The Greek that is translated as “gift” or similar in English is transliterated in the German New Testament translation by Berger / Nord (publ. 1999) as Charisma (instead of the commonly-used Gabe or “gift”) to differentiate it from regular human gifts. The translators explain (p. 94): “According to Paul, ‘Charisma’ is an extraordinary gift, that is humanly not explainable. Basically every Christian has such a gift and is supposed to use it in mission-oriented efforts for the one who gives this gift.”
Following are a number of back-translations of 1 Corinthians 12:31:
Uma: “So, strive to get abilities from the Holy Spirit that are better. But what is really the best, that is what I will tell you now.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
Yakan: “Among the expertise given by the Spirit of God we (dual) should ask from God that he gives us (dual) the expertise that really helps our (incl.) fellow-men. But there is still one that really exceeds all expertise, that is our (dual) love for our (dual) companions.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
Western Bukidnon Manobo: “Place in your breath that the proper thing to ask for from God are those skills which are of great value. But there is still a way whose value is very much greater, and it is loving our (incl.) companions.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
Kankanaey: “Therefore since it’s not possible that each one of us has all the abilities that God gives, we ought to strongly-desire to receive the more-important/valuable abilities. But now, there is that which I will make-known to you which is far better to be followed.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
Tagbanwa: “Therefore strive- very -hard-after the best abilitites, those that are the most beneficial to everyone. But if/when you are using these abilities, there is a way/trail which is much better than the way/trail you are following/obeying now. As for this way/trail, it is valuing one another. That’s the way/trail that I will explain to you now so that you will really understand it.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
Tenango Otomi: “You must want that God gives you the work which is most valuable. But there is another matter you must want which is supremely good, and this what I want to teach you about now.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
Click or tap here to see the rest of this insight.
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 Japanese shows different degree of politeness is through the choice of a formal plural suffix to the second person pronoun (“you” and its various forms) as shown here in the widely-used Japanese Shinkaiyaku (新改訳) Bible of 2017. In these verses, anata-gata (あなたがた) is used, combining the second person pronoun anata and the plural suffix -gata to create a formal plural pronoun (“you” [plural] in English).
This sentence may be either (1) an order, “strive for spiritual gifts,” or (2) a statement, “you strive for.” Most translations and commentaries choose (1), including the New International Version text; but (2), which is mentioned in an New International Version footnote, would make a good connection with verse 31b: “You Corinthians are struggling to obtain spiritual gifts, but I will show you a much better way,” the way of love.
Earnestly desire: in languages that have a similar phrase to Good News Bible‘s idiomatic expression, “Set your hearts,” the translator may wish to expand this phrase by using the word “gain”: “set your hearts, then, on gaining the more….”
In this verse there is no need to put “spiritual” before gifts, since the previous verses have shown clearly what kind of gifts are in Paul’s mind.
Higher gifts: some languages will prefer to express higher as “more important” (Good News Bible). Verse 14.1 suggests that Paul is thinking here mainly of the gift of Christian prophecy or “proclaiming God’s message.” The highest gift of all, that of being an apostle, presumably could not be obtained by “setting one’s heart” on it, but is given by a special appointment by God (see 1.1).
I will show can also be rendered “I will point out to you” or “I would like to introduce you to.”
The phrase a still more excellent is used only by Paul in the New Testament. It means something that is not only greater or better than something else, but much greater or better (compare Rom 7.13, “sinful beyond measure”; 2 Cor 1.8, “utterly”; 4.17, “beyond all comparison”; Gal 1.13, “violently”). New English Bible and New Jerusalem Bible translate more excellent way as “the best way of all”; Revised English Bible, more cautiously, “an even better way.” One African language has “a way that far surpasses all others.”
“Following” is not explicit in the text but is added by Good News Bible to make the connection with chapter 13 clear. It is implied in I will show you.
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 .
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®).
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.