1
tn (1:1) Or "spoke formerly."
2tn (1:1) 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 polumerw'" (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 polumerw'" and polutrovpw" (polutropw") mutually reinforce one another ("in many and various ways," NRSV).
3tn (1:1) These two phrases are emphasized in Greek by being placed at the beginning of the sentence and by alliteration.
4tn (1:1) Grk "to the fathers."
5tn (1:2) 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).
sn (1:2) The phrase in a son is the fulcrum of Heb 1:1-4. It concludes the contrast of God's old and new revelation and introduces a series of seven descriptions of the Son. These descriptions show why he is the ultimate revelation of God.
6tn (1:2) 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.
7tn (1:3) 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.
8tn (1:3) Grk "by the word of his power."
9sn (1:3) An allusion to Ps 110:1, quoted often in Hebrews.
10tn (1:4) Grk "having become." This is part of the same sentence that extends from v. 1 through v. 4 in the Greek text.
11sn (1:4) This comparison is somewhat awkward to express in English, but it reflects an important element in the argument of Hebrews: the superiority of Jesus Christ.
12tn (1:5) Grk "he"; the referent (God) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
13tn (1:5) Grk "I have begotten you."
sn (1:5) A quotation from Ps 2:7.
14tn (1:5) Grk "And again," quoting another OT passage.
15tn (1:5) 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.
16tn (1:5) Grk "I will be a father to him and he will be a son to me."
sn (1:5) A quotation from 2 Sam 7:14 (cf. 1 Chr 17:13).
17tn (1:6) 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.
18sn (1:6) A quotation combining themes from Deut 32:43 and Ps 97:7.
19sn (1:7) The Greek correlative conjunctions mevn and dev (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).
20tn (1:7) Grk "He who makes."
21sn (1:7) A quotation from Ps 104:4.
22tn (1:8) Or "to."
23tn (1:8) The verb "he says" (levgei, legei) is implied from the levgei of v. 7.
24tn (1:8) 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 mevn...dev (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 qeov" (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.
25tn (1:8) Grk "the righteous scepter," but used generically.
26sn (1:9) God...has anointed you over your companions. God's anointing gives the son a superior position and authority over his fellows.
27sn (1:9) A quotation from Ps 45:6-7.
28sn (1:10) 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.
29sn (1:12) A quotation from Ps 102:25-27.
30sn (1:13) 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).
31sn (1:13) A quotation from Ps 110:1.
32tn (1:14) Grk "sent for service for the sake of those."
1sn (2:2) 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]).
2tn (2:2) Grk "through angels became valid and every violation."
3tn (2:4) Grk "God bearing witness together" (the phrase "with them" is implied).
4tn (2:4) Grk "and distributions of the Holy Spirit."
5sn (2:5) The phrase the world to come means "the coming inhabited earth," using the Greek term which describes the world of people and their civilizations.
6sn (2:5) See the previous reference to the world in Heb 1:6.
7sn (2:6) The following quotation is from Ps 8:4-6.
8tn (2:6) Grk "remember him."
9tn (2:8) Grk "you subjected all things under his feet."
sn (2:8) A quotation from Ps 8:4-6.
10sn (2:8) 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.
11tn (2:9) Or "who was made a little lower than the angels."
12tn (2:9) Grk "because of the suffering of death."
13tn (2:10) Grk "for whom are all things and through whom are all things."
14sn (2:10) 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 3:5; 5:31; Heb 2:10; 12:2).
15tn (2:11) Grk "are all from one."
16tn (2:11) Grk "for which reason."
17tn (2:11) Grk "brothers," but the Greek word may be used for "brothers and sisters" as here (cf. BAGD 16 s.v. ajdelfov" 1, where considerable nonbiblical evidence for the plural ajdelfoiv [adelfoi] meaning "brothers and sisters" is cited). The context here also indicates both men and women are in view; note especially the collective taV paidiva (ta paidia) in v. 14.
18tn (2:12) Here, because of its occurrence in an OT quotation, toi'" ajdelfoi'" (tois adelfois) has been translated simply as "brothers" rather than "brothers and sisters" (see the note on the latter phrase in the previous verse).
19sn (2:12) A quotation from Ps 22:22.
20tn (2:13) Grk "and again," as a continuation of the preceding.
21tn (2:13) Grk "behold, I," but this construction often means "here is/there is" (cf. BAGD 371 s.v. ijdouv 2).
22tn (2:13) Grk "and."
23sn (2:13) A quotation from Isa 8:17-18.
24tn (2:14) Or "partook of" (this is a different word than the one in v. 14a).
25tn (2:14) Grk "the same."
