complete verse (1 Corinthians 9:3)

Following are a number of back-translations of 1 Corinthians 9:3:

  • Uma: “To the people who want to investigate whether I am an apostle of Yesus, this is my answer.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “When/if people question/ask me about my doings this is what I answer them:” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “And as for those people who would like to check up on my activities, my answer to them is,” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “This is what I answer those who look-down-on me.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “Well, this is my answer to those who deny-the-truth-of my apostleship there.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “If anyone says that he does not look well on what I do, this then is the word I say about this.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)

Translation commentary on 1 Corinthians 9:3

The two keywords of this verse, defense and examine, are taken from the language of the law courts. See also the comments on 2.4. Phillips and the Spanish La Biblia Interconfesional start a new paragraph with verse 4, taking Paul’s “defense” to consist of verses 1-3. In this case the evidence in Paul’s defense will not be his own argument but the fact of the existence of the church at Corinth. However, the word This occurs at the end of the Greek sentence. This fact is generally taken to suggest that This refers to what follows, as Good News Bible‘s colon shows, as well as Revised Standard Version‘s paragraphing, followed by New International Version and Revised English Bible (also Barrett, tentatively, and Fee without hesitation). Verses 4-12a may not sound like a defense when they are read by themselves, but they do when they are seen in the light of verses 12b-27. Another way to phrase this verse is “I use the following things to defend myself when people criticize me.”

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 .