OET interlinear 1COR 1:24

uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: grammar-connect-logic-contrast

δὲ

but

Here Paul uses But to contrast the called and the “Jews” and “Gentiles” in 1:23. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express this connection with a word or phrase that contrasts people and their thinking. Alternate translation: “In contrast with them,”

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / infostructure

αὐτοῖς & τοῖς κλητοῖς, Ἰουδαίοις τε καὶ Ἕλλησιν, Χριστὸν Θεοῦ δύναμιν, καὶ Θεοῦ σοφίαν

˱to˲_them & the called_‹ones› ˱to˲_/the/_Jews both and ˱to˲_/the/_Greeks Christ ˱of˲_God /the/_power and ˱of˲_God /the/_wisdom

Paul here puts the people he is talking about first before he makes a statement about them. If this is unnatural in your language, you could: (1) phrase the sentence so that the called is the subject of the whole sentence. Alternate translation: “those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, know that Christ is the power of God and the wisdom of God” (2) move to the called to the end of the sentence. Alternate translation: “Christ is the power of God and the wisdom of God to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks”

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / 123person

αὐτοῖς & τοῖς κλητοῖς

˱to˲_them & the called_‹ones›

Paul uses the third person to speak about those whom God has called, because he is speaking of the group as a category in comparison with Jews who find the gospel a stumbling block and Gentiles who find the gospel to be foolish. He does not use the third person because he excludes himself or the Corinthians from this category. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express the idea behind this form with the first person. Alternate translation: “to those of us who are called”

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / activepassive

τοῖς κλητοῖς

the called_‹ones›

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 those who are called rather than the person doing the “calling.” If you must state who does the action, Paul implies that “God” does it. Alternate translation: “whom God has called”

Note 5 topic: translate-unknown

Ἕλλησιν

˱to˲_/the/_Greeks

Here, Greeks does not refer only to people who are ethnically Greek. However, it also does not refer to everyone who is not a Jew. Rather, it refers to people who speak the Greek language and who value the philosophy and education that are part of Greek culture. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express the meaning of this word with a word or phrase that identifies these people by their interests and values more than by their ethnicity. Alternate translation: “people who value Greek philosophy” or “people who had a Greek education”

Note 6 topic: figures-of-speech / metonymy

Χριστὸν

Christ

Here, the word Christ could refer to: (1) the message about the work of Christ. Alternate translation: “the message about Christ” (2) the work of Christ, especially his death. Alternate translation: “Christ’s work” or “Christ’s death”

Note 7 topic: figures-of-speech / possession

Θεοῦ δύναμιν

˱of˲_God /the/_power

Here Paul uses the possessive form to speak of 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 acting powerfully”

Note 8 topic: figures-of-speech / possession

Θεοῦ σοφίαν

˱of˲_God ˱of˲_God /the/_wisdom

Here Paul uses the possessive form to speak of wisdom 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 wisdom. Alternate translation: “wisdom from God” or “God giving wisdom”