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OET (OET-LV) The for message which of_the stake, to_the ones on_one_hand perishing foolishness it_is, on_the_other_hand to_the ones being_saved to_us the_power of_god it_is.
OET (OET-RV) Because the account about the execution on a post seems just stupid to non-believers, but on the contrary to us being saved, it’s God’s power,
In this section Paul wrote about a serious problem in the Corinthian church. The Corinthian believers were dividing up into competing groups. They were following whichever human leader they admired the most. Paul tried to solve this problem by reminding the Corinthians of the message of the cross. He wanted them to stop following human wisdom and to follow God’s wisdom.
God made it possible for people to know him only through believing his message about Christ and his death. He has destroyed all human cleverness.
For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing,
¶ For the message/talk about Christ dying on the cross seems like nonsense to people who are perishing.
¶ People who are headed toward ruin/destruction think/say that the message about Christ dying on the cross is foolish talk.
For: The Greek conjunction that the BSB translates as For introduces a more detailed explanation of what Paul said in 1:17. In 1:17 he said that Christ sent him to preach the gospel, the message about the “cross of Christ.” He also said that he did not preach “with words of human wisdom.” Beginning in 1:18, Paul explained why the message about the cross is so important, and why human wisdom is not important.
Several English versions do not translate this conjunction.
the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing: In this verse part Paul talked about how unbelievers think about the gospel message. They think it is foolishness. Some other ways to translate this are:
The teaching about the cross is foolishness to those who are being lost (NCV)
The message about the cross doesn’t make any sense to lost people. (CEV)
The message about the cross is nonsense to those who are being destroyed, (GW)
the message of the cross: The phrase the message of the cross refers to the gospel. It is the message that Christ died on a cross to save people/humans from sin and eternal death.
the message…is foolishness: People who are not saved think that the message about a crucified Savior is foolishness, or nonsense. Another way to translate this text is to use an adjectival phrase. For example:
a foolish message
a nonsensical message
However, in your language it may not be natural to say that a message is “foolish.” It may be more natural to say that the people who tell this message are foolish. For example:
a message that foolish people tell
those who are perishing: In 1:18a-b Paul divided people into two groups. The first group is made up of those who do not believe God’s message about Christ. He called this group those who are perishing. These people, who are now separated from God, will one day be separated from God eternally. Some other possible ways to translate it are:
those who are headed for destruction (NLT)
those who are on the way to ruin (NJB)
people who will be forever separated from God
but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.
However, to us(incl) who God is saving/delivering from sin, this message is God’s powerful way to save us.
But we(incl) who have salvation know that God powerfully saves people through the message of the cross.
to us who are being saved: Here Paul wrote about the second group of humans. These are people who accept/believe God’s message about Christ. God is already saving these people, and they are already on their way to live with God forever/eternally. God’s power is now at work in their lives to forgive their wrongdoing.
God helps believers stop doing things that do not please him.
This is a passive clause. In some languages it is more natural to translate this clause using an active verb. For example:
to us(incl) whom God is saving from sin
it is the power of God: The Greek text of this clause means “it is the means through which God works powerfully to save us(incl).” The good news is that God has the power to save people from sin and eternal death through Christ’s death on the cross.
In this verse Paul indicated/contrasted the difference between people who are perishing, and people who are being saved. In some languages, it may be more natural to make these two groups of people the subjects of the sentences. For example:
18aPeople who are perishing think that the message about Christ dying on the cross for them does not make sense. 18bBut we(incl) whom God is saving know that this message is the way that God works powerfully in people’s hearts to save them.
