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OET (OET-LV) All things is_permitting, but not all things is_benefitting.
All things is_permitting, but not all things is_building.
OET (OET-RV) Everything might seem to be allowable, but not everything is beneficial. Everything might seem to be allowable, but not everything builds up character.
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
Paul discussed whether believers can eat food that pagans offered to idols and later sold in the marketplace. He said that believers must consider not only their own freedom and rights. They must also consider the good of others, and how their actions will help non-believers to be saved.
“Everything is permissible,”
¶ Some of you(plur) say, “We(incl) are allowed to do anything we want to.”
¶ “Nothing is forbidden to us(incl),” people say.
Everything is permissible: This means that everything is allowed or permitted. It does not say who allows everything. The implied subject is probably “the law” or “God.” See the notes on 6:12a where there is a similar saying.
This clause is probably something that Paul himself had previously said. Now, some of the believers in Corinth used this phrase to claim that they could go to feasts in an idol’s temple. Many English versions, like the BSB, use quotation marks to indicate that this is a quotation. People who listen to scripture will not see the quotation marks. So, it may be helpful to supply a phrase such as “you say.” For example:
Some of you say, “We can do whatever we want to!” (CEV)
“We are allowed to do anything,” so they say. (GNT)
but not everything is beneficial.
But not everything is useful/worthwhile.
Yes, but that does not mean that everything is good for us(incl) to do.
but not everything is beneficial: Paul agreed with the saying in 10:23a up to a certain point. Now he said why he did not agree completely: some things are not helpful. They are harmful to God’s glory or to people’s spiritual life. See the notes on 6:12b. These are the same words that are used there.
Here are some other ways to translate this phrase:
maybe so, but not everything does good (NJB)
yes, but not everything is useful
“Everything is permissible,”
Some of you(plur) say, “We(incl) are allowed to do anything we want to.”
“Nothing is forbidden to us,” people say.
Everything is permissible: This is the same statement as in 10:23a. You should translate it in the same way that you did there.
but not everything is edifying.
But not everything is helpful.
Yet I say that some things do not strengthen the faith of others.
but not everything is edifying: Paul again implied that he agreed with this up to a certain point. The Greek word that the BSB translates as is edifying is literally “builds up.” The same word is used in 8:1d. There, as here, it refers to making people strong spiritually. Here Paul talked about making other people strong.
Here are some other ways to translate this phrase:
but not everything builds others up (NET)
but not all things help others become firm in their faith
Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / doublet
πάντα ἔξεστιν, ἀλλ’ οὐ πάντα συμφέρει. πάντα ἔξεστιν, ἀλλ’ οὐ πάντα οἰκοδομεῖ.
(Some words not found in SR-GNT: Παντᾶ ἔξεστιν ἀλλʼ οὒ παντᾶ συμφέρει Παντᾶ ἔξεστιν ἀλλʼ οὒ παντᾶ οἰκοδομεῖ)
Here, just as in [6:12](../06/12.md), Paul repeats All things are lawful for me to make two separate comments on the statement. By repeating All things are lawful for me, Paul emphasizes his qualifications or objections to this statement. If your language does not use repetition in this way, you can state All things are lawful for me once and include both comments after that. Alternate translation: [“All things are lawful for me,” but not all things are beneficial, and not all things build up]
Note 2 topic: writing-quotations
(Occurrence -1) πάντα ἔξεστιν, ἀλλ’
(Some words not found in SR-GNT: Παντᾶ ἔξεστιν ἀλλʼ οὒ παντᾶ συμφέρει Παντᾶ ἔξεστιν ἀλλʼ οὒ παντᾶ οἰκοδομεῖ)
In this verse, just as in [6:12](../06/12.md), Paul twice quotes what some people in the Corinthian church are saying. By using quotation marks, the ULT indicates that these claims are quotations. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express All things are lawful for me and think that Paul is claiming this by clarifying that some of the Corinthians are saying this, and Paul is saying the words that occur after but. Alternate translation: [You say, “All things are lawful for me,” but I respond that … You say, “All things are lawful for me,” but I respond that]
(Occurrence -1) οὐ πάντα
(Some words not found in SR-GNT: Παντᾶ ἔξεστιν ἀλλʼ οὒ παντᾶ συμφέρει Παντᾶ ἔξεστιν ἀλλʼ οὒ παντᾶ οἰκοδομεῖ)
Alternate translation: [only some things … only some things]
Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit
συμφέρει & οἰκοδομεῖ
˓is˒_benefitting & ˓is˒_building
Here Paul does not say to whom everything is not beneficial and who is the one who is not “built up.” He could be implying that it is: (1) other believers within the Corinthian community. Alternate translation: [are beneficial to others … build others up] (2) the person or people who say that All things are lawful. Alternate translation: [are beneficial for you … build you up]
Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor
οὐ πάντα οἰκοδομεῖ
(Some words not found in SR-GNT: Παντᾶ ἔξεστιν ἀλλʼ οὒ παντᾶ συμφέρει Παντᾶ ἔξεστιν ἀλλʼ οὒ παντᾶ οἰκοδομεῖ)
Just as in [8:1](../08/01.md), Paul here speaks as if believers were a building that one could build up. With this metaphor, he emphasizes that only some things help believers become stronger and more mature, just like building a house makes it strong and complete. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express the idea behind this figure of speech plainly or with a comparable metaphor. Alternate translation: [not all things enable believers to grow] or [not all things edify]
OET (OET-LV) All things is_permitting, but not all things is_benefitting.
All things is_permitting, but not all things is_building.
OET (OET-RV) Everything might seem to be allowable, but not everything is beneficial. Everything might seem to be allowable, but not everything builds up character.
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.
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