Paul now summarizes the argument of this section. Christ … send me points back to verse 10 where Paul claimed the “authority of our Lord Jesus Christ.” It also recalls verse 1, where Paul emphasizes strongly that he is “called … to be an apostle.” “Apostle” and “send” are related words in Greek.
Revised Standard Version‘s For links this verse with the whole previous argument, rather than directly with verse 16. It links up in particular with verses 14-15. A literal translation like For does not show this connection. So Good News Bible, like Revised English Bible, omits this word and puts verse 17 in one paragraph with 14-15 in order to make this linking clear.
This verse also prepares the way for the following verse by introducing the themes of telling the good news, wisdom and the cross. It is for this reason that some common language translations begin a new paragraph here and not at verse 18. Paul uses the contrasting terms “not baptism but preaching” like a hinge to move from one stage in his argument to the next. The problem with beginning a new paragraph at verse 17 is that verse 16 makes a weak ending to a section. We must remember that translations will be read aloud in church.
In verses 11-16 Paul has used a rather simple and informal style with unusually short sentences. But in verse 17 Paul’s thoughts begin to be more condensed and his style becomes less clear. This is probably because he starts to write about things that are more theological in nature, and also more delicate and controversial. It is for this reason that Good News Bible repeats “and to tell it,” preparing the reader for new thoughts. The meaning is almost “and, what is more, to tell it without using the language of human wisdom.” In certain languages it will be helpful to begin a new sentence at the words “and to tell.” One can then restructure the first part of this verse as follows: “Christ did not … but rather to preach the Good News. I should preach, then, without….”
The Greek word that Good News Bible translates as “language” is the same word that was translated “speech” in verse 5. There is little difference of meaning between the word translated wisdom here, and “knowledge” in verse 5. Wisdom is the keyword in this section, and it is used with various shades of meaning. Each time it occurs, translators should ask themselves two questions: (1) does this wisdom refer to true wisdom that comes from God, or (2) is Paul speaking in an ironic way about so-called human wisdom, apart from God? If it is this second meaning, it may be necessary for the translator to add additional words such as Good News Bible‘s “human” in this verse in order to make the meaning clear.
In verse 17 the context shows that wisdom is used in a negative sense. In fact, Paul uses it this way until verse 24. For this reason Good News Bible rightly adds “human.” Still better is the Phillips translation, “the persuasiveness of clever words.” The word “clever” in English often has the negative or ironic meaning that Paul wants to give to wisdom in this verse. Paul is trying to show the contrast between the superficial impressiveness of clever talk, and the message about the deep and real power of the cross. So Paul says at the end of this verse that the two cannot be combined.
Emptied of its power or “robbed of its power” (Good News Bible) both render the Greek correctly. The Greek word means literally emptied and is the same word that is used in Phil 2.7 of Christ’s “emptying himself.” Possible translations are “so that Christ’s death on the cross is not useless” or “so that all the power of Christ’s death is not taken away.” In certain languages one may translate this final sentence as “Because I did not want the power of Christ’s dying on the cross to become useless (or, of no worth).”
Quoted with permission from Ellingworth, Paul and Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on Paul’s First Letter to the Corinthians, 2nd edition. (UBS Handbook Series). New York: UBS, 1985/1994. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .