complete verse (Hebrews 2:18)

Following are a number of back-translations of Hebrews 2:18:

  • Uma: “Yesus underwent suffering when he was tested, that’s why he can help people who are tested, for he too got/ underwent testing.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “And now he can help the people who are tempted so that they are not carried to sin because he has experienced temptation and persecution/suffering.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “And it’s possible for Him to help those who are tempted by Satan, because He has experienced difficulty because of His being tempted.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “And because he experienced hardship and temptation, he knows how to help all people who experience temptation.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “And because he was hardshipped and really tested/tempted by Satanas (to see) if he might-be-made-to-fall(fig., into sin), therefore he can really help us when we also are tested/tempted. 2:2 According to the perception of the Jews in the past, when God set in motion his laws, the angels were the ones he entrusted (with the task) (Deuteronomy 33:2). 2:6-8 Psalm 8:4-6. 2:8 Genesis 1:26-28. 2:12 Psalm 22:22. 2:13 Isaiah 8:17. 2:13 Isaiah 8:18.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “He knows how to strengthen the hearts of the people when they are urged to sin. Because here on earth he went through the sufferings there and he himself was urged to sin.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)

Honorary "are" construct denoting God (“suffer”)

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 usage of an honorific construction where the morpheme are (され) is affixed on the verb as shown here in the widely-used Japanese Shinkaiyaku (新改訳) Bible of 2017. This is particularly done with verbs that have God as the agent to show a deep sense of reverence. Here, kurushim-are-ru (苦しまれる) or “suffer” is used.

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

Translation commentary on Hebrews 2:18

Now should be understood in a temporal sense; it is not a conjunction to show some kind of connection in thought.

Help is not the same word as in verse 16, but the meaning is the same.

The temptations of Jesus are mentioned here for the first time and then emphasized later. The same Greek word for tempted means both “tempt” (encourage to do wrong) and “test.” The first meaning is appropriate here, as it is in 4.15; the second is appropriate in 3.8-9 and in 11.17. The relation between tempting and suffering in this verse is not clear; the literal translation of tempted and suffered is “suffered, having been tempted (over a period).” Barclay takes the two closely together (“went through the ordeal of suffering”; Translator’s New Testament “tested by suffering”), but not all of Jesus’ temptations or testings were linked with suffering. Good News Translation is therefore probably right to join tempted and suffered, in that order, by and. Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch “what was demanded of him” tries to bring out the full meaning of “tempted-tested” in non-church language, although by whom is not expressed.

It is rare that one can combine in a single word the meaning of both “tempted” and “tested.” It is possible to translate those who are tempted as “those who are encouraged to do wrong” or, in the active form, “those whom the Devil encourages to do wrong.”

He himself was tempted may be expressed as “he himself was encouraged to do wrong,” but it is probably better to use a specific reference to the temptation of Jesus by the Devil; for example, “the Devil himself tried to get Jesus to do wrong.” In reference to the temptation of Jesus it is probably better to use an expression such as “tried to,” in order to indicate clearly that the Devil did not succeed in causing Jesus to sin.

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 2:18

2:18

Hebrews 2:18 is one sentence which has two clauses. Hebrews 2:18a tells why Christ is able to help us (the reason) and 2:18b tells about his helping (the result). In some languages, it is more natural to reorder these two clauses or to make them separate sentences. For examples of how this verse can be reordered or translated as two sentences, see the General Comment on 2:18a–b at the end of 2:18b.

2:18a

Because: In Greek this verse begins with two connectors that many English versions translate together as “For since.” The word that the Berean Standard Bible leaves implicit (“for”) explains more about why Jesus is a merciful and faithful high priest for people (2:17). The word Because indicates that 2:18a is the reason why Jesus is able to help people when they are tempted (2:18b).

In some languages it is not necessary to make both of these connections explicit. Make the meaning clear in a natural way in your language.

