1 COR 3:21 Interlinear View

SIL Open Translator’s Notes:

Section 3:1–23: Christian workers serve the Lord by building his church together

In this section Paul told the believers in Corinth that they had not become spiritually mature. That was why they were dividing into separate groups and arguing with one another about teachers. They needed to learn about God’s plan for Christian workers and leaders. Christian workers and leaders all belong to God and are all building God’s church together.

Other possible section headings include:

Paul and all the other apostles were the Lord’s servants

All believers belong to the Lord and should remain united

Paragraph 3:18–23

Paul summarized what he had been saying in this section (3:1–3:23) by giving two warnings. First, no one should follow the wisdom of this world. Second, no one should boast about following one teacher or another. This could cause divisions in the church. God in his wisdom sent Christ to be the only leader of his people. All the teachers should agree with Christ in their teaching.

3:21a

Therefore, stop boasting in men.

So you should no longer boast about human beings.
So then, stop talking proudly about your human leaders.
Therefore, I command/urge you: Do not brag/boast about which teacher you follow,

Therefore: The Greek conjunction that the BSB translates as Therefore here introduces Paul’s conclusion to what he had been saying.

stop boasting in men: The Greek expression that the BSB translates as stop boasting in men is literally “let no one glory in humans/people.” There are at least two ways of understanding this:

It means that the Corinthians were to stop taking pride in the human leaders and teachers they followed. For example:
you should not brag about human leaders (NCV) (NCV, NRSV, NLT)
It means that the Corinthians were not to boast about what people could do. For example:
no one…should boast about what human beings can do (GNT) (GNT, CEV)

The BSB, RSV, NIV, KJV, NASB, ESV, GW, NJB, JBP, and REB translate this literally so that either interpretation can be understood. A possible model for a literal translation is the REB:

never make any human being a cause for boasting (REB)

If you must choose between the interpretations, it is recommended that you follow interpretation (1). Paul was probably referring back to what he wrote in 1:12. Some Corinthian believers were boasting that they followed Paul or Apollos. Here in 3:21a, Paul commanded them to not boast about who their leaders were. Other ways to translate this include:

do not boast about being the follower/disciple of any human being

stop bragging about which human leader you follow

3:21b

All things are yours,

All things belong to you,
because already you have everything.

In the Greek text 3:21b is connected to 3:21a with a conjunction. In this context it introduces the basis for Paul’s command in 3:21a. In other words, 3:21b gives the reason believers should not proudly say they follow one teacher and not another. The BSB has not explicitly translated this conjunction, but the RSV translates it as “for.”

You should introduce this verse part in a way that is natural in your language.

All things are yours: The expression All things are yours can also be translated as “All things belong to you.” All things belong to believers because they belong to Christ and have everything in him. Paul was arguing that it was foolish to argue over which teacher was the best because God had already given the Corinthians everything by joining them together with Christ.

3:21b is a general statement, and Paul followed it by listing eight specific things that are ours in Christ. The first three are people; the last five are things. In your language you may need to separate the people from the things.For a good explanation of what Paul talks about in 3:21–23, see Gordon D. Fee’s book on 1 Corinthians, pages 152–155.

uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / imperative3p

μηδεὶς καυχάσθω ἐν ἀνθρώποις

(Some words not found in SR-GNT: Ὥστε μηδείς καυχάσθω ἐν ἀνθρώποις παντᾶ γάρ ὑμῶν ἐστίν)

Here Paul uses a third-person imperative. If you have third-person imperatives in your language, you could use one here. If you do not have third-person imperatives, you could express the idea using a word such as “should.” Alternate translation: [no one should boast in men]

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / idiom

μηδεὶς καυχάσθω ἐν ἀνθρώποις

(Some words not found in SR-GNT: Ὥστε μηδείς καυχάσθω ἐν ἀνθρώποις παντᾶ γάρ ὑμῶν ἐστίν)

The phrase boast in men means that a person is boasting “about” humans. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express boast in with a word or phrase that clarifies that the “boasting” has men as its content. Alternate translation: [let no one boast about men]

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

ἐν ἀνθρώποις

in people

The next verse makes it clear that here Paul specifically has leaders in mind. He wishes to tell the Corinthians that they should not boast about having a specific leader that they follow. If this meaning of in men would not be understood in your language, you could include some words that clarify that it refers to following leaders. Alternate translation: [in men that they follow] or [in men whose group they are part of]

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / gendernotations

ἀνθρώποις

people

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: [in people] or [in men or women]

Note 5 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

πάντα & ὑμῶν ἐστιν

(Some words not found in SR-GNT: Ὥστε μηδείς καυχάσθω ἐν ἀνθρώποις παντᾶ γάρ ὑμῶν ἐστίν)

Here, all things are yours also implies that boasting in men is foolish. If the Corinthians have everything, then boasting about following a specific leader does not make sense. All the Corinthians have all the leaders, and much more beyond that (See: [3:22](../03/22.md)). If your readers would not infer that all things are yours implies these conclusions, you could include a phrase that states these conclusions. Alternate translation: [all things are yours, including all leaders]

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 3:21

SR Greek word order

Section 3:1–23: Christian workers serve the Lord by building his church together

Paragraph 3:18–23

3:21a

3:21b

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

OET interlinear 1 COR 3:21

SR Greek word order

Section 3:1–23: Christian workers serve the Lord by building his church together

Paragraph 3:18–23

3:21a

3:21b

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

OET interlinear 1 COR 3:21