judgment against themselves

The Greek that is translated as “judgment against themselves” in English is translated in Elhomwe as “curse themselves.”

Likewise, in 1 Corinthians 11:31 “curse” is also used.

(Source: project-specific translation notes in Paratext)

body (of God) (Japanese honorifics)

Like a number of other East Asian languages, Japanese uses a complex system of honorifics, i.e. a system where a number of different levels of politeness are expressed in language via words, word forms or grammatical constructs. These can range from addressing someone or referring to someone with contempt (very informal) to expressing the highest level of reference (as used in addressing or referring to God) or any number of levels in-between. One way to do this is through the usage (or a lack) of an honorific prefix as shown here in the widely-used Japanese Shinkaiyaku (新改訳) Bible of 2017. When the referent is God, the “divine” honorific prefix mi- (御 or み) can be used, as in mi-karada (みからだ) or “body (of God)” in this verse. (Source: S. E. Doi, see also S. E. Doi in Journal of Translation, 18/2022, p. 37ff. )

complete verse (1 Corinthians 11:29)

Following are a number of back-translations of 1 Corinthians 11:29:

  • Uma: “For people who eat the bread and drink the wine with behavior that is not fitting will be punished by God, for they are not paying-attention-to/valuing the Lord’s body which that custom stands-for/is-the-meaning-of.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “Because if a person eats the bread and drinks the drink and does not think of/regard Almasi’s body, as to what it means, he causes judgment to come on himself because of his eating and drinking.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “Because if he does not consider that that drink and that food is a symbol of the body and blood of Jesus, then God will punish him.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “Because if he eats-together and drinks-together (with others) while at-the-same-time he doesn’t understand the meaning and value of Cristo’s body, he will be punished because of his doing so.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “Because whoever eats and drinks not paying attention to his companions as being all-one-body-entity, judgment which is punishment by God is what he is asking for by it.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “Because should a person eat the Holy Supper and yet has not before considered the meaning of why the Lord died, then the person is bringing upon himself the punishment he will receive.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)

Translation commentary on 1 Corinthians 11:29

For gives the reason for the statement in verse 28, and it links up and partly overlaps with the thought of verse 27.

Some manuscripts add “unworthily” after drinks, and “of the Lord” after body, as in verse 27. These additions are probably intended to make the text clear. Although it seems unlikely that “unworthily” is implicit in the text, it certainly is justified to add “of the Lord” after “body,” as Good News Bible has done.

The Greek of this verse is not very smooth. The phrase translated without discerning the body (of the Lord) is added loosely at the end of the verse. All translations we have consulted agree with Good News Bible in translating these words as an “if” clause, and many languages will prefer to put this clause at the beginning of the verse, as in English.

Good News Bible correctly expands Revised Standard Version‘s literal translation to “the Lord’s body,” that is, the body of Jesus. Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch translates “If he has not made it clear to himself that he has to do with the Lord’s body….” Many scholars believe that Paul is thinking of the church as the body of Christ, but he leaves this implicit, and translators should probably do the same. Some translations such as New English Bible (but not Revised English Bible) have capitalized “Body,” but this is ineffective. When the verse is read aloud, the hearer will not catch the difference in meaning.

It seems better, on the whole, to understand verse 29 in the light of verse 27 as referring to someone who “does not realize the sacredness of Christ’s body” as he eats the bread in the Lord’s Supper (Translator’s New Testament translational notes).

This interpretation is partially reflected in Good News Bible and more clearly by Bible en français courant “if anyone eats of the bread and drinks of the cup without recognizing their relationship with the body of the Lord.” In a similar way Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch renders it “If he has not made it clear to himself that he has to do with the Lord’s body….”

Judgment means a verdict—almost always, as here, of condemnation. One can render this clause as “God will condemn him as he eats and drinks” (see verse 34 in Good News Bible).

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 .