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OET (OET-LV) Therefore what it_is, brothers?
Whenever you_all_may_be_coming_together, each a_psalm is_having, a_teaching is_having, a_revelation is_having, a_tongue is_having, a_translation is_having.
All things for building let_be_becoming.
OET (OET-RV) So brothers and sisters, what should we say then? When you all gather together, each one of you brings a song or a teaching, or explains a revelation, or has a message in another language or has the translation. Let everything you do be aimed at growing the faith of the hearers.
In this section Paul instructed the Corinthian believers about how they should worship God together. First, he compared prophecy and tongues. He stressed the value of prophecy for building up the church. Then he said they should conduct their worship services in an orderly and harmonious way. They were not to speak all at once. People who spoke in tongues should have someone to interpret, and women were to remain silent in the assembly.
Here are some other possible section headings:
Good order in worship
The spiritual gifts of prophecy and tongues
Use spiritual gifts to help the church grow
In this paragraph Paul talked about the right use of spiritual gifts in the worship services of the church.
What then shall we say, brothers?
¶ So what is the conclusion, brothers and sisters?
¶ So what does this imply, my friends?
What then shall we say: The Greek phrase that the BSB translates as What then shall we say is more literally “What is it then.” The same Greek phrase appears in 14:15. There are two ways to interpret what it means:
It refers to Paul’s argument. For example:
So what does this mean? (GW) (GW, NIV, GNT, REB, NLT)
It refers to what the believers should do. For example:
What should you do then? (NET) (NET, NRSV, NJB, NASB, NCV)
If it is necessary for you to choose between the interpretations, it is recommended that you choose interpretation (1). This is supported by several commentaries.See, for example, Thiselton, p. 1132; Fee, p. 690; Conzelmann, p. 244. Paul introduced the next logical point in his argument.
This is a rhetorical question. Paul used it as an introductory statement. He introduced his conclusion that follows in verse 26.
Here are some ways to translate this statement:
Use a question. For example:
So what does this mean? (GW)
Use a statement that introduces a conclusion: For example:
This is what I mean (GNT)
To sum up (REB)
This is the conclusion
Translate this introductory statement in a way that is natural in your language.
brothers: The word brothers refers to all the believers in Corinth, both men and women. Paul addressed them in a friendly way. Here is another way to translate this:
my friends (GNT)
When you come together,
When you(plur) meet together,
When you meet to worship,
When you come together: The phrase When you come together refers to coming together for a church meeting. The GNT makes this explicit:
When you meet for worship (GNT)
Paul stated the situation as it was in Corinth. All the believers had a gift from God that they could use to benefit the congregation. The gifts that Paul mentioned are examples of several different gifts. He did not mention all the possible gifts.
everyone has a psalm or a teaching,
all of you can sing a song/hymn, or teach something.
one person has a song to sing. One person has a lesson to teach.
everyone has a psalm or a teaching: The phrase everyone has a psalm or a teaching indicates that the various believers all had something they could contribute. Each one could contribute something to the worship service. Some could participate by singing a psalm, and some by teaching the other believers.
everyone: The word everyone refers to all the believers present at the worship service. In some languages it may be natural to continue to use the second person subject that was used in 14:26b (“you”).There is a textual issue. Some Greek manuscripts read “each of you” rather than “everyone,” and this reading appears to followed by the NJB, KJV, and REB. The reading “everyone” is adopted by the UBS Greek text without discussion. However, it is more important to translate in a way that is natural rather than to follow one reading over another.
Here are some other ways to translate this word:
you all
each of you (NJB)
a psalm: The word psalm refers to a religious song. These songs may have been from the book of Psalms, or they may have been ones that the singer had composed, or they may have been improvised at the time. The verb form of psalm appears in 14:15c.
Here are some other ways to translate this word:
a song (NCV)
a song of praise
a hymn (NIV)
a teaching: The phrase a teaching refers to a religious teaching. See also 14:6c, where the same phrase appears.
Here are some other ways to translate this phrase:
a word of instruction (NIV)
some instruction (NJB)
a lesson that he will teach
a revelation, a tongue, or an interpretation.
Or you can speak a message that God has revealed, or say something in unknown tongues, or interpret what is said.
One person has a message that God has revealed to him. One person speaks in unknown/miraculous languages, and one person explains the meaning of what they said.
a revelation: The word revelation refers to a message that God had told the speaker. See also 14:6c.
