Divided: the married man’s effort is constantly divided between trying to please his wife and Christ. Good News Bible‘s rendering “pulled in two directions” is implied in the context and is a vivid English way to describe this situation. One could also say “has two hearts (minds, livers).”

As the variants in the UBS Greek text show (see also Metzger), it is difficult to be certain of the wording and punctuation of the first part of this verse. Most of the variants can be explained as scribal attempts to cope with the difficulties mentioned in the next paragraphs.

The next part of the verse is quite ungrammatical in the Greek, as Barrett’s translation shows: “the unmarried woman and the virgin is anxious….” Translations and commentaries take this phrase in at least five different ways: (1) Paul is referring to one group, namely “the woman … when she is unmarried” (Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch; perhaps New International Version “an unmarried woman virgin”). If this is what Paul meant, it is difficult to know why he used two different expressions linked with “and.” (2) The difference between the two expressions is primarily one of age: “an unmarried woman, whether an adult or a girl” (Parola Del Signore: La Bibbia in Lingua Corrente; similarly Revised English Bible and others). (3) The unmarried woman means “widows,” just as the unmarried in verse 8 means “widowers” (see comments). (4) The girl (virgin) refers to a group of women who have decided to remain unmarried; New English Bible “unmarried or celibate.” This, however, does not seem to be the meaning of “virgin” elsewhere in this passage. (5) “The virgin—indeed, any unmarried woman” (New American Bible). If (5) is the meaning, it is difficult to see why Paul used the terms in the opposite order. All these translations, (1) through (5), are possible. Most modern translations, however, choose (2), but it may be worth putting (3) in a footnote.

Holy means “dedicated” (Good News Bible); see the extensive comments on 1.2, which explain the conception of sanctified or “set apart”.

In body and spirit: body and spirit are not being contrasted here; the phrase is equivalent to “in her whole being”; Bible en français courant “in all she does and thinks.” One can translate the whole clause how to be holy in … as “wants to dedicate her whole being to the Lord.”

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 .

Do you not know may be translated as “I am sure that you know” or “I am certain that you are aware of the fact that.”

After the words Do you not know (see also 3.16), there follow two clauses that closely parallel each other in Greek and are not linked by any conjunction such as Revised Standard Version‘s and. This suggests that the two clauses have almost the same meaning. Some scholars think that Paul is referring to priests in the first half of the verse, and Levites in the second. However, at least some of the Old Testament passages that form the background to this verse do not distinguish clearly between priests and Levites (see Num 18.5 and Deut 18.1). It is more likely that Paul says the same thing twice to give greater emphasis. As always in such cases, translators should ask themselves whether such repetition will be good style in their own languages. If not, they should find other ways of conveying emphasis. For example, if the translator judges that Paul is referring to the same people in both cases, it is possible to translate and those who serve at the altar as “and when they offer sacrifices … they get their share of the sacrifices.”

The Greek expressions translated those who are employed and those who serve are grammatically masculine and certainly refer to men, though Paul did not need to emphasize this fact, which would be well known to his readers.

Revised Standard Version, Good News Bible, and many other translations use the word temple twice. The same Greek word is used in both places, but the first time it is plural, literally “the holy things.” Some translations make a slight difference in meaning; for example, Revised English Bible uses “temple service” and “temple offerings.” Translator’s New Testament and Moffatt have “temple rites” and “temple.” It is possible that Paul is thinking particularly of Num 18.5, which mentions first the “Holy Place” and then the “altar” (Good News Bible). If this is so, the “holy things” will refer to things used in Temple ritual, and the second reference will be to the Temple itself. Revised Standard Version‘s translation is therefore more precise than Good News Bible‘s.

The word translated serve was used more generally in Greek to mean “to concern oneself with,” “to be engaged in.” However, it was sometimes used in religious texts, and in this case in the context of the altar, so Good News Bible‘s translation “offer the sacrifices” can be justified.

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 .

Verse 19 looks back at the previous argument, including 8.4-5, while verse 20 introduces a new thought. Both the contrast with verse 19 and Paul’s change of direction are well produced by Good News Bible‘s “No! What I am saying is….”

What pagans sacrifice is literally “what they sacrifice.” It will be helpful for a translator to expand this clause as Good News Bible has done, in order to show where the sacrificing occurred: “what pagans sacrifice on altars.”

The verb that is translated sacrifice is the same as that translated offer; Revised Standard Version and Good News Bible have variety for reason of style. This verb often applies to the killing of animals for sacrifice, and is therefore narrower in meaning than the English “to sacrifice.”

The square brackets in the UBS Greek text around the word translated offer indicate that there is some doubt about its position in the text, but there is no question that it belongs there at some point.

Revised English Bible and New Jerusalem Bible make explicit the fact that Paul is here using the language of Deut 32.17. However, he employs a present tense, they offer, rather than the past tense, “they offered.” Other than that, the quotation is the same. New Jerusalem Bible shows this point by italicizing the quoted words, while Revised English Bible marks the quotation more emphatically by translating “pagan sacrifices are offered (in the words of scripture) to demons and to that which is not God.”

The word demons could refer to good spirits in secular Greek, but almost never in the New Testament (Acts 17.18 is an exception). Phillips‘ rendering, “evil spiritual powers,” is therefore correct and accurate. Certain languages refer to these as “evil spirits,” or even “filthy (or, dirty) spirits.”

The and in and not to God is natural in Greek, but not good English style. Good News Bible leaves it out. Many other languages can do the same.

