1 COR 15:32 Interlinear View

SIL Open Translator’s Notes:

Section 15:1–58: Believers will rise from the dead

In this section Paul reminded the Corinthian believers about the gospel and showed them that the resurrection from the dead was an important part of the gospel. First (15:1–11) he wrote about the evidence showing that God raised Christ from the dead. Then (15:12–34) he taught that God will raise believers from the dead. Finally (15:35–58) he taught about what the resurrection body will be like.

Here are some other possible section headings:

The resurrection

People who die will live again

Christ has risen and his people will rise also

Paragraph 15:29–34

In this paragraph Paul used the same style of argument he used in 15:12–19. He claimed that to deny the resurrection takes away meaning from one’s present life. If there is no resurrection we might just as well concentrate on enjoying the pleasures of this life. He gave two examples. If there is no resurrection, then there is no reason for people to be baptized for the dead. Nor is there any reason for people to endanger themselves for Christ.

15:32a

If I fought wild beasts in Ephesus for human motives,

In Ephesus it was as though I fought dangerous animals. If I fought with them merely for human reasons,
In the city of Ephesus I fought with vicious people who attacked me like wolves/tigers. I did not do that just to gain the things of this life.

If I fought wild beasts in Ephesus for human motives: Paul said that he fought against his enemies, and he was glad because he did it for the right reason. He fought because he knew that Christ has risen from the dead. The wrong reasons (human motives) would be if he had fought to benefit himself.

Here is a way to translate this is using two sentences:

I fought wild beasts in Ephesus. If this was for human motives…

I fought wild beasts in Ephesus: The commentaries almost all agree that Paul spoke figuratively. The enemy he fought with was people, not animals.All modern commentaries, and most ancient ones, say that Paul referred figuratively to “people,” not to literal wild animals. See, for example, Fee p. 770–771; Thiselton p. 1251–1252; Morris p. 216; Verbrugge & Harris p. 399–400; Garland p. 225; Grosheide p. 375; Kistemaker p.561; Orr & Walther p. 336. Perhaps the most recent commentary that argues for a literal interpretation is Godet (1886). According to Roman law, Roman citizens could not be punished by making them fight wild beasts.

wild beasts: Paul used a figure of speech to refer to violent people.

Here are some other ways to translate this phrase:

brutes

vicious people who have hearts like tigers/wolves/bears

violent people who attacked me like wild beasts

If possible, translate this with a figure of speech that readers will understand to refer to violent people.

Ephesus: Ephesus was a city in what is now western Turkey. Acts 19:1–20 records how Paul visited and preached in that city.

for human motives: The Greek phrase that the BSB translates as for human motives is literally “according to man.” There are at least two ways to interpret this phrase:

It describes the reason Paul fought and means “thinking like a man” or “for human reasons.” For example:
simply from human motives (GNT) (BSB, GNT, NIV, NCV, REB, NET, NJB, NRSV, NASB)
It indicates that the expression “fought wild beasts” is figurative language. Paul described spiritual events using human terms. For example:
humanly speaking (RSV) (RSV, ESV, NABRE, GW, CEV)

It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1). This is followed by many English versions and is supported by some commentaries.See Thiselton p. 1251. However, other commentaries support a wide range of ideas about the meaning of this phrase.

Here are some other ways to translate this phrase:

from a human point of view (NET)

with merely human hopes (NRSV)

to benefit myself

15:32b

what did I gain?

does that do me any good? No, it doesn’t.
If I did, there is no benefit to me.

what did I gain?: This is a rhetorical question. Paul used it as a strong statement. He expected people to respond “Nothing.” Paul would have suffered for nothing.

Here are some ways to translate this strong statement:

Use a rhetorical question. For example:
what is the good of that?
does that benefit me? No, not at all.
Use a strong statement:
I have gained nothing (NCV)
it does not profit me at all

Translate this strong statement in a way that is natural in your language.

