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Heb 3 V1 V2 V3 V4 V5 V6 V8 V9 V10 V11 V12 V13 V14 V15 V16 V17 V18 V19

OET interlinear HEB 3:7

◄ ← HEB 3:7 ↓ → ► ║ ©

SR Greek word order (including unused variant words in grey)

    1. Greek word
    2. Greek lemma
    3. OET-LV words
    4. OET-RV words
    5. Strongs
    6. Role/Morphology
    7. OET Gloss
    8. VLT Gloss
    9. CAPS codes
    10. Confidence
    11. OET tags
    12. OET word #
    1. Διό
    2. dio
    3. Therefore
    4. Therefore
    5. 13520
    6. C·······
    7. therefore
    8. therefore
    9. PS
    10. Y64
    11. 141685
    1. καθώς
    2. kathōs
    3. as
    4. -
    5. 25310
    6. C·······
    7. as
    8. as
    9. -
    10. Y64
    11. 141686
    1. λέγει
    2. legō
    3. is saying
    4. -
    5. 30040
    6. VIPA3··S
    7. ˓is˒ saying
    8. ˓is˒ saying
    9. -
    10. Y64
    11. 141687
    1. τό
    2. ho
    3. the
    4. -
    5. 35880
    6. E····NNS
    7. the
    8. the
    9. -
    10. Y64
    11. 141688
    1. Πνεῦμα
    2. pneuma
    3. spirit
    4. spirit
    5. 41510
    6. N····NNS
    7. spirit
    8. Spirit
    9. GN
    10. Y64; Person=Holy_Spirit
    11. 141689
    1. τό
    2. ho
    3. the
    4. -
    5. 35880
    6. E····NNS
    7. ¬the
    8. ¬the
    9. -
    10. Y64
    11. 141690
    1. Ἅγιον
    2. hagios
    3. holy
    4. -
    5. 400
    6. A····NNS
    7. holy
    8. Holy
    9. G
    10. Y64; Person=Holy_Spirit
    11. 141691
    1. Σήμερον
    2. sēmeron
    3. Today
    4. ‘Today
    5. 45940
    6. D·······
    7. today
    8. today
    9. B
    10. Y64
    11. 141692
    1. ἐάν
    2. ean
    3. if
    4. -
    5. 14370
    6. C·······
    7. if
    8. if
    9. -
    10. Y64
    11. 141693
    1. τῆς
    2. ho
    3. of the
    4. -
    5. 35880
    6. E····GFS
    7. ˱of˲ the
    8. ˱of˲ the
    9. -
    10. Y64
    11. 141694
    1. φωνῆς
    2. fōnē
    3. voice
    4. voice
    5. 54560
    6. N····GFS
    7. voice
    8. voice
    9. -
    10. Y64
    11. 141695
    1. μού
    2. egō
    3. -
    4. -
    5. 14730
    6. R···1G·S
    7. ˱of˲ me
    8. ˱of˲ me
    9. -
    10. -
    11. 141696
    1. αὐτοῦ
    2. autos
    3. of him
    4. his
    5. 8460
    6. R···3GMS
    7. ˱of˲ him
    8. ˱of˲ him
    9. -
    10. Y64
    11. 141697
    1. ἀκούσητε
    2. akouō
    3. you all may hear
    4. you hear
    5. 1910
    6. VSAA2··P
    7. ˱you_all˲ ˓may˒ hear
    8. ˱you_all˲ ˓may˒ hear
    9. -
    10. Y64
    11. 141698

OET (OET-LV) Therefore as is_saying the spirit the holy:
Today if of_the voice of_him you_all_may_hear,

OET (OET-RV) Therefore the holy spirit says:
 ⇔ ‘Today if you hear his voice,

SIL Open Translator’s Notes:

Section 3:7–19: Warning: Do not reject God’s offer of rest

In the earlier sections of Hebrews the author showed that Jesus was greater than both the angels and Moses. In 2:1–4 he gave a first warning not to refuse the message which Jesus brought. Here in 3:7–19 he gave a second warning not to refuse Jesus’ message, especially the “rest” that God offers through Jesus. The author quoted from Psalm 95, which says that God wanted to give the people of Israel a land where they could have rest from their enemies. When they were slaves in Egypt, he sent Moses to lead them to that land, but they rebelled against God in the wilderness. Then God did not allow them to enter the land of rest.

