complete verse (1 Corinthians 15:43)

Following are a number of back-translations of 1 Corinthians 15:43:

  • Uma: “So also it will be with the dead when they live again. While we live on the earth, our bodies are weak and pitiable. When we die, our bodies are buried and become rotten. But when we are caused to live again, our bodies are changed to become bodies that are strong and beautiful, that no longer die or become rotten.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “When it is buried the body of a person is not nice to look at and it has no strength. But when it is made alive again it will be really nice to look at and strong.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “And as for our (incl.) body, when these are buried they are not good to look at and they no longer have any value; however, when they are raised they will be very beautiful and very strong.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “The body of a dead-person, its appearance is bad and it also has no power, but the body of one-who-lives again is good-looking/well-formed and strong.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “The body which is buried is no longer good to look at and no longer has ability, but when it will be made to live again its good-ness and ability will be vary-far-from-ordinary.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “The body of a dead person is bad when it is buried. But when it is resurrected it then appears good. A person is not strong when he is buried. But when he resurrects he is strong.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)

Translation commentary on 1 Corinthians 15:43

The two halves of this verse are similar in structure to 42b. Revised Standard Version keeps the structure of the Greek. Good News Bible has combined these two sentences, making them more specific applications of verse 42b. This interpretation, however, is not certain. It is perhaps more likely that Paul makes three overlapping statements that are of equivalent importance and similar meaning. If translators think that such rhetorical repetition is natural and effective in their language, the three statements in verses 42b and 43 must be translated separately. Otherwise, not only the two halves of verse 43, but all three statements can be combined. Many translations keep the two halves of verse 43 separate.

The phrases It is sown and it is raised may be expressed as “When the body is buried” and “when the body is raised.”

Dishonor in the context of burial refers to “ugliness” (see Good News Bible), the opposite of glory, which refers to “beauty” (see comments on verse 40).

Glory: see the comments on verse 40. Good News Bible‘s “it will be beautiful” or Bible en français courant‘s “it will be glorious” make the meaning clear.

In weakness … in power may be translated “as something weak … as something strong.”

In some languages translators will be able to render this verse in a way similar to Revised Standard Version‘s translation, but with some expansion: “When the body is buried it is ugly, but when it is raised it will be beautiful. When it is buried it is weak, but when it is raised it will be powerful.” Many languages, however, will need to render this verse in a way similar to Good News Bible “When the body is buried, it is ugly and weak; when God raises it, it will be beautiful and strong.”

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 .

SIL Translator’s Notes on 1 Corinthians 15:43

15:43a It is sown in dishonor; it is raised in glory.

The body that is buried is dishonorable, but when it comes back to life it will be glorious.
-or-
When we (incl.) bury a body it is ugly, but when God raises it from the dead it will be beautiful.

15:43b It is sown in weakness; it is raised in power.

The body that is buried is weak, but when ⌊God⌋ raises it from the dead, it will be powerful.
-or-
Our (incl.) bodies now are weak, but when they rise they will be strong.

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