OET interlinear 1COR 14:27

uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: grammar-connect-condition-fact

εἴτε

if_also

Paul is speaking as if someone “speaking” in a tongue was a hypothetical possibility, but he knows that someone often does “speak” in a tongue. If your language does not state something as a condition if it is certain or true, and if your readers might think that what Paul is saying is not certain, then you can express the idea with a word that refers to a situation rather than to a possibility. Alternate translation: “Whenever”

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / ellipsis

κατὰ

by

Here Paul omits some words that may be required in your language to make a complete thought. English needs these words, so the ULT has supplied them in brackets. If your language also needs these words, you could use these or similar ones. Alternate translation: “this should be done by”

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

κατὰ δύο ἢ τὸ πλεῖστον τρεῖς

by two or the most three

Paul does not explicitly state in what situation only two or at most three believers should speak in a tongue. The Corinthians would have understood him to be speaking about each time the believers gathered to worship God (See: the expression “in the church” in 14:28). Paul does not mean that only two or most three people can ever speak in tongues. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express what situation Paul is speaking about more explicitly. Alternate translation: “it should be by two or at most three every time you gather together”

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / idiom

ἀνὰ μέρος

each ˱in˲_turn_‹let_it_be›

Here, in turn means that people do something one after the other or in order. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express in turn with a word or phrase that refers to doing things successively or in order. Alternate translation: “in order” or “successively”

Note 5 topic: figures-of-speech / imperative3p

εἷς διερμηνευέτω

one /let_be/_interpreting

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 “let.” Alternate translation: “one should interpret” or “let one interpret”

Note 6 topic: figures-of-speech / extrainfo

εἷς

one

Here Paul does not indicate whether one is one of the people who is speaking in a tongue or if it is someone else. It is likely that Paul thinks that both options are acceptable. If possible, you should translate one in such a way that it could refer to one of the people speaking in a tongue or to someone else. Alternate translation: “somebody” or “one person”

Note 7 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

διερμηνευέτω

/let_be/_interpreting

Here, just as in 14:26, interpret refers specifically to interpreting a tongue. If it would be helpful in your language, you could state explicitly that the person should interpret the tongue. Alternate translation: “must interpret the tongue”