Discovery BoxHebrews 1:1--8:13
Context1:1 After God spoke long ago 1 in various portions 2 and in various ways 3 to our ancestors 4 through the prophets, 1:2 in these last days he has spoken to us in a son, 5 whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom he created the world. 6 1:3 The Son is 7 the radiance of his glory and the representation of his essence, and he sustains all things by his powerful word, 8 and so when he had accomplished cleansing for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high. 9 1:4 Thus he became 10 so far better than the angels as 11 he has inherited a name superior to theirs.
1:5 For to which of the angels did God 12 ever say, “You are my son! Today I have fathered you”? 13 And in another place 14 he says, 15 “I will be his father and he will be my son.” 16 1:6 But when he again brings 17 his firstborn into the world, he says, “Let all the angels of God worship him!” 18 1:7 And he says 19 of the angels, “He makes 20 his angels spirits and his ministers a flame of fire,” 21 1:8 but of 22 the Son he says, 23
“Your throne, O God, is forever and ever, 24
and a righteous scepter 25 is the scepter of your kingdom.
1:9 You have loved righteousness and hated lawlessness.
So God, your God, has anointed you over your companions 26 with the oil of rejoicing.” 27
1:10 And,
“You founded the earth in the beginning, Lord, 28
and the heavens are the works of your hands.
1:11 They will perish, but you continue.
And they will all grow old like a garment,
1:12 and like a robe you will fold them up
and like a garment 29 they will be changed,
but you are the same and your years will never run out.” 30
1:13 But to which of the angels 31 has he ever said, “Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet”? 32 1:14 Are they not all ministering spirits, sent out to serve those 33 who will inherit salvation?
2:1 Therefore we must pay closer attention to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away. 2:2 For if the message spoken through angels 34 proved to be so firm that every violation 35 or disobedience received its just penalty, 2:3 how will we escape if we neglect such a great salvation? It was first communicated through the Lord and was confirmed to us by those who heard him, 2:4 while God confirmed their witness 36 with signs and wonders and various miracles and gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed 37 according to his will.
2:5 For he did not put the world to come, 38 about which we are speaking, 39 under the control of angels. 2:6 Instead someone testified somewhere:
“What is man that you think of him 40 or the son of man that you care for him?
2:7 You made him lower than the angels for a little while.
You crowned him with glory and honor. 41
2:8 You put all things under his control.” 42
For when he put all things under his control, he left nothing outside of his control. At present we do not yet see all things under his control, 43 2:9 but we see Jesus, who was made lower than the angels for a little while, 44 now crowned with glory and honor because he suffered death, 45 so that by God’s grace he would experience 46 death on behalf of everyone. 2:10 For it was fitting for him, for whom and through whom all things exist, 47 in bringing many sons to glory, to make the pioneer 48 of their salvation perfect through sufferings. 2:11 For indeed he who makes holy and those being made holy all have the same origin, 49 and so 50 he is not ashamed to call them brothers and sisters, 51 2:12 saying, “I will proclaim your name to my brothers; 52 in the midst of the assembly I will praise you.” 53 2:13 Again he says, 54 “I will be confident in him,” and again, “Here I am, 55 with 56 the children God has given me.” 57 2:14 Therefore, since the children share in flesh and blood, he likewise shared in 58 their humanity, 59 so that through death he could destroy 60 the one who holds the power of death (that is, the devil), 2:15 and set free those who were held in slavery all their lives by their fear of death. 2:16 For surely his concern is not for angels, but he is concerned for Abraham’s descendants. 2:17 Therefore he had 61 to be made like his brothers and sisters 62 in every respect, so that he could become a merciful and faithful high priest in things relating to God, to make atonement 63 for the sins of the people. 2:18 For since he himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are tempted.
3:1 Therefore, holy brothers and sisters, 64 partners in a heavenly calling, take note of Jesus, the apostle and high priest whom we confess, 65 3:2 who is faithful to the one who appointed him, as Moses was also in God’s 66 house. 67 3:3 For he has come to deserve greater glory than Moses, just as the builder of a house deserves greater honor than the house itself! 3:4 For every house is built by someone, but the builder of all things is God. 3:5 Now Moses was faithful in all God’s 68 house 69 as a servant, to testify to the things that would be spoken. 3:6 But Christ 70 is faithful as a son over God’s 71 house. We are of his house, 72 if in fact we hold firmly 73 to our confidence and the hope we take pride in. 74
3:7 Therefore, as the Holy Spirit says, 75
“Oh, that today you would listen as he speaks! 76
3:8 “Do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion, in the day of testing in the wilderness.
3:9 “There your fathers tested me and tried me, 77 and they saw my works for forty years.
3:10 “Therefore, I became provoked at that generation and said, ‘Their hearts are always wandering 78 and they have not known my ways.’
