SIL Translator’s Notes on 1 Corinthians 2023

SIL Translator’s Notes on 1 Corinthians 1:26

1:26a Brothers, consider the time of your calling:

My brothers and sisters, think about ⌊your status in this world⌋ when God called you ⌊to become his people/believers⌋.
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My Christian friends, remember ⌊what your status/position in life was⌋ when God called/summoned you ⌊to follow Christ⌋.
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My fellow believers ⌊in Christ⌋, remember ⌊what you were like⌋ when God called/invited you ⌊to belong to/follow him⌋.

1:26b Not many of you were wise by human standards;

Not many of you were what most people consider wise.
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According to human standards, not many of you were clever/wise.
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The people of this world thought/considered very few of you to be wise people.

1:26c not many were powerful;

Not many of you were powerful people.
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Not many of you held power over other people.
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Only a few of you had positions of power/influence.

1:26d not many were of noble birth.

Not many of you were born into the higher classes of society.
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Only a few of you were born into important/noble families.

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SIL Translator’s Notes on 1 Corinthians 3:11

3:11 For no one can lay a foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ.

For no one can put down a different/new foundation. The foundation has already been put in place. This foundation is Jesus Christ.
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because no one can put anything else as the foundation. Jesus Christ is the only foundation ⌊of God’s house⌋.

SIL Translator’s Notes on 1 Corinthians 4:20

4:20 For the kingdom of God is not a matter of talk but of power.

For the kingdom of God does not consist in talk/words but in power.
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For when God rules his people, he gives them power ⌊to follow his ways⌋. If they are just talking, they are not ⌊acting as his people⌋.
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People who have God as their king do not just talk about it. ⌊They obey him⌋ by/through the power that he gives.

SIL Translator’s Notes on 1 Corinthians 6:18

6:18a Flee from sexual immorality.

Be very careful that you do not behave immorally.
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Have nothing at all to do with sexually bad ways.
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Absolutely do not have sex with anyone except your spouse.

6:18b Every other sin a man can commit is outside his body,

Other kinds of sins are not sins against one’s own body ⌊in the same way⌋.
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When people sin, they usually do not sin against their own bodies.
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All the ⌊other⌋ sins that people do are not sins that affect/harm their own bodies in the way

6:18c but he who sins sexually sins against his own body.

But when people have sex with people they are not married to, they sin against their own body.
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But people who behave in sexually bad ways are wronging their own bodies.
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that having sex with someone they are not married to harms them.

SIL Translator’s Notes on 1 Corinthians 7:30

7:30a those who weep, as if they did not;

Likewise, believers who are mourning/grieving ⌊over some sadness/loss⌋ should not be ⌊too/overly⌋ concerned about it.
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If you are weeping now, remember that your sadness/grief is not the most important thing in your life ⌊and soon it will be gone⌋.
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And even if you are weeping/crying and being sad, you should go on serving the Lord, ⌊since you know that soon you will no longer be sad⌋.

7:30b those who are joyful, as if they were not;

Likewise, believers who are happy should not think only about being happy.
-or-
If you are happy, remember that your happiness/joy is not the most important thing in your life, ⌊and what is making you happy will soon be gone⌋.
-or-
And even if you are laughing and feeling happy, you should not let your happiness make you forget about serving the Lord.

7:30c those who make a purchase, as if they had nothing;

Likewise believers who buy things should not be too/overly concerned with the things they own.
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If you buy things, remember that having/owning things is not the most important thing in your life, ⌊and some day you will no longer own those things⌋.
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And when you buy things, you should consider that they are not yours to possess/enjoy for ever.

SIL Translator’s Notes on 1 Corinthians 9:9

9:9a For it is written in the Law of Moses:

For in the Law Moses wrote this:
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For we (incl.) read in the Law of Moses:

9:9b “Do not muzzle an ox while it is treading out the grain.”

“When you use an ox/cow to thresh the grain, you must not tie its mouth shut ⌊to keep it from eating some of the grain⌋.”
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“You must not prevent an ox/animal from eating while it is working/treading/threshing the grain.”

9:9c Is it about oxen that God is concerned?

Did God make that law because he cared about the oxen?
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God was not only concerned about oxen.

SIL Translator’s Notes on 1 Corinthians 10:14

10:14 Therefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry.

For that reason, my dear friends, you (plur.) must totally avoid/reject the worship of idols.
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So, ones I love, I urge you to turn away from bowing down before statues.

SIL Translator’s Notes on 1 Corinthians 11:13

11:13a Judge for yourselves:

Decide this yourselves:
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Think about this:

11:13b Is it proper for a woman to pray to God with her head uncovered?

Is it appropriate for a woman to pray to God bareheaded?
-or-
Is it right for women to pray to God without a covering on their heads? ⌊Of course it isn’t.⌋

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Source: SIL Translator’s Notes on 1 Corinthians 2023