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 long verse may be divided into six parts, corresponding to the main verbs (in italics) in Greek, literally:

(1) For do you not have houses to eat and drink (in)?
(2) or do you despise the church of God?
(3) and humiliate those who do not have (anything)?
(4) What am I to say to you?
(5) Shall I praise you?
(6) About this I do not praise you.

(1) to (5) form a new series of rhetorical questions with high emotional impact. Paul is now challenging his readers to make a positive response.

(1) is a rhetorical question equivalent to the statement “surely you have houses for eating and drinking in.”

(2) and (3) are clearly separated from (1), are closely linked together, and overlap in meaning. Despise has much the same meaning as humiliate, except that humiliate suggests an active expression of a person’s contempt. From another point of view, (3) makes (2) more specific: Paul accuses some of his readers of despising the Christian fellowship by embarrassing those members who are in need.

Since there is no direct connection between (1) and (2), Or may be omitted in translation. “Rather” (Good News Bible) is not in the text and does not improve the connection between (1) and (2). One should translate these as two independent questions.

(2) should be understood as despise in the sense of “treat as if it is unimportant.” Paul means “does it mean nothing to you that you are members of God’s people?”

(3) Those who have nothing is, of course, an exaggeration; the meaning is similar to the expression “the have-nots,” people who have few material things.

Humiliate can be rendered as “bring shame upon” or “cause to receive shame.”

“Am I to” in (4) is different in Greek from “shall I” in (5). The verb in (5) is future tense; in (4) the verb form suggests that Paul is considering what he will do. (4) is a real question, and (5) must, in this context, be understood as a real question too, since Paul answers it in (6). As the literal translation shows, Paul repeats the verb translated “praise” (Good News Bible) or commend, probably recalling verses 2 and 17.

In this (Good News Bible‘s “about this”), in the UBS Greek text, belongs to (6), as the literal translation shows. Some older translations agree with Revised Standard Version in making in this part of (5). There is no manuscript evidence for making it part of (4). Good News Bible, however, does so to make the meaning clear, since (4), (5), and (6) all refer to “this matter.”

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 returns for the last time to the subject of diversity of gifts in the church. There are differences between these verses and the list given in verse 28, but it is not the translator’s task to smooth away these irregularities.

These are seven rhetorical questions that expect the answer “No.” Good News Bible translates them by negative statements. Many languages will need to use similar statements.

Are all…? may be expressed as “Is every person…?” or “Not every person is….”

Tongues: some languages may have to express this word as “strange sounds” or something similar. See also the discussion on verse 10.

In verse 30 the verb translated interpret is related to the word translated “interpretation” in verse 10 (see the comments on that verse). This appears to be interpretation of “strange sounds” or “ecstatic speech” rather than foreign languages. It will be helpful in many languages to expand interpret to “interpret what is said with these strange sounds” or “explain what is said….”

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 .

Tongues: see the comments on 1 Cor. 14.2 and elsewhere in this chapter.

Good News Bible‘s “much” is not in the text and is unnecessary in translation. The verse means that Paul has the gift of ecstatic speech in greater measure than his readers.

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 .

Grace means “God’s gift” (see comments on 1.3).

I am what I am is Paul’s tactful way of saying “I have become an apostle.” One may say “But what I am today, I am by God’s grace” or “But God’s grace has made me what I am today, that is, an apostle.”

His grace toward me is rather literal. Good News Bible‘s “the grace that he gave me” brings out more clearly the meaning of grace as God’s gift here, specifically, the gift of being an apostle.

Was not in vain: literally “did not become in vain.” It means “was not wasted,” “was not worthless,” or the positive statement “was effective.” The whole clause can be rendered as “God’s gifts to me were not wasted” or “… were effective.”

Most translations smooth away an awkward double contrast or change of direction in Greek; literally “… his grace toward me did not prove to be without effect, but I worked more than they all, (but) not I but the grace of God which was with me.” On the level of style, the awkwardness arises from the repetition of the word but (the “but” in parentheses translates a different and weaker word). On the level of meaning the problem is that, as in other places, Paul is trying to express two contrasts at the same time: (1) “God’s grace did not prove to be without effect; on the contrary, I worked harder than everyone else,” and (2) “God’s grace, not I, did the work.” In the immediate context (the middle of verse 10) contrast (2) is an afterthought, but in the wider context (verses 9-10) God’s grace is the main theme. In translation the simplest solution is probably to translate the two buts differently, as Revised Standard Version and Good News Bible do with On the contrary and though. Within (2), languages vary as to whether it is more effective to put the negative or the positive half of the contrast first. The Greek emphasizes the clause the grace of God which is with me by putting it at the end of the sentence.

Any of them means “the other apostles” (Good News Bible). This should be made clear in translation.

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 this verse Paul begins to define the new body.

It is sown and it is raised: see the comments on verse 43.

Physical … spiritual: see comments on “spiritual … natural” in 2.13.

Spiritual body is a literal translation of the Greek. It does not mean a ghostly entity; on the contrary, Paul means that the source of life in the new body is the Holy Spirit. Bible en français courant translates “a body animated by the Spirit”; or one may say “a body to which the Holy Spirit gives life.”

The last sentence of this verse can be understood as an aside or as a footnote to verse 44a. Verse 45 follows on smoothly from verse 44a. This can be shown in translation by the use of parentheses around the last sentence in verse 44.

If there is a physical body: this is not really a conditional clause but rather a statement of fact. Therefore Good News Bible‘s translation “There is, of course, a spiritual body” is a clearer rendering. One may also express this clause as “Just as there is a physical body, so also there is a spiritual body” or “Since there is a physical body, there is also….”

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 .