It is often difficult to decide how to translate “rest” in this section and in chapter 4. Psalm 95 and Hebrews do refer to the time when Moses was alive and God promised to give the people of Israel land. However, King David was already in that land when he wrote the psalm, so the “rest” could not refer to the land. It refers to a different type of “rest.” That rest is a way of trusting God and depending on him for everything. We especially trust him to save us from our sins and give us eternal life. Because of the rest that God gives, we can have peace even when we suffer.

Be careful not to imply that the rest that God promises his people today is a certain place or land. Some scholars believe that the rest refers to heaven. It is true that we will have perfect rest in heaven, but Hebrews indicates that the rest that God provides for us begins on earth when we trust in Jesus.

Some other headings for this section are:

Rest for God’s People

Warning Against Unbelief (NIV)

We Must Continue to Follow/Obey God

Scholars differ about where to end this warning section. Some scholars end the warning at 3:19. Others make the warning section continue to 4:13. In these notes, 3:19 is the end of this second warning section, and the following section is 4:1–13.

Paragraph 3:7–11

This paragraph contains a long quotation. You should use the format which you usually use for such quotations. This quotation from Psalm 95:7b–11 refers to the years when the people of Israel were traveling through the desert to the land of Canaan. God did many miracles for them, but they often complained against him.

In 3:8a–9a the quotation from Psalm 95 probably refers to a specific time when the people of Israel complained.There are two main views about which “rebellion” and “day of testing” the author referred to here:(a) He referred to the time that the Israelites rebelled against God at Kadesh Barnea. They refused to enter the land of Canaan that God promised to give them (Numbers 14:22).(b) He referred to the time that the Israelites rebelled against God at the place that was later named Meribah and Massah. They complained that they had no water, and they made God angry by their attitude and by what they said (Exodus 17:1–7).Option (a) is probably more likely in this context. It may refer to Exodus 17:1–7, when they did not find water to drink where they camped. However, it is more likely that it refers to Numbers 14, where they refused to enter the land that the Lord wanted to give them. That interpretation fits well with the theme of “rest” in Hebrews 4.

In 3:9b–11 the author referred to what the people of Israel did during the whole forty year period when they wandered through the desert. In 3:7–8a he indicates that followers of Jesus must not stubbornly reject what God tells them to do, as the people of Israel did in the desert.

3:7–8

The Greek text of 3:7 refers to God’s voice as “his voice,” and in 3:8 the author does not need to refer to him explicitly. However, in 3:9–11, the author uses pronouns like “I,” “me” and “my” to refer to God. English versions differ in the way they refer to God in 3:7–8. Refer to him in those verses in a way that is clear in your language.

Some ways to translate 3:7–8 are:

As the Holy Spirit says, “If you hear God speak today, don’t be stubborn. Don’t be stubborn like those who rebelled and tested me in the desert. (GW)

So then, as the Holy Spirit says, “If you hear God’s voice today, do not be stubborn, as your ancestors were when they rebelled against God, as they were that day in the desert when they put him to the test. (GNT)

3:7a

Therefore, as the Holy Spirit says:

Therefore: The conjunction ThereforeIn the book of Hebrews, this conjunction (dio) occurs in the following verses: 3:7, 3:10, 6:1, 10:5, 11:12, 11:16, 12:12, 12:28, and 13:12. It always occurs first in the sentence. introduces a conclusion from 3:1–6. We are God’s house (family), so we must listen to him and do what he says. Some ways to translate the conjunction are:

Because of that

Now, therefore

So

as the Holy Spirit says: This phrase introduces a quotation from Scripture. It implies that the Holy Spirit is the one who spoke those words and inspired a person to write them. The phrase is another way to refer to what Scripture says. This is the first time that the author introduced a quotation from the Old Testament in this way.