Note 1 topic: grammar-connect-logic-result
γὰρ
(Some words not found in SR-GNT: Ὁ λόγος γάρ ὁ τοῦ σταυροῦ τοῖς μέν ἀπολλυμένοις μωρία ἐστίν τοῖς δέ σῳζομένοις ἡμῖν δύναμις Θεοῦ ἐστίν)
Here, For introduces an explanation of the last part of [1:17](../01/17.md). In this verse, then, Paul explains further why he does not use wise speech. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express this connection with words that introduce an explanation, and you could briefly restate what Paul is explaining. Alternate translation: [I speak in this way because]
Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / possession
ὁ λόγος & ὁ τοῦ σταυροῦ
¬which (Some words not found in SR-GNT: Ὁ λόγος γάρ ὁ τοῦ σταυροῦ τοῖς μέν ἀπολλυμένοις μωρία ἐστίν τοῖς δέ σῳζομένοις ἡμῖν δύναμις Θεοῦ ἐστίν)
Here Paul uses the possessive form to speak about a word or a teaching that is about the cross. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express this form by clarifying that the cross is the content of the word. Alternate translation: [the word about the cross]
Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / metonymy
τοῦ σταυροῦ
˱of˲_the cross
Here, the word cross stands for the event in which Jesus died on the cross. If it would be helpful in your language, you could include Jesus’ death in your translation. Alternate translation: [of Jesus’s death on the cross]
Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / abstractnouns
μωρία ἐστίν
foolishness ˱it˲_is
If your language does not use an abstract noun for the idea behind foolishness, you could express the idea by using an adjective such as “foolish.” Alternate translation: [seems foolish]
Note 5 topic: figures-of-speech / activepassive
τοῖς & ἀπολλυμένοις
˱to˲_the_‹ones› & perishing
If your language does not use the passive form in this way, you could express the idea in active form or in another way that is natural in your language. Paul uses the passive form here to focus on the ones perishing rather than focusing on the person who makes them “perish.” If you must state who does the action, Paul could imply that: (1) they cause or experience the action. Alternate translation: [to those who will experience destruction] (2) God does the action. Alternate translation: [to those whom God will destroy]
Note 6 topic: figures-of-speech / activepassive
τοῖς δὲ σῳζομένοις ἡμῖν
˱to˲_the_‹ones› ˱to˲_the_‹ones› (Some words not found in SR-GNT: Ὁ λόγος γάρ ὁ τοῦ σταυροῦ τοῖς μέν ἀπολλυμένοις μωρία ἐστίν τοῖς δέ σῳζομένοις ἡμῖν δύναμις Θεοῦ ἐστίν)
If your language does not use the passive form in this way, you can express the idea in active form or in another way that is natural in your language. Paul uses the passive form here to focus on the ones being saved rather than the person doing the “saving.” If you must state who does the action, Paul implies that “God” does it. Alternate translation: [but to us whom God is saving]
Note 7 topic: figures-of-speech / distinguish
τοῖς δὲ σῳζομένοις ἡμῖν
˱to˲_the_‹ones› ˱to˲_the_‹ones› (Some words not found in SR-GNT: Ὁ λόγος γάρ ὁ τοῦ σταυροῦ τοῖς μέν ἀπολλυμένοις μωρία ἐστίν τοῖς δέ σῳζομένοις ἡμῖν δύναμις Θεοῦ ἐστίν)
The description the ones being saved distinguishes us from everyone else. It is not just adding information. Use a form in your language that shows that this is a distinguishing phrase. Alternate translation: [but to us, that is, the ones who are being saved]
Note 8 topic: figures-of-speech / possession
δύναμις Θεοῦ ἐστιν
˓the˒_power ˱of˲_God (Some words not found in SR-GNT: Ὁ λόγος γάρ ὁ τοῦ σταυροῦ τοῖς μέν ἀπολλυμένοις μωρία ἐστίν τοῖς δέ σῳζομένοις ἡμῖν δύναμις Θεοῦ ἐστίν)
Here Paul uses the possessive form to describe power that comes from God. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express this form by clarifying that God is the source of the power. Alternate translation: [power from God] or [God working in power]
OET (OET-LV) The for message which of_the stake, to_the ones on_one_hand perishing foolishness it_is, on_the_other_hand to_the ones being_saved to_us the_power of_god it_is.
OET (OET-RV) Because the account about the execution on a post seems just stupid to non-believers, but on the contrary to us being saved, it’s God’s power,
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.