OET interlinear HEB 5:1

5:1a

In the Greek text, this verse begins with a conjunction that is often translated as “for.” It introduces background information about the high priests of the people of Israel. The author gives this information because in 5:5–10 he will compare these priests to Christ, our great high priest.

Every high priest is appointed from among men: This clause indicates that each high priest is a human being like other human beings. The verb appointed is passive. It implies that God selects a person from among other people to be the high priest.

Some other ways to translate the passive clause are:

it is from among people that he is chosen

God selects him from among his fellow human beings

is chosen from among other people (NCV)

Every high priest: The phrase Every high priest refers to each high priest of the people of Israel. It does not include the high priests of other peoples or religions. In some languages it is necessary to indicate that the phrase refers to high priests of Israel. For example:

The one who is appointed highest priest for us

With us Israel people, each time the Most-important Priest is chosen

Each high priest of Israel

Remember that the Jewish author was speaking to Jewish people who were Christians. When Jews spoke of themselves, they used the term “Israel.” Notice the final two examples in the note above, which correctly use “Israel.” For more information, see Israel, Jew, Hebrew, the Circumcised in KBT.

high priest: The term high priest occurred first in Hebrews at 2:17. Translate it as you did there.

from among men: The Greek word that the BSB translates as men means “people.” The word refers to human beings, male and female (though the high priest was always male). He was chosen from among his fellow human beings. Some other ways to translate from among men are:

from his fellow men

from among other human beings

5:1b

to represent them in matters relating to God: The Greek verb that the BSB translates as to represent them means “appoint (assign) someone to be in authority.”See καθίστημι meaning 2 BDAG, page 492, “to assign someone a position of authority, appoint, put in charge.” The verb is passive. It implies that God is the one who puts the high priest in charge.

The phrase to represent them in matters relating to God means that God gives the high priest authority to represent the people in serving God. The high priest brings the people’s sacrifices to God and communicates with God for the people.

Some other ways to translate this part of the verse are:

is appointed to represent the people in the things/matters that God has determined

God entrusts him with the work of serving him in the name of the people

to represent them: The phrase to represent them means “representing the people,” “for the people,” “for the people’s benefit.” The high priest had the authority to speak to God for the people. He also did other things for God as the people’s representative, such as offer sacrifices.The Greek text is literally, “for them” or “on behalf of them.” The author makes a contrast between ex anthrōpōn (“from men”) and huper anthrōpōn (“for men” or “on behalf of men”).

Some other ways to translate the phrase to represent them are:

bringing the name of the peopleUma back translation on TW.

to be their representatives

matters relating to God: The phrase matters relating to God refers to matters that are related to God. In this context it refers to service to God. This service includes things that are done for God, to him, or with him, or things that he himself does. Here the author refers mainly to matters of worshiping God and making sacrifices to him.

This phrase was also used in 2:17, where the BSB translates it as “in service to God.” You may be able to translate it in a similar way here. However, it is a general phrase, so it may be translated in different ways to fit the context.

5:1c

to offer gifts and sacrifices for sins: This clause tells the purpose of appointing the high priest on behalf of other people. He is appointed to offer gifts and sacrifices to God so that God will forgive the people’s sins.

Some other ways to translate this purpose are:

so that he may present their offerings and sacrifices to God to atone for their sins

to offer to God the animals or other offerings that they bring so that God will forgive their sins

to help others by offering gifts and sacrifices to God because of their sins (CEV)

In some languages it is more natural to begin a new sentence here. For example:

He offers gifts and sacrifices to God so that God will forgive their sins.

offer: The Greek word that the BSB translates as offer is a common word that often means “bring (or take).” In this context it refers to bringing something (to offer or present) to God. When an Israelite brought an animal or a different offering for God, a priest took the offering and presented it to God in the proper way. If the offering was an animal, the priest killed it. Then he burned all or part of it on the altar or in another special place.

Some other ways to translate offer are:

give to God

sacrifice/present to God

take/bring to God

In some languages there are special ways to refer to making offerings to God. If you must use different terms for different types of offerings in your language, you may refer here to the type of sacrifice that requires killing an animal or bird. Use a natural way in your language to refer to a priest presenting this type of offering to God.

gifts and sacrifices for sins: The author connected the words gifts and sacrifices with two Greek conjunctions. This connection probably implies that both the gifts and the sacrifices are offered to obtain forgiveness for sins.Allen (page 315, Kindle edition) says, “The final phrase ‘for sins’ probably refers to both gifts and sacrifices since the two nouns are connected by the Greek particle te.” However, some scholars consider that the word gifts has no connection with the phrase “for sins,” implying that the gifts are offered for a different purpose. Most English versions are ambiguous about this. The NLT and JBP are the only English versions on TW that explicitly do not connect gifts with the phrase “for sins.” O’Brien (page 190) says, “The sphere in which the high priest represents men and women is ‘in matters related to God’…. This general expression is further explained in the words that follow, to offer gifts and sacrifices for sins. Although it has been suggested that the gifts are peace and cereal offerings, while the ‘sacrifices’ are animal sacrifices, the terms are probably being used synonymously, even as a fixed phrase for sacrifices generally (as elsewhere in Heb. 8:3–4; 5:9; 11:4; see 5:3). Thus, the prepositional phrase, for sins, qualifies the whole, not simply the latter term. The expiatory activity of offering gifts and sacrifices for sins was integral to the work of Israel’s high priest, and is central to the work of Jesus as high priest, as Hebrews will proceed to show (9:26; 10:12).”

Some other ways to translate this phrase are:

taking the gifts and sacrifices that the people bring and giving them to God so that he will forgive their sins

gifts and sacrifices: The Greek words that the BSB translates as gifts and sacrifices are similar in meaning. The word gifts refers to whatever people bring to the priest to give to God for them. The word sacrifices refers to offerings that involve killing an animal or bird as a gift to God. The people of Israel brought both animal sacrifices and other types of offerings to God.Montefiore (page 93) says, “if sacrifice was at the heart of the Hebrew religion, gifts were at the heart of sacrifice. No-one could appear before God with empty hands; the gift represented the worshipper’s acknowledgment of God in His sovereign lordship;…The sacrifice must also be offered for expiation of sins.”

Use appropriate words in your language to describe such offerings to God. Avoid words that refer only to offerings made to spirits, idols, rulers, or something else besides God. For more information, see sacrifice, sense 1(a), in KBT.

for sins: The phrase for sins implies the meaning “in order to atone for sins” or “to remove sins.” For more translation examples, see the first note in 5:1c.