That is why: God’s judgment (verse 29) can have physical consequences.

Many of you, literally “many among you,” means “many members of your community.” Many and some are different words in the Greek; some translations have “a number” for some. The difference in meaning between the two terms, though, is probably slight. The context, rather than the words themselves, suggests that more people at Corinth had been ill than had died.

The words translated “sick” (Good News Bible) and weak are also quite similar in meaning. Good News Bible appears to translate them in the opposite order than the Greek. Weak should be understood in a physical sense in this verse. “Sick” (Good News Bible) is a less common Greek term used in Mark 6.5, 13. Some languages such as Thai Common Language Version can use one strong word to approximate the meaning of the two Greek words.

As Revised Standard Version‘s footnote states, have died is literally “have fallen asleep.” New Testament writers tend to use this expression in speaking of the death of Christians. It no doubt reflects the Christian belief that death is not the end. There is simply no basis for Phillips‘ translation “many of you are spiritually asleep.” The word used here is used in the same sense in 15.6, 20; see especially 1 Thes 4.13-16, where “those who are asleep” (verse 13) and “the dead in Christ” (verse 16) are the same people. In most present-day situations it is better to use the common word for “die,” because euphemisms suggest old-fashioned church language rather than any difference of meaning.

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 .