OET interlinear HEB 4:12

uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: grammar-connect-words-phrases

γὰρ

(Some words not found in SR-GNT: ζῶν Γάρ ὁ λόγος τοῦ Θεοῦ καί ἐνεργής καί τομώτερος ὑπέρ πασᾶν μάχαιραν δίστομον καί διϊκνούμενος ἄχρι μερισμοῦ ψυχῆς καί πνεύματος ἁρμῶν τέ καί μυελῶν καί κριτικός ἐνθυμήσεων καί ἐννοιῶν καρδίας)

The word For introduces a further reason for why we need to “be eager” ([4:11](../04/11.md)). If it would be helpful in your language, you could use a word or phrase that introduces the basis for an exhortation. Alternate translation: [We should do that because]

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / metonymy

ὁ λόγος τοῦ Θεοῦ

the word ¬the ˱of˲_God

The word word refers to what someone says in words. If it would be helpful in your language, you could use an equivalent expression or plain language. Alternate translation: [the message of God] or [what God says]

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / possession

ὁ λόγος τοῦ Θεοῦ

the word ¬the ˱of˲_God

The author uses the possessive form to describe a word that: (1) God speaks. Alternate translation: [the word that God speaks] (2) is God. Alternate translation: [the divine Word] or [God the Word]

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / personification

ζῶν & καὶ ἐνεργὴς & διϊκνούμενος & καὶ κριτικὸς

living_‹is› & (Some words not found in SR-GNT: ζῶν Γάρ ὁ λόγος τοῦ Θεοῦ καί ἐνεργής καί τομώτερος ὑπέρ πασᾶν μάχαιραν δίστομον καί διϊκνούμενος ἄχρι μερισμοῦ ψυχῆς καί πνεύματος ἁρμῶν τέ καί μυελῶν καί κριτικός ἐνθυμήσεων καί ἐννοιῶν καρδίας)

In these phrases, the author describes the word of God as if it were a person that was living and active and that could “pierce” and judge other people. He speaks in this way to show that God accomplishes these things through his word, that is, when he speaks. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express the idea by making God the subject of these actions or by using analogy form. Alternate translation: [is from the living and active God … God uses it to pierce … and God uses it to judge] or [is like a living and active person … piercing like a person pierces … and able, like a person, to judge]

Note 5 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

τομώτερος, ὑπὲρ πᾶσαν μάχαιραν δίστομον, καὶ διϊκνούμενος ἄχρι μερισμοῦ

sharper (Some words not found in SR-GNT: ζῶν Γάρ ὁ λόγος τοῦ Θεοῦ καί ἐνεργής καί τομώτερος ὑπέρ πασᾶν μάχαιραν δίστομον καί διϊκνούμενος ἄχρι μερισμοῦ ψυχῆς καί πνεύματος ἁρμῶν τέ καί μυελῶν καί κριτικός ἐνθυμήσεων καί ἐννοιῶν καρδίας)

The author compares the word of God to a sword that has two edges. God’s word is even sharper than that kind of sword, which means it is even better at piercing. The author uses this figure of speech to show how good the word of God is at discerning and judging humans. If it would be helpful in your language, you could state the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: [is like a very sharp two-edged sword that pierces to the dividing] or [able to distinguish what is wrong from what is right, including even the dividing]

Note 6 topic: translate-unknown

μάχαιραν δίστομον

sword double_edged

The phrase two-edged sword describes a weapon or tool with two sharp edges. This kind of sword can “pierce” something better than a sword with only one sharp edge can. If it would be helpful in your language, you could use a comparable term or a descriptive phrase. Alternate translation: [blade with two sharp edges]

Note 7 topic: translate-unknown

καὶ διϊκνούμενος ἄχρι μερισμοῦ ψυχῆς καὶ πνεύματος, ἁρμῶν τε καὶ μυελῶν

(Some words not found in SR-GNT: ζῶν Γάρ ὁ λόγος τοῦ Θεοῦ καί ἐνεργής καί τομώτερος ὑπέρ πασᾶν μάχαιραν δίστομον καί διϊκνούμενος ἄχρι μερισμοῦ ψυχῆς καί πνεύματος ἁρμῶν τέ καί μυελῶν καί κριτικός ἐνθυμήσεων καί ἐννοιῶν καρδίας)

