In view of may be expressed as “when we consider” or “when we look at.”

The phrase the present distress raises two questions: (1) Is the meaning “now” (so generally New International Version, New Revised Standard Version footnote, Revised English Bible) or “coming soon” (New Revised Standard Version)? There is no text in the New Testament in which this Greek word must itself mean “imminent” (Moffatt) or “coming soon.” However, words draw their meaning largely from contexts and from the situation to which they refer, so this question cannot be separated from the second one. (2) Is Paul referring to some personal problem or stress? Or is he referring to “a time of stress” that would affect, or was already affecting, the entire Christian community, or even the whole world as in verse 29? The word that is translated distress is commonly used in passages that speak about the end of time, and Paul may have been anticipating here the thought of verses 29-31, where he says “there is not much time left.” He is probably thinking of the present “difficult situation” (Parola Del Signore: La Bibbia in Lingua Corrente) of Christians as a sign that the distress of the last days is already beginning. It may be necessary, then, for translators to expand this text slightly: “The difficult times have (or, distress has) already begun. Therefore….”

Well is literally “good”; see 7.1, 8. The context implies that there is a comparison, as in the Good News Bible rendering “better,” and this seems to be the best translation.

Person: the following verse makes it clear that Paul is speaking exclusively to and about men for the moment. So Good News Bible‘s rendering “man” is the correct one here.

The sentence it is well … to remain as he is may be restructured; for example, “if a man remains as he is, that will be better” or “if a man stays in his present condition, that will be better.”

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 .