For: the connection with the previous section is not very close, and the word is omitted in some modern translations. Bible de Jérusalem and BÍBLIA para todos Edição Comum translate it “in fact.” Héring thinks that the word “presupposes an unexpressed thought: ‘if you had been faithful to the traditions which were passed on to you (11.1), you could not have behaved in this way. For I repeat—this is the tradition….’ ”
The first I in this verse is emphatic in Greek, underlining the contrast between the abuses at Corinth and the tradition that Paul received.
The verbs translated I received (compare 15.1, 3) and I also delivered (see 11.2) were commonly used among Jewish and other teachers when speaking about traditional teaching. In the ancient world and in many places in the modern world, a personal relationship with a teacher counted at least as much in education as the reading of books.
The word translated from is not the preposition commonly used in speaking of direct personal communication found, for example, in Gal 1.12; 1 Thes 2.13; 4.1; 2 Thes 3.6. Some scholars believe that Paul’s choice of a less common preposition indicates that he is thinking of Jesus as beginning a tradition that Paul received indirectly, not directly, from Jesus. Others believe that he received this “teaching” directly from Jesus in some supernatural way. Others, though, take the view that the story of the founding of the Lord’s Supper may have come to Paul through human channels, but that this tradition came to life for him through communion with the risen Lord. It is the context, particularly the close similarity between the accounts given here and in the synoptic Gospels (especially Luke), which suggests that Paul is relying on a tradition already being handed on within the church.
The Lord is Jesus, as usual in Paul’s writings. This is made clear later in the verse. In many languages it would doubtless be smoother to have “the Lord Jesus” in the first part of the verse, and “Jesus” later. However, translators generally attempt to keep the wording of the text, showing the distinction between the tradition (verses 23b-25) and Paul’s introduction to it (verse 23a). In languages that do not normally employ the passive, one may render this first clause as “For the Lord passed on to me that teaching which….”
Most translators will find it helpful to add the words “the teaching,” as Good News Bible has done.
The verbs translated delivered and betrayed are the same in the Greek, but the two meanings are quite distinct and thus should be translated as “passed on” (Good News Bible) or “handed down” for the first one, and betrayed or “handed over” for the second one.
Also links the two verbs received and delivered. As already noted, the second I is not expressed in the Greek. So it will be helpful in many languages to omit also as Good News Bible has done. This will avoid the misunderstanding that Paul is implying that someone else as well “delivers” the tradition.
On the night wrongly suggests to the modern reader that the meal took place in the middle of the night. In fact, it was probably held soon after sunset.
As noted on 10.16, Greek has the same word for bread and “loaf.” In the present verses, commentators who mention the matter tend to prefer “loaf” (Moffatt, Barclay) rather than “some bread” (New Jerusalem Bible, An American Translation) or the literal bread (Revised Standard Version, New International Version, Revised English Bible). There is nothing in the Greek to support Good News Bible‘s suggestion that the loaf was already broken, so “a loaf” is preferable to “a piece of bread”
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 .