OET interlinear 1COR 12:28

uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: writing-pronouns

οὓς

that

Here, some refers to the specific people who have the gifts listed in the rest of this verse. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express some by clarifying that it refers to the people who have the gifts or titles he gives in the list. Alternate translation: “people to specifically function”

Note 2 topic: translate-ordinal

πρῶτον & δεύτερον & τρίτον

first & secondly & thirdly

If your language does not use ordinal numbers, you can use cardinal numbers here. Alternate translation: “one, … two, … three,”

ἐκκλησίᾳ πρῶτον ἀποστόλους, δεύτερον προφήτας, τρίτον διδασκάλους, ἔπειτα δυνάμεις, ἔπειτα χαρίσματα ἰαμάτων

assembly first ambassadors secondly prophets thirdly teachers then miracles then gifts ˱of˲_healings

Here Paul could use the numbers and then to indicate: (1) that he listed these things in the order in which he thought of them. In this case, there is no special significance to the numbers, and Paul stopped numbering items because he kept listing things after he said then. Alternate translation: “church. This includes first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healing” (2) that the items are listed in order of importance or authority until Paul starts using then. This means that apostles, prophets, and teachers have special importance or authority in that order. Alternate translation: “church. Most important are apostles, second are prophets, and third are teachers. Then there are miracles, gifts of healing” (3) that the items are listed in the order in which God uses them in the church, up until Paul starts using then. Alternate translation: “church, which first requires apostles, second prophets, and third teachers. Then God gives miracles, gifts of healing”

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

ἔπειτα δυνάμεις, ἔπειτα χαρίσματα ἰαμάτων, ἀντιλήμψεις, κυβερνήσεις, γένη γλωσσῶν

then miracles then gifts ˱of˲_healings helpers guidance kinds ˱of˲_tongues

When Paul stops using numbers in his list, he also stops using titles for people and instead names the gifts they have. However, the questions in the next two verses (12:29–30) show that Paul wants the Corinthians to think about these gifts as belonging to specific people. If your readers would be confused by the change from titles to gifts, you could explicitly connect these gifts with the people who perform them. Alternate translation: “then people who perform miracles, then those with gifts of healing, those who help, those who administer, and those who speak various kinds of tongues”

Note 4 topic: translate-unknown

ἀντιλήμψεις

helpers

Here, helps could refer to: (1) acts that help other people. Alternate translation: “helpful deeds” (2) service that helps the church, which would include administrative work and distributing aid to those in need. Alternate translation: “supporting the church”

Note 5 topic: figures-of-speech / abstractnouns

κυβερνήσεις

guidance

If your language does not use an abstract noun for the idea behind administration, you can express the idea by using an adjective such as “administrative” or a verb such as “lead” or “direct.” Alternate translation: “administrative skills” or “the ability to lead”

Note 6 topic: translate-unknown

γένη γλωσσῶν

kinds ˱of˲_tongues

Here, various kinds of tongues has the same meaning it had in 12:10. Translate it the same way you did there.

Note 7 topic: figures-of-speech / metonymy

γλωσσῶν

˱of˲_tongues

Here, tongues refers to something that one does with one’s “tongue,” which is to speak a language. If it would be helpful in your language, you could indicate that tongues is a way of speaking about “languages” by using a comparable term or expressing the idea plainly. Alternate translation: “of languages”