10to another the working of powerful deeds, to another prophecy, to another the discernment of spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues.
The Greek and Hebrew that are often translated as “miracles” or “miraculous powers” into English are translated as “thing which no one has ever seen before” (San Blas Kuna), “thing marveled at” (Tepeuxila Cuicatec), “breathtaking thing” (Ngäbere), “long-necked thing” (referring to the onlookers who stretch their necks to see) (Huautla Mazatec), “sign done by God’s power” (Mossi), “supernatural power” (Javanese), “thing that has heaven-strength” (Highland Totonac) (source for all above: Bratcher / Nida), “amazing thing” (Muna) (source: René van den Berg), “sign no one else could do” (Tenango Otomi) (source: M. Larson / B. Moore in Notes on Translation February 1970, p. 1-125), or “impossible thing” (Mairasi) (source: Enggavoter 2004).
Eastern Highland Otomi: “speaking strange languages” (source for his and two above: Viola Waterhouse in Notes on Translation August 1966, p. 86ff.)
IndonesianAlkitab Terjemahan Lama version (publ. 1958): “speak the language of the spirit” (bahasa roh) — “which leaves a strong impression that this is a mystical experience.” (Source: Ekaputra Tupamahu in: Journal for the Study of the New Testament 2018, 41/2, p. 223ff.)
In most Protestant Mandarin Chinese translations, the term fāngyán (方言) or “dialect / regional language” is used. The widely-used Catholic Sigao translation uses yǔyán 语言 (語言) or “language” instead. (See also W. Chong in Religions 2024, 15, p. 288ff. )
In the German New Testament translation by Berger / Nord (publ. 1999) it is translated as in den Sprachen der Engel reden or “speaking in the language of angels.” The translators explain (p. 104): “According to Jewish understanding, angels primarily spoke Hebrew. The ‘languages’ of angels are specific texts (such as songs). This is not related to a formal knowledge of language.” Note that in the latter part of 1 Corinthians 14 (from verse 26 on) and in Acts 2:4, Berger / Nord use “foreign language” instead.
In the German translation by Fridolin Stier (1989) it is translated as “speaking with ecstatic tongues” (mit verzückten Zungen reden).
Following are a number of back-translations of 1 Corinthians 12:10:
Uma: “To one person is given power to do miracles, to one person is given ability to speak God’s words. To one person also is given knowledge to distinguish what is from the Holy Spirit and what is not from the Holy Spirit. To a different person is given ability to speak with languages from the Holy Spirit. And to one person is also given the knowledge to interpret [lit., move the meaning of] that language so that others can understand it.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
Yakan: “There are some whom he has given power to do powerful deeds/miracles. Others also he gave the expertise to teach God’s word; there are still others to whom it is made known if people’s expertise is from God’s Spirit or from some other (source). And there are also (others) who have been given by God’s Spirit the expertise to speak languages that are not understood by the people. There are also (others) who have been given expertise to explain as to what was said there.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
Western Bukidnon Manobo: “And to another the Holy Spirit gives the power so he can do miracles. And to another yet is given the skill to explain what God has caused him to understand. And to still another is given the skill to identify a supernatural guide, whether it comes from God or whether it is a demon. There are also people whom God gives the skill to speak in languages which they do not know; and there are also people to whom is given the skill to interpret what these people say.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
Kankanaey: “He moreover gives to another the ability to do miracles, to another the ability to tell what God has made-known, and to still another the ability to be-able-to-distinguish whether or not what was said was from God. To still another, he gives the ability to speak various languages that he doesn’t know, and to still another, he gives the ability to interpret those languages.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
Tagbanwa: “There are others also who have been given the ability to do miracles (lit. amazing things). There are also those whom the Espiritu Santo puts-into-the-mind-of words which God is making known to everyone, and there are also those being graced with the ability to recognize if it is really the Espiritu Santo who is putting-into-the-mind words like this, or if it just the deception of the evil-spirits. There are still others also who are being given the gift of being able to speak different languages that they haven’t studied. And then, in the case of others also, they can explain the meaning these languages that they haven’t studied.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
Tenango Otomi: “Others are given strength to do miracles. Others, the Holy Spirit puts in their minds the word they are to speak. Others he causes to know well whether the Holy Spirit puts in the mind the words spoken by a person or not. Concerning others, the Holy Spirit causes that they speak different words they did not know. There are some whom the Holy Spirit causes to be able to tell the meaning of these different words which are spoken.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
The working of miracles: it will be helpful to carry the idea of “gives … power” from verse 9 (see Good News Bible) over to this verse. One can translate “The Spirit gives to another person the power to work miracles.” Working of miracles is literally “abilities of powers.” “Powers” is commonly used of miracles and is quite general in meaning. The central meaning is not that which is against the normal course of nature, but events which show in a special way the power of God in action (see the discussion of “nature” in 11.14).