26tn (2:14) Or "break the power of," "reduce to nothing."
27tn (2:17) Or "he was obligated."
28tn (2:17) Grk "brothers." See note on the phrase "brothers and sisters" in 2:11.
29tn (2:17) Or "propitiation."
30tn (2:18) Grk "being tempted" (a participle), but the action is parallel in sense to the main verb "suffered."
1tn (3:1) Grk "brothers." See note on the phrase "brothers and sisters" in 2:11.
2tn (3:1) Grk "of our confession."
3tn (3:2) Grk "his"; in the translation the referent (God) has been specified for clarity.
4tc (3:2) The reading adopted by the translation follows a few early MSS and some versions (Ì13 Ì 46 B vgms cop Ambrose). The majority of MSS (Í A C D Y 0243 0278 33 1739 1881 Byz lat syr) insert "all" ("in all his house"), evidently anticipating Heb 3:5 which quotes directly from Num 12:7. Scribes would be more likely to insert the word "all" to make Heb 3:2 conform to the quotation in Heb 3:5 than they would be to omit the word.
5tn (3:5) Grk "his"; in the translation the referent (God) has been specified for clarity.
6sn (3:5) A quotation from Num 12:7.
7sn (3:6) The Greek makes the contrast between v. 5 and v. 6a more emphatic and explicit than is easily done in English.
8tn (3:6) Grk "his"; in the translation the referent (God) has been specified for clarity.
9tn (3:6) Grk "whose house we are," continuing the previous sentence.
10tc (3:6) The reading adopted by the translation is found in Ì13 Ì46 B sa, while the vast majority of MSS (Í A C D K P Y 0243 0278 33 81 629 1739 1881 Byz latt syr(p) bo) add mevcri tevlou" bebaivan (mecri telou" bebaian, "secure until the end"). The external evidence for the omission, though minimal, has excellent credentials. Considering the internal factors, B. M. Metzger (Textual Commentary, 595) finds it surprising that the feminine adjective bebaivan should modify the neuter noun kauvchma (kauchma, here translated "we take pride"). Since the same phrase occurs at Heb 3:14, it is quite likely that later scribes added it here at Heb 3:6 in anticipation of Heb 3:14. While these words belong at 3:14, they seem foreign to 3:6.
11tc (3:6) Some MSS (Í A C D 33 1739) add "secure until the end" (cf. Heb 3:14).
tn (3:6) Grk "the pride of our hope."
12sn (3:7) The following quotation is from Ps 95:7b-11.
13tn (3:7) Grk "today if you hear his voice."
14tn (3:9) Grk "tested me by trial."
15tn (3:10) Grk "they are wandering in the heart."
16tn (3:11) Grk "if they shall enter my rest," a Hebrew idiom expressing an oath that something will certainly not happen.
17tn (3:12) Or "take care."
18tn (3:12) Grk "brothers." See note on the phrase "brothers and sisters" in 2:11.
19tn (3:12) Grk "that there not be in any of you."
20tn (3:12) Or "deserts," "rebels against."
21tn (3:12) Grk "in forsaking the living God."
22tn (3:14) Grk "the beginning of the confidence."
23tn (3:15) Grk "while it is said."
24tn (3:15) Grk "today if you hear his voice."
25sn (3:15) A quotation from Ps 95:7b-8.
26tn (3:16) Grk "through Moses."
27tn (3:17) Grk "he"; in the translation the referent (God) has been specified for clarity.
28sn (3:17) An allusion to God's judgment pronounced in Num 14:29, 32.
29tn (3:19) Here kaiv (kai) has been translated as "So" to indicate a summary or conclusion to the argument of the preceding paragraph.
1tn (4:1) Grk "let us fear."
2tn (4:2) Or "they were not united."
3tc (4:2) Some MSS read "since it [the message] was not combined with faith by those who heard it."
4sn (4:3) A quotation from Ps 95:11.
5tn (4:3) Grk "although the works," continuing the previous reference to God. The referent (God) is specified in the translation for clarity.
6sn (4:4) A quotation from Gen 2:2.
7tn (4:5) Grk "and in this again."
8tn (4:7) Grk "he"; the referent (God) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
9sn (4:7) 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).
10tn (4:7) Grk "as it has been said before" (see Heb 3:7).
11tn (4:7) Grk "today if you hear his voice."
12tn (4:8) Grk "he"; the referent (God) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
13tn (4:10) Grk "his"; the referent (God) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
14tn (4:13) Grk "him"; the referent (God) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
15tn (4:16) Grk "for timely help."
1tn (5:1) Grk "among men," but the point in the context is shared humanity (rather than shared maleness).
