OET interlinear 1COR 1:28

uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / parallelism

τοῦ κόσμου & ἐξελέξατο ὁ Θεός, & ἵνα

˱of˲_the world & chose ¬the God & in_order_that

In this verse, Paul repeats many of the words from the parallel parts of the previous verse. He does this because, in his culture, repeating the same idea with different examples was more convincing than using just one example. If possible, translate these words the same way that you translated them in 1:27. You could remove or change some of the words if it makes the sentence sound more convincing. Alternate translation: “he chose … of the world … in order that”

Note 2 topic: translate-unknown

τὰ ἀγενῆ

the insignificant

Here, base things is the opposite of the word translated “of noble birth” in 1:26. Paul uses it to refer to things and people that were not considered important or powerful in his culture. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express base things with a word or phrase that refers to people and things that have low status or low importance. Alternate translation: “the marginalized things”

Note 3 topic: translate-unknown

τὰ ἐξουθενημένα

the the_‹things› /having_been/_scorned

While base things refers to a person’s status or a thing’s status, the word translated despised things refers to how people treat other people or things that have low status. Usually, people badly treat others whom they consider to be of lower status, ignoring them or mocking them. That is what Paul means when he says despised. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express despised things with a word or phrase that refers to how people mistreat others of lower status. Alternate translation: “the scorned things” or “the things people treat with contempt”

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / possession

τὰ ἀγενῆ τοῦ κόσμου καὶ τὰ ἐξουθενημένα

the insignificant ˱of˲_the world and the_‹things› /having_been/_scorned

Here Paul uses of the world to describe both the base things and the despised things. As in 1:27, he uses the possessive form to clarify that base things and the despised things are only base and despised from the perspective of the world. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express the idea behind of the worldwith a phrase such as “according to the world.” Alternate translation: “the base things and the despised things according to the world”

Note 5 topic: figures-of-speech / synecdoche

τοῦ κόσμου

˱of˲_the world

When Paul uses the world in this context, he is not referring primarily to everything that God has made. Rather, he uses the world to refer to human beings. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express the world with an expression that refers to human beings in general. Alternate translation: “of people”

Note 6 topic: figures-of-speech / hyperbole

τὰ μὴ ὄντα

the the_‹things› the_‹things› not being

Here Paul further describes the base things and the despised things as if they were things that are not. He does not mean that the base and despised things do not exist. Instead, he is identifying how people often ignore the base and despised things, just as if they did not exist at all. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express the things that are not with a comparable phrase or express the idea plainly. Alternate translation: “the things that people ignore”

Note 7 topic: grammar-connect-logic-goal

ἵνα

in_order_that

Here, in order that could introduce: (1) the purpose for which God chose the base things and the despised things of the world, the things that are not. Alternate translation: “so that” (2) what happened when God chose the base things and the despised things of the world, the things that are not. Alternate translation: “with the result that”

Note 8 topic: translate-unknown

καταργήσῃ

˱he˲_/may/_nullify

Here, he might bring to nothing refers to making something ineffective, useless, or irrelevant. What Paul means is that God has made the things that are unimportant and without function because he instead worked through the things that are not. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express bring to nothing with a word or phrase that indicates that a person has acted so that something else is no longer important, useful, or effective. Alternate translation: “he might tear down” or “render ineffective”

Note 9 topic: figures-of-speech / idiom

τὰ ὄντα

the the_‹things› the_‹things› the_‹things› being

In this context, the things that are does not refer primarily to things that exist. Rather, it refers primarily to things that are important in society and culture. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express the things that are with a comparable phrase that refers to important or significant things and people in your culture. Alternate translation: “the things that people care about”