OET interlinear 1COR 14:16

uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: grammar-connect-condition-hypothetical

ἐὰν εὐλογῇς πνεύματι & πῶς

if ˱you˲_/may_be/_blessing ˱in˲_spirit & how

Here Paul uses the conditional form to show that blessing with the spirit leads to the one filling the place of the ungifted being unable to say the “Amen”. If the conditional form does not indicate a cause-and-effect relationship like this in your language, you could express the if statement in a way that does show the relationship. Alternate translation: [whenever you bless with the spirit, how] or [Suppose that you bless with the spirit. Then, how]

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / yousingular

εὐλογῇς & τῇ σῇ εὐχαριστίᾳ & λέγεις

˱you˲_/may_be/_blessing & ¬the your thanksgiving & ˱you˲_/are/_saying

Here Paul switches from using himself as an example to using one of the Corinthians as an example. Because of this, every you in this verse is singular. If it would be helpful in your language, you could translate the second-person singular as a second-person plural, or explicitly state that you functions as an example. Alternate translation: [you, for example, bless … your thanksgiving … you are saying]

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

εὐλογῇς πνεύματι

˱you˲_/may_be/_blessing ˱in˲_spirit

Here Paul is speaking about someone who is using thespirit only and not the “mind” to speak in “tongues.” If it would be helpful in your language, you could state explicitly that this is what Paul is talking about. Alternate translation: [you bless in tongues with the spirit only]

πνεύματι

˱in˲_spirit

Just as in 4:14–15, spirit could refer to: (1) the inner part of a person, a part that contrasts with the mind but that is not somehow superior or closer to God. Alternate translation: [with your inner spiritual being] or [with your heart] (2) the Holy Spirit directing the spirit of a person. Alternate translation: [by the power of the Holy Spirit] or [as the Holy Spirit directs your inner spiritual being]

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / rquestion

ὁ ἀναπληρῶν τὸν τόπον τοῦ ἰδιώτου, πῶς ἐρεῖ, τὸ ἀμήν, ἐπὶ τῇ σῇ εὐχαριστίᾳ, ἐπειδὴ τί λέγεις, οὐκ οἶδεν?

the_‹one› fulfilling the place ˱of˲_the inquirer how ˱he˲_/will_be/_saying the Amen at ¬the your thanksgiving since what ˱you˲_/are/_saying not ˱he˲_/has/_known

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. Here, the answer to the question is “he cannot.” If it would be helpful in your language, you could express the idea behind this question by using a strong negation. Alternate translation: [the one who fills the place of the ungifted will not be able to say the ‘Amen’ at your thanksgiving, since he does not know what you are saying.]

Note 5 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

ὁ ἀναπληρῶν τὸν τόπον τοῦ ἰδιώτου

the_‹one› fulfilling the place ˱of˲_the inquirer

Here Paul speaks as if there were a place for the ungifted which they would “fill.” He speaks in this way to characterize the person by the place they “fill.” In other words, a person filling the place of the ungifted is characterized as ungifted. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express this figure of speech with a comparable metaphor or express the idea plainly. Alternate translation: [the one who is ungifted] or [the ungifted person]

Note 6 topic: figures-of-speech / genericnoun

ὁ ἀναπληρῶν

the_‹one› fulfilling

Paul is speaking of people who “fill” the place of the ungifted in general, not of one particular person. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express this form with a form that refers to people in general. Alternate translation: [anyone who fills]

Note 7 topic: translate-unknown

τοῦ ἰδιώτου

˱of˲_the inquirer

Here, the ungifted could refer to: (1) any person who does not understand the “tongue” in which the person is speaking. Alternate translation: [of the one who does not understand tongues] or [of the uninitiated] (2) a person who is not part of the Christian group. Alternate translation: [of the outsider]

Note 8 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

ἐρεῖ, τὸ ἀμήν, ἐπὶ

˱he˲_/will_be/_saying the Amen at

Here, to say the “Amen” refers to responding in agreement to something that someone has said. This is because, in Christian gatherings, the word Amen was a common way to affirm or agree with someone. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express the idea behind Amen or why people would say it by using a word that indicates agreement or by referring simply to agreement. Alternate translation: [will … agree with] or [will … say that he agrees with]

Note 9 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

ἐπὶ τῇ σῇ εὐχαριστίᾳ

at ¬the your thanksgiving

Here, your thanksgiving refers back to what the person said when they were “blessing” with the spirit. Paul uses a different word here, but they mean basically the same thing. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express thanksgiving by translating this phrase so that it clearly refers back to bless with the spirit. Alternate translation: [at what you said] or [at your blessing]

Note 10 topic: figures-of-speech / abstractnouns

ἐπὶ τῇ σῇ εὐχαριστίᾳ

at ¬the your thanksgiving

If your language does not use an abstract noun for the idea behind thanksgiving, you can express the idea by using a verb such as “thank.” Alternate translation: [at how you thanked God] or [at what you thanked God for]

Note 11 topic: figures-of-speech / gendernotations

οὐκ οἶδεν

not ˱he˲_/has/_known

Although he is masculine, Paul is using it to refer to anyone, whether man or woman. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express he with a non gendered word or refer to both genders. Alternate translation: [he or she does not know]