2tn (5:1) Grk "who is taken from among people is appointed."
3tn (5:1) Grk "appointed on behalf of people in reference to things relating to God."
4sn (5:4) Honor refers here to the honor of the high priesthood.
5tn (5:4) Grk "by himself, on his own."
6tn (5:4) Grk "being called by God."
7tn (5:5) Grk "the one"; the referent (God) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
8tn (5:5) Grk "I have begotten you"; see Heb 1:5.
sn (5:5) A quotation from Ps 2:7.
9tn (5:6) Grk "he"; the referent (God) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
10sn (5:6) A quotation from Ps 110:4.
11tn (5:7) Grk "in the days of his flesh."
12tn (5:7) Grk "he"; the referent (Christ) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
13tn (5:7) Grk "who...having offered," continuing the description of Christ from Heb 5:5-6.
14sn (5:8) There is a wordplay in the Greek text between the verbs "learned" (e[maqen, emaqen) and "suffered" (e[paqen, epaqen).
15tn (5:10) Grk "having been designated," continuing the thought of Heb 5:9.
16sn (5:10) The phrase in the order of Melchizedek picks up the quotation from Ps 110:4 in Heb 5:6.
17tn (5:11) Grk "concerning which the message for us is great."
18tn (5:11) Or "dull."
19tn (5:12) Grk "because of the time."
20tn (5:12) Grk "the elements of the beginning of the oracles of God."
21tn (5:12) Grk "you have come to have a need for."
1tn (6:1) Grk "Therefore leaving behind." The implication is not of abandoning this elementary information, but of building on it.
2tn (6:1) Or "basic."
3tn (6:1) Grk "the message of the beginning of Christ."
4tn (6:1) Grk "leaving behind...let us move on."
5tn (6:3) Grk "and we will do this."
6tn (6:6) Or "have fallen away."
7tn (6:6) Or "while"; Grk "crucifying...and holding." The Greek participles here ("crucifying...and holding") can be understood as either causal ("since") or temporal ("while").
8tn (6:6) Grk "recrucifying the son of God for themselves."
9tn (6:7) Grk "comes upon."
10tn (6:8) Grk "near to a curse."
11tn (6:12) Or "dull."
12tn (6:14) Grk "in blessing I will bless you and in multiplying I will multiply you," the Greek form of a Hebrew idiom showing intensity.
sn (6:14) A quotation from Gen 22:17.
13tn (6:15) Grk "he"; in the translation the referent (Abraham) has been specified for clarity.
14tn (6:16) Grk "by something greater"; the rest of the comparison ("than themselves") is implied.
15tn (6:16) Grk "the oath for confirmation is an end of all dispute."
16tn (6:17) Grk "in which."
17tn (6:17) Or "immutable" (here and in v. 18); Grk "the unchangeableness of his purpose."
18tn (6:18) Grk "have taken refuge"; the basis of that refuge is implied in the preceding verse.
19sn (6:19) The curtain refers to the veil or drape in the temple that separated the holy place from the holy of holies.
20sn (6:20) A quotation from Ps 110:4, picked up again from Heb 5:6, 10.
1sn (7:1) A series of quotations from Gen 14:17-19.
2tn (7:2) 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.
3tn (7:2) Or "a tenth part."
4sn (7:2) A quotation from Gen 14:20.
5tn (7:2) Grk "first being interpreted," describing Melchizedek.
6tn (7:4) Grk "to whom."
7tn (7:4) Or "a tenth part."
8tn (7:5) Or "the priesthood."
9tn (7:5) Grk "from their brothers." See BAGD 16 s.v. ajdelfov" 3.
10tn (7:5) Grk "have come from the loins of Abraham."
11tn (7:6) Grk "the one"; in the translation the referent (Melchizedek) has been specified for clarity.
12tn (7:6) Grk "is not descended from them."
13tn (7:6) Or "a tenth part."
14sn (7:6) The verbs "collected...and blessed" emphasize the continuing effect of the past actions: i.e., Melchizedek's importance.
15tn (7:10) Grk "in the loins of his father" (a reference to Abraham).
sn (7:10) The point of the phrase still in his ancestor's loins is that Levi was as yet unborn, still in his ancestor Abraham's body. Thus Levi participated in Abraham's action when Abraham paid tithes to Melchizedek.
16tn (7:11) Grk "based on it."
17tn (7:12) Grk "of necessity a change in the law comes to pass."
18tn (7:13) Grk "shares in."
19tn (7:13) Grk "from which no one."
20tn (7:16) Grk "a law of a fleshly command."
