Hebrews 10
The law has a shadow of the good things to come and not the image itself, so the sacrifices repeated year by year cannot bring the worshippers to completion — otherwise they would have ceased. Instead there is in them a remembrance of sins year by year, for the blood of bulls and goats cannot take away sins. So, coming into the world, he says in Ps 40: “Sacrifice and offering you did not want, but a body you prepared for me … Behold, I have come to do your will.” He does away with the first to establish the second, and in that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. Every priest stands day by day offering the same sacrifices, but this one, having offered one sacrifice for sins, sat down continually at the right hand of God — by one offering he has brought to completion continually those who are being sanctified. The Holy Spirit testifies too, citing Jeremiah again; and where there is release, there is no longer an offering for sin. So, having openness for the entrance into the holy places by the blood of Jesus, and a fresh and living way inaugurated through the curtain, let us draw near with a true heart, hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, look at one another for a stirring up of love and good works, not forsaking our gathering but exhorting one another the more as we see the day drawing near. Then comes the second warning: if we sin willingly after receiving the knowledge of the truth, no sacrifice remains, only a fearful waiting for judgement. If setting aside the law of Moses brought death without compassions, how much worse a punishment for one who has trampled the Son of God, held the blood of the covenant common, and insulted the Spirit of grace. It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God. But remember the former days: after being given light you endured a great struggle of sufferings, were made a spectacle by revilings and afflictions, suffered with the prisoners and welcomed with joy the plunder of your possessions, knowing you had a better and abiding possession. Do not throw off your openness, which has a great recompense. “For yet a very little while, and the one who is coming will come and will not delay; but my righteous one will live by faith.” We are not of shrinking back to destruction, but of faith to the possession of the life.
Why this rendering
Heb.10.4 Observation
Syntactic observation
Σκιὰν γὰρ ἔχων ὁ νόμος τῶν μελλόντων ἀγαθῶν, οὐκ αὐτὴν τὴν εἰκόνα τῶν πραγμάτων … At 9:11 it was ‘the good things that have come’; here it is ‘the good things to come’ — the base text reads the same phrase differently in the two places · σκιά ‘shadow’ (at 8:5 it was ‘a pattern and shadow’) is now paired with εἰκών ‘image’ — a shadow stands one step further off than a pattern · εἰκών is the word of Matt 22:20 · διηνεκές ‘continually’ comes three times in this chapter (vv.1 · 12 · 14): first of sacrifices offered without end, then of his sitting down and of his bringing to completion · τελειῶσαι is the verb of 2:10, 7:19 and 9:9 · ἀνάμνησις ‘remembrance’ (as fixed at Luke 22:19, the word inside the brackets there) is here a remembrance of sins · ἀφαιρέω ‘take away’ (as fixed at Luke 1:25) · ⸀δύναται is singular, so the law is the subject (the plural would make the sacrifices the subject).
Rendering options · 3
Basis The base text prints ‘that have come’ at 9:11 and ‘to come’ here — levelling the two would erase the difference it chose.
Basis ‘Pattern and shadow’ at 8:5 already had the shadow, and here it faces the image — three words make a ladder, and merging any would break it.
Basis The sacrifices of v.1 and he of vv.12 · 14 share one word, and that is the chapter’s frame.
Lost in translation
μελλόντων (10:1) / γενομένων (9:11) — the base text reads the phrase differently in two places. Both render it as it stands.
σκιά · εἰκών · ὑπόδειγμα (8:5 · 10:1) — three words in a ladder. ‘Pattern · shadow · image’ keeps them apart.
εἰς τὸ διηνεκές three times (vv.1 · 12 · 14) — sacrifices and he share one word. ‘Continually’ joins the three.
ἀνάμνησις (v.3) — the ‘remembrance’ of Luke 22:19, here of sins. Both stand alike.
⸀δύναται singular (v.1) — the law is the subject. Both keep it so.
ταύρων καὶ τράγων (v.4) — the order of 9:13 reversed. Both keep the order.
