complete verse (1 Corinthians 12:26)

Following are a number of back-translations of 1 Corinthians 12:26:

  • Uma: “If one is sick, we all suffer/groan with him/her. If one is praised, we all are happy with him/her.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “If for example there is one part of ones body hurting, ones whole body doesn’t feel well. Likewise if for example one part is praised the whole body is also glad.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “And if one part of our body is sick, then the whole body is in pain. And the same way also, if one part of our body is treated well, then it’s good for the whole body.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “Therefore if one part of the body hurts, they all feel-it, and if also one is honored/praised, they all join-in-being-happy.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “If one of them is being hardshipped, they are considering it to be the hardship of them all. If one of them is being praised, they are all happy.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “If one part of the person’s body is ill, all the person’s body is ill. If there is one part of the person’s body which is respected, then all the person’s body is what rejoices.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)

Translation commentary on 1 Corinthians 12:26

As Paul uses the figure of “the body,” he sometimes thinks more about the figure “body,” and sometimes thinks more about what it refers to, that is, the church. Here it is becoming increasingly clear that Paul is thinking more of the church at Corinth than of the parts of a physical body. It is scarcely true to say that all the parts of a physical body suffer if, for example, a finger is hurt, and in verse 26b it is difficult to think of parts of a physical body rejoicing together when one of them is honored. However, Paul’s language is clear and should be translated as exactly as possible.

With both occurrences of all, it may be well to expand it to “all the other parts” as Good News Bible has done.

See verse 12 for a discussion of the use of the term member in modern English.

The word translated one before member is honored is omitted by some manuscripts, but translators, like some scribes, commonly add it in order to make the contrast between the two halves of the verse clearer. No change of meaning is involved. One before member suffers is certainly part of the text.

Is honored (Good News Bible “praised”) may be phrased as “receives honor” or “receives praise.” Some languages can use a neutral phrase such as “if they honor…” or “if they praise…” instead of the passive construction is honored.

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 .