OET interlinear 1COR 12:13

uW Translation Notes:

ἐν ἑνὶ Πνεύματι

in one Spirit

Here, by one Spirit could refer to: (1) the person in whom we were all baptized. In other words, the baptism happens by the power of the one Spirit or leads to the reception of the one Spirit. Alternate translation: “in one Spirit” or “into one Spirit” (2) the one who performs the “baptism.” Alternate translation: “by the work of the one Spirit”

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / activepassive

ἐν ἑνὶ Πνεύματι ἡμεῖς πάντες & ἐβαπτίσθημεν

in one Spirit we all & /were/_baptized

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. Here, the one who does the “baptizing” could be: (1) the believer who performs a water baptism by means of the Spirit’s power. Alternate translation: “fellow believers baptized all of us by the power of the Spirit” (2) God, who gives the one Spirit to believers during a water baptism or in a way that is like a “baptism.” Alternate translation: “God baptized all of us in one Spirit” or “it was as if God baptized us by giving us the one Spirit, which means that he united us” (3) the one Spirit, who empowers the water baptism or unites us in a way similar to a baptism. Alternate translation: “the one Spirit baptized all of us” or “it was as if the one Spirit baptized us, which means that he united us”

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

πάντες & ἐβαπτίσθημεν

all & /were/_baptized

Here, baptized could refer to: (1) water baptism, which is connected to the Spirit. Alternate translation: “were all baptized in water” (2) becoming a believer and receiving the Spirit, which is like being baptized. Alternate translation: “were all incorporated by something like baptism”

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / idiom

πάντες εἰς ἓν σῶμα ἐβαπτίσθημεν

all into one body /were/_baptized

Here, being baptized into something or someone identifies with whom one is being united in baptism. In this case, believers are united together as one body when they are baptized. Alternate translation: “were all baptized so that we became one body”

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

εἰς ἓν σῶμα

into one body

Here Paul speaks as if believers together were one body. By speaking in this way, he emphasizes the unity that believers have because they together have the Spirit as the body of Christ. Paul uses this metaphor throughout the following verses, and it is an important metaphor for 1 Corinthians and for Christian teaching. Because of this, you should preserve this metaphor or, if you must express the idea differently, use an analogy. Alternate translation: “into close union, as if we were one body”

(Occurrence 3) εἴτε & δοῦλοι, εἴτε ἐλεύθεροι

or & (Some words not found in SR-GNT: καὶ γὰρ ἐν ἑνὶ Πνεύματι ἡμεῖς πάντες εἰς ἓν σῶμα ἐβαπτίσθημεν εἴτε Ἰουδαῖοι εἴτε Ἕλληνες εἴτε δοῦλοι εἴτε ἐλεύθεροι καὶ πάντες ἓν Πνεῦμα ἐποτίσθημεν)

Alternate translation: “whether slaves or freedmen”

Note 5 topic: figures-of-speech / activepassive

πάντες ἓν Πνεῦμα ἐποτίσθημεν

all all one Spirit /were/_gave_to_drink

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 this form to emphasize the people who are drinking rather than emphasizing the one who provides the drink. If you must state who did the action, Paul implies that “God” did it. Alternate translation: “God made us all drink one Spirit”

Note 6 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

πάντες ἓν Πνεῦμα ἐποτίσθημεν

all all one Spirit /were/_gave_to_drink

Here Paul speaks as if receiving the Spirit or being empowered by the Spirit is “drinking” the Spirit. It is possible that he speaks in this way to make the Corinthians think about the Lord’s Supper (“drinking the cup”), especially since the beginning of the verse speaks of being baptized. The main point is that all those who drink the one Spirit are united together by that drinking. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express this metaphor with a comparable metaphor or express the idea plainly. Alternate translation: “all received one Spirit” or “all partook of the one Spirit”