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InterlinearVerse GEN EXO LEV NUM DEU JOB JOS JDG RUTH 1 SAM 2 SAM PSA AMOS HOS 1 KI 2 KI 1 CHR 2 CHR PROV ECC SNG JOEL MIC ISA ZEP HAB JER LAM YNA (JNA) NAH OBA DAN EZE EZRA EST NEH HAG ZEC MAL LAO GES LES ESG DNG 2 PS TOB JDT WIS SIR BAR LJE PAZ SUS BEL MAN 1 MAC 2 MAC 3 MAC 4 MAC YHN (JHN) MARK MAT LUKE ACTs YAC (JAM) GAL 1 TH 2 TH 1 COR 2 COR ROM COL PHM EPH PHP 1 TIM TIT 1 PET 2 PET 2 TIM HEB YUD (JUD) 1 YHN (1 JHN) 2 YHN (2 JHN) 3 YHN (3 JHN) REV
1 Cor C1 C2 C3 C4 C5 C6 C7 C8 C9 C10 C11 C12 C13 C14 C15 C16
1 Cor 15 V1 V3 V5 V7 V9 V11 V13 V15 V17 V19 V21 V23 V25 V27 V29 V31 V33 V35 V37 V39 V41 V43 V45 V47 V49 V51 V53 V55 V57
OET (OET-LV) Sober_up justly and not be_sinning, because/for ignorance of_god some are_having, to shame to_you_all I_am_speaking.
OET (OET-RV) Sober up as you should, and stop sinning, because some of you are quite ignorant about God. (I say that to your shame.)
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
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.
Sober up as you ought, and stop sinning;
Come back to doing what is right and stop sinning.
Stop being foolish. Stop doing what is wrong.
Sober up as you ought: The Greek phrase that the BSB translates as Sober up is more literally “become sober (after being drunk).” This is a figure of speech that means “stop behaving foolishly.” Paul rebuked the Corinthians for their wrong behavior and thinking and told them to behave in a way that pleased God. There are two ways to translate this figure of speech:
Keep the figure of speech. For example:
Wake up from your drunken stupor, as is right (ESV)
Translate the meaning. For example:
Come back to doing what is right
Stop being foolish and instead be righteous
and stop sinning: Here are some other ways to translate this phrase:
don’t continue sinning
don’t do sinful deeds any longer
for some of you are ignorant of God.
For some among you(plur) have no knowledge of God.
There are some of you who do not know about God’s ways.
for some of you are ignorant of God: Paul said that there were people in the church in Corinth who did not know God. They did not know about God and his ways.
Here are some other ways to translate this phrase:
some have no knowledge of God (NET)
some of you do not know about God’s ways
some of you don’t know the true teachings about God
some of you: The Greek word that the BSB translates as some of you is more literally some. The BSB has included the words of you to clarify that Paul is speaking about people in the Corinthian church. Consider whether it would be helpful in your language to make this explicit.
I say this to your shame.
I write this to cause you(plur) to feel ashamed.
I want you to be ashamed.
I say this to your shame: This is a rebuke. Paul said that the Corinthians ought to be ashamed. They should be ashamed of their behavior and their ignorance of God. In English there are idiomatic ways to say this. For example:
You should be ashamed of yourselves. (GW)
Shame on you!
Translate this in a way that is natural in your language to rebuke somebody.
In some languages it may be natural to reverse the order of 15:34b and c. For example:
34cI speak like this so that you will be ashamed because 34bsome of you are ignorant of God.
Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor
ἐκνήψατε
(Some words not found in SR-GNT: Ἐκνήψατε δικαίως καί μή ἁμαρτάνετε ἀγνωσίαν γάρ Θεοῦ τινές ἔχουσιν πρός ἐντροπήν ὑμῖν λαλῶ)
Here, Be sober refers to someone becoming sober after they were drunk. Paul speaks in this way to characterize how the Corinthians are acting and thinking as if they were drunk. He wants them to no longer act as if they are in a stupor or asleep and instead be alert and in their right mind. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express Be sober with a comparable idiom or express the idea plainly. Alternate translation: [Be in your right mind] or [Be alert]
Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / abstractnouns
ἀγνωσίαν & Θεοῦ & ἔχουσιν
ignorance & ˱of˲_God & ˓are˒_having
If your language does not use an abstract noun for the idea behind knowledge, you can express the idea by using a verb such as “know” or “understand.” Alternate translation: [do not understand who God is]
Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / idiom
πρὸς ἐντροπὴν ὑμῖν λαλῶ
(Some words not found in SR-GNT: Ἐκνήψατε δικαίως καί μή ἁμαρτάνετε ἀγνωσίαν γάρ Θεοῦ τινές ἔχουσιν πρός ἐντροπήν ὑμῖν λαλῶ)
Here, I say this to your shame is Paul’s way of telling the Corinthians that they should feel ashamed about how some of them have no knowledge of God. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express this phrase with a comparable idiom or express the idea plainly. Alternate translation: [you should be ashamed about this]
Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / abstractnouns
πρὸς ἐντροπὴν ὑμῖν
(Some words not found in SR-GNT: Ἐκνήψατε δικαίως καί μή ἁμαρτάνετε ἀγνωσίαν γάρ Θεοῦ τινές ἔχουσιν πρός ἐντροπήν ὑμῖν λαλῶ)
If your language does not use an abstract noun for the idea behind shame, you can express the idea by using a verb such as “shame.” Alternate translation: [to shame you]
15:34 some of you don’t know God at all: Paul sharply rebukes those who prided themselves on their knowledge but remained skeptical of resurrection.
OET (OET-LV) Sober_up justly and not be_sinning, because/for ignorance of_god some are_having, to shame to_you_all I_am_speaking.
OET (OET-RV) Sober up as you should, and stop sinning, because some of you are quite ignorant about God. (I say that to your shame.)
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.