priest

Click here to view graphically

The Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek that are typically translated as “priest” in English (itself deriving from Latin “presbyter” — “elder”) is often translated with a consideration of existing religious traditions. (Click or tap for details)

Bratcher / Nida (1961) say this:

“However, rather than borrow local names for priests, some of which have unwanted connotations, a number of translations have employed descriptive phrases based on certain functions: (1) those describing a ceremonial activity: Pamona uses tadu, the priestess who recites the litanies in which she describes her journey to the upper or under-world to fetch life-spirit for sick people, animals or plants; Batak Toba uses the Arabic malim, ‘Muslim religious teacher;’ ‘one who presents man’s sacrifice to God’ (Bambara, Eastern Maninkakan), ‘one who presents sacrifices’ (Baoulé, Navajo (Dinė)), ‘one who takes the name of the sacrifice’ (Kpelle, and ‘to make a sacrifice go out’ (Hausa); (2) those describing an intermediary function: ‘one who speaks to God’ (Shipibo-Conibo) and ‘spokesman of the people before God’ (Tabasco Chontal).”

In Obolo it is translated as ogwu ngwugwa or “the one who offers sacrifice” (source: Enene Enene), in Mairasi as agam aevar nevwerai: “religious leader” (source: Enggavoter 2004), in Ignaciano as “blesser, one who does ritual as a practice” (using a generic term rather than the otherwise common Spanish loan word sacerdote) (source: Willis Ott in Notes on Translation 88/1982, p. 18ff.), and in Noongar as yakin-kooranyi or “holy worker” (source: Warda-Kwabba Luke-Ang).

For Guhu-Samane, Ernest Richert (in The Bible Translator, 1965, p. 81ff. ) reports this: “The [local] cult of Poro used to be an all-encompassing religious system that essentially governed all areas of life. (…) For ‘priest’ the term ‘poro father’ would at first seem to be a natural choice. However, several priests of the old cult are still living. Although they no longer function primarily as priests of the old system they still have a substantial influence on the community, and there would be more than a chance that the unqualified term would (in some contexts particularly) be equated with the priest of the poro cult. We learned, then, that the poro fathers would sometimes be called ‘knife men’ in relation to their sacrificial work. The panel was pleased to apply this term to the Jewish priest, and the Christian community has adopted it fully. [Mark 1:44, for instance, now] reads: ‘You must definitely not tell any man of this. But you go show your body to the knife man and do what Moses said about a sacrifice concerning your being healed, and the cause (base of this) will be apparent.'”

For a revision of the 1968 version of the Bible in Khmer Joseph Hong (in: The Bible Translator 1996, 233ff. ) talks about a change in wording for this term:

​​Bau cha r (បូជា‌ចារ្យ) — The use of this new construction meaning “priest” is maintained to translate the Greek word hiereus. The term “mean sang (មាន សង្ឃ)” used in the old version actually means a “Buddhist monk,” and is felt to be theologically misleading. The Khmer considers the Buddhist monk as a “paddy field of merits,” a reserve of merits to be shared with other people. So a Khmer reader would find unthinkable that the mean sang in the Bible killed animals, the gravest sin for a Buddhist; and what a scandal it would be to say that a mean sang was married, had children, and drank wine.

See also idolatrous priests.

complete verse (Hebrews 7:20)

Following are a number of back-translations of Hebrews 7:20:

  • Uma: “More than that, Yesus became a priest with God’s oath/swearing. Other priests were not appointed [lit., lifted] to be priests with an oath.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “More-so because God swore. God did not swear for the other priests when they were made priests.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “And that’s not all, because this new way is very much better for when God made Jesus a priest, He also made Him a promise. But when that priests who are descendants of Levi were made priest long ago, God did not make them a promise.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “Another advantage (lit. distinguishing-place) of Jesus’ priesthood is that there is something that God swore to him when he became a priest, because God said, ‘I the Lord God, I swear that you (sing.) are a priest forever. My mind will absolutely never-be-changed.’ But when the descendants of Levi became priests, God didn’t swear anything.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “Here is further evidence that this new way/trail is superior. For when Jesus was made a priest, God who set him up furthermore made a vow. He did not make a vow when those other priests were set up in the past.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “God himself promised that Jesus Christ would be priest.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)

Translation commentary on Hebrews 7:20

Most common language translations, Jerusalem Bible, and other translations like Good News Translation, and the UBS Greek New Testament, end the verse after were made priests; King James Version, Moffatt, Revised Standard Version, and New English Bible end it after vow. This Handbook follows Good News Bible and the UBS Greek New Testament.

The writer does not often begin sentences with “And” (Revised Standard Version), so Good News Translation is right to emphasize it here by In addition. In rendering In addition, it is frequently necessary to indicate clearly what is added to what. One may say “In addition to the better hope,” “We have this better hope, but there is also God’s vow,” or “… what God vowed.”

Good News Translation makes it explicit that the vow was God’s. It also changes the double negative “it was not without” (Revised Standard Version) to a simpler positive form, there is.

There was no such vow: as in verses 3 and 14, the author argues on the basis of what Scripture does not say.

For the translation of vow, see the comment on 6.13. The word for vow used twice in this verse refers strictly to the act of taking a vow rather than to the vow itself, but the difference in meaning is slight: “God did not take a vow when the others were made priests.”

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 .