He Himself suffered when He was tempted: The Greek phrase the Berean Standard Bible translates as suffered when He was tempted is literally “suffered being tempted/tested.” Scholars interpret the connection between “suffered” and “being tempted” in different ways:

(1) Jesus was tempted, and the temptation caused him to suffer. For example:

he himself suffered when he was tempted (New International Version)

(2) Jesus suffered, and the suffering caused him to be tempted. For example:

Jesus experienced temptation when he suffered (God’s Word)

(God’s Word, New Revised Standard Version, New American Standard Bible, Revised English Bible)

(3) Jesus was tempted and he also suffered. For example:

he himself was tempted and suffered (Good News Translation)

The meanings of these interpretations are similar, and the differences seem to be mainly a matter of emphasis. You may translate any of these interpretations in a natural way in your language.

He Himself: The phrase He Himself emphasizes Jesus in contrast to “those who are being tempted” in 2:18b. Translate this contrast in a natural way in your language. See the Display for examples.

suffered: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as suffered is a general word that can refer to enduring any kind of pain or hardship. The form of the word implies that Jesus endured this suffering over a period of time. Some other ways to translate it are:

has suffered (New American Standard Bible)
-or-
has gone through suffering (New Living Translation (2004))
-or-
experienced distress/hardship

In some languages there may be an idiom that expresses this meaning.

He was tempted: The phrase He was tempted is passive. The Greek text does not specify who or what tempted Jesus. This clause may refer to temptation by Satan. It may also include other sources of temptations, such as other people or the weaknesses of human nature. For that reason, it is best not to make explicit who or what tempted him. For example:

Jesus experienced temptation (God’s Word)

However, if you must provide a subject, you may indicate that Satan tempted Jesus. For example:

⌊ Satan⌋tempted Jesus

was tempted: There are two ways to interpret the word tempted in this context:

(1) It means tempted. It refers here to temptation to sin. For example:

and was tempted (New Century Version)

(2) It means tested. It refers here to a test of Jesus’ faithfulness to God during suffering. For example:

he himself has passed through the test of suffering (Revised English Bible)

It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1). It is followed by most English versions and a majority of Bible scholars.

2:18b

He is able to help those who are being tempted: This part of the verse tells the result of 2:18a. Jesus was tempted (2:18a), so he is able to help those who are being tempted. Other ways to translate this result are:

That is how/why he is able to help those who are being tempted.
-or-
therefore he can really help us when we also are tested/tempted.

Translate the result in a natural way in your language.

help: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as help is a general word that can refer to different ways to assist or support someone. In this context, Jesus helps people to resist and overcome temptation so that they do not sin.

Jesus uses many different ways to help people who are tempted. For example, he encourages them, he gives them spiritual and physical strength, he shows them what he wants them to do, and he may cause other people to help them. Having been tempted himself, Jesus understands how to help those who are being tempted.

Jesus helps those who are tempted so that they can resist the temptation and not sin against God. This is the main purpose for Jesus’ help. In some languages it may be necessary to make this purpose explicit. For example:

he can help the people who are tempted so that they are not carried to sin

those who are being tempted: The phrase those who are being tempted is a general statement that is true for anyone who is tempted. Languages have different ways to refer to people in general statements like this. For example, some languages may use “we,” “anyone,” or “whoever.” For example:

anyone who is tempted
-or-
when we are tempted

In other languages it may be more natural to refer only to the temptation without mentioning who is tempted. For example:

during the time of temptation

Use a natural option for your language.

are being tempted: The form of the Greek verb which the Berean Standard Bible translates as are being tempted indicates that the temptation continues for some time or that it happens often over a period of time. Here is another way to translate this:

are tempted (NET Bible)

Translate this meaning in a natural way in your language.

General Comment on 2:18a–b

In some languages it may be more natural to reorder the clauses in this verse. For example:

18b And now he can help those who are tempted, 18a because he himself was tempted and suffered. (Good News Translation)

In some languages it may be more natural to translate this verse as two sentences. For example:

He himself was tempted and suffered. So he is able to help us when we are tempted.

The author mentioned temptation and the help of our great high priest again in 4:15–16.

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