General Comment on 15:32a-b

In some languages it may be natural to break up this question into a question with a response. For example:

^32aDid I fight with those brutes in Ephesus for merely human reasons? ^32bIf so, I gained nothing.

15:32c

If the dead are not raised,

If the dead do not rise from the dead,
If God is not going to make the dead live again,

If the dead are not raised: This introduces Paul’s suggestion about how people should think about life if there is no resurrection.The NJB starts a new verse at this point.

15:32d

“Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die.”

“Let us enjoy food and drink today, for we will die tomorrow.”
then as the saying goes, “We will eat a lot and get drunk. We will soon die anyway.”

Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die: Paul quoted a popular saying. This saying is also found in Isaiah 22:13. Paul did not agree with this saying. You should not introduce it with the words “as the Scripture says.” Instead, you should make clear that Paul quoted a common saying. The GNT does this by supplying the phrase “as the saying goes”:

as the saying goes, “Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die” (GNT)

You may mention in a footnote that the saying is also found in Isaiah 22:13.

If possible, you should translate this saying using the style of a proverb in your language.

Here are some other ways to translate this saying:

Let’s eat a lot and get drunk. We don’t know what day we will die.

Let’s eat and drink today. We will die tomorrow.

uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / rquestion

εἰ κατὰ ἄνθρωπον, ἐθηριομάχησα ἐν Ἐφέσῳ, τί μοι τὸ ὄφελος?

(Some words not found in SR-GNT: Εἰ κατά ἄνθρωπον ἐθηριομάχησα ἐν Ἐφέσῳ τί μοί τό ὄφελος Εἰ νεκροί οὐκ ἐγείρονται Φάγωμεν καί πίωμεν αὔριον γάρ ἀποθνῄσκομεν)

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. The implied answer to the question is “There is no profit.” If it would be helpful in your language, you could express the idea behind this question by using a strong affirmation. Alternate translation: [There is no profit to me, according to men, if I fought wild beasts at Ephesus.]

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / idiom

τί μοι τὸ ὄφελος

what (Some words not found in SR-GNT: Εἰ κατά ἄνθρωπον ἐθηριομάχησα ἐν Ἐφέσῳ τί μοί τό ὄφελος Εἰ νεκροί οὐκ ἐγείρονται Φάγωμεν καί πίωμεν αὔριον γάρ ἀποθνῄσκομεν)

Here, the profit to me refers to something that is good for Paul. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express the profit to me with a comparable word or phrase that refers to something that is good or beneficial for someone. Alternate translation: [What good is it to me] or [How does it benefit me]

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / infostructure

εἰ κατὰ ἄνθρωπον, ἐθηριομάχησα

Here, according to men could modify: (1) I fought. In this case, Paul would be fighting with merely human goals and strategies. Alternate translation: [if I fought according to men against wild beasts] (2) wild beasts. In this case, Paul would be identifying the phrase wild beasts as a figurative reference to his enemies. Alternate translation: [if I fought wild beasts, speaking,]

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / idiom

κατὰ ἄνθρωπον

Here, according to men identifies thinking or acting in only human ways. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express the idea behind according to menby using a word or phrase that refers to what people who do not believe say and argue. Alternate translation: [according to what mere humans think] or [according to this world]

Note 5 topic: figures-of-speech / gendernotations

ἄνθρωπον

human_origin

Although men 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 men with a non gendered word or refer to both genders. Alternate translation: [humans] or [men and women]

Note 6 topic: grammar-connect-condition-fact

εἰ

Paul is speaking as if fighting wild beasts was a hypothetical possibility, but he means that it actually happened. 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 did not happen, then you can introduce the clause with a word such as “when.” Alternate translation: [when]

Note 7 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

ἐθηριομάχησα

˱I˲_fought_wild_beasts

Here, the wild beasts could be: (1) a figurative reference to enemies, who acted like wild beasts. In support of this is the fact that, except for this verse, the Bible does not talk about Paul fighting wild beasts. Alternate translation: [I fought savage enemies] or [I strove with opponents as fierce as wild beasts] (2) a literal reference to fighting wild animals. Alternate translation: [I fought against wild animals]

