It is difficult to say whether all things, which is repeated four times, refers in each case to the same things. It is necessary to examine each of these short clauses separately. In some languages it may be necessary to follow Good News Bible‘s example, where bears all things is rendered by “never gives up,” and the other instances of all things are reconstructed to “its … never fail” at the end of the verse.

Love bears all things: the Greek verb is related to the word for a roof. It may mean “supports or carries the universe,” but more probably Paul means here that love bears or endures all kinds of ill-treatment. Good News Bible expresses essentially the same meaning without the metaphor of “bearing.” Parola Del Signore: La Bibbia in Lingua Corrente has “excuses everything.”

Revised Standard Version‘s repetition of all things tends in English to give a wrong meaning when combined with the verbs believes, hopes, and endures. For example, believes all things describes a naive person rather than one who has strong faith. Barrett claims that believes all things means “never loses faith.” One may also say “never stops believing.”

Hopes all things: the word hope as Paul uses it has a main element of “confidence.” So one can render this phrase as “is always confident.” Some languages may need to state the goal of “confidence”: “… confident in God.”

Endures all things: endures has a similar meaning to bears in the first sentence. That is the reason why Good News Bible structures the verse the way it does. The first bear is given a more general sense.

An alternative translation model for this verse is:
• Love enables us to endure everything; it enables us in every circumstance to keep on believing, to keep our confidence in God, and to remain patient no matter what happens to us.

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 .

What then…? represents the same Greek phrase that is translated “What am I to do?” in verse 15. Most translations agree with Revised Standard Version and Good News Bible that the expression refers to action in verse 15, and to the course of the argument in verse 26. The reason for this is no doubt that verse 15b mentions something Paul will do, while in the present passage, verse 26b contains a brief description of the situation. Recommendations for action begin only at verse 27. However, An American Translation (“then what is the right course, brothers?”) and Traduction œcuménique de la Bible think that Paul refers to action here; similarly New Revised Standard Version “What should be done, then, my friends?” Such an interpretation is possible, since the general tone of the section is practical. Moffatt‘s translation “Very well then” leaves the matter open in both places.

Brethren refers to “fellow Christians,” not to actual family members.

Good News Bible adds the words “for worship” after come together (“meet”). Translators can also do this, as the rest of the verse and also verse 23 strongly suggest that Paul has a full church meeting in mind.

The hymn would probably be, not an Old Testament psalm, but a Christian hymn as in Eph 5.19. Has a hymn may be rendered as “sings a hymn.”

A lesson (Good News Bible‘s “teaching”) is rather awkward in English. Another possible translation is “something to teach” or “teaches something.” Paul does not mention Christian prophecy in this verse. This may indicate that the meanings of “prophecy” and “teaching” overlap. Prophecy in a Christian setting is inspired teaching.

A revelation: “from God” (Good News Bible) is implied. For the meaning of revelation, see the comments on 1 Cor. 14.6. There is no suggestion here of revelation at the end of time. In some languages it may be preferable to say “something to reveal from God” or “speaks a message that God has revealed.”

A tongue: see the comments on 1 Cor. 14.6. One may render this phrase as “speaks a message in strange sounds.”

An interpretation is really “an explanation” (Good News Bible). This clause may also be rendered as “can explain what is said in the strange sounds.”

Let all things be done for edification can be rendered as “you should do everything in order to help and build up the believers.”

Good News Bible‘s linking words “one person … another … and still another” probably bring out the meaning more clearly than Revised Standard Version‘s literal each one. However, throughout this passage (verses 23, 24, 26, 31) Paul insists strongly that all the Corinthian Christians have, or at least can and should have, spiritual gifts. The translation should therefore avoid giving the impression that if a Christian had one spiritual gift, he could not have other gifts.

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 .

Then (Good News Bible‘s “it would also mean”) draws a further consequence, not directly from verse 17 but from the basic statement of verse 16.

Those also who have fallen asleep in Christ: the metaphor of “sleep” will be unclear in many languages. Good News Bible‘s translation “the believers in Christ who have died” is much clearer.

Perished here is the opposite of “salvation.” If Christ has not risen from the dead, then the Christian who has died has not been saved, but is lost presumably separated from God.

Alternative translation models for this verse are:
• If Christ has not been raised, it would also mean that the believers in Christ who have died have already perished.

Or:
• If God has not raised Christ from death, it would also mean that the believers in Christ who have died are receiving punishment.

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 .