Why this rendering
Heb.10.10 Observation
Syntactic observation
διὸ εἰσερχόμενος εἰς τὸν κόσμον λέγει· Θυσίαν καὶ προσφορὰν οὐκ ἠθέλησας, σῶμα δὲ κατηρτίσω μοι … The quotation is Ps 40:6-8 · the Greek Old Testament reads ‘a body you prepared for me’ where the Hebrew has ‘ears you dug for me’, and this book builds its argument on that reading — the writer uses the Greek text · κεφαλίς ‘roll’ is once in the New Testament, from the same ‘head’ as κεφάλαιον at 8:1, naming the knob of a scroll · ὁλοκαύτωμα ‘whole burnt offering’ stands three times (Mark 12:33 and twice here) · περὶ ἁμαρτίας names a sacrifice with a phrase and no noun (a set idiom of the Greek Old Testament), and the base text leaves it so · καταρτίζω ‘prepare’ (‘make complete’ as fixed at Gal 6:1, ‘mend’ at Matt 4:21 — site-bound renderings) · ἀναιρέω ‘do away with’ (as fixed at Acts 23:15) is the verb used in Acts of killing men · ἵστημι ‘establish’ stands opposite it · ἐφάπαξ ‘once for all’ comes a third time after 7:27 and 9:12.
Rendering options · 3
Basis What this book quotes is the Greek text, and the argument of v.10 hangs on ‘body’ — restoring the Hebrew ‘ears’ would break it.
Basis The text leaves the phrase bare · Korean can keep it empty; English must carry over ‘offerings’.
Basis ἀναιρέω is the verb of killing men in Acts and ἵστημι the verb of setting up — the two face each other in one clause.
Lost in translation
σῶμα κατηρτίσω μοι (v.5) — where the Greek Old Testament parts from the Hebrew. The writer builds on the Greek.
κεφαλίς (v.7) — from the same ‘head’ as κεφάλαιον at 8:1. ‘Roll’ does not carry the root.
περὶ ἁμαρτίας (vv.6 · 8) — a bare phrase naming a sacrifice. English must supply the noun.
ἀναιρεῖ (v.9) — the verb of killing men in Acts. ‘Does away with’ carries half the grain.
θυσία / προσφορά (vv.5 · 8 · 10 · 14 · 18) — two words threading the chapter. ‘Sacrifice / offering’ keeps them apart.
Ἰδοὺ ἥκω (vv.7 · 9) — the same words twice. ‘Behold, I have come’ keeps the repetition.
Why this rendering
Heb.10.14 Observation
Syntactic observation
Καὶ πᾶς μὲν ἱερεὺς ἕστηκεν καθ’ ἡμέραν λειτουργῶν … ⸀οὗτος δὲ μίαν ὑπὲρ ἁμαρτιῶν προσενέγκας θυσίαν εἰς τὸ διηνεκὲς ἐκάθισεν ἐν δεξιᾷ τοῦ θεοῦ … ἕστηκεν ‘stands’ and ἐκάθισεν ‘sat down’ face each other — the priest stands, he sat · ‘the same sacrifices many times’ against ‘one sacrifice’, ‘day by day’ against ‘continually’ — three pairs interlocking · περιαιρέω ‘take away’ (as fixed at Acts 27:40) is a different word from ἀφαιρέω ‘take away’ in v.4 · Ps 110:1, quoted at 1:13, returns here — there ‘Sit at my right hand’, here one already seated who waits · ἐκδέχομαι ‘wait for’ (as fixed at Acts 17:16) · τετελείωκεν is perfect — ‘he has brought to completion’, against ‘can never bring to completion’ in v.1 · τοὺς ἁγιαζομένους, present passive participle, ‘those who are being sanctified’, differs in time from the perfect ‘we have been sanctified’ in v.10.
Rendering options · 3
Basis The text sets standing against sitting — keeping both verbs lets the contrast show by itself.
Basis vv.4 and 11 are different verbs inside one chapter · Korean keeps them apart; English shares one rendering (recorded).
Basis v.10 is perfect and v.14 present, so the text changes the time — levelling them would lose it.
Lost in translation
ἕστηκεν / ἐκάθισεν (vv.11-12) — standing against sitting. Both keep it.
ἀφαιρέω (v.4) / περιαιρέω (v.11) — two different verbs in one chapter. English shares one rendering.
ἡγιασμένοι (v.10) / ἁγιαζομένους (v.14) — perfect and present. ‘Have been / are being’ keeps the change.
τελειῶσαι (v.1) / τετελείωκεν (v.14) — what cannot be done and what has been done. One verb shows the contrast.
Ps 110:1 (1:13 · 10:13) — the same quotation moved to after the sitting. Both stand alike.
καθ’ ἡμέραν / εἰς τὸ διηνεκές (vv.11-12) — day by day against continually. Both keep them apart.