3:11 “As I swore in my anger, ‘They will never enter my rest!’” 79
3:12 See to it, 80 brothers and sisters, 81 that none of you has 82 an evil, unbelieving heart that forsakes 83 the living God. 84 3:13 But exhort one another each day, as long as it is called “Today,” that none of you may become hardened by sin’s deception. 3:14 For we have become partners with Christ, if in fact we hold our initial confidence 85 firm until the end. 3:15 As it says, 86 “Oh, that today you would listen as he speaks! 87 Do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion.” 88 3:16 For which ones heard and rebelled? Was it not all who came out of Egypt under Moses’ leadership? 89 3:17 And against whom was God 90 provoked for forty years? Was it not those who sinned, whose dead bodies fell in the wilderness? 91 3:18 And to whom did he swear they would never enter into his rest, except those who were disobedient? 3:19 So 92 we see that they could not enter because of unbelief.
4:1 Therefore we must be wary 93 that, while the promise of entering his rest remains open, none of you may seem to have come short of it. 4:2 For we had good news proclaimed to us just as they did. But the message they heard did them no good, since they did not join in 94 with those who heard it in faith. 95 4:3 For we who have believed enter that rest, as he has said, “As I swore in my anger, ‘They will never enter my rest!’” 96 And yet God’s works 97 were accomplished from the foundation of the world. 4:4 For he has spoken somewhere about the seventh day in this way: “And God rested on the seventh day from all his works,” 98 4:5 but to repeat the text cited earlier: 99 “They will never enter my rest!” 4:6 Therefore it remains for some to enter it, yet those to whom it was previously proclaimed did not enter because of disobedience. 4:7 So God 100 again ordains a certain day, “Today,” speaking through David 101 after so long a time, as in the words quoted before, 102 “O, that today you would listen as he speaks! 103 Do not harden your hearts.” 4:8 For if Joshua had given them rest, God 104 would not have spoken afterward about another day. 4:9 Consequently a Sabbath rest remains for the people of God. 4:10 For the one who enters God’s 105 rest has also rested from his works, just as God did from his own works. 4:11 Thus we must make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one may fall by following the same pattern of disobedience. 4:12 For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any double-edged sword, piercing even to the point of dividing soul from spirit, and joints from marrow; it is able to judge the desires and thoughts of the heart. 4:13 And no creature is hidden from God, 106 but everything is naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must render an account.
4:14 Therefore since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast to our confession. 4:15 For we do not have a high priest incapable of sympathizing with our weaknesses, but one who has been tempted in every way just as we are, yet without sin. 4:16 Therefore let us confidently approach the throne of grace to receive mercy and find grace whenever we need help. 107
5:1 For every high priest is taken from among the people 108 and appointed 109 to represent them before God, 110 to offer both gifts and sacrifices for sins. 5:2 He is able to deal compassionately with those who are ignorant and erring, since he also is subject to weakness, 5:3 and for this reason he is obligated to make sin offerings for himself as well as for the people. 5:4 And no one assumes this honor 111 on his own initiative, 112 but only when called to it by God, 113 as in fact Aaron was. 5:5 So also Christ did not glorify himself in becoming high priest, but the one who glorified him was God, 114 who said to him, “You are my Son! Today I have fathered you,” 115 5:6 as also in another place God 116 says, “You are a priest forever in the order of Melchizedek.” 117 5:7 During his earthly life 118 Christ 119 offered 120 both requests and supplications, with loud cries and tears, to the one who was able to save him from death and he was heard because of his devotion. 5:8 Although he was a son, he learned obedience through the things he suffered. 121 5:9 And by being perfected in this way, he became the source of eternal salvation to all who obey him, 5:10 and he was designated 122 by God as high priest in the order of Melchizedek. 123
5:11 On this topic we have much to say 124 and it is difficult to explain, since you have become sluggish 125 in hearing. 5:12 For though you should in fact be teachers by this time, 126 you need someone to teach you the beginning elements of God’s utterances. 127 You have gone back to needing 128 milk, not 129 solid food. 5:13 For everyone who lives on milk is inexperienced in the message of righteousness, because he is an infant. 5:14 But solid food is for the mature, whose perceptions are trained by practice to discern both good and evil.
6:1 Therefore we must progress beyond 130 the elementary 131 instructions about Christ 132 and move on 133 to maturity, not laying this foundation again: repentance from dead works and faith in God, 6:2 teaching about baptisms, laying on of hands, resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment. 6:3 And this is what we intend to do, 134 if God permits. 6:4 For it is impossible in the case of those who have once been enlightened, tasted the heavenly gift, become partakers of the Holy Spirit, 6:5 tasted the good word of God and the miracles of the coming age, 6:6 and then have committed apostasy, 135 to renew them again to repentance, since 136 they are crucifying the Son of God for themselves all over again 137 and holding him up to contempt. 6:7 For the ground that has soaked up the rain that frequently falls on 138 it and yields useful vegetation for those who tend it receives a blessing from God. 6:8 But if it produces thorns and thistles, it is useless and about to be cursed; 139 its fate is to be burned. 6:9 But in your case, dear friends, even though we speak like this, we are convinced of better things relating to salvation. 6:10 For God is not unjust so as to forget your work and the love you have demonstrated for his name, in having served and continuing to serve the saints. 6:11 But we passionately want each of you to demonstrate the same eagerness for the fulfillment of your hope until the end, 6:12 so that you may not be sluggish, 140 but imitators of those who through faith and perseverance inherit the promises.