For appears to draw a conclusion from what precedes, but in fact this verse is largely a restatement of what has already been said.

And: the two halves of the verse also largely repeat one another. For this reason Good News Bible omits the and that is present in the Greek before this mortal (see comments on verse 50). The phrases this perishable nature and this mortal nature may be expressed in many languages as “For this nature of ours that will decay must be changed into a nature that will live for ever.”

Put on: the metaphor of “putting on” or “wearing” clothes is continued from verse 49. Good News Bible removes this figurative language. Revised English Bible and Barclay have “clothed,” which is clearer. Phillips somewhat intensifies the metaphor by translating “wrapped in.”

This perishable nature means “what is subject to decay,” perhaps implying “what is decaying” (see verses 42, 50, and 54, where the same or related terms are used).

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 .

Before concluding his argument with a final quotation in verse 16, Paul adds two brief statements in this verse. The first is positive and the second, negative.

On The spiritual man, see the comments on verse 13. The spiritual man refers to spiritual people in general, not to any male individual, and certainly not to Christ. One important reason is that “Christ” simply cannot be the meaning of verse 13, which is the immediate context of this verse. It is only because the spiritual person has, or is controlled by, the Spirit that he has the supernatural power to examine and understand everything (compare verse 11). There is no suggestion here that the spiritual person has the right in himself because he has some kind of higher rank. See the comments on 2.4.

To be judged by no one: the meaning of these words is determined by the first half of the verse and is also related to the text of previous verses. The person without the Spirit (unspiritual) is not qualified to examine anyone who has the Spirit. He cannot because he himself does not have the means by which he can understand the Spirit itself, or comprehend what the Spirit gives to other people. Paul works out the practical implications of this verse in chapter 4. In the light of 4.3-4, the meaning of 2.15b is probably “no one,” no human being, as in Good News Bible. Good News Bible also makes a stronger English sentence by using the active “is able to judge” rather than the passive to be judged. In languages that do not naturally employ the passive, it would be well to follow Good News Bible‘s example here.

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 .

Paul now returns to addressing the readers as a group, rather than addressing a typical individual within the Corinthian church.

In these first three sentences Paul is being ironic. Revised Standard Version shows irony by making these sentences into statements rather than questions. Translators need to determine how they express irony or sarcasm in their own languages.

You are filled translates a verb which in nonfigurative language means “to have enough to eat (and drink),” as in Acts 27.38. The contrast with verse 11 (“we hunger and thirst”) makes it possible that Paul really meant this here. Arndt-Gingrich, though, think the language is figurative, referring to spiritual food. Good News Bible appears to agree. Translators will need to decide whether to think of this phrase as figurative or literal language. If it is decided to pick a literal meaning, one may say “Already you have received enough to eat and drink.” The translator’s choice will affect the understanding of rich in the second sentence. It is unlikely that this word has a literal meaning (see 1.26). In many languages which can use a word for rich both literally and figuratively, there will be no problem. If a translator feels that Paul is using this word in a figurative or spiritual sense, one can render this sentence as “You already have all the spiritual blessings, don’t you?” “Do you already have all the spiritual blessings?” or “God’s Spirit has given you all the gifts you need, hasn’t he?”

Without us (Good News Bible‘s “even though we are not”) may also mean “without our help,” but the last part of the verse supports Good News Bible‘s translation. This phrase also introduces the theme of a contrast between the apostles’ hard life and the easy life which the Corinthian Christians expect to enjoy or think that they already have.

The phrase you have become kings refers to a particular past event. You did reign in the next sentence has exactly the same construction in Greek. In certain languages there is no word which equals the concept of king. In such cases one may use a word for a high ruler such as a chief, and say “Do you already rule as chiefs, even though we do not?” or “You already rule as chiefs.”

We and you in the last clause are emphasized, adding to the contrast. The final sentence of this verse may be restructured as “I wish you were really ruling so that we could rule together with you.”

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 .

But marks a strong contrast with verse 7, as Good News Bible‘s “Instead” shows.

The emphatic you yourselves stresses that the situation is the opposite of what it should be. Paul is stressing that instead of patiently enduring wrong and robbery, they are actively wronging and hurting each other. Languages will have differing ways of showing this emphatic quality. One can say “Instead, you turn around and….”

Wrong and defraud represent the same Greek words as are used in 7b.

Even your own brethren: see the comments on 1 Cor. 6.6. “Even fellow Christians” is a better translation in most languages, as Paul is not referring to actual family members.

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 .