Hebrews 5:4

KJV1611 – Modern English

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

📖 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

• Linguistic Bible Translation from Source Texts

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

• King James Version 1769 (Standard Version)

  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 Take Aaron your brother, and his sons with him, from among the children of Israel, that he may serve Me as priest, along with Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar, Aaron’s sons.
• 1 Chr 23:13 : 13 The sons of Amram; Aaron and Moses: and Aaron was set apart, that he should sanctify the most holy things, he and his sons forever, to burn incense before the LORD, to minister to Him, and to bless 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, but for the priests, the sons of Aaron, who are consecrated to burn incense. Go out of the sanctuary, for you have trespassed! This will not bring you honor from the LORD God."
• Num 16:40 : 40 To be a memorial to the children of Israel, that no outsider, who is not of the seed of Aaron, come near to offer incense before the LORD; that he not be like Korah, and like his company: as the LORD said to him through Moses.
• Num 16:5 : 5 And he spoke to Korah and to all his company, saying, Tomorrow the LORD will show who are His, and who is holy; and will cause him to come near to Him: even him whom He has chosen will He cause to come near to Him.
• Num 16:7 : 7 And put fire in them, and put incense in them before the LORD tomorrow: and it shall be that the man whom the LORD chooses, he shall be holy: you take too much upon you, sons of Levi.
• Num 16:10 : 10 And He has brought you near to Him, and all your brethren the sons of Levi with you: and do you seek the priesthood also?
• Num 16:35 : 35 And there came out a fire from the LORD, and consumed the two hundred and fifty men that offered incense.
• Num 16:46-48 : 46 And Moses said to Aaron, Take a censer, and put fire in it from the altar, and put on incense, and go quickly to the congregation, and make an atonement for them: for there is wrath gone out from the LORD; the plague has begun. 47 And Aaron took as Moses commanded, and ran into the midst of the congregation; and, behold, the plague had begun among the people: and he put on incense, and made an atonement for the people. 48 And he stood between the dead and the living; and the plague was stayed.
• Num 17:3-9 : 3 And you shall write Aaron's name on the rod of Levi: for one rod shall be for the head of each ancestral house. 4 And you shall lay them up in the tabernacle of the congregation before the testimony, where I will meet with you. 5 And it shall come to pass, that the man's rod whom I choose shall blossom: and I will put an end to the murmurings of the children of Israel against you. 6 And Moses spoke to the children of Israel, and each of their leaders gave him a rod, one for each leader, according to their ancestral houses, twelve rods: and the rod of Aaron was among their rods. 7 And Moses laid up the rods before the LORD in the tabernacle of witness. 8 And it happened that on the next day Moses went into the tabernacle of witness; and behold, the rod of Aaron for the house of Levi had budded, brought forth buds, bloomed blossoms, and produced almonds. 9 And Moses brought out all the rods from before the LORD to all the children of Israel: and they looked, and each man took his rod. 10 And the LORD said to Moses, Bring Aaron's rod back before the testimony, to be kept as a sign against the rebels; and you shall completely remove their murmurings from me, that they do not die. 11 And Moses did so: as the LORD commanded him, so he did.
• Num 18:1-5 : 1 And the LORD said to Aaron, You and your sons and your father's house with you shall bear the iniquity of the sanctuary: and you and your sons with you shall bear the iniquity of your priesthood. 2 And your brethren also of the tribe of Levi, the tribe of your father, bring with you, that they may be joined to you and minister to you: but you and your sons with you shall minister before the tabernacle of witness. 3 And they shall keep your charge, and the charge of all the tabernacle: only they shall not come near the vessels of the sanctuary and the altar, that neither they, nor you also, die. 4 And they shall be joined to you, and keep the charge of the tabernacle of the congregation, for all the service of the tabernacle: and a stranger shall not come near you. 5 And you shall keep the charge of the sanctuary, and the charge of the altar: that there be no wrath any more upon the children of Israel.
• Num 18:7 : 7 Therefore you and your sons with you shall keep your priest's office for everything of the altar, and within the veil; and you shall serve: I have given your priest's office to you as a service of gift: and the stranger who comes near shall be put to death.
• John 3:27 : 27 John answered and said, A man can receive nothing, except it is given to him from heaven.
• Num 3:3 : 3 These are the names of the sons of Aaron, the priests who were anointed, whom he consecrated to serve in the priest's office.
• Lev 8:2 : 2 Take Aaron and his sons with him, the garments, the anointing oil, a bull for the sin offering, two rams, and a basket of unleavened bread;