6:13 Now when God made his promise to Abraham, since he could swear by no one greater, he swore by himself, 6:14 saying, “Surely I will bless you greatly and multiply your descendants abundantly.” 141 6:15 And so by persevering, Abraham 142 inherited the promise. 6:16 For people 143 swear by something greater than themselves, 144 and the oath serves as a confirmation to end all dispute. 145 6:17 In the same way 146 God wanted to demonstrate more clearly to the heirs of the promise that his purpose was unchangeable, 147 and so he intervened with an oath, 6:18 so that we who have found refuge in him 148 may find strong encouragement to hold fast to the hope set before us through two unchangeable things, since it is impossible for God to lie. 6:19 We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, sure and steadfast, which reaches inside behind the curtain, 149 6:20 where Jesus our forerunner entered on our behalf, since he became a priest forever in the order of Melchizedek. 150
7:1 Now this Melchizedek, king of Salem, priest of the most high God, met Abraham as he was returning from defeating the kings and blessed him. 151 7:2 To him 152 also Abraham apportioned a tithe 153 of everything. 154 His name first means 155 king of righteousness, then king of Salem, that is, king of peace. 7:3 Without father, without mother, without genealogy, he has neither beginning of days nor end of life but is like the son of God, and he remains a priest for all time. 7:4 But see how great he must be, if 156 Abraham the patriarch gave him a tithe 157 of his plunder. 7:5 And those of the sons of Levi who receive the priestly office 158 have authorization according to the law to collect a tithe from the people, that is, from their fellow countrymen, 159 although they too are descendants of Abraham. 160 7:6 But Melchizedek 161 who does not share their ancestry 162 collected a tithe 163 from Abraham and blessed 164 the one who possessed the promise. 7:7 Now without dispute the inferior is blessed by the superior, 7:8 and in one case tithes are received by mortal men, while in the other by him who is affirmed to be alive. 7:9 And it could be said that Levi himself, who receives tithes, paid a tithe through Abraham. 7:10 For he was still in his ancestor Abraham’s loins 165 when Melchizedek met him.
7:11 So if perfection had in fact been possible through the Levitical priesthood – for on that basis 166 the people received the law – what further need would there have been for another priest to arise, said to be in the order of Melchizedek and not in Aaron’s order? 7:12 For when the priesthood changes, a change in the law must come 167 as well. 7:13 Yet the one these things are spoken about belongs to 168 a different tribe, and no one from that tribe 169 has ever officiated at the altar. 7:14 For it is clear that our Lord is descended from Judah, yet Moses said nothing about priests in connection with that tribe. 7:15 And this is even clearer if another priest arises in the likeness of Melchizedek, 7:16 who has become a priest not by a legal regulation about physical descent 170 but by the power of an indestructible life. 7:17 For here is the testimony about him: 171 “You are a priest forever in the order of Melchizedek.” 172 7:18 On the one hand a former command is set aside 173 because it is weak and useless, 174 7:19 for the law made nothing perfect. On the other hand a better hope is introduced, through which we draw near to God. 7:20 And since 175 this was not done without a sworn affirmation – for the others have become priests without a sworn affirmation, 7:21 but Jesus 176 did so 177 with a sworn affirmation by the one who said to him, “The Lord has sworn and will not change his mind, ‘You are a priest forever’” 178 – 7:22 accordingly Jesus has become the guarantee 179 of a better covenant. 7:23 And the others 180 who became priests were numerous, because death prevented them 181 from continuing in office, 182 7:24 but he holds his priesthood permanently since he lives forever. 7:25 So he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them. 7:26 For it is indeed fitting for us to have such a high priest: holy, innocent, undefiled, separate from sinners, and exalted above the heavens. 7:27 He has no need to do every day what those priests do, to offer sacrifices first for their own sins and then for the sins of the people, since he did this in offering himself once for all. 7:28 For the law appoints as high priests men subject to weakness, 183 but the word of solemn affirmation that came after the law appoints a son made perfect forever.
