Brethren begins a new paragraph. It refers to “fellow Christians,” not actual family members. The connection with what precedes this word is not entirely clear, but Paul appears to mean that the Corinthian Christians were “immature” in giving too much importance to speaking in tongues. This first sentence may be rephrased as “Fellow Christians, do not think like children” or “… like immature people.”

The verb translated be babes is not related in form to children in the first part of the verse, but the meaning is the same. As elsewhere, Paul, a good writer, varies his language where possible. This sentence may be translated in some languages as “you must be innocent like babies in the ways of evil.”

The word for evil refers to general activity that is wrong or sinful, rather than to evil persons or things. The sentence be babes in evil may be rendered in some languages as “You must be innocent like children in the ways of evil” or “… in not knowing evil doings.”

Mature or “grown up” (Good News Bible) was translated “spiritually mature” (Good News Bible) in 2.6, and that is what mature means here. If verse 20b stood alone, it could be translated “become grown up…,” but this translation is not possible in verse 20a, so be mature is correct.

The whole verse may thus be translated: “My brothers, do not think in a spiritually immature way; you must be innocent like children, as far as evil is concerned, but think as people who are spiritually mature.”

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 .

Verses 12, 13, and 14 begin in the same way in Greek: “if,” followed by a Greek word that has a range of meanings including “and” and “but.” In verse 12 this word marks the introduction to a new thought, so it should be translated “Now,” as in Revised Standard Version and Good News Bible. But in verses 13-14 the word introduces further links in Paul’s chain of argument and thus is translated differently. See the comments on verses 13 and 14. In certain languages translators will find it helpful to express this connecting word as “So” or “Therefore.”

Paul begins this verse with the common and basic Christian belief that Christ was raised and is still alive (see comments on 1 Cor. 15.4). The verb is preached, then, implies a preaching that is done by any Christian evangelist.

Now if Christ is preached as raised from the dead may be rendered as “Now since people preach that God has raised Christ from the dead.”

How can some of you say: some is slightly emphasized; Moffatt has “certain individuals among you.”

There is no resurrection of the dead is a literal translation of the Greek. Most languages will need to use a verb for resurrection to show that it is an event or action. Good News Bible‘s “the dead will not be raised to life” is a good translation. However, in languages that do not have a passive, one may say “the dead will not receive life again.”

This verse makes it clear that Paul is discussing the resurrection in reply to false teaching in Corinth. Outside this chapter Paul uses the word for resurrection only in speaking of Christ, except in Phil 3.11, and 2 Tim 2.18. Normally he uses a different verb translated “raised.” In the passive this verb usually indicates the activity of God.

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 .

Not … first in this context refers in one sense to time; we have an earthly body and then a body filled with God’s Spirit. But first in this verse may also imply “less important.” Jewish interpreters of the Old Testament had a saying: “A new act of God supersedes the old.” Paul may have meant something similar, where the two items are in order of increasing importance. Translation models reflecting this idea are the following: “The physical comes first and then the spiritual,” or “For the physical comes first and then the spiritual replaces it.”

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 word translated love was common in secular Greek and occurs also in Titus 3.15, but is never used by Paul of God or Christ. In John 21.15, 17 it is used alongside the usual Christian word for “love,” with no apparent difference of meaning. Perhaps Paul used it because in verse 20 he had just used the related word for kiss.

The Lord, as usual, refers to Jesus.

Let him be accursed: see 12.3. What is probably implied is exclusion from the Christian fellowship, implying destruction by God when Christ returns.

Our Lord, come! is “Marana tha” in the Greek. It was evidently an ancient prayer used by Aramaic-speaking Christians. Like such words as “Amen,” “Hosanna,” and “Hallelujah,” it was carried over into communities that spoke other languages. Most scholars understand this word to mean Our Lord, come!

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 .

Many translations begin a new sentence at this point. Good News Bible has “also” (as does New Revised Standard Version) but this is omitted in Revised Standard Version, Revised English Bible, and New International Version. “Also” may sound awkward because this is the first time Christ is mentioned as agent rather than instrument (see comments on 1 Cor. 1.3). The word translated “also” may mark this change, in which case it may be rendered “It is he who will keep you firm….” Alternatively it may mark continuity between what God has done through Christ in the past, and what Christ will do in the future: “(Christ) will continue to give you strength…” (New Jerusalem Bible). Who in Revised Standard Version and “he” in Good News Bible refer to Jesus Christ in verse 7. This fact needs to be made clear in languages where the translator has rendered the latter part of verse 7 as “for God to reveal Jesus Christ”; for example, “Jesus will keep you firm….”

