-
We…know that (New Living Translation (2004))
-or-
Of course

it is not the angels He helps, but the descendants of Abraham: In Greek this clause first tells what Jesus did not do, and then it tells what he did do. In some languages it may be more natural to change this order. For example:

Jesus helps Abraham’s descendants rather than helping angels. (God’s Word)

Here the author compared angels and humans (the descendants of Abraham). Since Jesus became human, the author also implied a contrast between the angels and Jesus. That contrast is the theme of this division (1:5–2:18).

The author wanted to show that it was people whom Jesus came to earth to help. It was not angels whom he came to earth to help. He became a human being and shared human sorrows, sufferings, and joys. Then he died for humans so that he would be part of the same family with those who follow him. He did not do those things for angels.

Some other ways to translate this contrast are:

So Jesus helps Abraham’s descendants rather than helping angels. (God’s Word)
-or-
Clearly it is not the angels’ nature/life that he shares but rather he shares the nature/life of human beings, the descendants of Abraham.

Translate the contrast in a natural way in your language.

the angels: The word angels was also used in 1:4. Translate it in the same way as you did there.

He helps: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as the phrase He helps literally means “to take hold of.” In this context it means “to be concerned about, to help.” Jesus came to earth to help human beings (the “descendants of Abraham”). Many English versions translate the word as “help” in this verse, as in the Berean Standard Bible. Another way to translate the meaning is:

his concern is not for angels, but he is concerned for Abraham’s descendants (NET Bible)

the descendants of Abraham: The phrase the descendants of Abraham has both a literal and figurative meaning here. Literally, it refers to the Jews, the people of Israel. Abraham was their ancestor. However, in this verse the phrase also expresses two figurative meanings:

(a) It refers generally to human beings in contrast to the angels.

(b) It refers especially to people who have faith in God, as Abraham did.

In some languages it is necessary to indicate in some way that the phrase has a figurative meaning. For example:

us people who are counted/considered as Abraham’s descendants
-or-
the people who follow the faith of Abraham

The author of Hebrews and also the people who heard his message were among the descendants of Abraham. In some languages, you may need to make this explicit. For example:

descendants of ⌊our (incl.) ancestor⌋ Abraham
-or-

⌊ us who are⌋Abraham’s ⌊spiritual⌋ descendants

General Comment on 2:16

In Greek this verse first tells what Jesus did not do, and then what he did do. In some languages it may be more natural to change the order of these statements. For example:

We all know that Jesus came to help the descendants of Abraham, not to help the angels. (New Living Translation (2004))
-or-
It is clear/obvious that Jesus helps Abraham’s descendants rather than helping angels.

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