1 COR 10:19 Interlinear View

SIL Open Translator’s Notes:

Section 10:1–11:1: Avoid idolatry completely

Paul addressed believers who thought it was acceptable to eat meals in an idol’s temple. First he warned them (10:1–13). He used examples from the Old Testament to show them their danger. Then he commanded them (10:14–22). He said that no one can take part in both the Lord’s Supper and idol feasts. He said that believers are free to eat meat sold in the market place unless this will hurt someone else’s conscience (10:23–30). In summary, he said that believers should control their behavior in two ways. They should praise God in everything they do, and they should not allow their actions to harm another person (10:31–11:1).

Here are some other possible section headings:

Don’t worship idols

Do everything for the glory of God

Paragraph 10:14–22

Paul forbade believers from having anything to do with idolatry. Demons control idol worship, and anyone who shares in the Lord’s Supper cannot also take part in a feast that honors demons. That will cause the Lord to be angry, and no one should risk testing him in that way.

10:19a-b

This is written as one sentence in the BSB. In the Greek it is two separate questions, as in the NASB:

What do I mean then? That a thing sacrificed to idols is anything, or that an idol is anything? (NASB)

The second of these questions consists of two clauses that could be translated as separate questions. For example:

What do I mean then? Is food sacrificed to idols anything? Is an idol anything?

Use the number of questions and sentences that are natural in your language. See also the General Comment on 10:19a-b for a way to reorder the information in this verse.

10:19a

Am I suggesting, then, that food sacrificed to an idol is anything,

What do I mean? I do not mean that a sacrifice people/pagans offer to an idol has any value/worth.
I am not saying that food sacrificed/offered to idols is holy.

Am I suggesting, then, that food sacrificed to an idol is anything: This is a rhetorical question. Paul used it as a statement. He expected people to respond “No, of course not. That is not what you are suggesting.”

Here are two ways to translate this statement:

Use a rhetorical question or questions. For example:
What am I suggesting, then? Do I mean that food sacrificed to idols is anything?
Use a statement. For example:
I am not suggesting that food sacrificed to an idol is anything.

Translate this statement in the way that is most natural in your language.

Paul gave the response to this question in the next verse. See also the notes on 8:4b. Some believers argued that eating meals in an idol’s temple did not affect their standing with God. Paul agreed with them that idol food is in itself no different from any other food.

Am I suggesting, then, that: These words introduce the rhetorical question that follows.

Here are some other ways to translate these words:

Am I saying that…? (NET)

What am I trying to say? (NLT)

What I am trying to say is…

food sacrificed to an idol is anything: Paul said that food sacrificed to an idol had no value or importance. It was not the means of fellowship with a god.

Here are some other ways to translate this clause:

the food sacrificed to an idol does not have any value/worth

the meat people sacrifice to idols is not holy

the food sacrificed to idols is not different from other food

food sacrificed to an idol: The Greek word that the BSB translates as food sacrificed to an idol is the same word that is used in 8:1a and 8:4a. It refers to food that pagans dedicated to their idols. The BSB uses the passive verb sacrificed. If you need to use an active verb form, try to provide a general subject.

Here are some other ways to translate this phrase:

food that people/they sacrifice to idols

idol food

10:19b

or that an idol is anything?

And I do not mean that an idol has any value/worth.
I am not saying that an idol is an actual god.

or: The Greek word that the BSB translates as or introduces a second thing that Paul did not mean. Consider whether to start a new sentence here, as discussed in the note on 10:19a-b. For example:

Do I mean that an idol is anything?

that an idol is anything?: This is a short way of saying “do I mean that an idol is anything?” This is a rhetorical question. It functions as a statement that expects the response “No.”

Here are two ways to translate this statement:

Use a rhetorical question. For example:
Do I mean to say that idols are anything?
Use a statement. For example:
Idols are not anything.

an idol is anything: Paul said that an idol had no value or importance. It was not a living deity as the worshipers thought it was. See also the notes on 8:4b, “an idol is nothing at all.”

Here are some other ways to translate this phrase:

Idols are not important/valuable/useful.

Idols are not alive/powerful/divine.

An idol is not an actual god.

An idol is just something that people have made.

General Comment on 10:19a-b

Some translators find that it is clearer to mention the idols first and then the sacrifices. It is also possible to combine these two questions. For example:

Do I mean to say that idols are alive? Is there is a difference between food offered to them and other food?