Here the author quoted what King David wrote in Psalm 95:7b–11. In some languages it may be helpful to refer to King David by name here, as the author does in 4:7, when he quotes from Psalm 95 again. Be sure to indicate or imply that the author referred to Scripture. It is often helpful to use the normal way that you refer to Scripture in your language. For example:

As the Holy Spirit said and King David wrote in God’s book

The Holy Spirit spoke through King David and it was written saying

It is also helpful in some languages to include part of the meaning of the quotation in the introduction, so that it sounds more natural. Notice the implied words in the following example:

Therefore you must do as the Holy Spirit said,

Holy Spirit: The Greek phrase that the BSB translates as Holy Spirit refers to the Spirit of God. The Holy Spirit is God, together with God the Father and God the Son. The Holy Spirit is “spirit” in the sense that he is a living being who does not have a physical body. He is “holy” in the sense that he is God and unique from every other being. He is perfect in every way and is completely pure and sinless.

Some ways to translate Holy Spirit are:

Spirit/Breath of God

Holy/Sacred Spirit

Do not imply that the Holy Spirit is like the ghost of a dead person or that God has died. The term Holy Spirit also occurred in 2:4c. See how you translated it there.

3:7b

“Today, if you hear His voice,

Here the author began to quote from Psalm 95.

Today: In this context the word Today refers to the present moment or time. Some ways to translate Today in the context are:

right now

now at this time

on this very day

Here the word Today comes first in the sentence to emphasize it. It implies that when a person hears God voice, he should respond immediately. He should not delay.

if you hear His voice: There are several ways to interpret the if clause here:

  1. It means that you should listen to what God says. (It is a command or exhortation.Allen (page 235–236, Kindle edition) says, “The hortatory nature of Hebrews 3:1–6 is signaled by…the use of an imperative in 3:1 and an imperatival idea semantically encoded in the conditional clause of verse 6.”) For example:

    you must listen to his voice (NLT96)

    Oh, that today you would listen…! (NET) (NET, NLT96, NCV)

  2. It means when you hear what God says. For example:

    when you hear his voice (NLT04) (NLT04, RSV)

  3. It means if you hear what God says. (It is a condition.) For example:

    If you hear God speak (GW) (BSB, NIV, NRSV, ESV, NASB, REB, GW, CEV)

It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1), along with many Bible scholars.The Translator’s Handbook (page 60) says, “The Greek word usually means ‘if,’ but sometimes, as in John 12:32, 14:3; 1 John 2:28, it is virtually equal to ‘when.’ Here the question is not whether people will ‘hear God’s voice (since God is speaking or is about to speak in this very passage), but whether, when people have heard his voice, they will obey it.” Although more English versions have if, it may imply a wrong meaning here. In this context, the if clause does not imply that the listeners may not hear God’s voice. The author is about to tell them what God says.

you: The pronoun you is plural and refers to all the people who hear (or read) what God said.

hear His voice: The phrase hear His voice refers here to listening to what God says. It implies listening in order to obey. For example:

listen to him!

hear what he says and obey it

uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: grammar-connect-logic-result

διό

(Some words not found in SR-GNT: Διό καθώς λέγει τό Πνεῦμα τό Ἅγιον Σήμερον ἐάν τῆς φωνῆς αὐτοῦ ἀκούσητε)

The word Therefore introduces an exhortation that is based on the claim from the previous verse that we are his “house” as long as “we hold fast” (See: [3:6](../03/06.md)). If it would be helpful in your language, you could use a word or phrase that introduces an exhortation that is based on a previous statement. Alternate translation: [So then]

Note 2 topic: writing-quotations

καθὼς λέγει τὸ Πνεῦμα τὸ Ἅγιον

(Some words not found in SR-GNT: Διό καθώς λέγει τό Πνεῦμα τό Ἅγιον Σήμερον ἐάν τῆς φωνῆς αὐτοῦ ἀκούσητε)

Here and in the next four verses, the author quotes from the Old Testament. The audience would have understood that this was a quotation from the Old Testament, here from [Psalm 95:7b–11](../../psa/95/07.md), which refers to a story that can be found in [Numbers 14:1–38](../../num/14/01.md). See the chapter introduction for more information about this story. Since the author introduces this quotation as words that the Holy Spirit says, you should introduce the quotation as words that someone has said. If your readers would not know that the quotation is from the Old Testament, you could include a footnote or use some other form to identify the quotation. Alternate translation: [as says the Holy Spirit]