The next two items in Paul’s list, prophecy and the ability to distinguish between spirits, belong together for reasons that Paul develops in 14.26-28. However, in this verse the relationship between them is not stressed, and Good News Bible perhaps overtranslates here. However, Good News Bible‘s translation of prophecy as “speaking God’s message” is truer to the meaning of the word as generally used in Paul’s writings. Ability to distinguish, which is plural in Greek, is found in a similar sense in Heb 5.14 and is translated negatively in Rom 14.1 as “opinions.” Paul is probably thinking of different occasions on which it may be necessary to distinguish between spiritual powers (compare verse 3). The related verb translated variously as “decide between,” “discerning,” and “weigh” is used in 6.5; 11.29, 31; and 14.29. It seems possible that there was some discussion in Corinth of claims to possess spiritual judgment. Good News Bible‘s translation “the ability to tell the difference between gifts that come from the Spirit and those that do not” makes the meaning clearer than Revised Standard Version‘s rendering.
As in other verses in this section, it will be helpful in many languages to identify “the Spirit” (Good News Bible) as “God’s Spirit” or the “Holy Spirit.”
Various kinds of tongues and the interpretation of tongues, like the two phrases we have just discussed, belong together for reasons that Paul will specify in 14.26-28. Translators need to clearly distinguish prophecy from tongues. Prophecy is preaching that is inspired by God, but in normal understandable human language. On the other hand, speaking in tongues in Paul’s letters refers to a type of speech that could not be understood unless it was interpreted by someone having a special gift to do so. In some languages a literal translation of the word tongues will sound strange or may even have an incorrect meaning. In such cases the translator may use expressions such as “ecstatic speech,” “strange sounds,” or “unintelligible sounds.” It is important for translators to avoid giving two wrong impressions: (a) that of normal speech including strange words, and (b) that of natural foreign languages. Translators will also need to coordinate the translation of the various New Testament passages that refer to this kind of ecstatic speech: Acts 2.3, 4, 11; 10.46; 19.6; 1 Cor 12.28, 30; 13.1, 8; and throughout chapter 14.
The term translated interpretation may refer either to understanding, translation, or interpretation. The interpretation of otherwise unintelligible sounds fits the context best here, as in 13.1 and throughout chapter 14. The phrase interpretation of tongues therefore may be expanded to “explain what is meant by these strange sounds.”
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 .
Some people are given ⌊the ability⌋ to perform miracles.
-or-
⌊He gives⌋ some of us the gift of doing amazing things.
12:10b to another prophecy,
Some people are given the ability to prophesy.
-or-
⌊He gives⌋ some of us the gift of declaring God’s word to people.
12:10c to another distinguishing between spirits,
Some people are given the ability to discern good spirits from evil spirits.
-or-
⌊He gives⌋ some of us the gift to know which things come from an evil spirit and which come from the Holy Spirit.
12:10d to another speaking in various tongues,
Some people are given the ability to speak in various unknown tongues.
-or-
⌊He gives⌋ some of us the gift of speaking in unknown/miraculous languages.
12:10e and to still another the interpretation of tongues.
And some other people are given the ability to explain what those unknown tongues mean.
-or-
And ⌊he gives⌋ to others of us the gift of interpreting/translating what those people say.
Living Water is produced for the Bible translation movement in association with Lutheran Bible Translators. Lyrics derived from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®).
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