The Greek verb that is translated will sustain you is the same as that which is translated “confirmed” or “firmly established” in verse 6. Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch renders this as “he will help you to remain firm on this ground to the end.” In some languages it will be necessary to explain the “ground” on which the Corinthian Christians will “remain firm.” The meaning is that Christians must not lose their faith in Christ no matter what tests or temptations they meet. One can say “He will also keep you from losing your faith” or “Jesus will help you to keep on believing in him.”

Revised Standard Version and Good News Bible are certainly correct in using the expression to the end in this verse. The context speaks clearly about the final “Day” (Good News Bible), or the Day when Jesus Christ will return.

The central idea of the word guiltless is not that the Corinthians will be prevented from doing anything wrong until Christ comes again, but that Christ will “keep them firm” in their trust in him. He will keep them from renouncing their faith or denying him even under persecution, so that in the final judgment he may pronounce them innocent. Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch expresses this same idea in a negative way: “so that no one can accuse you (successfully).”

Day: for Paul, “the Day of the Lord” has become, not just God’s judgment day, but the day when Christ comes to glory. Translators should use a phrase similar to this, to avoid readers raising the objection: “Why should one day more than another belong to God?” Translators should also avoid any expression that might be understood as meaning “Sunday.”

Most manuscripts and most translations have our Lord Jesus Christ as in verse 7 (New English Bible is an exception, but not Revised English Bible). Two important manuscripts omit Christ in verse 8, perhaps because the scribes wished to make the sentence less heavy or repetitious. There is no reason why Christ should not be omitted here, since there is no loss in meaning (the UBS Greek text puts Christ in square brackets). Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch, having used the full phrase “our Lord Jesus Christ” in verse 7, speaks simply of “his judgment day” in verse 8. One could also say here, “on the day when he returns.” For comments on the translation of Lord, see 1 Cor. 1.2.

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 .

This verse, together with the first part of verse 10, has some serious problems of grammar, punctuation and text. However, the general meaning remains clear.

The best way of understanding the structure of this passage is to think of the entire quotation, together with the introductory words as it is written, as being in parentheses (see Table 1|fig:Table_1CO2-5.jpg). The main line of thought, then, would be like this: “None of the rulers of this age understood this… But … God has revealed it to us.” Within this main contrast there is a second contrast between the first two lines and the last line of the quotation itself. Good News Bible‘s “But” of verse 10 thus repeats the stronger But at the beginning of the present verse, which Good News Bible translates “However.” This interpretation is based on the UBS Greek text, which is discussed in the first comment on verse 10.

The quotation from the Old Testament in this verse is not a complete sentence, as Revised Standard Version shows. There is nothing in the text that corresponds to Good News Bible‘s “is the very thing.” Another way of understanding the quotation would be “This is what scripture means when it speaks about what no one ever saw or heard…,” or “This is the meaning of the passage of scripture about the thing that no one ever saw or heard….” The third line can be expanded to make a complete sentence, and to smooth over the change of subject from no eye or “no one” (Good News Bible) to God. One could say, for example, “This is what God prepared for those who love him.” Revised Standard Version chooses another possibility: it links the quotation with the first part of verse 10; but this is a slightly less natural way of rendering the Greek. Revised Standard Version also removes emphasis from the last line of the quotation. Such a rendering goes against the general structure and movement of the passage that we have outlined above.

The words that Revised Standard Version translates eye, ear, and heart refer to different aspects or functions of the human personality. Good News Bible shows this quite clearly, and since these words refer to things that people do, Good News Bible is correct to translate them by verbs. In biblical thought, the heart has more to do with the mind than the emotions; hence Good News Bible‘s translation, “what no one ever thought could happen.” Good News Bible adds “ever” to show that the quotation is quite general in its application; it does not refer to a particular situation. Translators in some languages will find it more natural to keep these references to eye, ear, and heart.

The two instances of the word what in the quotation may be translated as “the thing that no one … heard, or that no one….”

In certain languages it will be necessary to add a word for “which” between “thing” and “God” (Good News Bible) in the last sentence, and say, for example, “is the very thing which God…” or “happened to be the very thing which God….”

Those in the last sentence should in many languages be identified as “people”; for example, “for those people who love him.”

So far we have spoken about “the quotation,” but in fact there is considerable doubt about where it comes from, and indeed whether it is one quotation or more than one. The introductory words strongly suggest that Paul intends to quote from the Old Testament, but if so, the quotation is very inaccurate, especially toward the end. Sources suggested for various parts of the quotation include Isa 64.4 for lines 1 and 2, and the Septuagint of Isa 65.16 for line 3.