Note 3 topic: grammar-connect-condition-fact

ἐὰν

(Some words not found in SR-GNT: Διό καθώς λέγει τό Πνεῦμα τό Ἅγιον Σήμερον ἐάν τῆς φωνῆς αὐτοῦ ἀκούσητε)

The author is speaking as if “hearing his voice” were a hypothetical possibility, but he means that it is actually true. If your language does not state something as a condition if it is certain or true, and if your readers might misunderstand and think that what the author is saying is not certain, then you could express the idea by using a word such as “when.” Alternate translation: [whenever]

Note 4 topic: writing-pronouns

αὐτοῦ

˱of˲_him

The word his refers to God the Father. This means that the Holy Spirit speaks about the Father’s voice. If it would be helpful in your language, you could make explicit that the pronoun refers to God. Alternate translation: [God the Father’s]

OET-LV English word order (‘Reverse’ interlinear)

    1. OET-LV words
    2. OET-RV words
    3. Strongs
    4. Greek word
    5. Greek lemma
    6. Role/Morphology
    7. OET Gloss
    8. VLT Gloss
    9. CAPS codes
    10. Confidence
    11. OET tags
    12. OET word #
    1. Therefore
    2. Therefore
    3. 13520
    4. PS
    5. dio
    6. C-·······
    7. therefore
    8. therefore
    9. PS
    10. Y64
    11. 141685
    1. as
    2. -
    3. 25310
    5. kathōs
    6. C-·······
    7. as
    8. as
    9. -
    10. Y64
    11. 141686
    1. is saying
    2. -
    3. 30040
    5. legō
    6. V-IPA3··S
    7. ˓is˒ saying
    8. ˓is˒ saying
    9. -
    10. Y64
    11. 141687
    1. the
    2. -
    3. 35880
    5. ho
    6. E-····NNS
    7. the
    8. the
    9. -
    10. Y64
    11. 141688
    1. spirit
    2. spirit
    3. 41510
    4. GN
    5. pneuma
    6. N-····NNS
    7. spirit
    8. Spirit
    9. GN
    10. Y64; Person=Holy_Spirit
    11. 141689
    1. the
    2. -
    3. 35880
    5. ho
    6. E-····NNS
    7. ¬the
    8. ¬the
    9. -
    10. Y64
    11. 141690
    1. holy
    2. -
    3. 400
    4. G
    5. hagios
    6. A-····NNS
    7. holy
    8. Holy
    9. G
    10. Y64; Person=Holy_Spirit
    11. 141691
    1. Today
    2. ‘Today
    3. 45940
    4. B
    5. sēmeron
    6. D-·······
    7. today
    8. today
    9. B
    10. Y64
    11. 141692
    1. if
    2. -
    3. 14370
    5. ean
    6. C-·······
    7. if
    8. if
    9. -
    10. Y64
    11. 141693
    1. of the
    2. -
    3. 35880
    5. ho
    6. E-····GFS
    7. ˱of˲ the
    8. ˱of˲ the
    9. -
    10. Y64
    11. 141694
    1. voice
    2. voice
    3. 54560
    5. fōnē
    6. N-····GFS
    7. voice
    8. voice
    9. -
    10. Y64
    11. 141695
    1. of him
    2. his
    3. 8460
    5. autos
    6. R-···3GMS
    7. ˱of˲ him
    8. ˱of˲ him
    9. -
    10. Y64
    11. 141697
    1. you all may hear
    2. you hear
    3. 1910
    5. akouō
    6. V-SAA2··P
    7. ˱you_all˲ ˓may˒ hear
    8. ˱you_all˲ ˓may˒ hear
    9. -
    10. Y64
    11. 141698

OET (OET-LV) Therefore as is_saying the spirit the holy:
Today if of_the voice of_him you_all_may_hear,

OET (OET-RV) Therefore the holy spirit says:
 ⇔ ‘Today if you hear his voice,

Note: The OET-RV is still only a first draft, and so far only a few words have been (mostly automatically) matched to the Hebrew or Greek words that they’re translated from.

Acknowledgements: The SR Greek text, lemmas, morphology, and VLT gloss are all thanks to the CNTR.

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◄ ← HEB 3:7 ↑ → ► ║ ©