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 2:7)

Following are a number of back-translations of Hebrews 2:7:

  • Uma: “You made him downhill [in status] a little from the angels, you made him big and gave him an honored position/seat.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “You have caused them first for a little while to be lesser than/below the angels, and then they are praised and honored by you,” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “You made that angels be higher than him; however, only for a short time, because You said that there would be a time in the future when it would be necessary when humanity would be made immortal and be honored.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “Because even though they are only people, you (sing.) have established-them -in-a-position a little lower than the angels. You (sing.) have also greatly honored them like the honor of a king,” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “For this short time you have made people/humanity humble/unimportant in which they are more humble/unimportant than the angels. But you have determined that the day will come when you will elevate people and will give them superior praiseworthiness/glory.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “My God, you first caused that the power of the people would be made less than that of the angels. But afterwards you caused that they would be supremely respected. Because you gave them the position that they rule all the things you have made.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)

For the Old Testament quote, see Psalm 8:5 – Psalm 8:7.

addressing God

Translators of different languages have found different ways with what kind of formality God is addressed. The first example is from a language where God is always addressed distinctly formal whereas the second is one where the opposite choice was made.

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Like many languages (but unlike Greek or Hebrew or English), Tuvan uses a formal vs. informal 2nd person pronoun (a familiar vs. a respectful “you”). Unlike other languages that have this feature, however, the translators of the Tuvan Bible have attempted to be very consistent in using the different forms of address in every case a 2nd person pronoun has to be used in the translation of the biblical text.

As Voinov shows in Pronominal Theology in Translating the Gospels (in: The Bible Translator 2002, p. 210ff. ), the choice to use either of the pronouns many times involved theological judgment. While the formal pronoun can signal personal distance or a social/power distance between the speaker and addressee, the informal pronoun can indicate familiarity or social/power equality between speaker and addressee.

In these verses, in which humans address God, the informal, familiar pronoun is used that communicates closeness.

Voinov notes that “in the Tuvan Bible, God is only addressed with the informal pronoun. No exceptions. An interesting thing about this is that I’ve heard new Tuvan believers praying with the formal form to God until they are corrected by other Christians who tell them that God is close to us so we should address him with the informal pronoun. As a result, the informal pronoun is the only one that is used in praying to God among the Tuvan church.”

In Gbaya, “a superior, whether father, uncle, or older brother, mother, aunt, or older sister, president, governor, or chief, is never addressed in the singular unless the speaker intends a deliberate insult. When addressing the superior face to face, the second person plural pronoun ɛ́nɛ́ or ‘you (pl.)’ is used, similar to the French usage of vous.

Accordingly, the translators of the current version of the Gbaya Bible chose to use the plural ɛ́nɛ́ to address God. There are a few exceptions. In Psalms 86:8, 97:9, and 138:1, God is addressed alongside other “gods,” and here the third person pronoun o is used to avoid confusion about who is being addressed. In several New Testament passages (Matthew 21:23, 26:68, 27:40, Mark 11:28, Luke 20:2, 23:37, as well as in Jesus’ interaction with Pilate and Jesus’ interaction with the Samaritan woman at the well) the less courteous form for Jesus is used to indicate ignorance of his position or mocking (source Philip Noss).

In Dutch and Western Frisian translations, however, God is always addressed with the formal pronoun.

See also female second person singular pronoun in Psalms.

Translation commentary on Hebrews 2:7

For a little while lower may also mean “a little lower” in place or in status, as in King James Version, Knox, Phillips. This is certainly what the phrase means in the psalm. However, verses 8-9 strongly suggest that the writer of Hebrews is more interested here in time than place: (a) for a little while in the past, Jesus was made lower than the angels; (b) now … we see Jesus crowned with glory and honor; (c) in the future, we shall see Jesus (or man; see discussion on verses 8-9) as ruler over all things. There is thus a contrast between verse 7a and 7b. Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch brings out the meaning of the passage as the writer of Hebrews understands it: “You lowered him for a short time, made him lower than the angels; but then you gave him fame and honor….” Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch first edition also replaced the metaphor crowned by a simile: “like a king.”

As in verse 6, it may be necessary to translate him as “people,” since this is a reference to mankind and not to one specific individual. Lower than the angels must often be expressed as “less important than the angels” or “with less power than the angels.” In some cases the hierarchical nature of man’s position may be expressed in terms of authority; for example, “with less authority than the angels.”

You crowned him with glory and honor must often be recast, since the concept of “crowning” may be relatively meaningless. You crowned him with glory may be expressed as “you made him wonderful” or more literally “you gave him glory.” And honor must often be expressed as a verb; for example, “and you caused him to have honor” or “… be honored.”

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 2:7

2:7

There is a textual issue at the end of this verse. Some Greek manuscripts include another clause that can be translated as “and set them over the works of your hands.” In these manuscripts this clause completes Psalm 8:6. The two textual options are:

(1) Most Greek manuscripts do not have this clause, and most English versions do not translate it.

(2) Other Greek manuscripts have this Greek clause. This is followed by only a few English versions. For example:

and have appointed him over the works of your hands (New American Standard Bible)

It is recommended that you follow option (1). Most English versions follow this option. However, since there is also good manuscript evidence for option (2), you may include it in a footnote, as many English versions do. For example, the Good News Translation has this footnote:

Many manuscripts add: You made them rulers over everything you made (see Psalm 8:6).

2:7a

You made him a little lower than the angels: There are two ways to interpret the phrase a little in this clause:

(1) It refers to a short time. For example:

You made him lower than the angels for a little while (NET Bible)

(2) It refers to a slightly lower status. For example:

You made him a little lower than the angels. (God’s Word)

It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1). The words that the author quoted from Psalm 2 referred to the status of people, but here in Hebrews the author used the words to refer to a period of time.

Another way to translate this interpretation is:

For this short time

him: The pronoun him is the same as the one that was used in 2:6. See the note on 2:6b. Make sure to indicate this clearly. In English this is done by using the appropriate pronoun.

lower: The word lower refers here to having less status or dignity than someone else. Some other ways to translate it are:

more humble/unimportant
-or-
power made less than

In some cultures there are figurative ways to say that someone has lower status than someone else. For example:

was downhill ⌊in status⌋ a little

Translate the meaning in a natural way in your language.

2:7b

You crowned him with glory and honor: This clause indicates that God rewarded man by giving him glory and honor. The text continues to refer here both to mankind and to the Messiah. The verb crowned is used in a figurative way. It refers to the custom of honoring someone by placing a wreath (“crown”) of leaves on his head. Here the figure of speech indicates that God honored man by giving him authority and respect.

In some languages the metaphor of a “crown” may not have this meaning. Some other ways to translate the metaphor are:

you gave him an honored position/seat
-or-
you caused him to be greatly respected

him: The pronoun him is the same as the one that was used in 2:7a.

glory and honor: In this context the words glory and honor are very similar in meaning. Both words refer to a position of great importance. In this context the importance is connected with authority to rule over God’s creation.

In some languages it may be more natural to use a single phrase to translate glory and honor. For example:

a position of great status/authority

Some other ways to translate glory and honor are:

greatly honored him like the honor of a king
-or-
made him like a great king who is admired/respected

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