Note 8 topic: translate-unknown

ἐν Ἐφέσῳ

in Ephesus

Ephesus was a city on the west coast of what is now Turkey. Paul spent time there soon after leaving Corinth (See: [Acts 18:19–21](../act/18/19.md)). After some more travels, he visited Ephesus and stayed there for more than two years ( [Acts 19:1–20:1](../act/19/01.md)). Neither story mentions wild beasts, and Paul does not clarify which visit he is speaking about. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express Ephesus with a word or phrase that more clearly identifies it as a city that Paul visited. Alternate translation: [in Ephesus city]

Note 9 topic: grammar-connect-condition-contrary

εἰ νεκροὶ οὐκ ἐγείρονται

Here Paul is making a conditional statement that sounds hypothetical, but he is already convinced that the condition is not true. He knows that the dead really are raised. He uses this form to show the Corinthians the implications of their claim that the dead are not raised. Use a natural form in your language for introducing a condition that the speaker believes is not true. Alternate translation: [If the dead actually are not raised]

Note 10 topic: writing-quotations

οὐκ ἐγείρονται, φάγωμεν καὶ πίωμεν, αὔριον γὰρ ἀποθνῄσκομεν

not ˓are_being˒_raised (Some words not found in SR-GNT: Εἰ κατά ἄνθρωπον ἐθηριομάχησα ἐν Ἐφέσῳ τί μοί τό ὄφελος Εἰ νεκροί οὐκ ἐγείρονται Φάγωμεν καί πίωμεν αὔριον γάρ ἀποθνῄσκομεν)

The Corinthians would have recognized “Let use eat and drink, for tomorrow we die” as a common saying. The same words appear in [Isaiah 22:13](../isa/22/13.md), but the saying may have been used more generally by many people. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express how Paul introduces this saying with a comparable phrase that indicates that Paul is referring to a common saying. Alternate translation: [are not raised, as the saying goes, “Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die]

Note 11 topic: figures-of-speech / quotations

οὐκ ἐγείρονται, φάγωμεν καὶ πίωμεν, αὔριον γὰρ ἀποθνῄσκομεν

If you do not use this form in your language, you could translate the saying as an indirect quote instead of as a direct quote. Make sure that your readers know that Paul is referring to a common saying. Alternate translation: [are not raised, let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die, as people say]

Note 12 topic: figures-of-speech / idiom

φάγωμεν καὶ πίωμεν

Here, Let us eat and drink refers to lavish or wild eating and drinking. It does not refer to regular meals. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express that this phrase refers to partying or wild behavior with a word or phrase that more clearly expresses that idea. Alternate translation: [Let us party] or [Let us feast and get drunk]

Note 13 topic: figures-of-speech / hyperbole

αὔριον & ἀποθνῄσκομεν

tomorrow & ˱we˲_˓are˒_dying_off

Here, tomorrow refers to a time that will come soon. It does not necessarily refer to the day after today. The saying uses tomorrow to emphasize how soon we will die. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express tomorrow with a comparable word or phrase that emphasizes a time that will soon arrive. Alternate translation: [soon we die] or [sometime very soon we die]

OET-LV English word order (‘Reverse’ interlinear)

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.

OET interlinear 1 COR 15:32

SR Greek word order

Section 15:1–58: Believers will rise from the dead

Paragraph 15:29–34

15:32a

15:32b

General Comment on 15:32a-b

15:32c

15:32d

OET-LV English word order (‘Reverse’ interlinear)

OET interlinear 1 COR 15:32

SR Greek word order

Section 15:1–58: Believers will rise from the dead

Paragraph 15:29–34

15:32a

15:32b

General Comment on 15:32a-b

15:32c

15:32d

OET-LV English word order (‘Reverse’ interlinear)

OET interlinear 1 COR 15:32