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InterlinearVerse GEN EXO LEV NUM DEU JOB JOS JDG RUTH 1 SAM 2 SAM PSA AMOS HOS 1 KI 2 KI 1 CHR 2 CHR PROV ECC SNG JOEL MIC ISA ZEP HAB JER LAM YNA (JNA) NAH OBA DAN EZE EZRA EST NEH HAG ZEC MAL LAO GES LES ESG DNG 2 PS TOB JDT WIS SIR BAR LJE PAZ SUS BEL MAN 1 MAC 2 MAC 3 MAC 4 MAC YHN (JHN) MARK MAT LUKE ACTs YAC (JAM) GAL 1 TH 2 TH 1 COR 2 COR ROM COL PHM EPH PHP 1 TIM TIT 1 PET 2 PET 2 TIM HEB YUD (JUD) 1 YHN (1 JHN) 2 YHN (2 JHN) 3 YHN (3 JHN) REV
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Heb 6 V1 V2 V3 V5 V6 V7 V8 V9 V10 V11 V12 V13 V14 V15 V16 V17 V18 V19 V20
OET (OET-LV) For/Because impossible it_is the ones once having_been_enlightened, and having_tasted of_the gift the heavenly, and partakers having_been_become of_the_spirit holy,
OET (OET-RV) It’s impossible for those who’ve understood this and who’ve tasted the heavenly gift and become partakers of the holy spirit
In Section 5:11–6:12 the author interrupted his teaching about God appointing Christ as the high priest in order to tell his listeners to mature in their faith and to warn them not to stop believing in Christ. After this warning (6:4–12), he will continue to teach them in 6:13–7:28 about the priesthood of Jesus and Melchizedek.
Remember to translate the section before choosing a heading for it. Some other possible headings are:
Warning about abandoning Christ
Do not be lazy but become mature followers of Christ
In the second (6:4–6) and third (6:7–8) paragraphs in this chapter the author gave the third warning in Hebrews (as indicated in the Outline). In 6:4–6 he warned that if people “fall away” from their faith, they bring disgrace to God’s Son. It is impossible to make them repent again. In 6:7–8 he compared faithful and unfaithful believers to fruitful and unfruitful land. Land that produces only thorns must be burned.
It is impossible for those who have once been enlightened,
¶ Some people cannot be caused to repent again. Such people knew God’s/his truth at one time
¶ As for people who stop believing, no one can make them repent again. At one time, they understood the truth.
The Greek begins this verse with a conjunction that is usually translated as “for” or “because.” In some versions, a conjunction introduces a warning. It is based on what the author said in 6:1–3 about becoming mature. In 6:4–6 he warned his listeners that if we do not become mature, we may “fall away” from our faith (6:6). When that happens, it is impossible to be brought back to repentance.
Notice that here a conjunction connects paragraphs (1–3 and 4–6), rather than sentences. In some languages a conjunction is not needed. It is often helpful to translate the two paragraphs before deciding how to connect them.
It is impossible for those: The phrase It is impossible for those describes an action that no one can do. No one can help certain people to repent a second time. Some other ways to translate this meaning are:
It is not possible to help certain people
as for people who deliberately retreat from their faith, they can no longer be led back to repent from their sinUma back translation on TW.
Notice that the second example supplied a phrase from 6:6 (“who deliberately retreat from their faith”).
who have once been enlightened: The verb have…been enlightened is passive, and it is used as a figure of speech here. It indicates that God caused the people to know the truth. In this context it especially implies knowing the truth of the Gospel that God revealed through his Son.
Some ways to translate the figure of speech are:
Use a figure of speech in your language that has the same meaning. For example:
their minds have already been illuminatedKankanaey back translation on TW.
Some people once had God’s light. (GW)
their minds/eyes had been opened
Translate the meaning without the figure of speech. For example:
they understood the truth
once: The Greek word that the BSB translates as once refers here to the time in the past when the people understood the gospel. Some other ways to translate it are:
at one time
at one point
who have tasted the heavenly gift,
and experienced his gift from heaven.
They accepted God’s gift,
who have tasted the heavenly gift: The clause who have tasted the heavenly gift means “and have experienced what God gave.” The word tasted is a figure of speech that implies a full experience. It does not imply that the experience is limited. It implies that the person has not only been told about the gift—he has actually experienced it. The meaning is similar to its meaning in 2:9, where the phrase “tasted death” indicates that Jesus experienced death fully.
Some other ways to translate this clause are:
enjoyed heaven’s gift (NCV)
they have benefited from what God has givenKankanaey back translation on TW.
experienced the gift from God
the heavenly gift: The word heavenly here is an indirect way to say “from God.” The word gift probably refers here to the gift of new life through Christ. God sent Jesus to save us from sin and to bring us into fellowship with God. In some languages it is more natural to translate the noun gift with a verb phrase or clause. For example:
what God gave
the new life that God gives
who have shared in the Holy Spirit,
They shared in the Holy Spirit.
and received his Holy Spirit.
who have shared in the Holy Spirit: The phrase have shared in the Holy SpiritThe Greek phrase is literally “who have become sharers/partners in the spirit.” The author used a word metochoi, “partners” which he has used already in 3:1a (“who share in the heavenly calling”) and 3:14a (“share in Christ”), and which he will use again in 12:8. indicates that they were among those who experienced the Holy Spirit’s presence and power. Some other ways to translate this meaning are:
have shared in experiencing the Holy SpiritKankanaey back translation on TW.
among those who were blessed with the Holy Spirit
the Holy Spirit: The Greek phrase that the BSB translates as the Holy Spirit refers to the Spirit of God. Translate the term the Holy Spirit in the same way as you did in 2:4 and 3:7.
Note 1 topic: grammar-connect-logic-result
γὰρ
(Some words not found in SR-GNT: ἀδύνατον Γάρ τούς ἅπαξ φωτισθέντας γευσαμένους τέ τῆς δωρεᾶς τῆς ἐπουρανίου καί μετόχους γενηθέντας Πνεύματος Ἁγίου)
The word For introduces a reason why the audience needs to “go forward” (See: [6:1](../06/01.md)). If it would be helpful in your language, you could use a word that introduces a basis for an exhortation, or you could leave For untranslated. Alternate translation: [We need to go forward, because]
Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / infostructure
ἀδύνατον γὰρ τοὺς
impossible_‹it_is› (Some words not found in SR-GNT: ἀδύνατον Γάρ τούς ἅπαξ φωτισθέντας γευσαμένους τέ τῆς δωρεᾶς τῆς ἐπουρανίου καί μετόχους γενηθέντας Πνεύματος Ἁγίου)
The word impossible goes with the phrase “to restore them again” in [6:6](../06/06.md). If it would be helpful in your language, you could move it is impossible to verse 6. If you do this, make sure that you also follow the infostructure note on verse 6. Alternate translation: [For consider the ones]
Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor
τοὺς ἅπαξ φωτισθέντας
(Some words not found in SR-GNT: ἀδύνατον Γάρ τούς ἅπαξ φωτισθέντας γευσαμένους τέ τῆς δωρεᾶς τῆς ἐπουρανίου καί μετόχους γενηθέντας Πνεύματος Ἁγίου)
The author speaks of receiving and understanding the good news as if it were light shining on a person. If it would be helpful in your language, you could use a comparable figure of speech or express the idea plainly. Alternate translation: [for those who once understood the message about the Messiah]
Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / activepassive
τοὺς ἅπαξ φωτισθέντας, γευσαμένους τε
(Some words not found in SR-GNT: ἀδύνατον Γάρ τούς ἅπαξ φωτισθέντας γευσαμένους τέ τῆς δωρεᾶς τῆς ἐπουρανίου καί μετόχους γενηθέντας Πνεύματος Ἁγίου)
If your language does not use the passive form in this way, you could express the idea in active form or in another way that is natural in your language. The author uses the passive form here to focus on those who were enlightened rather than on the person doing the enlightening. If you must state who did the action, the author implies that God did it. Alternate translation: [for those whom God has once enlightened, and who tasted]
Note 5 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor
γευσαμένους & τῆς δωρεᾶς τῆς ἐπουρανίου
˓having˒_tasted & ˱of˲_the gift ¬the heavenly
The author speaks as if the heavenly gift were food that people could “taste.” He speaks in this way to show that these people experienced the heavenly gift as much as a person who eats food truly experiences that food. If it would be helpful in your language, you could state the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: [had experience of the heavenly gift] or [participated in the heavenly gift]
Note 6 topic: figures-of-speech / possession
μετόχους γενηθέντας Πνεύματος Ἁγίου
partakers ˓having_been˒_become ˱of˲_˓the˒_Spirit Holy
The author uses the possessive form to indicate that these people “share” the Holy Spirit. This form means that the people whom the author is speaking about were among the group of people who received the Holy Spirit. If it would be helpful in your language, you could use a form that makes meaning clearer. Alternate translation: [received the Holy Spirit along with other believers] or [participated in the Holy Spirit]
6:4 In Greek, the word impossible begins the sentence for emphasis—it absolutely cannot happen (see also 6:18; 10:4; 11:6).
• They were once enlightened when they “first learned about Christ” (see 10:32 and corresponding study note).
• The good things of heaven might allude to the manna given from heaven (Exod 16:4, 15; Ps 78:24) as an image of spiritual blessings.
OET (OET-LV) For/Because impossible it_is the ones once having_been_enlightened, and having_tasted of_the gift the heavenly, and partakers having_been_become of_the_spirit holy,
OET (OET-RV) It’s impossible for those who’ve understood this and who’ve tasted the heavenly gift and become partakers of the holy spirit
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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