21tn (7:17) Grk "for he/it is witnessed that."
22sn (7:17) A quotation from Ps 110:4 (see Heb 5:6 and 6:20).
23tn (7:18) Grk "the setting aside of a former command comes to pass."
24tn (7:18) Grk "because of its weakness and uselessness."
25sn (7:20) 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."
26tn (7:21) Grk "he"; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
27tn (7:21) The words "did so" are not in the Greek text, but are implied.
28sn (7:21) A quotation from Ps 110:4 (see Heb 5:6, 6:20, and 7:17).
29tn (7:22) Or "surety."
30tn (7:23) Grk "they on the one hand" in contrast with "he on the other hand" in v. 24.
31tn (7:23) Grk "they were prevented by death."
32tn (7:23) Grk "from continuing" (the words "in office" are supplied for clarity).
33sn (7:28) See Heb 5:2 where this concept was introduced.
1tn (8:1) Grk "the main point of the things being said."
2sn (8:1) An allusion to Ps 110:1; see Heb 1:3, 13.
3tn (8:4) Grk "there are those who offer."
4tn (8:5) Grk "who serve in," referring to the Levitical priests, but focusing on the provisional and typological nature of the tabernacle in which they served.
5tn (8:5) Or "prototype," "outline." The Greek word does not mean "copy," as it is often translated; it means "something to be copied," a basis for imitation.
6sn (8:5) A quotation from Exod 25:40.
7sn (8:6) 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).
8tn (8:6) Grk "he"; in the translation the referent (Jesus) has been specified for clarity.
9tn (8:6) Grk "to the degree that."
10tn (8:6) Grk "which is enacted."
11sn (8:6) 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.
12tn (8:7) Grk "no occasion for a second one would have been sought."
13tn (8:8) Grk "for," but providing an explanation of the God-intended limitation of the first covenant from v. 7.
14sn (8:8) 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.
15tn (8:8) Grk "he"; the referent (God) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
16tc (8:8) Some MSS (Í* A D* K 33 81) read, "in finding fault with them, he says," alluding to Israel's failings mentioned in v. 9b. The reading included in the text above, supported by Ì46 Íc B Dc 1739 Byz, is a harder reading theologically and is more likely to be original.
17tn (8:9) Grk "not like the covenant," continuing the description of v. 8b.
18tn (8:10) Grk "putting...I will inscribe."
19tn (8:10) Grk "mind."
20tn (8:10) 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.
21tn (8:11) Grk "they will not teach, each one his fellow citizen..." The Greek makes this negation emphatic: "they will certainly not teach."
22tn (8:11) Grk "from the small to the great."
23sn (8:12) A quotation from Jer 31:31-34.
24tn (8:13) Grk "when he says, `new,'" (referring to the covenant).
25tn (8:13) Grk "near to disappearing."
1tn (9:1) Grk "the first" (referring to the covenant described in Heb 8:7, 13). In the translation the referent (covenant) has been specified for clarity.
2tn (9:2) Grk "the first," in order of approach in the ritual.
3tn (9:2) Grk "in which [were]."
4tn (9:2) Grk "which," describing the outer tent.
5tn (9:4) Grk "in which"; in the translation the referent (the ark) has been specified for clarity.
6tn (9:5) Grk "above it"; in the translation the referent (the ark) has been specified for clarity.
7sn (9:5) The cherubim (pl.) were an order of angels mentioned repeatedly in the OT but only here in the NT. They were associated with God's presence, glory, and holiness. Their images that sat on top of the ark of the covenant are described in Exod 25:18-20.
8tn (9:6) Grk "the first tent."
9tn (9:7) Grk "the second tent."
10tn (9:7) Grk "the ignorances of the people." This seems to be simply a synonym for "sins" (cf. Heb 5:2) and does not pick up the distinction made in Num 15:22-31 between unwitting sin and "high-handed" sin. The Day of Atonement ritual in Lev 16 covered all the sins of the people, not just the unwitting ones.
11tn (9:8) Grk "the first tent." The literal phrase "the first tent" refers to either (1) the outer chamber of the tabernacle in the wilderness (as in vv. 2, 6) or (2) the entire tabernacle as a symbol of the OT system of approaching God. The second is more likely given the contrast that follows in vv. 11-12.
12tn (9:10) Grk "only for foods and drinks."
13tn (9:10) Grk "until the time of setting things right."
14tn (9:11) Grk "But Christ, when he came," introducing a sentence that includes all of Heb 9:11-12. The main construction is "Christ, having come..., entered..., having secured...," and everything else describes his entrance.