8:1 Now the main point of what we are saying is this: 184 We have such a high priest, one who sat down at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in heaven, 185 8:2 a minister in the sanctuary and the true tabernacle that the Lord, not man, set up. 8:3 For every high priest is appointed to offer both gifts and sacrifices. So this one too had to have something to offer. 8:4 Now if he were on earth, he would not be a priest, since there are already priests who offer 186 the gifts prescribed by the law. 8:5 The place where they serve is 187 a sketch 188 and shadow of the heavenly sanctuary, just as Moses was warned by God as he was about to complete the tabernacle. For he says, “See that you make everything according to the design 189 shown to you on the mountain.” 190 8:6 But 191 now Jesus 192 has obtained a superior ministry, since 193 the covenant that he mediates is also better and is enacted 194 on better promises. 195
8:7 For if that first covenant had been faultless, no one would have looked for a second one. 196 8:8 But 197 showing its fault, 198 God 199 says to them, 200
“Look, the days are coming, says the Lord, when I will complete a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah.
8:9 “It will not be like the covenant 201 that I made with their fathers, on the day when I took them by the hand to lead them out of Egypt, because they did not continue in my covenant and I had no regard for them, says the Lord.
8:10 “For this is the covenant that I will establish with the house of Israel after those days, says the Lord. I will put 202 my laws in their minds 203 and I will inscribe them on their hearts. And I will be their God and they will be my people. 204
8:11 “And there will be no need at all 205 for each one to teach his countryman or each one to teach his brother saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ since they will all know me, from the least to the greatest. 206
8:12 “For I will be merciful toward their evil deeds, and their sins I will remember no longer.” 207
8:13 When he speaks of a new covenant, 208 he makes the first obsolete. Now what is growing obsolete and aging is about to disappear. 209
[1:1] 1 tn Or “spoke formerly.”
[1:1] 2 tn Or “parts.” The idea is that God’s previous revelation came in many parts and was therefore fragmentary or partial (L&N 63.19), in comparison with the final and complete revelation contained in God’s Son. However, some interpret πολυμερῶς (polumerw") in Heb 1:1 to mean “on many different occasions” and would thus translate “many times” (L&N 67.11). This is the option followed by the NIV: “at many times and in various ways.” Finally, this word is also understood to refer to the different manners in which something may be done, and would then be translated “in many different ways” (L&N 89.81). In this last case, the two words πολυμερῶς and πολυτρόπως (polutropw") mutually reinforce one another (“in many and various ways,” NRSV).
[1:1] 3 tn These two phrases are emphasized in Greek by being placed at the beginning of the sentence and by alliteration.
[1:1] 4 tn Grk “to the fathers.”
[1:2] 5 tn The Greek puts an emphasis on the quality of God’s final revelation. As such, it is more than an indefinite notion (“a son”) though less than a definite one (“the son”), for this final revelation is not just through any son of God, nor is the emphasis specifically on the person himself. Rather, the focus here is on the nature of the vehicle of God’s revelation: He is no mere spokesman (or prophet) for God, nor is he merely a heavenly messenger (or angel); instead, this final revelation comes through one who is intimately acquainted with the heavenly Father in a way that only a family member could be. There is, however, no exact equivalent in English (“in son” is hardly good English style).
[1:2] 6 tn Grk “the ages.” The temporal (ages) came to be used of the spatial (what exists in those time periods). See Heb 11:3 for the same usage.
[1:3] 7 tn Grk “who being…and sustaining.” Heb 1:1-4 form one skillfully composed sentence in Greek, but it must be broken into shorter segments to correspond to contemporary English usage, which does not allow for sentences of this length and complexity.
[1:3] 8 tn Grk “by the word of his power.”
[1:3] 9 sn An allusion to Ps 110:1, quoted often in Hebrews.
[1:4] 10 tn Grk “having become.” This is part of the same sentence that extends from v. 1 through v. 4 in the Greek text.
[1:4] 11 tn Most modern English translations attempt to make the comparison somewhat smoother by treating “name” as if it were the subject of the second element: “as the name he has inherited is superior to theirs” (cf. NAB, NIV, NRSV, CEV). However, the Son is the subject of both the first and second elements: “he became so far better”; “he has inherited a name.” The present translation maintains this parallelism even though it results in a somewhat more awkward rendering.
[1:5] 12 tn Grk “he”; the referent (God) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[1:5] 13 tn Grk “I have begotten you.”
[1:5] 14 tn Grk “And again,” quoting another OT passage.
[1:5] 15 tn The words “he says” are not in the Greek text but are supplied to make a complete English sentence. In the Greek text this is a continuation of the previous sentence, but English does not normally employ such long and complex sentences.
[1:5] 16 tn Grk “I will be a father to him and he will be a son to me.”
[1:6] 17 tn Or “And again when he brings.” The translation adopted in the text looks forward to Christ’s second coming to earth. Some take “again” to introduce the quotation (as in 1:5) and understand this as Christ’s first coming, but this view does not fit well with Heb 2:7. Others understand it as his exaltation/ascension to heaven, but this takes the phrase “into the world” in an unlikely way.
[1:6] 18 sn A quotation combining themes from Deut 32:43 and Ps 97:7.
[1:7] 19 sn The Greek correlative conjunctions μέν and δέ (men and de) emphasize the contrastive parallelism of vs. 7 (what God says about the angels) over against vv. 8-9 and vv. 10-12 (what God says about the son).
