What am I to do? may be rendered as “If that is the case, what should I do?” Revised Standard Version, Good News Bible, and most common language translations assume that Paul is asking a real question about his own future conduct. However, Moffatt‘s translation “Very well then” and Phillips‘ “therefore” turn the question into a positive expression indicating a logical connection with verse 14. This interpretation seems preferable.

The rest of this verse consists of two closely parallel statements, each of which is divided into two halves. In languages where such repetition is not natural, it may be possible to shorten the whole text to say “I will pray and sing both with my spirit and also with my mind.”

For the meaning of spirit and mind, see the comments on verse 14.

Good News Bible introduces “my” in this verse, as it was used in the Greek in verse 14.

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 .