15tn (9:12) This verb occurs in the Greek middle voice, which here intensifies the role of the subject, Christ, in accomplishing the action: "he alone secured"; "he and no other secured."
16tn (9:13) Grk "for the purifying of the flesh." The "flesh" here is symbolic of outward or ritual purity in contrast to inner purity, that of the conscience (cf. Heb 9:9).
17tc (9:14) The reading adopted by the translation is attested by many authorities (A D* K P 365 1739* et alii vgcl syrp bopt Ambrose). But many others (Í D2 0278 33 1739c 1881 Byz lat syrh sa bopt) read "your" instead of "our." The diversity of evidence makes this a difficult case to decide from external evidence alone. The first and second person pronouns differ by only one letter in Greek, as in English, also making this problem difficult to decide based on internal evidence and transcriptional probability. In the context, the author's description of sacrificial activities seems to invite the reader to compare his own possible participation in OT liturgy as over against the completed work of Christ, so the second person pronoun "your" might make more sense. On the other hand, B. M. Metzger (Textual Commentary, 599) argues that "our" is preferable because the author of Hebrews uses direct address (i.e., the second person) only in the hortatory sections. What is more, the author seems to prefer the first person in explanatory remarks or when giving the logical grounds for an assertion (cf. Heb 4:15; 7:14). It is hard to reach a definitive conclusion in this case, but the data lean slightly in favor of the first person pronoun.
18tn (9:15) The Greek word mesivth" (mesith", "mediator") in this context does not imply that Jesus was a mediator in the contemporary sense of the word, i.e., he worked for compromise between opposing parties. Here the term describes his function as the one who was used by God to enact a new covenant which established a new relationship between God and his people, but entirely on God's terms.
19tn (9:15) Grk "the promise of the eternal inheritance."
20tn (9:15) Grk "a death having occurred."
21tn (9:16) Grk "there is a necessity for the death of the one who made it to be proven."
22sn (9:18) The Greek text reinforces this by negating the opposite ("not even the first covenant was inaugurated without blood"), but this double negation is not used in contemporary English.
23tn (9:20) Grk "which the Lord commanded for you (or in your case)."
sn (9:20) A quotation from Exod 24:8.
24tn (9:23) Or "prototypes," "outlines," referring to the earthly sanctuary.
25tn (9:23) Grk "with these"; in the translation the referent (sacrifices) has been specified for clarity.
26tn (9:23) Grk "the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these."
27tn (9:24) Or "prefiguration."
28tn (9:24) The word "sanctuary" is not in the Greek text at this point, but has been supplied for clarity.
29tn (9:25) Grk "and not that he might offer," continuing the previous construction.
30tn (9:27) Grk "and after this--judgment."
31sn (9:28) An allusion to Isa 53:12.
32tn (9:28) Grk "without sin," but in context this does not refer to Christ's sinlessness (as in Heb 4:15) but to the fact that sin is already dealt with by his first coming.
33tn (9:28) Grk "for salvation." This may be construed with the verb "await" (those who wait for him to bring them salvation), but the connection with "appear" (as in the translation) is more likely.
1tn (10:1) Grk "those who approach."
2tn (10:2) Grk "the worshipers, having been purified once for all, would have."
3tn (10:3) Grk "in them"; the referent (those sacrifices) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
4tn (10:4) Grk "for it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins."
5tn (10:7) Grk "behold," but this construction often means "here is/there is" (cf. BAGD 371 s.v. ijdouv 2).
6sn (10:7) A quotation from Ps 40:6-8. The author has quoted from the LXX, not the Hebrew OT. The phrase a body you prepared for me (in v. 5) is apparently an interpretive expansion of the MT reading "ears you have dug out for me."
7sn (10:8) Various phrases from the quotation of Ps 40:6 in Heb 10:5-6 are repeated in Heb 10:8.
8tn (10:9) Or "abolishes."
9tn (10:10) Grk "by which will." Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation.
10tn (10:11) Or "daily," "every day."
11tn (10:12) Grk "this one." This pronoun refers to Jesus, but "this priest" was used in the translation to make the contrast between the Jewish priests in v. 11 and Jesus as a priest clearer in English.
12sn (10:12) An allusion to Ps 110:1.
13tn (10:13) Grk "from then on waiting."
14sn (10:13) An allusion to Ps 110:1.
15tn (10:15) Grk "after having said," emphasizing the present impact of this utterance.
16tn (10:16) Grk "putting...I will inscribe."
17sn (10:16) A quotation from Jer 31:33.
18tn (10:17) Grk "and."
19sn (10:17) A quotation from Jer 31:34.
20tn (10:19) Grk "brothers." See note on the phrase "brothers and sisters" in 2:11.
21tn (10:20) Grk "that he inaugurated for us as a fresh and living way," referring to the entrance mentioned in v. 19.
22sn (10:20) Through his flesh. In a bold shift the writer changes from a spatial phrase (Christ opened the way through the curtain into the inner sanctuary) to an instrumental phrase (he did this through [by means of] his flesh in his sacrifice of himself), associating the two in an allusion to the splitting of the curtain in the temple from top to bottom (Matt 27:51; Mark 15:38; Luke 23:45). Just as the curtain was split, so Christ's body was broken for us, to give us access into God's presence.
23tn (10:21) Grk "and a great priest," continuing the construction begun in v. 19.
24tn (10:22) Grk "in assurance of faith."
25sn (10:22) The phrase our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience combines the OT imagery of the sprinkling with blood to give ritual purity with the emphasis on the interior cleansing provided by the new covenant: it is the heart that is cleansed and the conscience made perfect (cf. Heb 8:10; 9:9, 14; 10:2, 16).
26tn (10:24) Grk "let us consider one another for provoking of love and good deeds."
27sn (10:25) The day refers to that well-known time of Christ's coming and judgment in the future; see a similar use of "day" in 1 Cor 3:13.
28tn (10:25) This paragraph (vv. 19-25) is actually a single, skillfully-composed sentence in Greek, but it must be broken into shorter segments for English idiom. It begins with several subordinate phrases (since we have confidence and a great priest), has three parallel exhortations as its main verbs (let us draw near, hold, and take thought), and concludes with several subordinate phrases related to the final exhortation (not abandoning but encouraging).
29tn (10:26) Grk "is left," with "for us" implied by the first half of the verse.
30tn (10:27) Grk "zeal," recalling God's jealous protection of his holiness and honor (cf. Exod 20:5).
sn (10:27) An allusion to Zeph 1:18.
31tn (10:27) Grk "the enemies."
sn (10:27) An allusion to Isa 26:11.
32tn (10:28) Grk "dies."
33sn (10:28) An allusion to Deut 17:6.
34tn (10:29) Grk "tramples under foot."
35tn (10:29) Grk "regarded as common."
36tn (10:29) Grk "by which he was made holy."
37sn (10:30) A quotation from Deut 32:35.
38sn (10:30) A quotation from Deut 32:36.
39tn (10:34) Grk "you yourselves."
40tn (10:35) Grk "which," but showing the reason.
41tn (10:36) Grk "the promise," referring to the thing God promised, not to the pledge itself.
42sn (10:37) Quotations from Isa 26:20 and Hab 2:3.
43tn (10:38) Grk "my soul."
44sn (10:38) A quotation from Hab 2:4.
45tn (10:39) Grk "not...of shrinking back to perdition but of faith to the preservation of the soul."
1tn (11:2) Or "the elders," "the ancients."
2tn (11:2) Grk "were attested," "received commendation"; and Heb 11:4-6 shows this to be from God.
3tn (11:3) Grk "ages." The temporal (ages) came to be used of the spatial (what exists in those time periods). See Heb 1:2 for same usage.
4tn (11:3) Grk "by God's word."
5sn (11:3) The Greek phrasing emphasizes this point by negating the opposite: "so that what is seen did not come into being from things that are visible."
6tn (11:4) Or "through his sacrifice"; Grk "through which."
7tn (11:4) Or "through his sacrifice"; Grk "through it."
8tn (11:7) Grk "showing devotion."
9tn (11:9) Or "settled as a resident alien."
10tn (11:9) Or "heirs with him."
11tn (11:10) Grk "that has foundations."
12tn (11:11) Grk "past the time of maturity."
13tn (11:11) Grk "power to deposit seed." Though it is not as likely, some construe this phrase to mean "power to conceive seed," making the whole verse about Sarah: "by faith, even though Sarah herself was barren and too old, she received ability to conceive, because she regarded the one who had given the promise to be trustworthy."
14tn (11:12) Grk "these"; in the translation the referent (children) has been specified for clarity.
15tn (11:12) Grk a collective "the sand."
16sn (11:12) An allusion to Gen 22:17 (which itself goes back to Gen 15:5).
17tn (11:13) Grk "the promises," referring to the things God promised, not to the pledges themselves.
18tn (11:13) Or "sojourners."
19tn (11:16) Grk "now."
20tn (11:17) Here "received the promises" refers to the pledges themselves, not to the things God promised.
21tn (11:17) Grk "he was offering up." The tense of this verb indicates the attempt or readiness to sacrifice Isaac without the actual completion of the deed.