[1:7] 20 tn Grk “He who makes.”
[1:7] 21 sn A quotation from Ps 104:4.
[1:8] 23 tn The verb “he says” (λέγει, legei) is implied from the λέγει of v. 7.
[1:8] 24 tn Or possibly, “Your throne is God forever and ever.” This translation is quite doubtful, however, since (1) in the context the Son is being contrasted to the angels and is presented as far better than they. The imagery of God being the Son’s throne would seem to be of God being his authority. If so, in what sense could this not be said of the angels? In what sense is the Son thus contrasted with the angels? (2) The μέν…δέ (men…de) construction that connects v. 7 with v. 8 clearly lays out this contrast: “On the one hand, he says of the angels…on the other hand, he says of the Son.” Thus, although it is grammatically possible that θεός (qeos) in v. 8 should be taken as a predicate nominative, the context and the correlative conjunctions are decidedly against it. Hebrews 1:8 is thus a strong affirmation of the deity of Christ.
[1:8] 25 tn Grk “the righteous scepter,” but used generically.
[1:9] 26 sn God…has anointed you over your companions. God’s anointing gives the son a superior position and authority over his fellows.
[1:9] 27 sn A quotation from Ps 45:6-7.
[1:10] 28 sn You founded the earth…your years will never run out. In its original setting Ps 102:25-27 refers to the work of God in creation, but here in Hebrews 1:10-12 the writer employs it in reference to Christ, the Lord, making a strong argument for the essential deity of the Son.
[1:12] 29 tc The words “like a garment” (ὡς ἱμάτιον, Jw" Jimation) are found in excellent and early
[1:12] 30 sn A quotation from Ps 102:25-27.
[1:13] 31 sn The parallel phrases to which of the angels in vv. 5 and 13 show the unity of this series of quotations (vv. 5-14) in revealing the superiority of the Son over angels (v. 4).
[1:13] 32 sn A quotation from Ps 110:1.
[1:14] 33 tn Grk “sent for service for the sake of those.”
[2:2] 34 sn The message spoken through angels refers to the OT law, which according to Jewish tradition was mediated to Moses through angels (cf. Deut 33:2; Ps 68:17-18; Acts 7:38, 53; Gal 3:19; and Jub. 1:27, 29; Josephus, Ant. 15.5.3 [15.136]).
[2:2] 35 tn Grk “through angels became valid and every violation.”
[2:4] 36 tn Grk “God bearing witness together” (the phrase “with them” is implied).
[2:4] 37 tn Grk “and distributions of the Holy Spirit.”
[2:5] 38 sn The phrase the world to come means “the coming inhabited earth,” using the Greek term which describes the world of people and their civilizations.
[2:5] 39 sn See the previous reference to the world in Heb 1:6.
[2:6] 40 tn Grk “remember him.”
[2:7] 41 tc Several witnesses, many of them early and important (א A C D* P Ψ 0243 0278 33 1739 1881 al lat co), have at the end of v 7, “You have given him dominion over the works of your hands.” Other
[2:8] 42 tn Grk “you subjected all things under his feet.”
[2:8] 43 sn The expression all things under his control occurs three times in 2:8. The latter two occurrences are not exactly identical to the Greek text of Ps 8:6 quoted at the beginning of the verse, but have been adapted by the writer of Hebrews to fit his argument.
[2:9] 44 tn Or “who was made a little lower than the angels.”
[2:9] 45 tn Grk “because of the suffering of death.”
[2:9] 46 tn Grk “would taste.” Here the Greek verb does not mean “sample a small amount” (as a typical English reader might infer from the word “taste”), but “experience something cognitively or emotionally; come to know something” (cf. BDAG 195 s.v. γεύομαι 2).
[2:10] 47 tn Grk “for whom are all things and through whom are all things.”
[2:10] 48 sn The Greek word translated pioneer is used of a “prince” or leader, the representative head of a family. It also carries nuances of “trailblazer,” one who breaks through to new ground for those who follow him. It is used some thirty-five times in the Greek OT and four times in the NT, always of Christ (Acts 3:15; 5:31; Heb 2:10; 12:2).
[2:11] 49 tn Grk “are all from one.”
[2:11] 50 tn Grk “for which reason.”
[2:11] 51 tn Grk “brothers,” but the Greek word may be used for “brothers and sisters” as here (cf. BDAG 18 s.v. ἀδελφός 1, where considerable nonbiblical evidence for the plural ἀδελφοί [adelfoi] meaning “brothers and sisters” is cited). The context here also indicates both men and women are in view; note especially the collective τὰ παιδία (ta paidia) in v. 14.
[2:12] 52 tn Here, because of its occurrence in an OT quotation, τοῖς ἀδελφοῖς (tois adelfois) has been translated simply as “brothers” rather than “brothers and sisters” (see the note on the latter phrase in the previous verse).
