Hebrews 5:4

Linguistic Bible Translation from Source Texts

And no one takes this honor for himself, but only when called by God, just as Aaron was.

📖 Grammatical Analysis

Original Text

Καὶ οὐχ ἑαυτῷ τις λαμβάνει τὴν τιμήν, ἀλλὰ ὁ καλούμενος ὑπὸ τοῦ Θεοῦ, καθάπερ καὶ Ἀαρών.

Transliteration

And not heautō tis lambanei the timēn, alla the one kaloumenos by the Theou, kathaper also Aarōn.

Grammar Details

• *Kai*: conjunction - and
• *ouch*: negative particle - not
• *heautō*: dative, masculine, singular reflexive pronoun - to/for himself
• *tis*: nominative, masculine, singular indefinite pronoun - anyone
• *lambanei*: present active indicative, 3rd singular - takes/receives
• *tēn timēn*: accusative, feminine, singular with article - the honor
• *alla*: adversative conjunction - but
• *ho kaloumenos*: present passive participle, nominative, masculine, singular with article - the one being called
• *hypo*: preposition + genitive - by
• *tou Theou*: genitive, masculine, singular with article - God
• *kathaper*: comparative adverb - just as/even as
• *kai*: adverb - also
• *Aarōn*: nominative, masculine, singular - Aaron

Word Meanings

• *lambanei*: takes/receives/assumes
• *timēn*: honor/dignity/office
• *kaloumenos*: being called/being summoned/being appointed

Other Translations

• King James Version 1769 (Standard Version)

  And no man taketh this honour unto himself, but he that is called of God, as was Aaron.

• KJV1611 – Modern English

  And no man takes this honor unto himself, but only he who is called by God, as was Aaron.

• King James Version 1611 (Original)

  And no man taketh this honour unto himself, but he that is called of God, as was Aaron.

• American Standard Version with Strong's Numbers

  And no man taketh the honor unto himself, but when he is called of God, even as was Aaron.

• King James Version with Strong's Numbers

  And no man taketh this honour unto himself, but he that is called of God, as was Aaron.

• Tyndale Bible (1526/1534)

  And no man taketh honour vnto him silfe but he that is called of God as was Aaron.

• Coverdale Bible (1535)

  And noma taketh ye honoure vnto himselfe, but he that is called of God, as was Aaron.

• Geneva Bible (1560)

  And no man taketh this honor vnto him selfe, but he that is called of God, as was Aaron.

• Bishops' Bible (1568)

  And no man taketh the honour vnto hym selfe, but he that is called of God, as was Aaron.

• Authorized King James Version (1611)

  And no man taketh this honour unto himself, but he that is called of God, as [was] Aaron.

• Webster's Bible (1833)

  Nobody takes this honor on himself, but he is called by God, just like Aaron was.

• Young's Literal Translation (1862/1898)

  and no one to himself doth take the honour, but he who is called by God, as also Aaron:

• American Standard Version (1901)

  And no man taketh the honor unto himself, but when he is called of God, even as was Aaron.

• American Standard Version (1901)

  And no man taketh the honor unto himself, but when he is called of God, even as was Aaron.

• Bible in Basic English (1941)

  And no man who is not given authority by God, as Aaron was, takes this honour for himself.

• World English Bible (2000)

  Nobody takes this honor on himself, but he is called by God, just like Aaron was.

• NET Bible® (New English Translation)

  And no one assumes this honor on his own initiative, but only when called to it by God, as in fact Aaron was.

Referenced Verses

• Exod 28:1 : 1 Now bring near to you your brother Aaron and his sons from among the Israelites, to serve me as priests—Aaron, Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar, the sons of Aaron.
• 1 Chr 23:13 : 13 The sons of Amram: Aaron and Moses. Aaron was set apart, he and his descendants forever, to consecrate the most holy things, to burn incense before the Lord, to serve Him, and to pronounce blessings in His name forever.
• 2 Chr 26:18 : 18 They confronted King Uzziah and said to him, 'It is not for you, Uzziah, to burn incense to the Lord. That is for the priests, the descendants of Aaron, who have been consecrated to burn incense. Leave the sanctuary, for you have been unfaithful, and you will not be honored by the Lord God.'
• Num 16:5 : 5 Then he spoke to Korah and all his followers, saying, "In the morning the Lord will show who belongs to Him, who is holy, and whom He permits to approach Him. The one He chooses, He will bring near to Himself.
• Num 16:7 : 7 Put fire in them and place incense on them in the presence of the Lord tomorrow. The man the Lord chooses will be the holy one. You have gone too far, sons of Levi!"
• Num 16:10 : 10 He has brought you and all your fellow Levites near to Him, but now you are demanding the priesthood as well!
• Num 16:35 : 35 Then fire came out from the Lord and consumed the 250 men who were offering incense.
• Num 17:3-9 : 3 Take the censers of these men who sinned against their own lives and have them made into hammered plates to overlay the altar, for they presented them before the LORD, and they became holy. Let them serve as a sign to the Israelites. 4 So Eleazar the priest took the bronze censers that had been brought by those who were burned, and they were hammered into a covering for the altar. 5 It is to be a reminder to the Israelites, so that no unauthorized person—anyone who is not from Aaron’s descendants—may come near to burn incense before the LORD and become like Korah and his assembly, as the LORD had spoken to him through Moses. 6 The entire Israelite community grumbled against Moses and Aaron the next day, saying, 'You have killed the LORD’s people!' 7 When the assembly gathered against Moses and Aaron, they turned toward the tent of meeting, and there the cloud covered it, and the glory of the LORD appeared. 8 Moses and Aaron went to the front of the tent of meeting. 9 The LORD spoke to Moses, saying, 10 'Move away from this assembly so I can put an end to them at once.' And they fell facedown. 11 Moses said to Aaron, 'Take your censer and put incense on it, along with fire from the altar, and hurry to the assembly to make atonement for them. Wrath has gone out from the LORD; the plague has begun.'
• Num 18:1-5 : 1 Then the LORD said to Aaron, 'You, your sons, and your father's family with you will bear the responsibility for offenses related to the sanctuary. Also, you and your sons with you will bear the responsibility for offenses connected to your priesthood.' 2 Bring your brothers from the tribe of Levi, your ancestral tribe, to join you and assist you while you and your sons serve before the tent of the testimony. 3 They are to guard your duties and the duties of the entire tent, but they must not come near the sacred furnishings or the altar, so they will not die—and neither will you. 4 They are to join you and take responsibility for the care of the tent of meeting, performing all its service. No unauthorized person may come near you. 5 You are to perform the duties of the sanctuary and the altar, so that no further wrath will fall on the Israelites.
• Num 18:7 : 7 But you and your sons with you are to diligently guard your priestly duties for every aspect of the altar and the area behind the curtain. I have given your priesthood to you as a service of gift. Any unauthorized person who approaches shall be put to death.
• John 3:27 : 27 John replied, 'No one can receive anything unless it has been given to him from heaven.'
• Num 3:3 : 3 These are the names of the sons of Aaron, the anointed priests, who were set apart to serve as priests.
• Lev 8:2 : 2 Take Aaron, his sons with him, the garments, the anointing oil, the bull for the sin offering, the two rams, and the basket of unleavened bread.