The context, especially verse 28 and 8.10 (see the comments), suggests that Paul is specially concerned with meat offered to idols, but the Greek word could refer more generally to a market in which fish and possibly other types of food were sold. Thus, although New International Version, Revised English Bible, Translator’s New Testament, and Jerusalem Bible have a similar translation to that of Revised Standard Version and Good News Bible, other common language translations have “markets.” New Jerusalem Bible has “butchers’ shops.” The definite article the before market is not in the Greek, but it is most natural to assume that Paul was referring to the food market at Corinth.

The verb for raising any question is the same as that translated “discerned” in 2.14 and “judges” in 2.15.

See the comments on 2.14, as the meaning in the present verse is rather different. Here the “examining” or “judging” is done by asking questions. Paul’s advice here contrasts with the Jewish practice of asking carefully whether food was kosher (ritually pure) or not.

Good News Bible‘s rendering “because of your conscience” is better English than on the ground of conscience. “Your” is implied, of course.

Conscience: this word may be rendered as “the mind (or, heart) that judges good and evil.” A troubled conscience may need a phrase such as “having two hearts” or “having a troubled heart.” Another possible model for translating this verse is “It is all right for you (or, You may) eat anything that they sell in the meat market. Eating such meat should not trouble your heart.”

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 .

Therefore, like “so then” in verse 33, is the same Greek word and indicates that Paul is drawing a conclusion from what precedes.

Here as in other passages, Paul uses different expressions to indicate that he is speaking generally and not about a particular individual. These expressions include Whoever (Good News Bible‘s “anyone”) in verse 27, “a man” (Good News Bible‘s “everyone”) in verse 28, and “any one” in verse 34.

Neither the Greek nor Revised Standard Version makes it clear that the phrase of the Lord applies to both the bread and the cup. However, the context and the phrase the bread (not just “bread”) show that Paul is still speaking of the loaf used in the Lord’s Supper. Good News Bible makes this clear by putting “the Lord’s” before bread and writing “his cup” later in the verse. Translators would do well to restructure the verse in a similar way.

As in previous verses, the word for bread may be translated “loaf” or “loaf of bread”; see comments on verse 26.

Drinks the cup is unnatural English, so Good News Bible has “drinks from his cup.”

In an unworthy manner: the implied object here is Christ, so Good News Bible has added “him”: “In a way that dishonors him.” The literal translation unworthy may be misunderstood as suggesting that there are other people who are “worthy” and who do in some way deserve the benefits of the Lord’s Supper, but no such limitation or comparison is implied. The adverb “unworthily” is not used elsewhere in the New Testament, but in 6.2 the related adjective was translated “incompetent.” Where Paul uses the corresponding positive Greek adjective for “worthy,” it is related to the activity of God (Phil 1.27; 1 Thes 2.12) or Christ (Gal 1.10), and to the calling (Eph 4.1) to belong to God’s people (Rom 16.2); compare 2 Thessalonians 1.11, where Paul speaks of God’s making the readers “worthy of the life he has called you to live” (Good News Bible). Moffatt translates “carelessly” in the present verse. Phillips has “without proper reverence,” and Barclay, perhaps overtranslating, has “in a way that contradicts all the Lord meant it to be.” Good News Bible‘s “in a way that dishonors him” may be the best rendering.

Guilty here refers to profaning or “sinning against” Christ’s death on the cross rather than to being responsible for his death. So even though the Greek does not have a word corresponding to profaning, it should be added as Revised Standard Version and Good News Bible have done.

Commentators disagree about the meaning of the body and blood of the Lord. Some think that body refers to the church, but in that case it is difficult to see why Paul adds blood. It is best to read this verse in the light of verses 24-25 and to translate the key terms in the same way.

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 .

The verb translated is … kind is not found elsewhere in the Greek Bible. However, it is clearly related to the adjective that is translated “good” in 15.33 and, when used as a noun in Rom 2.4, is translated as “kindness.”

When used in a bad sense, as here, the verb translated is … jealous refers to envy of other people. See also James 4.2, where the verb is translated “covet.”

Boastful translates two Greek verbs that Good News Bible renders “conceited or proud.” The first is a rare verb not used elsewhere in the Greek Bible. In secular Greek literature it has the meaning “boast.” The second verb, “is … proud,” is used in 4.6, 18, 19; 5.2; 8.1.

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 .

Therefore seems to mark a return to the main argument after Paul’s deviation in the previous two or three verses.

The clause the whole church assembles emphasizes that Paul is speaking of a full assembly of the Christians at Corinth. This clause may also be expressed as “all the believers meet together.”

All here refers to “everyone who can speak in tongues.” It does not mean that every person in church has the ability to speak ecstatically.

Outsiders: some commentators and translators believe that outsiders in this verse are different from the outsiders (Good News Bible‘s “ordinary people”) in verse 16. Revised English Bible even translates this one Greek word three different ways in verses 16, 23, and 24, seemingly indicating three separate groups of people. However, this Greek word is so unusual and distinctive that it is unlikely that Paul would use it so differently in this short passage. We therefore suggest that outsiders refers to the same people in all three verses, namely, Christians who do not have the gift of understanding and interpreting strange tongues.

Unbelievers means “non-Christians”; Paul was probably thinking of the pagans who formed most of the non-Christian population of Corinth.

Mad: Barrett notes that this word “does not mean, You are suffering from mental disease, but You are possessed,” that is, in the power of an evil spirit.