Why this rendering
Heb.10.18 Observation
Syntactic observation
μαρτυρεῖ δὲ ἡμῖν καὶ τὸ πνεῦμα τὸ ἅγιον, μετὰ γὰρ τὸ ⸀εἰρηκέναι· Αὕτη ἡ διαθήκη … The quotation of 8:10 returns here with heart and mind reversed — at 8:10 ‘into their mind … on their hearts’, here ‘on their hearts … on their mind’ · the base text prints the two places differently and this edition renders them so · at 8:8 it was ‘says the Lord’; here it is the Holy Spirit who testifies — the step of 3:7 · the sentence opens with μετὰ τὸ εἰρηκέναι and its main verb does not come until v.17 — the quotation breaks in and splits it · ἀνομία ‘lawless deeds’ (as fixed at Matt 7:23) is added here where 8:12 did not have it · ἄφεσις ‘release’ (as fixed at Luke 4:18) · προσφορά ‘offering’ (as fixed at Acts 21:26) closes the passage.
Rendering options · 3
Basis The base text prints the same quotation differently in the two places — levelling them would erase the difference.
Basis vv.15-17 are one sentence split down the middle by the quotation — without dashes ‘after saying’ and ‘he then says’ cannot find each other.
Basis At 3:7 the psalm was already cited as the Spirit’s speech — the same step, kept.
Lost in translation
The order of heart and mind (8:10 · 10:16) — the base text prints them differently. Both render it so.
vv.15-17 are one sentence split by the quotation. The dashes show the break.
ἀνομία (v.17) — a word added that 8:12 did not have. ‘Lawless deeds’ shows the addition.
μαρτυρεῖ (v.15) — the Spirit testifies now. The present is kept.
περὶ ἁμαρτίας (v.18) — the phrase of vv.6 · 8 returning. Both stand alike.
ἄφεσις (v.18) — the ‘release’ of 9:22 returning. Both stand alike.
Why this rendering
Heb.10.25 Observation
Syntactic observation
Ἔχοντες οὖν, ἀδελφοί, παρρησίαν εἰς τὴν εἴσοδον τῶν ἁγίων ἐν τῷ αἵματι Ἰησοῦ, ἣν ἐνεκαίνισεν ἡμῖν ὁδὸν πρόσφατον καὶ ζῶσαν … Three ‘let us’ verbs follow — let us draw near, hold fast, look at one another · πρόσφατος ‘fresh’ is once in the New Testament and once meant ‘freshly killed’, so standing beside ‘living’ it makes an odd pair · ἐγκαινίζω ‘inaugurate’ returns from 9:18 — there of the first covenant, here of a way · whether τοῦτ’ ἔστιν τῆς σαρκὸς αὐτοῦ attaches to the curtain or to the way the text does not say · ῥαντίζω ‘sprinkled’ (as fixed at 9:13) and λούω ‘bathed’ (as fixed at John 13:10) stand side by side, the first of hearts and the second of the body · παροξυσμός ‘a stirring up’ is the word for ‘sharp disagreement’ at Acts 15:39, turned round here · ἐπισυναγωγή ‘gathering’ (as fixed at 2 Thess 2:1) · ἐγκαταλείπω ‘forsake’ · ἐγγίζουσαν τὴν ἡμέραν ‘the day drawing near’ — which day is not said.
Rendering options · 3
Basis A word that once meant ‘freshly slain’ stands here beside ‘living’ — the overlap survives in neither rendering, so only the freshness is kept and the rest recorded.
Basis At Acts 15:39 it was ‘sharp disagreement’ — here the same word turns to the good, recorded as a site-bound rendering.
Basis Attached to the curtain, the flesh is the curtain; attached to the way, it is the way — the text does not settle it, so the position is kept.
Lost in translation
πρόσφατος (v.20) — a word that once meant ‘freshly slain’. The play against ‘living’ is lost.
τοῦτ’ ἔστιν τῆς σαρκὸς αὐτοῦ (v.20) — the curtain or the way. Keeping the position keeps it open.
παροξυσμός (v.24) — the ‘sharp disagreement’ of Acts 15:39 turned to the good. The places take different words.
ἐγκαινίζω (9:18 · 10:20) — moving from covenant to way. ‘Inaugurate’ joins the two.
Three ‘let us’ verbs (vv.22 · 23 · 24) — draw near, hold fast, look at one another.
τὴν ἡμέραν (v.25) — which day is not said. ‘The day’ adds nothing.