Here are some other ways to translate this word:
a revelation from God (GNT)
a message that God has revealed to him
a tongue: The word tongue refers to a message spoken using the gift of tongues. Translate tongue in the same way as in 14:2a, and 14:6a.
Here are some other ways to translate this word:
a message from God spoken in tongues
or an interpretation: The word interpretation refers to an explanation of the message that was said in tongues. A similar verb form is used in 14:5d and 14:13. Here is another way to translate this:
the explanation of what is said (GNT)
In some languages it may be natural to express these gifts of the spirit in verb forms. For example:
everyone can sing a hymn, instruct others, declare a message that God has revealed to them, speak in an unknown tongue, or explain the message
All of these must be done to build up the church.
Everything should be done in order to encourage the believers.
Whatever you do, do it to help the church.
All of these must be done to build up the church: The Greek text is more literally “Let all be for strengthening.” The BSB has supplied the words of these and the church to make the meaning clear in English.
Paul taught that everything the believers did in their assembly should be for strengthening one another. The Greek word translated as to build up is also used in 14:12. It refers to helping believers to grow in their faith.
This is a command. Here are some other ways to translate this command:
Everything must be done to help each other grow. (GW)
You must do all this in order to build up the church.
The verb must be done is passive. In some languages it may be necessary to use an active verb.
Here are some ways to translate this using an active verb:
The purpose of all these things should be to help the church grow strong. (NCV)
you must do everything for the good of everyone there (CEV)
Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / rquestion
τί οὖν ἐστιν, ἀδελφοί?
what (Some words not found in SR-GNT: τί Οὖν ἐστίν ἀδελφοί Ὅταν συνέρχησθε ἕκαστος ψαλμόν ἔχει διδαχήν ἔχει ἀποκάλυψιν ἔχει γλῶσσαν ἔχει ἑρμηνείαν ἔχει Παντᾶ πρός οἰκοδομήν γινέσθω)
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. He himself gives the answer to the question in the next sentences. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express the idea behind this question by using a word or phrase that introduces a conclusion or a clarification. Alternate translation: [This is what it is, brothers.]
Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit
τί οὖν ἐστιν
what (Some words not found in SR-GNT: τί Οὖν ἐστίν ἀδελφοί Ὅταν συνέρχησθε ἕκαστος ψαλμόν ἔχει διδαχήν ἔχει ἀποκάλυψιν ἔχει γλῶσσαν ἔχει ἑρμηνείαν ἔχει Παντᾶ πρός οἰκοδομήν γινέσθω)
Here Paul could be asking this question about: (1) what his argument means for the Corinthians. Alternate translation: [What then do I mean] (2) what the Corinthians should be doing. Alternate translation: [What then should you do]
Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / gendernotations
ἀδελφοί
brothers
Although brothers is in masculine form, Paul is using it to refer to any believer, whether man or woman. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express brothers with a non gendered word or refer to both genders. Alternate translation: [brothers and sisters]
Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / go
συνέρχησθε
˱you_all˲_˓may_be˒_coming_together
Here, come together refers to a group gathering in a specific place. Your language may say “go” or “gather” rather than come in contexts such as this. Use whatever is most natural. Alternate translation: [you go together] or [you assemble together]
Note 5 topic: writing-pronouns
ἕκαστος
each
Here, each one refers to specific or individual believers in the Corinthian church. Paul does not mean that every person has each of these things, and he also does not mean that each person has only one of these things. Rather, he means that individual people within the Corinthian church may have any of these things When you come together. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express each one with a word or phrase that more clearly indicates that Paul is speaking in general. Alternate translation: [every one of you]
Note 6 topic: figures-of-speech / parallelism
ψαλμὸν ἔχει, διδαχὴν ἔχει, ἀποκάλυψιν ἔχει, γλῶσσαν ἔχει, ἑρμηνίαν ἔχει
