stumbling block

The now commonly-used English idiom “stumbling block” (meaning a challenge or hindrance that prevents an accomplishment) was first coined in 1526 in the English New Testament translation of William Tyndale (in the spelling stomblinge blocke). (Source: Crystal 2010, p. 283)

For other idioms in English that were coined by Bible translation, see here.

complete verse (1 Corinthians 8:9)

Following are a number of back-translations of 1 Corinthians 8:9:

  • Uma: “But be very careful, relatives. Even though we can eat that food because our hearts are clear, yet let’s not invite our friend whose faith is not-yet strong to eat it, with the result that he eats it and it-is-sin-to-him.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “But even though you can eat any food whatever, be simply/just careful, perhaps because of your eating there are fellow trusters of yours whose trust in God is not yet strong who will sin because of you.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “But in spite of that, it’s necessary that you carefully think about those which has been permitted to you, because it might be that by means of you, the faith of someone who doesn’t yet understand what’s right, might be hindered.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “But be-careful (lit. see) that your freedom is not the cause-of-sinning of your companions whose faith is still weak.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “But be careful, for even though your (sing.) head is not troubled if you join in at these feasts, maybe that will be the source of your causing-those whose understanding is lacking -to-sin.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “Even though we may eat meat, but be careful about what you eat. Do not want that what you eat be the cause of the committing of sin by your brothers who do not have strong faith.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
  • Chichewa: “But beware lest this freedom of yours in doing things cause to stumble some whose faith is not really very strong.” (interconfessional translation, publ. 1999) (Source: Wendland 1998, p. 69)

formal 2nd person plural pronoun (Japanese)

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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).

(Source: S. E. Doi, see also S. E. Doi in Journal of Translation, 18/2022, p. 37ff. )

Translation commentary on 1 Corinthians 8:9

The language of this verse is hesitant: “But be careful lest perhaps this power of yours….”

The word translated liberty may mean “power,” “authority,” or even “rights”; and “rights as a Christian” is a possible translation too. It is a theme that becomes important in chapter 9, where Paul discusses his own rights as an apostle.

The weak are Christians, as the context makes plain. One may also translate this phrase as “fellow Christians whose faith is weak.”

The word for stumbling block is sometimes used to describe the result that teaching about Jesus has on those who do not accept it (Rom 9.32-33; 1 Peter 2.8). Essentially, though, it means the same as another word for “stumbling block” used in 1 Cor 1.23 (see the comments). The reference was originally to the Old Testament law against making a blind man stumble by putting some object in his path. However, this language was widely used in the New Testament with the wider sense of making someone “fall into sin” (for example, Matt 18.6) or bringing about someone’s spiritual destruction (see verse 11). Some languages cannot speak of “falling into sin.” In such cases one may say “sin by eating such food.”

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 .