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 .

Even, literally “and” or “also,” marks the beginning of a further consequence of the argument in verses 12-13. Good News Bible expresses this Greek word by “More than that.”

We are … found to be: this Greek verb is often used in speaking of the results of examination in a law court or some similar situation. One may also render this phrase as “it will be evident that we” or “it will also show that we.” The following words misrepresenting God confirm that Paul is thinking for the moment in legal terms.

Misrepresenting is literally “false witnesses.” This is an unusual noun that is related to the Greek verb for “bearing false witness,” used in the Ten Commandments in the Septuagint of Exo 20.16 and Deut 5.20 (verse 17 in Hebrew); compare Mark 10.19 and parallels in Matt 26.60. Paul is not thinking about lying in general; he is comparing Christian preaching with giving witness in a court of law.

Most translations agree generally with Good News Bible‘s translation, “lying about God.” Phillips expands to “we are lying in our witness for God.” However, the Greek preposition translated “about” in Good News Bible often means “against,” especially in legal contexts. So in the present verse Arndt-Gingrich translates “give testimony in contradiction to God.” The meaning of the whole clause would therefore be “What we have said in our preaching is proved to be the opposite of what God was doing.” The rest of the verse would explain in what respect this was so.

We testified is literally “we witnessed,” continuing the metaphor of the law court.

The clause if it is true is a dependent clause in grammar. However, it represents a step back in the argument and may be better expressed as a separate sentence; for example, “However, if it is true that the dead are not raised to life, then God did not raise Christ,” or in languages that do not favor the passive, one could say “… that the dead do not receive life, then God did not raise Christ.”

The dead are not raised: see the comment on verse 12.

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 .

In the Greek text this verse is linked by “and” to verse 48. Paul immediately applies his last statement to Christians, doubtless including himself and his readers. At the same time, he makes it clear that “those who are of the dust” and “those who are of heaven” are not two completely separate categories of people, fixed for all time.

In the second half of the verse, “let us” is in many Greek manuscripts (see Revised Standard Version and Good News Bible footnotes), but the context calls for a statement rather than for an appeal. The appeal is left until verse 58. The Greek verbs translated we have borne and “let us also bear” (Revised Standard Version footnote) were pronounced in the same way, so mistakes in dictation are to be expected. The UBS Greek text has “we shall bear.”

Good News Bible‘s translation “wear” is supported by the words “put on” in verse 53. Paul is clearly thinking of a “likeness” (Good News Bible) or image that is an integral part of the person “bearing” or “wearing” it. Jerusalem Bible changes and thereby strengthens the metaphor: “we, who have been modelled on the earthly man, will be modelled on the heavenly man”; New Jerusalem Bible reverts to “likeness.” Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch removes the figurative language altogether: “Now we are like the man who was made of earth. Later we will be like the one who has come from heaven” (similarly Parola Del Signore: La Bibbia in Lingua Corrente).

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 .

Reported: the verb that Good News Bible translates as “have told … quite plainly” does not necessarily have this strong sense. It more probably means only “report,” “inform,” or “tell” (compare New English Bible; “it has been brought to my notice,” Revised English Bible). Paul is trying to approach this delicate subject very gently, so he uses great tact. The phrase is literally “for it has been reported to me concerning you, my brothers.”

The word it in the clause it has been reported is a “dummy subject.” This is a device used in English to create a grammatical subject so that there will be a complete sentence. In many languages translators can change the passive sentence to active and say, for example, “Some people from Chloe’s family have informed me….”

Chloe’s people: no one knows whether Chloe’s people were relatives, or other dependents such as slaves or former slaves. Good News Bible renders this phrase as “Chloe’s family,” but other common language translations are divided on this matter. “Chloe’s group” is a possible translation.

Quarrels here refers to strong arguments between church members as to who their spiritual leader and teacher was (see verse 12). Such quarreling involved only words, not physical violence. If a language requires that one state what the quarreling was about, one may say “that you are quarreling among yourselves as to who your leader is.”

For my brethren, see the discussion on this expression at verse 10. Please note the great affection that is expressed by the word “my” before “brothers” (Good News Bible).

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 .

To change the order of clauses in this verse would make the sequence of thought clearer; but none of the translations that we have consulted do this. Between verses 11 and 12a there is a slight jump in Paul’s argument, and verse 12b goes back to fill the gap. It would therefore be possible to translate “But we do understand the gifts that come from God, because he has given us, not the spirit of the world, but his own Spirit.”

Spirit in the phrase spirit of the world probably refers to the thinking or understanding process of humans generally, namely human wisdom. So it is possible to translate the first clause as “We do not think or understand the way other humans do; instead….” The clause the Spirit which is from God can be rendered as “the Spirit whom God has sent,” or one may restructure the sentence as “instead, God has sent his Spirit to us.”

Please see the comments on 1.20 on the phrase the world.

What Paul means by “knowing” or “understanding” the gifts bestowed on us by God can be understood by remembering that “to know” in biblical language includes the meaning “to experience” or “to participate in.” Good News Bible and other translations consider that the gifts refers to more than just “spiritual gifts” as in chapter 12. Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch says, for example, “what God has done for us.”

An alternative translation model for this verse is:
• But we do understand the gifts that come from God, because we do not think or understand the way other humans do. God has given us his own Spirit to help us understand.

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 .