As in verse 14, any man may refer to either men or women. Good News Bible uses “your,” “you,” and “you yourself” to make this clear; but Paul is not addressing any individual.
The first part of this verse parallels the structure of verse 14. It expresses a contrast that Good News Bible rightly brings out by adding “But.” Translators should consider what resources are available in their own language to express (1) the contrast between verses 14 and 15a; (2) the wider contrast between what happens to the work and what happens to the builder himself; the qualifications that are introduced at the end of the sentence. In most translations that we consulted, either (1) or (2) is left unexpressed.
Is burned up, like “survives” in verse 14, is in the future tense in Greek, referring to the Day of Judgment.
He will suffer loss is too general a translation. Three other translations are possible: (1) he will be punished (Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch); (2) he will lose his work (Good News Bible, New Jerusalem Bible), that is, it will be burnt up; (3) he will lose the reward for his work (Barrett, Bible en français courant, Parola Del Signore: La Bibbia in Lingua Corrente, Translator’s New Testament). (1) is an unusual meaning of the Greek word, though Paul may be thinking of its use in the Greek of Pro 19.19. (2) adds nothing to what has been said already. (3) makes a good contrast with verse 14b and may be the best solution.
He himself will be saved emphasizes the contrast between the person himself and the work he has done. He will be like someone who narrowly escapes death by running through flames. Literally, he will not be condemned and destroyed by God at the last judgment, although his work on earth has been destroyed. In languages that do not normally use the passive one may say, for example, “he himself will not perish,” or “he himself will not suffer (or, receive) destruction.”
But only as through fire is too literal a translation. Good News Bible‘s “as if he had escaped through the fire” rightly fills out the meaning of the Greek. “As if,” though, suggests that Paul is not thinking specifically of the judgment fires. The rendering “like someone who has been pulled out of the fire” probably is a more general and accurate meaning.
An alternative translation model for this verse is:
• But if the fire burns up anyone’s work, then he will not receive an award. But he himself will escape destruction, like someone whom they pull out of the fire.
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 .