Paul returns for the last time to the subject of diversity of gifts in the church. There are differences between these verses and the list given in verse 28, but it is not the translator’s task to smooth away these irregularities.

These are seven rhetorical questions that expect the answer “No.” Good News Bible translates them by negative statements. Many languages will need to use similar statements.

Are all…? may be expressed as “Is every person…?” or “Not every person is….”

Tongues: some languages may have to express this word as “strange sounds” or something similar. See also the discussion on verse 10.

In verse 30 the verb translated interpret is related to the word translated “interpretation” in verse 10 (see the comments on that verse). This appears to be interpretation of “strange sounds” or “ecstatic speech” rather than foreign languages. It will be helpful in many languages to expand interpret to “interpret what is said with these strange sounds” or “explain what is said….”

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 .