The first part of this verse presents a serious problem. It is difficult to be certain how the word only relates to the rest of the clause. The interpretation that underlies Revised Standard Version‘s text and Good News Bible‘s footnote would be unique in Paul’s writings, for nowhere else does he use expressions like “only hope.” The main difficulty is that this clause appears to suggest that hope continues in a future life, which would contradict Rom 8.24 and possibly 1 Cor 13.13.

If for this life only we have hoped in Christ: “hoping” here seems to mean “placing our confidence in Christ” or “trusting in Christ with confidence that he will save us.” Good News Bible‘s “and no more” is added to stress the emphatic nature of the Greek word. Only this life is involved, not the next one. Another translation model for this first sentence is: “If we can trust Christ to save us only in this life and not in the next one….”

However, in the present verse Paul seems to be emphasizing this life at the beginning of the clause, and only at the end. Paul is not thinking explicitly, at the moment, about a future life. Other common language translations agree with Good News Bible‘s interpretation and sometimes express it more concisely: Bible en français courant “If our hope in Christ is valid only for this life.”

We are … most to be pitied translates an adjective meaning “more to be pitied.” Another possible translation is “people should pity us more than….”

Of all men is literally “than all people.” This last clause can then be translated “We deserve the most pity of anyone in the world.”

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 .