Paul continues to draw an illustration from natural languages in order to show the danger of speaking ecstatically. In many languages this first sentence will need to be rendered as “If I do not understand the language that a person is speaking.”

Foreigner: this is the Greek word from which the English “barbarian” is derived. However, here it refers to someone whose language cannot be understood rather than to a wild or fierce person.

For the last two clauses Revised Standard Version follows the order of the Greek, while Good News Bible reverses the order. At least in English, Good News Bible‘s ordering is more logical: if someone is speaking in a language that I do not understand, the immediate effect is that I shall consider him a foreigner. The fact that he will also consider me a foreigner comes later. Even though they may understand each other when using normal speech, when they speak in strange tongues they are like foreigners to each other.

For Good News Bible‘s use of plural forms, see the introduction to this section.

To me is literally “in me,” meaning “in my sight” or “in my opinion.”

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 .

Of first importance is literally “in (the) first [plural],” an expression used only here in the New Testament. The phrase can mean “first in time” or “first in importance.” It seems likely that Paul intended both meanings here “first and foremost” (Revised English Bible); “of first importance” is another possibility.

What I also received: verse 3a may mean either “I delivered the gospel that I had first received” or “I, like you, received the gospel.” However, also is clearly linked in the Greek with received, not with I, and the parallel with verses 1-2 suggests the former. In many languages it will be good to expand this clause to “the message that I also received.”

A translator may restructure the first part of this verse as follows:
• “I received a message of the greatest importance and passed it on to you. It was that….”

In the remainder of the verse the summary of the Christian faith now begins. Good News Bible indicates this by a colon. The word “that” following the colon can be understood here as equivalent to opening quotation marks.

For in for our sins has a very general meaning as its English equivalent: “concerning,” “with reference to,” or “in order to deal with” (Barrett).

Here and in verse 4 it is uncertain whether in accordance with the scriptures refers to the simple fact that Christ died and “was raised” (verse 4), or whether the phrases for our sins and “on the third day” (verse 4) are also supposed by Paul to have been foretold in the Old Testament. This raises the further question, which does not immediately affect the translator, of whether these phrases formed part of the primitive creed, or were inserted by Paul as his own interpretation. The order in the Greek, however, suggests that in accordance with the scriptures, both in verse 3 and in verse 4, refers to the entire preceding clause. Both Revised Standard Version and Good News Bible interpret the meaning in this way, making a smoother translation.

In accordance with the scriptures may be rephrased as “as written in the Scriptures” (Good News Bible) or “fulfilling what is written in the scriptures.”

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 .

You foolish man! is unusually blunt for Paul, but the same language is used in Luke 11.40; 12.20; similar language in Eph 5.17; and an equally strong expression in Matt 15.14. It should be remembered that Paul is addressing, not a real individual, but a typical objector, who grammatically may be male or female, so Revised Standard Version‘s man is unnecessary. Some translations use softer expressions: Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch “how can you ask such a question?”; New Jerusalem Bible has “how foolish!”;Revised English Bible “What stupid questions.”

Man means “person.”

The second you is singular and emphatic, meaning not “someone” but “you who are asking the question.”

Sow in Greek simply refers to scattering seed on the surface, as in Mark 4.3 and the following verses. However, “plant a seed” (Good News Bible) will in many languages be a better picture, especially in the light of a bare kernel (Good News Bible‘s “bare seed”) in verse 37.

Does not come to life unless it dies may be expanded as “unless it first dies, it will not come to life again as a plant.” Dies is what the text says, and therefore what must be translated. Paul does not write as a modern botanist; he means that the seed must cease to exist as a seed before it can become a plant. A similar thought is expressed in John 12.24.

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 .

Be watchful “in the sense of looking out for eschatological events, expected to happen shortly” (Barrett ).

Stand firm in your faith: the Greek could mean either (1) “stand firm in your acceptance of Christian teaching” (compare 11.2 “maintain the traditions”) or (2) “stand firm in your trust in God and Christ.” Revised Standard Version chooses (2) as An American Translation does. Most translations, including Good News Bible, choose (1), the meaning of which is implied in the literal words “in the faith.”

Be courageous: this verb is not used elsewhere in the New Testament but is common in the Greek Old Testament, almost always with other verbs meaning “be strong.” See, for example, Deut 31.6, 7, 23.

Strong refers to strength of faith rather than muscular strength. The two words courageous and strong reinforce the words stand firm earlier in the verse.

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 turns rather abruptly from drawing lessons from himself and other church leaders to addressing his readers. He applies to them a conclusion that is drawn partly from the previous verses, though using different language. This verse, like verse 8b, anticipates the following section, where the “if any one” language of verses 12, 14, and 15 is resumed in verse 17. However, in other respects verse 17 carries on the new thought of verse 16, so a new paragraph is not needed at that point.

