Some manuscripts have “High Priest,” but “priest” was more likely to be changed by copyists into “High Priest” (5.1 and 8.3) than the opposite. For this and other reasons the UBS Greek text has “priest.”

Jewish is implied; see comments on 8.4 and 10.1. This verse adds little to previous statements. Every Jewish priest may be rendered as “Every priest who is a Jew.” But this misses the point that in this context Jewish refers more to the religious system than to an individual as such. Therefore Every Jewish priest may be better rendered in some languages as “Every priest of the Jewish religion” or “Every priest who performs … on behalf of the Jews.”

Performs his services every day may be rendered as “does his work as priest every day.” See 7.27.

Offers the same sacrifices many times: the Greek term for many times is also used in 6.7 and 9.25. In translation it may be necessary to render the same sacrifices as “the same type of sacrifices,” to make it clear that the identical animals are not offered many times.

Take away translates a different verb from those used in verses 4 and 8, but the meaning is practically the same.

Quoted with permission from Ellingworth, Paul and Nida, Eugene A. A Handbook on The Letter of the Hebrews. (UBS Handbook Series). New York: UBS, 1983. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .