6:27–28
These two verses are parallel rhetorical questions.
27a
Can a man embrace fire 27b and his clothes not be burned?
28a
Can a man walk on hot coals 28b without scorching his feet?
The purpose of both rhetorical questions is to give emphasis. The implied answer to both questions is, “Of course not!” Both rhetorical questions are also parallel metaphors. These metaphors compare a man who has sex with another man’s wife (6:29) to a man who comes in contact with fire/coals. The ways these men are similar are the disastrous and inevitable consequences that each man faces from his action.
6:27
Can a man embrace fire and his clothes not be burned?: This is a rhetorical question. It emphasizes that a person cannot scoop burning coals into his lap without burning his clothes. Some ways to translate this emphasis are:
• Use a question, but make explicit the implied answer: “Of course not!”
• Use a statement. For example:
You cannot carry hot coals against your chest without burning your clothes (New Century Version)
-or-
If you carry burning coals, you burn your clothes (Contemporary English Version)
embrace fire: The phrase the Berean Standard Bible translates as embrace fire generally means to take burning coals from a fire. The phrase can refer either to putting burning coals on a person’s lap or carrying those coals on the chest or in the clothes worn over the chest. The outer garment could also be pulled up to make a temporary pocket. So translations that speak of carrying fire/coals against the chest (Good News Translation, New Century Version) or in the lap (New International Version, New Living Translation (2004)) are equally accurate. It would also be accurate to say: “carry hot coals in your pocket.” Use whatever is natural in your language for picking up and carrying hot coals in a way that would burn your clothes.
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