22tn (11:18) Grk "in Isaac seed will be named for you."
sn (11:18) A quotation from Gen 21:12.
23tn (11:19) Grk "having reasoned," continuing the ideas of v. 17.
24tn (11:19) Grk "in/by a symbol."
25tn (11:21) Grk "worshiped on the top of his staff," a quotation from the Greek OT (LXX) of Gen 47:31.
26tn (11:22) Grk "coming to an end," "dying."
27sn (11:22) Joseph's prophecy about the exodus of the sons of Israel is found in Gen 50:24.
28tn (11:22) Grk "about his bones," which refers by metonymy to the disposition of his bones, i.e., his burial.
sn (11:22) The instructions about his burial are recorded in Gen 50:25.
29tn (11:23) Grk "Moses, when he was born, was hidden by his parents."
30tn (11:26) Grk "the abuse [or `reproach'] of Christ."
31tn (11:26) Grk "he was looking away to."
32tn (11:28) Grk "the pouring out of the blood."
sn (11:28) The sprinkling of the blood refers here to the application of the blood to the doorways of the Israelite houses (cf. Exod 12:7, 13).
33tn (11:30) Grk "after they had been encircled."
34tn (11:31) Grk "did not perish together with."
35tn (11:33) This probably refers to the righteous rule of David and others. But it could be more general and mean "did what was righteous."
36tn (11:33) Grk "obtained promises," referring to the things God promised, not to the pledges themselves.
sn (11:33) Gained what was promised. They saw some of God's promises fulfilled, even though the central promise remained unfulfilled until Christ came (cf. vv. 39-40).
37tn (11:34) Grk "quenched the power of fire."
38tn (11:34) Or "recovered from sickness."
39tn (11:35) Grk "received back their dead from resurrection."
40tn (11:35) Grk "to obtain a better resurrection."
41tc (11:37) The reading ejprivsqhsan (ejprisqhsan, "they were sawed apart") is found in some of the best MSS (Ì46 [D* twice reads ejpivrsqhsan, "they were burned"?] 1241s syrp sa Origenpt Eusebius). Other MSS have ejpeiravsqhsan (ejpeirasqhsan, "they were tempted"), either before "sawed apart" (Í L P 048 33 81 326 1505 et pauci syrh boms), after "sawed apart" (Ì13vid A D1 Y 1739 1881 Byz lat bo Origenpt), or altogether in place of "sawed apart" (0150 vgmss Clement). Since the two words ejprivsqhsan and ejpeiravsqhsan are so much alike in sight and sound, and since the position of "they were tempted" varies in the MSS, it seems best to say that ejpeiravsqhsan is an accidental corruption of ejprivsqhsan or an intentional change to a more common word (the root of ejprivsqhsan [privzw] occurs only here in the NT, while the root of ejpeiravsqhsan [peiravzw] occurs much more frequently). The best reading here is "sawed apart" without any addition before or after.
42sn (11:39) The expression these all were commended forms an inclusio with Heb 11:2: the chapter begins and ends with references to commendation for faith.
43tn (11:39) Grk "the promise," referring to the thing God promised, not to the pledge itself.
44tn (11:40) The Greek phrasing emphasizes this point by negating the opposite: "so that they would not be made perfect without us."
1tn (12:1) Grk "having such a great cloud of witnesses surrounding us."
2sn (12:2) An allusion to Ps 110:1.
3tn (12:4) Grk "until blood."
4tn (12:5) Or "disregard," "think little of."
5tn (12:5) Or "reproves," "rebukes." The Greek verb ejlevgcw (elencw) implies exposing someone's sin in order to bring correction.
6sn (12:6) A quotation from Prov 3:11-12.
7tn (12:7) Grk "endure," with the object ("your suffering") understood from the context.
8tn (12:7) Or "in order to become disciplined."
9tn (12:8) Grk "you are without discipline."
10tn (12:8) Grk "all"; "sons" is implied by the context.
11tn (12:9) Grk "we had our earthly fathers as discipliners."
12tn (12:9) Grk "the fathers of our flesh." In Hebrews, "flesh" is a characteristic way of speaking about outward, physical, earthly life (cf. Heb 5:7; 9:10, 13), as opposed to the inward or spiritual dimensions of life.
13tn (12:9) Grk "and live."
sn (12:9) Submit ourselves...to the Father of spirits and receive life. This idea is drawn from Proverbs, where the Lord's discipline brings life, while resistance to it leads to death (cf. Prov 4:13; 6:23; 10:17; 16:17).
14tn (12:11) Grk "all discipline at the time does not seem to be of joy, but of sorrow."