(Some words not found in SR-GNT: τί Οὖν ἐστίν ἀδελφοί Ὅταν συνέρχησθε ἕκαστος ψαλμόν ἔχει διδαχήν ἔχει ἀποκάλυψιν ἔχει γλῶσσαν ἔχει ἑρμηνείαν ἔχει Παντᾶ πρός οἰκοδομήν γινέσθω)
Here Paul repeats has in order to emphasize any believer might “have” any of these things When you come together. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express why Paul repeats has with another form that indicates that any person might have any of these things. Alternate translation: [has a psalm or a teaching or a revelation or a tongue or an interpretation]
Note 7 topic: figures-of-speech / abstractnouns
ψαλμὸν ἔχει, διδαχὴν ἔχει, ἀποκάλυψιν ἔχει, γλῶσσαν ἔχει, ἑρμηνίαν ἔχει
(Some words not found in SR-GNT: τί Οὖν ἐστίν ἀδελφοί Ὅταν συνέρχησθε ἕκαστος ψαλμόν ἔχει διδαχήν ἔχει ἀποκάλυψιν ἔχει γλῶσσαν ἔχει ἑρμηνείαν ἔχει Παντᾶ πρός οἰκοδομήν γινέσθω)
If your language does not use abstract nouns for the ideas behind revelation or interpretation, you can express the ideas by using verbs such as “reveal” and “interpret.” If you do, you may need to translate all the items in the list with verbal phrases. Alternate translation: [sings a psalm, instructs, explains something that was secret, speaks in a tongue, or interprets a tongue]
Note 8 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit
ἑρμηνίαν
(Some words not found in SR-GNT: τί Οὖν ἐστίν ἀδελφοί Ὅταν συνέρχησθε ἕκαστος ψαλμόν ἔχει διδαχήν ἔχει ἀποκάλυψιν ἔχει γλῶσσαν ἔχει ἑρμηνείαν ἔχει Παντᾶ πρός οἰκοδομήν γινέσθω)
Here, just as in [12:10](../12/10.md), interpretation refers specifically to interpreting a tongue. If it would be helpful in your language, you could state explicitly that the interpretation is about is an interpretation of a tongue. Alternate translation: [an interpretation of a tongue]
Note 9 topic: figures-of-speech / imperative3p
πάντα πρὸς οἰκοδομὴν γινέσθω
(Some words not found in SR-GNT: τί Οὖν ἐστίν ἀδελφοί Ὅταν συνέρχησθε ἕκαστος ψαλμόν ἔχει διδαχήν ἔχει ἀποκάλυψιν ἔχει γλῶσσαν ἔχει ἑρμηνείαν ἔχει Παντᾶ πρός οἰκοδομήν γινέσθω)
Here Paul uses a third-person imperative. If you have third-person imperatives in your language, you could use one here. If you do not have third-person imperatives, you could express the idea using a word such as “should” or “must.” Alternate translation: [All things must happen for building up]
Note 10 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor
οἰκοδομὴν
(Some words not found in SR-GNT: τί Οὖν ἐστίν ἀδελφοί Ὅταν συνέρχησθε ἕκαστος ψαλμόν ἔχει διδαχήν ἔχει ἀποκάλυψιν ἔχει γλῶσσαν ἔχει ἑρμηνείαν ἔχει Παντᾶ πρός οἰκοδομήν γινέσθω)
Paul here speaks as if believers were a building that one “builds up.” With this metaphor, he emphasizes that the Corinthians should focus on helping other believers become stronger and more mature, just like the one who builds a house makes it strong and complete. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express this figure of speech with a comparable metaphor or express the idea plainly. See how you translated this metaphor in [14:12](../14/12.md). Alternate translation: [the growth] or [the edification]
Note 11 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit
πρὸς οἰκοδομὴν
(Some words not found in SR-GNT: τί Οὖν ἐστίν ἀδελφοί Ὅταν συνέρχησθε ἕκαστος ψαλμόν ἔχει διδαχήν ἔχει ἀποκάλυψιν ἔχει γλῶσσαν ἔχει ἑρμηνείαν ἔχει Παντᾶ πρός οἰκοδομήν γινέσθω)
Here the Corinthians would have understood Paul to mean that the building up applies to other believers. If your readers would not infer this, you could state it explicitly. Alternate translation: [for building up believers]
14:26 will sing: Literally has a psalm, either to be sung alone or for the fellowship to sing together (cp. Eph 5:19; Col 3:16).
• Everything that is done in public worship is to be for the purpose of strengthening the church (see 1 Cor 12:7; 14:4, 6, 12, 26; cp. 8:1).
OET (OET-LV) Therefore what it_is, brothers?
Whenever you_all_may_be_coming_together, each a_psalm is_having, a_teaching is_having, a_revelation is_having, a_tongue is_having, a_translation is_having.
All things for building let_be_becoming.
OET (OET-RV) So brothers and sisters, what should we say then? When you all gather together, each one of you brings a song or a teaching, or explains a revelation, or has a message in another language or has the translation. Let everything you do be aimed at growing the faith of the hearers.
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.