The idols which people worship are not important, and the food offered to idols is just plain food.

uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / rquestion

τί οὖν φημι? ὅτι

what (Some words not found in SR-GNT: τί Οὖν φημί Ὅτι εἰδωλόθυτον τὶ ἐστίν τὶ ἐστίν)

Paul does not ask this question because he is looking for information. Rather, he asks it to involve the Corinthians in what he is arguing. The question introduces a clarifying statement from Paul. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express the idea behind this question with a statement that introduces a clarification. Alternate translation: [Here is what I want to clarify: is it true that]

Note 2 topic: writing-pronouns

τί οὖν φημι

what (Some words not found in SR-GNT: τί Οὖν φημί Ὅτι εἰδωλόθυτον τὶ ἐστίν τὶ ἐστίν)

Here Paul is referring to what he has said in his argument about idols and things sacrificed to them. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express that Paul is referring to what he has said so far by stating that more clearly. Alternate translation: [What does what I have argued imply, then]

Note 3 topic: translate-unknown

εἰδωλόθυτόν

(Some words not found in SR-GNT: τί Οὖν φημί Ὅτι εἰδωλόθυτον τὶ ἐστίν τὶ ἐστίν)

Just as in [8:1](../08/01.md), here Paul speaks about animals that are slaughtered, offered to a god, and then eaten. For many people in Paul’s culture, this was the only meat that was available for them to eat. In many cases, people would eat this meat at a god’s temple or shrine. However, sometimes the meat could be sold to people who would then eat it in their homes. In the next verses, Paul will speak about whether and how Christians should eat or not eat this meat. If your language has a specific word or phrase for meat from an animal that has been offered to a god, you could use it here. If your language does not have such a word, you can use a descriptive phrase. Alternate translation: [meat from animals sacrificed to idols]

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / activepassive

εἰδωλόθυτόν

(Some words not found in SR-GNT: τί Οὖν φημί Ὅτι εἰδωλόθυτον τὶ ἐστίν τὶ ἐστίν)

If your language does not use the passive form in this way, you can express the idea in active form or in another way that is natural in your language. Paul uses the passive form here to focus on what is sacrificed rather than focusing on the person doing the “sacrificing.” If you must state who does the action, you can use a vague or indefinite subject. Alternate translation: [food that people have sacrificed to idols]

Note 5 topic: figures-of-speech / rquestion

οὖν & ὅτι εἰδωλόθυτόν τὶ ἐστιν, ἢ ὅτι εἴδωλόν τὶ ἐστιν?

(Some words not found in SR-GNT: τί Οὖν φημί Ὅτι εἰδωλόθυτον τὶ ἐστίν τὶ ἐστίν)

Paul does not ask this question because he is looking for information. Rather, he asks it to involve the Corinthians in what he is arguing. The question assumes that the answer is “no, they are not.” If it would be helpful in your language, you could express the idea behind this question with a strong negation. Alternate translation: [then? Food sacrificed to idols is nothing, and an idol is nothing.]

(Occurrence -1) τὶ ἐστιν

(Some words not found in SR-GNT: τί Οὖν φημί Ὅτι εἰδωλόθυτον τὶ ἐστίν τὶ ἐστίν)

Here, is anything could ask about: (1) whether food sacrificed idols and an idol are significant or important. Alternate translation: [is significant … is significant] (2) whether food sacrificed to idols and an idol are real or not. Alternate translation: [is real … is real]

OET-LV English word order (‘Reverse’ interlinear)

Note: The OET-RV is still only a first draft, and so far only a few words have been (mostly automatically) matched to the Hebrew or Greek words that they’re translated from.

Acknowledgements: The SR Greek text, lemmas, morphology, and VLT gloss are all thanks to the CNTR.

OET interlinear 1 COR 10:19

SR Greek word order (including unused variant words in grey)

Section 10:1–11:1: Avoid idolatry completely

Paragraph 10:14–22

10:19a-b

10:19a

10:19b

General Comment on 10:19a-b

OET-LV English word order (‘Reverse’ interlinear)

OET interlinear 1 COR 10:19

SR Greek word order (including unused variant words in grey)

Section 10:1–11:1: Avoid idolatry completely

Paragraph 10:14–22

10:19a-b

10:19a

10:19b

General Comment on 10:19a-b

OET-LV English word order (‘Reverse’ interlinear)

OET interlinear 1 COR 10:19