15tn (12:11) Grk "the peaceful fruit of righteousness."
16tn (12:12) Or "straighten."
17sn (12:12) A quotation from Isa 35:3. Strengthen your listless hands and your weak knees refers to the readers' need for renewed resolve and fresh strength in their struggles (cf. Heb 10:36-39; 12:1-3).
18sn (12:13) A quotation from Prov 4:26. The phrase make straight paths for your feet is figurative for "stay on God's paths."
19sn (12:14) The references to peace and holiness show the close connection between this paragraph and the previous one. The pathway toward "holiness" and the need for it is cited in Heb 12:10 and 14. More importantly Prov 4:26-27 sets up the transition from one paragraph to the next: it urges people to stay on godly paths (Prov 4:26, quoted here in v. 13) and promises that God will lead them in peace if they do so (Prov 4:27 in LXX, quoted in v. 14).
20tn (12:15) Grk "that there not be any root of bitterness," but referring figuratively to a person who causes trouble (as in Deut 29:17 LXX from which this is quoted).
sn (12:15) An allusion to Deut 29:18.
21tn (12:16) Grk "that there not be any," continuing from v. 15.
22sn (12:16) An allusion to Gen 27:34-41.
23tn (12:17) Or "a command: for understand that."
24tn (12:17) Grk "it," referring either to the repentance or the blessing. But the account in Gen 27:34-41 (which the author appeals to here) makes it clear that the blessing is what Esau sought. Thus in the translation the referent (the blessing) is specified for clarity.
25tn (12:18) This describes the nation of Israel approaching God on Mt. Sinai (Exod 19). There is a clear contrast with the reference to Mount Zion in v. 22, so this could be translated "a mountain that can be touched." But the word "mountain" does not occur here and the more vague description seems to be deliberate.
26tn (12:19) Grk "a voice of words."
27tn (12:19) Grk "a voice...from which those who heard begged that a word not be added to them."
28sn (12:20) A quotation from Exod 19:12-13.
29tn (12:21) Grk "that which appeared."
30tn (12:21) Grk "I am terrified and trembling."
sn (12:21) A quotation from Deut 9:19.
31tn (12:22) Grk "and the city"; the conjunction is omitted in translation since it seems to be functioning epexegetically--that is, explaining further what is meant by "Mount Zion."
32tn (12:24) The Greek word mesivth" (mesith", "mediator") in this context does not imply that Jesus was a mediator in the contemporary sense of the word, i.e., he worked for compromise between opposing parties. Here the term describes his function as the one who was used by God to enact a new covenant which established a new relationship between God and his people, but entirely on God's terms.
33sn (12:24) Abel's shed blood cried out to the Lord for justice and judgment, but Jesus' blood speaks of redemption and forgiveness, something better than Abel's does (Gen 4:10; Heb 9:11-14; 11:4).
34sn (12:26) A quotation from Hag 2:6.
35sn (12:29) A quotation from Deut 4:24; 9:3.
1sn (13:2) This is a vague allusion to people described in scripture and extra-biblical literature and may include Abraham and Sarah (Gen 18:2-15), Lot (Gen 19:1-14), Gideon (Judg 6:11-18), Manoah (Judg 13:3-22), and possibly Tobit (Tob 12:1-20).
2tn (13:3) Grk "as being imprisoned together."
3tn (13:3) Or "since you too are vulnerable"; Grk "you also being in the body."
4sn (13:5) A quotation from Deut 31:6, 8.
5tc (13:6) Some MSS (Í* C* P 33 1739 lat et pauci) omit the word "and."
6sn (13:6) A quotation from Ps 118:6.
7tn (13:9) Grk "by diverse and strange teachings."
8tn (13:9) Grk "foods," referring to the meals associated with the OT sacrifices (see the contrast with the next verse; also 9:9-10; 10:1, 4, 11).
9tn (13:11) Grk "whose blood is brought by the high priest."
10tn (13:13) Grk "his abuse."
11tn (13:16) Grk "neglect doing good and fellowship."
12tn (13:17) Or "as ones who will give an account"; Grk "as giving an account."
13tn (13:17) Grk "that they may do this."
14tn (13:19) Grk "I urge you to do this all the more."
15tc (13:21) Some MSS (Í A K P 33 81 1739 Byz) include the words "and ever" here, but the shorter reading (supported by Ì46 C3 D Y al) is preferred on internal grounds.
16tn (13:22) Grk "brothers." See note on the phrase "brothers and sisters" in 2:11.
17tn (13:23) Grk "Know that" (an imperative).
18tn (13:23) Grk "has been released, with whom, if he comes soon, I will see you."