[2:12] 53 sn A quotation from Ps 22:22.
[2:13] 54 tn Grk “and again,” as a continuation of the preceding.
[2:13] 55 tn Grk “behold, I,” but this construction often means “here is/there is” (cf. BDAG 468 s.v. ἰδού 2).
[2:13] 57 sn A quotation from Isa 8:17-18.
[2:14] 58 tn Or “partook of” (this is a different word than the one in v. 14a).
[2:14] 60 tn Or “break the power of,” “reduce to nothing.”
[2:17] 61 tn Or “he was obligated.”
[2:17] 62 tn Grk “brothers.” See note on the phrase “brothers and sisters” in 2:11.
[2:17] 63 tn Or “propitiation.”
[3:1] 64 tn Grk “brothers.” See note on the phrase “brothers and sisters” in 2:11.
[3:1] 65 tn Grk “of our confession.”
[3:2] 66 tn Grk “his”; in the translation the referent (God) has been specified for clarity.
[3:2] 67 tc ‡ The reading adopted by the translation follows a few early
[3:5] 68 tn Grk “his”; in the translation the referent (God) has been specified for clarity.
[3:5] 69 sn A quotation from Num 12:7.
[3:6] 70 sn The Greek makes the contrast between v. 5 and v. 6a more emphatic and explicit than is easily done in English.
[3:6] 71 tn Grk “his”; in the translation the referent (God) has been specified for clarity.
[3:6] 72 tn Grk “whose house we are,” continuing the previous sentence.
[3:6] 73 tc The reading adopted by the translation is found in Ì13,46 B sa, while the vast majority of
[3:6] 74 tn Grk “the pride of our hope.”
[3:7] 75 sn The following quotation is from Ps 95:7b-11.
[3:7] 76 tn Grk “today if you hear his voice.”
[3:9] 77 tn Grk “tested me by trial.”
[3:10] 78 tn Grk “they are wandering in the heart.”
[3:11] 79 tn Grk “if they shall enter my rest,” a Hebrew idiom expressing an oath that something will certainly not happen.
[3:12] 81 tn Grk “brothers.” See note on the phrase “brothers and sisters” in 2:11.
[3:12] 82 tn Grk “that there not be in any of you.”
[3:12] 83 tn Or “deserts,” “rebels against.”
[3:12] 84 tn Grk “in forsaking the living God.”
[3:14] 85 tn Grk “the beginning of the confidence.”
[3:15] 86 tn Grk “while it is said.”
[3:15] 87 tn Grk “today if you hear his voice.”
[3:15] 88 sn A quotation from Ps 95:7b-8.
[3:16] 89 tn Grk “through Moses.”
[3:17] 90 tn Grk “he”; in the translation the referent (God) has been specified for clarity.
[3:17] 91 sn An allusion to God’s judgment pronounced in Num 14:29, 32.
[3:19] 92 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “So” to indicate a summary or conclusion to the argument of the preceding paragraph.
[4:1] 93 tn Grk “let us fear.”
[4:2] 94 tn Or “they were not united.”
[4:2] 95 tc A few
[4:3] 96 sn A quotation from Ps 95:11.
[4:3] 97 tn Grk “although the works,” continuing the previous reference to God. The referent (God) is specified in the translation for clarity.
[4:4] 98 sn A quotation from Gen 2:2.
[4:5] 99 tn Grk “and in this again.”
[4:7] 100 tn Grk “he”; the referent (God) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[4:7] 101 sn Ps 95 does not mention David either in the text or the superscription. It is possible that the writer of Hebrews is attributing the entire collection of psalms to David (although some psalms are specifically attributed to other individuals or groups).
[4:7] 102 tn Grk “as it has been said before” (see Heb 3:7).
[4:7] 103 tn Grk “today if you hear his voice.”
[4:8] 104 tn Grk “he”; the referent (God) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[4:10] 105 tn Grk “his”; the referent (God) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[4:13] 106 tn Grk “him”; the referent (God) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[4:16] 107 tn Grk “for timely help.”
[5:1] 108 tn Grk “from among men,” but since the point in context is shared humanity (rather than shared maleness), the plural Greek term ἀνθρώπων (anqrwpwn) has been translated “people.”
[5:1] 109 tn Grk “who is taken from among people is appointed.”
[5:1] 110 tn Grk “appointed on behalf of people in reference to things relating to God.”
[5:4] 111 sn Honor refers here to the honor of the high priesthood.
[5:4] 112 tn Grk “by himself, on his own.”
[5:4] 113 tn Grk “being called by God.”
[5:5] 114 tn Grk “the one”; the referent (God) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[5:5] 115 tn Grk “I have begotten you”; see Heb 1:5.
[5:6] 116 tn Grk “he”; the referent (God) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[5:6] 117 sn A quotation from Ps 110:4.
[5:7] 118 tn Grk “in the days of his flesh.”
