Paragraph 1:15–17
In the same way that Christ saved Paul, he will also save everyone else who believes in him, no matter how sinful they are.
1:15a
This is a trustworthy saying: This is an expression that Paul used often in his letters to Timothy and Titus. See 1 Timothy 3:1, 4:9; 2 Timothy 2:11; Titus 1:9, 3:8. You should try to use the same expression of introduction in all these places. Paul used this expression to introduce a saying that was well-known among believers at that time. This saying is found in 1:15c.
trustworthy: Paul said that this saying (1:15c) about Christ was trustworthy. That means that it was true and reliable. Other ways to say this could be: “This saying really is true,” or “people should believe this.”
saying: A saying is an expression that is well known to people. In some languages it may be possible to use a word like “proverb.”
1:15b
worthy of full acceptance: Because the saying in 1:15c is “trustworthy”, everyone should believe it and should not doubt it in any way. They can be sure that it is true.
1:15c
Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners: This is the saying that Paul introduced in 1:15a–b.
Christ Jesus came into the world: This refers to when Christ Jesus came to earth the first time and died on the cross.
Christ Jesus: Notice that in this verse Paul referred to Jesus as Christ Jesus instead of “Jesus Christ.” The names “Christ Jesus” and “Jesus Christ” refer to the same person. (Some people, however, think that when Paul used the word Christ before the word Jesus, as in Christ Jesus, he was emphasizing that Jesus was the Messiah.)
In most English versions “Jesus Christ” and “Christ Jesus” are translated in the same order as they occur in the Greek manuscripts. It is recommended that you do the same thing.
However, it is possible that, in some languages, people may be confused to see the names in two different orders. They may even think that Paul was referring to two different people. If this is true in your language, it may be necessary to translate Christ Jesus as “Jesus Christ.” This is the more usual word order in the New Testament.
Christ: The word Christ is used two ways in the New Testament. In the Gospels, Christ is a title for Jesus. It means “the anointed one.” But later, by the time that Paul and others wrote letters to individuals and churches, the word Christ was used as another name for Jesus. It was no longer used as a title. So here and in other New Testament letters you should spell Christ according to the rules of your language.
to save sinners: This is the purpose for which Jesus came into the world. The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as save means “to rescue from danger.” In this context, the danger is that if a person does not repent and stop sinning, he will not receive eternal life.
sinners: A sinner is a person who has disobeyed God.
General Comment on 1:15c
Sayings are normally short because people want to remember them. Therefore translate this saying with as few words as possible. It would also be helpful to keep the saying in one sentence. One way to do this is:
Christ Jesus came to earth to rescue people who have sinned.
In some languages it may be helpful to indicate the beginning and end of the saying in some way. For example, you may want to use quotation marks or a different printing style, such as italics. The Phillips’ New Testament in Modern English uses both.
1:15d
of whom I am the worst: Notice that this part of the verse is not part of the saying in 1:15c. One way to make this clear would be to use special punctuation. For example, the New International Version (2011 Revision) uses a dash, that is, —. If you place the saying in quotation marks, make sure you close the quotation marks at the end of 1:15c. Paul added these words to make it personal in this context.
I am the worst: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as worst literally means “first.” Paul meant that he considered himself to be the greatest sinner. This did not mean that Paul had committed more or greater sins than anyone else in the world. It meant that Paul felt as if he were the worst sinner. (Stott, page 53, says, “…when we are convicted of sin by the Holy Spirit, an immediate result is that we give up all such comparisons. Paul was so vividly aware of his own sins that he could not conceive that anybody could be worse. It is the language of every sinner whose conscience has been awakened and disturbed by the Holy Spirit. We may begin like the Pharisee in Jesus’ parable, ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other men’, but we end like the tax collector who beat his breast and said (literally), ‘God have mercy on me, the sinner [Luke 18:9ff.].’ The Pharisee indulged in odious comparisons; as far as the tax collector was concerned, however, there were no other sinners with whom to compare himself; he was the one and only.”) Paul was so aware of his own sins that he could not imagine that anybody could be worse than he was.
General Comment on 1:15a–d
In some languages it may be best to reorder this verse. For example, it may be better to translate the saying before stating that it is trustworthy. One way to do this is:
We believers often say: 15c“Christ Jesus came to the world to save sinners.” 15aThese words are true 15band everyone can believe them without doubting them in any way. 15dAnd I have sinned more than anyone…
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