inclusive vs. exclusive pronoun (1Tim. 6:7)

Many languages distinguish between inclusive and exclusive first-person plural pronouns (“we”). (Click or tap here to see more details)

The inclusive “we” specifically includes the addressee (“you and I and possibly others”), while the exclusive “we” specifically excludes the addressee (“he/she/they and I, but not you”). This grammatical distinction is called “clusivity.” While Semitic languages such as Hebrew or most Indo-European languages such as Greek or English do not make that distinction, translators of languages with that distinction have to make a choice every time they encounter “we” or a form thereof (in English: “we,” “our,” or “us”).

For this verse, translators typically select the inclusive form (including the addressee).

Source: Velma Pickett and Florence Cowan in Notes on Translation January 1962, p. 1ff.

complete verse (1 Timothy 6:7)

Following are a number of back-translations of 1 Timothy 6:7:

  • Uma: “For there wasn’t anything that we brought into the world. And neither will there be anything that we take when we leave.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “When we (dual) were born in this world, was there something we (dual) brought/carried? There was nothing. Likewise also there is nothing we (dual) will carry/take when we (dual) die.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “For when we were born we weren’t carrying anything, and we will not be carrying away anything when we die.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “Because there is nothing that we brought-out-with us into the world at our birth; there is also emphatically nothing that we will take-with us at our leaving.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “Because let’s remember that on our becoming people here in the world, there was nothing at all we brought. It’s like that indeed when we leave here, there will be nothing at all which we will take of our belongings.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “Because when a person is born here on earth, he brings nothing. Also when he dies, he takes nothing.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)

Translation commentary on 1 Timothy 6:7

Continuing the idea of being satisfied with one’s own condition or state, Paul now gives a reason why stress should not be put on the gathering of material wealth. The reason he gives is an appeal to a person’s conditions at birth and at death: at birth a person brings nothing into the world, at death a person takes nothing out of the world. If this is so, then the gathering of wealth beyond what one needs is meaningless. This way of talking about birth and death has parallels in Stoic philosophical thought that may have a direct influence on the verse itself. It should be noted, however, that the idea is quite similar to Job 1.21, “I was born with nothing, and I will die with nothing” (Good News Bible).

In the Greek this sentence is awkward, as shown in New Revised Standard Version “for we brought nothing into the world, so that we can take nothing out of it.” There are many ways of dealing with the awkwardness created by “so that” (literally “that” or “because”) that links the two parts of the sentence. The first way is to change the text, and as the Revised Standard Version margin shows, there is indeed a variant reading that can be translated “it is certain that.” The textual evidence, however, points to this variant as a secondary reading, and therefore it should not be used in translation. The second way is to take the connective with the meaning “because,” hence “there is no sense in bringing anything into the world, because we shall not be able to take anything out.” A third way is to ignore the connective altogether, which is what many modern translations have done (in addition to Revised Standard Version and Good News Translation, see New English Bible “We brought nothing into the world; for that matter we cannot take anything with us when we leave”; similar are Jerusalem Bible and Phillips). This Handbook recommends the third option for translators.

It should also be noted that the sentence is in the first person plural, which in this context is a way of speaking in an impersonal way, that is, referring to people in general. If this is a natural way in the receptor language, then it should be retained; in this case the pronoun would be translated as inclusive, to include both Paul and Timothy, and anyone else who will read the letter. It is possible, however, to change the first person into a third person if this is more natural in the receptor language; for example, “When people are born, they bring nothing into this world; when they die, they take nothing out of this world.”

Quoted with permission from Arichea, Daniel C. and Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on Paul’s First Letter to Timothy. (UBS Handbook Series). New York: UBS, 1995. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .

SIL Translator's Notes on 1 Timothy 6:7

6:7a

For: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as For indicates that 6:7 is the reason that we should be content with what we have. Paul stated the reason in a way that sounds like a proverb.

we brought nothing into the world: That is, when we were born, we came into the world with nothing.

we: This refers to Paul, Timothy, and the Ephesian believers.

6:7b

we cannot carry anything out of it:

Some translations include the words “and it is certain” before the words
we can take nothing out of it (see the King James Version and New Living Translation (2004 Revision)). However, the words “and it is certain” are not in the best Greek texts. The Editorial Committee of the UBS Handbook New Testament (4th edition) gives the reading without “and it is certain” an {A} rating, indicating that the text is almost certain. Metzger, page 643, says that these words are “an obvious alleviation introduced in order to clarify the sense.”) That is, when we die, we can take nothing with us.

we: This again refers to Paul, Timothy, and the Ephesian believers.

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All Scripture quotations in this publication, unless otherwise indicated, are from The Holy Bible, Berean Standard Bible. BSB is produced in cooperation with Bible Hub, Discovery Bible, OpenBible.com, and the Berean Bible Translation Committee.