The author refers to things that are hard to divide: joints and marrow are difficult to separate, as are soul and spirit. His point is that the word can separate things that are hard to separate, just like a very sharp sword can separate things. If it would be helpful in your language, you could use words or phrases that refer to cutting things into pieces. Alternate translation: [and slicing apart soul and spirit, joints and marrow]

Note 8 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

ψυχῆς καὶ πνεύματος

˱of˲_soul (Some words not found in SR-GNT: ζῶν Γάρ ὁ λόγος τοῦ Θεοῦ καί ἐνεργής καί τομώτερος ὑπέρ πασᾶν μάχαιραν δίστομον καί διϊκνούμενος ἄχρι μερισμοῦ ψυχῆς καί πνεύματος ἁρμῶν τέ καί μυελῶν καί κριτικός ἐνθυμήσεων καί ἐννοιῶν καρδίας)

The words soul and spirit refer to two distinguishable aspects of the nonphysical part of a human. It is possible that soul refers primarily to life and personality, while spirit refers to how people relate to others and express themselves. However, the author is not primarily interested in what parts of the person to which these two words refer. Rather, he is focused on how soul and spirit always go together, and it is difficult to “divide” them. If it would be helpful in your language, you could use words that refer to closely related aspects of the nonphysical parts of a person. Alternate translation: [of mind and spirit] or [of personality and mind]

Note 9 topic: translate-unknown

ἁρμῶν τε καὶ μυελῶν

˱of˲_joints (Some words not found in SR-GNT: ζῶν Γάρ ὁ λόγος τοῦ Θεοῦ καί ἐνεργής καί τομώτερος ὑπέρ πασᾶν μάχαιραν δίστομον καί διϊκνούμενος ἄχρι μερισμοῦ ψυχῆς καί πνεύματος ἁρμῶν τέ καί μυελῶν καί κριτικός ἐνθυμήσεων καί ἐννοιῶν καρδίας)

The word joints refers to the places where bones connect. The word marrow refers to the softer, center part of bones. The author is primarily interested in how the joints and the marrow are closely connected together, and it requires cutting a bone into pieces to separate them from each other. If it would be helpful in your language, you could refer to body parts that are very difficult to separate. Alternate translation: [of both tendons and muscles] or [of both ligaments and bones]

Note 10 topic: figures-of-speech / abstractnouns

ἐνθυμήσεων καὶ ἐννοιῶν καρδίας

˱of˲_˓the˒_thoughts (Some words not found in SR-GNT: ζῶν Γάρ ὁ λόγος τοῦ Θεοῦ καί ἐνεργής καί τομώτερος ὑπέρ πασᾶν μάχαιραν δίστομον καί διϊκνούμενος ἄχρι μερισμοῦ ψυχῆς καί πνεύματος ἁρμῶν τέ καί μυελῶν καί κριτικός ἐνθυμήσεων καί ἐννοιῶν καρδίας)

If your language does not use abstract nouns for the ideas of thoughts and intentions, you could express the ideas by using verbs such as “think” and “plan.” Alternate translation: [what the heart ponders and devises]

Note 11 topic: figures-of-speech / metonymy

καρδίας

˱of˲_˓the˒_heart

In the author’s culture, the word heart refers to the place within us where humans think and plan. If it would be helpful in your language, you could refer to the place where humans think in your culture or express the idea plainly. Alternate translation: [of the mind] or [that people think]

Note 12 topic: figures-of-speech / genericnoun

καρδίας

˱of˲_˓the˒_heart

The author is speaking of “hearts” in general, not of one particular heart. If it would be helpful in your language, you could use a form that refers to “hearts” in general. Alternate translation: [of hearts] or [of human hearts]