Do you not know is a negative rhetorical question that is equal to the positive statement “You certainly know that you are God’s temple…,” “I am sure that you know that…,” or “I am sure that you are aware of the fact that….”

The main problem in understanding and translating verses 16-17 is to decide whether Paul is referring to the Christians at Corinth individually, or as a body of believers, or both. It seems more natural to apply the image of the temple to the church as a whole, though in 6.19 it probably refers to individual Christians. It is also possible that the words “if any one” in verse 17 refer to one or more individuals who are a threat to the church at Corinth. Moreover, Paul chooses a plural relative pronoun “which” in verse 17, meaning “you yourselves,” where a singular “which (temple)” would have been grammatically more correct. Paul’s general tendency in this passage is to make positive statements about unspecified individuals in Corinth. Some translators may prefer to use a simile instead of the metaphor God’s temple; for example, “you are like a temple that belongs to God.”

Temple in this context may be rendered as “God’s house,” or “God’s dwelling place.”

The most likely meaning of the end of the verse is in you (whether as a group or as individuals), though “among you” is possible, as in verse 18.

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 structure of the Greek sentence is loose, as we stated in the comments at the beginning of this section. But it seems best to link deliver this man with I have already passed judgment. This man is literally “such a man,” but only one case is under consideration. The meaning, then, is “such a bad man,” not “any such man” (compare 2 Cor 2.6-7).

Deliver … to is often used of people being handed over to evil powers (see Rom. 1.24, 26, 28, where Good News Bible has “given … over”). It is also used of someone being betrayed or handed over to his enemies (see 11.23, “betrayed,” and compare Mark 14.42). However, Revised Standard Version‘s or Good News Bible‘s translations are more natural in this context.

Satan may need a glossary note in some languages (compare 7.5; 2 Cor 2.11; 11.14; 12.7). Parola Del Signore: La Bibbia in Lingua Corrente‘s note is as follows: “Devil. In the New Testament, refers to the most direct enemy of God, the tempter and seducer of mankind. He is also called Beelzebul or Satan (Mark 3.22, 23).” The present context shows that Paul is thinking of a spiritual power.

Flesh (Good News Bible‘s “body”) is contrasted with spirit in this context. The thought may be that the guilty man is condemned to physical death by being thrown out of the Christian fellowship (compare 11.30; Acts 5.1-11). Alternatively, “What Paul was desiring by having this man put outside the believing community was the destruction of what was ‘carnal’ in him…” (Fee). In any case, the purpose of punishing him physically now is that he may be spiritually saved when Christ returns in judgment (see 3.13). Good News Bible has added “his” before “body,” as it is implied in the text and is a more natural translation.

The clauses for the destruction of the flesh, that his spirit … may be restructured in the following way: “so that even though his body is destroyed, his spirit may be saved” or “so that even though Satan destroys his body, Jesus will save his spirit.”

Day of the Lord Jesus: as in verse 4, many Greek manuscripts have “of our Lord Jesus Christ.” The UBS Greek text, however, has “the Lord.” This is probably what Paul wrote, and Good News Bible has translated it this way (also New International Version, New Jerusalem Bible, Revised English Bible). Some translators may need to render the phrase day of the Lord Jesus as “the day when our Lord returns” or “the day of the Lord’s judgment,” so as to avoid giving the impression that it is a day that belongs to the Lord. Translators should also avoid any phrase that might be understood as meaning “Sunday.”

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 main problem of this verse is first of all to decide what the word this refers to, and secondly to translate the word clearly. Almost certainly, the concession (Good News Bible‘s “permission”) relates to the temporary abstinence from sexual relations. It does not relate to “coming together again” or to the whole of verses 2-5 (as if marriage itself were the concession). That it refers to “temporary abstinence from sexual relations” is confirmed by the tentative expression “except perhaps” of verse 5. Concession is rendered by Revised Standard Version, New Jerusalem Bible, New International Version, and Revised English Bible; this is the right word rather than “suggestion” (Jerusalem Bible). This word is used in Sirach 3.13, where Revised English Bible translates “make allowances.” “Permission” (Good News Bible) is also an English equivalent.

There is a further question, whether the concession and the command come from Paul himself, from Christ, or from God. The sentence could be restructured “I say this because God has allowed me to say it, not because he has commanded me to do so.” The language of this verse is very similar to that of 7.25, “I have no command from the Lord,” so that verse 6 may imply that the concession and the command come from Christ. However, the immediate context suggests that Paul is speaking on his own authority. So translators should probably translate the verse in that way.

The phrase by way of concession may be expressed as “but I am permitting you to do this.”

Translators must decide whether it is more natural and effective in their own language to express the negative side of the comparison first; for example, Good News Bible‘s “not as an order” followed by the positive “as a permission.” The Greek puts the positive first, as Revised Standard Version‘s by way of concession, not of command.

An alternative translation model for this verse is:
• I am not commanding you to abstain like this, but simply giving you permission to do it if you wish.

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 .