Why this rendering
Heb.10.31 Observation
Syntactic observation
Ἑκουσίως γὰρ ἁμαρτανόντων ἡμῶν … φοβερὰ δέ τις ἐκδοχὴ κρίσεως καὶ πυρὸς ζῆλος ἐσθίειν μέλλοντος τοὺς ὑπεναντίους … This is the second warning, after 6:4-8 · ἑκουσίως ‘willingly’ stands with 1 Pet 5:2 and shares a root with ἑκούσιος at Phlm 14 · ἐκδοχή ‘waiting’, τιμωρία ‘punishment’ and ἐνυβρίζω ‘insult’ are each once in the New Testament · φοβερός ‘fearful’ stands only three times, all in Hebrews (vv.27 · 31 and 12:21) · πυρὸς ζῆλος ‘a heat of fire’ — ζῆλος, the word for zeal, attached to fire · ὑπεναντίος ‘adversaries’ stands with Col 2:14 · καταπατέω ‘trample’ is the verb of salt trodden underfoot at Matt 5:13 · κοινός ‘common’ (as fixed at Mark 7:2, a site-bound rendering beside ‘common’ at Acts 2:44) · ἀξιωθήσεται, future passive, ‘will be counted worthy’, is the verb of 3:3 · the two quotations are Deut 32:35-36, and ‘vengeance’ is the word of Luke 18:7 · ἐμπίπτω ‘fall into’ (as fixed at Luke 6:39).
Rendering options · 3
Basis The word for zeal takes fire in the genitive — ‘a fury of fire’ would keep only the adjective.
Basis Fixed as ‘common’ at Mark 7:2, kept apart from ‘common’ in the other sense at Acts 2:44 · ‘unholy’ would lose the word.
Basis The word the widow asked for at Luke 18:7, and Rom 12:19 quotes the same verse of Deuteronomy — one rendering for the three.
Lost in translation
πυρὸς ζῆλος (v.27) — the word for zeal attached to fire. ‘A heat of fire’ carries half the grain.
καταπατήσας (v.29) — the verb of salt trodden underfoot at Matt 5:13. ‘Trampled’ joins the two.
κοινόν (v.29) — the ‘common’ of Mark 7:2, kept apart from the other sense at Acts 2:44.
ἀξιωθήσεται (v.29) — the verb of 3:3 returning, now of punishment. Both stand alike.
ἑκουσίως (v.26) — one root with ἑκούσιος at Phlm 14. ‘Willingly / voluntary’ joins them only in part.
ἐκδίκησις (v.30) — the word of Luke 18:7 and Rom 12:19. One rendering joins the three.
Why this rendering
Heb.10.39 Observation
Syntactic observation
Ἀναμιμνῄσκεσθε δὲ τὰς πρότερον ἡμέρας, ἐν αἷς φωτισθέντες πολλὴν ἄθλησιν ὑπεμείνατε παθημάτων … φωτισθέντες ‘given light’ returns from 6:4 — there of those who fell away, here of those who endured · ἄθλησις ‘struggle’ and θεατρίζω ‘be made a spectacle’ are each once in the New Testament, both words of the arena, the second from θέατρον ‘theatre’ · τοῦτο μέν … τοῦτο δέ ‘on the one hand … on the other’ · συμπαθέω, ‘suffer with’, returns from 4:15, here of the prisoners (δέσμιος, as fixed at Phlm 1) · ὕπαρξις ‘possession’ stands with Acts 2:45 · μισθαποδοσία ‘recompense’ returns from 2:2, where it was punishment and here reward · vv.37-38 quote Hab 2:3-4, and the base text reads ‘my righteous one’ (⸀μου) — Rom 1:17 and Gal 3:11 quote only ‘by faith’ · ὑποστολή ‘shrinking back’ is once in the New Testament and shares a root with the verb in v.38 · περιποίησις ‘possession’ (as fixed at Eph 1:14) shares a Korean rendering with ὕπαρξις in v.34 · ψυχή ‘life’ (as fixed at Mark 8:35).
Rendering options · 3
Basis The base text prints ‘my’ — Rom 1:17 and Gal 3:11 quote the line shorter, and the difference is the point.
Basis The verb of v.38 and the noun of v.39 share a root, and quotation and comment interlock on it.
Basis From θέατρον ‘theatre’, and ‘struggle’ just before is also a word of the arena — the two make one picture.
Lost in translation
ὑποστέλλω / ὑποστολή (vv.38-39) — verb and noun on one root. ‘Shrink back / shrinking back’ keeps it.
ἄθλησις · θεατρίζω (vv.32-33) — both words of the arena. ‘Struggle · spectacle’ keeps the picture.
ὕπαρξις (v.34) / περιποίησις (v.39) — two different words in one chapter. English keeps one for both too.
μισθαποδοσία (2:2 · 10:35) — turning from punishment to reward. ‘Recompense’ joins the two.
φωτισθέντες (6:4 · 10:32) — the same word of those who fell away and those who endured. Both stand alike.
⸀μου (v.38) — the base text prints ‘my’, against the shorter quotation at Rom 1:17 and Gal 3:11.