OET interlinear HEB 6:1

uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: grammar-connect-logic-result

διὸ

therefore

Here, the phrase So then introduces what the author wants his audience to do in response to the warning he gave in 5:11–14. If it would be helpful in your language, you could use a word or phrase that introduces an application or inference. Alternate translation: “Because of that”

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

ἀφέντες τὸν τῆς ἀρχῆς τοῦ Χριστοῦ λόγον, ἐπὶ τὴν τελειότητα φερώμεθα

/having/_left the ˱of˲_the beginning ˱of˲_the Messiah word to ¬the perfection ˱we˲_/may_be_being/_brought

Here the author speaks as if the beginning of the message of Christ were the starting point for a journey and as if maturity were the destination. He speaks in this way to encourage his audience to focus more time and energy on the destination (maturity) than on where they started out (the beginning of the message). He does not want them to replace the beginning of the message with what is related to maturity. Rather, he is exhorting them about what to focus their time and energy on. If it would be helpful in your language, you could state the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: “putting to the side the beginning of the message of Christ, let us take up maturity” or “focusing less on the beginning of the message of Christ, let us focus more on maturity”

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / possession

τὸν τῆς ἀρχῆς τοῦ Χριστοῦ λόγον

the ˱of˲_the beginning ˱of˲_the Messiah word

Here the author uses the possessive form to identify the parts of the message about Christ with which a person would “begin.” If it would be helpful in your language, you could express the idea in a form that is more natural. Alternate translation: “what you first learned about Christ”

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / abstractnouns

ἐπὶ τὴν τελειότητα

to ¬the perfection

If your language does not use an abstract noun for the idea of maturity, you could express the idea by using an adjective such as “mature.” The idea of maturity could relate primarily to: (1) the audience and how they are becoming “mature.” Alternate translation: “to becoming mature people” (2) the message or teachings that the “mature” learn. Alternate translation: “to teachings for mature people”

Note 5 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

μὴ πάλιν θεμέλιον καταβαλλόμενοι

not again /a/_foundation laying_down

Here the author speaks about teaching basic things as if it were laying a foundation. He speaks in this way because the foundation is the first thing that a builder “lays,” and the builder soon begins to build on top of that foundation. If it would be helpful in your language, you could state the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: “not rehearsing again the simple teachings” or “not learning again the basics”

Note 6 topic: figures-of-speech / abstractnouns

μετανοίας ἀπὸ νεκρῶν ἔργων, καὶ πίστεως

˱of˲_repentance from dead works and faith

If your language does not use abstract nouns for the ideas of repentance and faith, you could express the ideas in another way. Alternate translation: “about repenting from dead works and about believing”

Note 7 topic: figures-of-speech / personification

νεκρῶν ἔργων

dead works

Here the author describes the works as if they were a dead person or animal. The author could describe the works as dead because: (1) they cannot accomplish anything, just like a dead person cannot do anything. Alternate translation: “works that accomplish nothing” (2) they lead to physical and spiritual death for the person who does them. Alternate translation: “works that lead to death”