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 .

This verse is full of minor difficulties, though the general sense is fairly clear.

The first two Greek words, which Revised Standard Version translates Moreover, are not found together anywhere else in the New Testament. Both are used separately as transitionals, and many commentators and translations understand them in this way. The UBS Concise Greek-English Dictionary gives the meaning “moreover, in this connection” for this verse. However, the first word by itself may mean either “here in this place” or “thus, as it is….” If the more common meaning “here” is taken, Paul may already be implying the contrast between human and divine judgment which he makes explicit later on. This seems to make better sense; otherwise “thus” or similar expressions such as “therefore” add nothing to the sentence and are equivalent to the first word in verse 1. If the word means “here” in this verse, one may rephrase this passage as “Here (in this world, or in this matter [New Jerusalem Bible]) the one thing required of such….” Most translations appear to choose the meaning “thus.”

The second Greek word means Moreover, “as for the rest,” or “in addition to.” It marks a shift to another aspect of Paul’s argument.

The text which is translated required is uncertain. Greek manuscripts vary between it is required and “you require,” which may also be an imperative “require!” Most translations take the meaning as it is required. On the whole, the context suggests that at this point Paul is stating a basic principle rather than appealing to his readers. So it is required is a preferable rendering. Some translators will prefer to use an active verb here as Barclay does: “the first quality that anyone looks for….” If an active verb is used, its subject may be either singular (“anyone”) or plural (“people”), with no difference in meaning; for example, “the first quality that people look for in a….” There is no suggestion of God requiring anything.

Luther’s (Luther 1984) translation has “no more is required than that they be found faithful.” This is rather misleading; “no more … than” is neither expressed nor implied in the text.

Of stewards translates a plural noun in Greek but refers to servants as a class, not to any particular servant. Good News Bible‘s “servant” is thus a better rendering in modern English (see comment on verse 1).

In biblical Greek the verb be found sometimes refers to the result of an official inquiry. It thus can mean “be shown to be” or “prove to be,” as for example in Rom 7.10; 1 Cor 15.15; 2 Cor 5.3. This may be the meaning here too.

Good News Bible‘s “to their master” is not in the Greek but is added to show what kind of faithfulness is intended here. However, in some New Testament texts such as Heb 3.2, 5, the word for trustworthy or “faithful” (Good News Bible) suggests not only general “reliability” (Barclay) but also effectiveness in a particular office. This would fit the present context well, the office being in this case that of an apostle or evangelist. One could then render this phrase as “that they be effective workers” or “that they do their job in a trustworthy way.”

An alternative translation model for this verse is:
• Therefore, the first quality that people look for in servants is that they do their job in a trustworthy 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 two halves of this verse are rhetorical questions. These questions are designed to show emphasis and not to elicit an answer, as we have already mentioned. So these questions may be translated as strong positive statements.

Do you not know…?: this rhetorical question is equivalent to a strong statement, “Surely you know,” or “You have been taught that,” or “I am certain that you are aware of the fact that” (see comments on 5.6). Here, and perhaps also in verse 3, Paul is referring to a teaching that his readers have already received. The belief that God’s people would share in the final judgment is mentioned in Daniel 7.22, and more clearly in Matthew 19.28.

For a discussion of saints or “God’s people” (Good News Bible), see comments on 1 Cor. 6.1.

Will judge, here and in verse 3, can be a present tense in the Greek, “judge,” meaning “have the function of judging.” But the context, especially the verb “will inherit” in verses 9-10, suggests a future event.

World probably has here its neutral sense of “universe,” including angels (verse 3).

Revised Standard Version‘s And if does not show the logical connection between these two rhetorical questions. Good News Bible clearly shows this connection with “Well then, if….” One could also render this as “So, if…” or “In that case, if….”

In languages that do not naturally use passives it will be necessary for the translator to render if the world is to be judged by you as “if you are to judge the world,” as Good News Bible has done.

Are you incompetent is literally “are you unworthy?” The Greek suggests not only “unqualified to judge” but also “not having the moral capacity for judging.” A possible translation of this clause would be “Are you unqualified to judge small matters?” This rhetorical question could also be rendered as a statement; for example, “So then, if you are to judge the world, you are certainly qualified to judge small matters.”

To try trivial cases: the same word for cases is used in verse 4. The meaning may be either “to form even the least important law courts” (New American Standard Bible, and Barrett) or, more probably, “to try even the most unimportant lawsuits” (so Fee and all other translations consulted). One could therefore render the final clause as “you are certainly qualified to judge trivial (or, small) lawsuits.”

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 .