[5:7] 119 tn Grk “he”; the referent (Christ) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[5:7] 120 tn Grk “who…having offered,” continuing the description of Christ from Heb 5:5-6.
[5:8] 121 sn There is a wordplay in the Greek text between the verbs “learned” (ἔμαθεν, emaqen) and “suffered” (ἔπαθεν, epaqen).
[5:10] 122 tn Grk “having been designated,” continuing the thought of Heb 5:9.
[5:10] 123 sn The phrase in the order of Melchizedek picks up the quotation from Ps 110:4 in Heb 5:6.
[5:11] 124 tn Grk “concerning which the message for us is great.”
[5:12] 126 tn Grk “because of the time.”
[5:12] 127 tn Grk “the elements of the beginning of the oracles of God.”
[5:12] 128 tn Grk “you have come to have a need for.”
[5:12] 129 tc ‡ Most texts, including some early and important ones (א2 A B* D Ψ 0122 0278 1881 Ï sy Cl), have καί (kai, “and”) immediately preceding οὐ (ou, “not”), but other equally significant witnesses (Ì46 א* B2 C 33 81 1739 lat Or Did) lack the conjunction. As it was a natural tendency for scribes to add a coordinating conjunction, the καί appears to be a motivated reading. On balance, it is probably best to regard the shorter reading as authentic. NA27 has καί in brackets, indicating doubts as to its authenticity.
[6:1] 130 tn Grk “Therefore leaving behind.” The implication is not of abandoning this elementary information, but of building on it.
[6:1] 132 tn Grk “the message of the beginning of Christ.”
[6:1] 133 tn Grk “leaving behind…let us move on.”
[6:3] 134 tn Grk “and we will do this.”
[6:6] 135 tn Or “have fallen away.”
[6:6] 136 tn Or “while”; Grk “crucifying…and holding.” The Greek participles here (“crucifying…and holding”) can be understood as either causal (“since”) or temporal (“while”).
[6:6] 137 tn Grk “recrucifying the son of God for themselves.”
[6:7] 138 tn Grk “comes upon.”
[6:8] 139 tn Grk “near to a curse.”
[6:14] 141 tn Grk “in blessing I will bless you and in multiplying I will multiply you,” the Greek form of a Hebrew idiom showing intensity.
[6:15] 142 tn Grk “he”; in the translation the referent (Abraham) has been specified for clarity.
[6:16] 143 tn The plural Greek term ἄνθρωποι (anqrwpoi) is used here in a generic sense, referring to both men and women, and is thus translated “people.”
[6:16] 144 tn Grk “by something greater”; the rest of the comparison (“than themselves”) is implied.
[6:16] 145 tn Grk “the oath for confirmation is an end of all dispute.”
[6:17] 147 tn Or “immutable” (here and in v. 18); Grk “the unchangeableness of his purpose.”
[6:18] 148 tn Grk “have taken refuge”; the basis of that refuge is implied in the preceding verse.
[6:19] 149 sn The curtain refers to the veil or drape in the temple that separated the holy place from the holy of holies.
[6:20] 150 sn A quotation from Ps 110:4, picked up again from Heb 5:6, 10.
[7:1] 151 sn A series of quotations from Gen 14:17-19.
[7:2] 152 tn Grk “to whom,” continuing the description of Melchizedek. Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation.
[7:2] 153 tn Or “a tenth part.”
[7:2] 154 sn A quotation from Gen 14:20.
[7:2] 155 tn Grk “first being interpreted,” describing Melchizedek.
[7:4] 157 tn Or “a tenth part.”
[7:5] 158 tn Or “the priesthood.”
[7:5] 159 tn Grk “from their brothers.” See BDAG 18-19 s.v. ἀδελφός 2.b.
[7:5] 160 tn Grk “have come from the loins of Abraham.”
[7:6] 161 tn Grk “the one”; in the translation the referent (Melchizedek) has been specified for clarity.
[7:6] 162 tn Grk “is not descended from them.”
[7:6] 163 tn Or “a tenth part.”
[7:6] 164 sn The verbs “collected…and blessed” emphasize the continuing effect of the past actions, i.e., Melchizedek’s importance.
[7:10] 165 tn Grk “in the loins of his father” (a reference to Abraham). The name “Abraham” has been repeated in the translation at this point (cf. v. 9) in order to clarify the referent (i.e., what ancestor was in view).
[7:11] 166 tn Grk “based on it.”
[7:12] 167 tn Grk “of necessity a change in the law comes to pass.”
[7:13] 168 tn Grk “shares in.”
[7:13] 169 tn Grk “from which no one.”
[7:16] 170 tn Grk “a law of a fleshly command.”
[7:17] 171 tn Grk “for he/it is witnessed that.”
[7:17] 172 sn A quotation from Ps 110:4 (see Heb 5:6 and 6:20).
[7:18] 173 tn Grk “the setting aside of a former command comes to pass.”
[7:18] 174 tn Grk “because of its weakness and uselessness.”
[7:20] 175 sn The Greek text contains an elaborate comparison between v. 20a and v. 22, with a parenthesis (vv. 20b-21) in between; the comparison is literally, “by as much as…by so much” or “to the degree that…to that same degree.”
[7:21] 176 tn Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[7:21] 177 tn The words “did so” are not in the Greek text, but are implied.
[7:21] 178 sn A quotation from Ps 110:4 (see Heb 5:6, 6:20, and 7:17).
[7:23] 180 tn Grk “they on the one hand” in contrast with “he on the other hand” in v. 24.
[7:23] 181 tn Grk “they were prevented by death.”
[7:23] 182 tn Grk “from continuing” (the words “in office” are supplied for clarity).
[7:28] 183 sn See Heb 5:2 where this concept was introduced.
[8:1] 184 tn Grk “the main point of the things being said.”
[8:1] 185 sn An allusion to Ps 110:1; see Heb 1:3, 13.
[8:4] 186 tn Grk “there are those who offer.”
[8:5] 187 tn Grk “who serve in,” referring to the Levitical priests, but focusing on the provisional and typological nature of the tabernacle in which they served.
[8:5] 188 tn Or “prototype,” “outline.” The Greek word ὑπόδειγμα (Jupodeigma) does not mean “copy,” as it is often translated; it means “something to be copied,” a basis for imitation. BDAG 1037 s.v. 2 lists both Heb 8:5 and 9:23 under the second category of usage, “an indication of someth. that appears at a subsequent time,” emphasizing the temporal progression between the earthly and heavenly sanctuaries.
[8:5] 189 tn The word τύπος (tupos) here has the meaning “an archetype serving as a model, type, pattern, model” (BDAG 1020 s.v. 6.a). This is in keeping with the horizontal imagery accepted for this verse (see sn on “sketch” earlier in the verse). Here Moses was shown the future heavenly sanctuary which, though it did not yet exist, became the outline for the earthly sanctuary.
[8:5] 190 sn A quotation from Exod 25:40.
[8:6] 191 sn The Greek text indicates a contrast between vv. 4-5 and v. 6 that is difficult to render in English: Jesus’ status in the old order of priests (vv. 4-5) versus his superior ministry (v. 6).
[8:6] 192 tn Grk “he”; in the translation the referent (Jesus) has been specified for clarity.
[8:6] 193 tn Grk “to the degree that.”
[8:6] 194 tn Grk “which is enacted.”
[8:6] 195 sn This linkage of the change in priesthood with a change in the law or the covenant goes back to Heb 7:12, 22 and is picked up again in Heb 9:6-15 and 10:1-18.
[8:7] 196 tn Grk “no occasion for a second one would have been sought.”
[8:8] 197 tn Grk “for,” but providing an explanation of the God-intended limitation of the first covenant from v. 7.
[8:8] 198 sn The “fault” or limitation in the first covenant was not in its inherent righteousness, but in its design from God himself. It was never intended to be his final revelation or provision for mankind; it was provisional, always pointing toward the fulfillment to come in Christ.
[8:8] 199 tn Grk “he”; the referent (God) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[8:8] 200 tc ‡ Several witnesses (א* A D* I K P Ψ 33 81 326 365 1505 2464 al latt co Cyr) have αὐτούς (autous) here, “[in finding fault with] them, [he says],” alluding to Israel’s failings mentioned in v. 9b. (The verb μέμφομαι [memfomai, “to find fault with”] can take an accusative or dative direct object.) The reading behind the text above (αὐτοίς, autoi"), supported by Ì46 א2 B D2 0278 1739 1881 Ï, is perhaps a harder reading theologically, and is more ambiguous in meaning. If αὐτοίς goes with μεμφόμενος (memfomeno", here translated “showing its fault”), the clause could be translated “in finding fault with them” or “in showing [its] faults to them.” If αὐτοίς goes with the following λέγει (legei, “he says”), the clause is best translated, “in finding/showing [its] faults, he says to them.” The accusative pronoun suffers no such ambiguity, for it must be the object of μεμφόμενος rather than λέγει. Although a decision is difficult, the dative form of the pronoun best explains the rise of the other reading and is thus more likely to be original.
[8:9] 201 tn Grk “not like the covenant,” continuing the description of v. 8b.
[8:10] 202 tn Grk “putting…I will inscribe.”
[8:10] 204 tn Grk “I will be to them for a God and they will be to me for a people,” following the Hebrew constructions of Jer 31.
[8:11] 205 tn Grk “they will not teach, each one his fellow citizen…” The Greek makes this negation emphatic: “they will certainly not teach.”
[8:11] 206 tn Grk “from the small to the great.”
[8:12] 207 sn A quotation from Jer 31:31-34.
[8:13] 208 tn Grk “when he says, ‘new,’” (referring to the covenant).
