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OET interlinear 1 COR 3:6

◄ ← 1 COR 3:6 ↓ → ► ║ ©

SR Greek word order

    1. Greek word
    2. Greek lemma
    3. OET-LV words
    4. OET-RV words
    5. Strongs
    6. Role/Morphology
    7. OET Gloss
    8. VLT Gloss
    9. CAPS codes
    10. Confidence
    11. OET tags
    12. OET word #
    1. Ἐγώ
    2. egō
    3. I
    4. -
    5. 14730
    6. R···1N·S
    7. I
    8. I
    9. S
    10. Y59
    11. 113975
    1. ἐφύτευσα
    2. futeuō
    3. planted
    4. planted
    5. 54520
    6. VIAA1··S
    7. planted
    8. planted
    9. -
    10. Y59
    11. 113976
    1. Ἀπολλῶς
    2. apollōs
    3. Apollōs
    4. Apollos
    5. 6250
    6. N····NMS
    7. Apollōs
    8. Apollos
    9. U
    10. Person=Apollos; Y59; F113992; F114002
    11. 113977
    1. ἐπότισεν
    2. potizō
    3. gave to drink
    4. -
    5. 42220
    6. VIAA3··S
    7. gave_to_drink
    8. gave_to_drink
    9. -
    10. Y59
    11. 113978
    1. ἀλλά
    2. alla
    3. but
    4. but
    5. 2350
    6. C·······
    7. but
    8. but
    9. -
    10. Y59
    11. 113979
    1. ὁ
    2. ho
    3. the
    4. -
    5. 35880
    6. E····NMS
    7. ¬the
    8. ¬the
    9. -
    10. Y59
    11. 113980
    1. Θεός
    2. theos
    3. god
    4. God
    5. 23160
    6. N····NMS
    7. god
    8. God
    9. GN
    10. Y59; Person=God
    11. 113981
    1. ηὔξανεν
    2. auxanō
    3. was growing
    4. -
    5. 8370
    6. VIIA3··S
    7. ˓was˒ growing
    8. ˓was˒ growing
    9. -
    10. Y59
    11. 113982

OET (OET-LV) I planted, Apollōs gave_to_drink, but the god was_growing.

OET (OET-RV) I planted the seed and Apollos watered it, but God made it grow.

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 3:5–9

Paul told why the Corinthians should not divide into groups and following their favorite Christian workers. It was because all Christian workers are working for God. He and Apollos were not important in themselves. They were just servants of God whom God sent to help the Corinthians to believe.

3:6–9

In 3:6–9 Paul used a figure of speech called an extended metaphor. He talked about planting seeds, watering plants, and the way plants grow. However, he was actually referring to the way the church in Corinth started and grew.

There are several ways to translate this extended figure of speech. In the following illustration, 3:6a is used as an example of how to translate the rest of the figure of speech:

The NLT makes it clearer that this is a metaphor by supplying the words “in your hearts”:

My job was to plant the seed in your hearts. (NLT)

It is best if you can use one of the first three methods to translate the metaphor in 3:6–9. But if people in your language group are confused by this metaphor and cannot understand what Paul means, you may have to translate all of 3:6–9 using the fourth method.

Here is a sample translation of 3:6–9 that uses the fourth method:

6aI am the one who began the work of teaching you God’s message. 6bApollos continued this work. 6cBut it was God who caused you to have faith. 7aSo it is not the person who began the work or the person who continued the work that is important. 7bGod is the one who is important; he is the one who causes you to believe. 8aThe person who began the work among you and the person who continued the work, they/we(excl) are all just part of the team. 8bGod will give each of us(excl) a reward for the work we(excl) have done, 9abecause we(excl) are working as a team doing God’s work, not our(excl) own. 9bYou are God’s people, not ours(excl). 9cYou are like a house that God is building for himself.

3:6a

I planted the seed

I planted the seed: This is a metaphor. Paul was indicating that he was the one who first preached the gospel to the Corinthians. See the notes on 3:6–9 above for suggestions of different ways to translate this.

The Greek verb that the BSB translates as I planted the seed is literally I planted. In many languages it will be natural or even necessary to follow the BSB and say what was planted. The pronoun I is emphatic here, to make a contrast with “Apollos” in 3:6b and “God” in 3:6c.

planted: In some languages there are different words for different kinds of planting. For example: planting by scattering seeds, planting by making a hole with a stick and dropping seeds in, planting with a shovel or other tool. Paul used a general word that can mean any kind of planting. So you can use whatever word will be the most easily understood in your language as a figure of speech.

the seed: The BSB has supplied this phrase. In this context it refers to many individual grains that are all of one kind/type. In some languages it may be natural to use a plural form:

the seeds

3:6b

and Apollos watered it,

Apollos watered it: This verse part continues the metaphor. Paul was saying that after he had himself preached the gospel in Corinth, Apollos helped the church by preaching and teaching.

The Greek text that the BSB translates as Apollos watered it is literally Apollos watered. In many languages it may be necessary to say what he watered. You may be able to follow the BSB or you may need to say explicitly:

Apollos watered the seeds/seed.

Apollos watered the sprouts/plants.

If it is not a normal custom in your part of the world to water crops, you may need to translate the verb watered with a general word such as “tended” or “took care of”:

Apollos took care of the seedlings.

3:6c

but God made it grow.

but God made it grow: The Greek word that the BSB translates as but indicates contrast. Here in 3:6a-c, the strong contrast is not between Paul and Apollos. It is between both of them and God. Show this contrast in a way that is natural in your language.

made it grow: The verb made…grow means to cause to become bigger, or to cause to increase. In the figure of speech Paul was referring to the way seeds sprout and grow into plants. The meaning of this figure of speech is this: Paul was the first one who came and preached the gospel to the Corinthians. Then Apollos came and helped them understand the gospel more. But God is the one who caused them to believe and grow in their faith, not Paul or Apollos.

General Comment on 3:6a-c

In Greek, the verbs in 3:6a and 3:6b (“planted,” “watered”) are in the simple past tense. But the verb in 3:6c (“made it grow”) is in the imperfect tense, indicating continuous action. The following translation helps explain the meaning of these tenses:

I at one time planted the seeds. At another time Apollos watered the plants. But during the whole time God was causing the plants to grow.

Try to show this difference in the verbs in a way that is natural in your language.

uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / exmetaphor

ἐγὼ ἐφύτευσα, Ἀπολλῶς ἐπότισεν, ἀλλὰ ὁ Θεὸς ηὔξανεν.

(Some words not found in SR-GNT: Ἐγώ ἐφύτευσα Ἀπολλῶς ἐπότισεν ἀλλά ὁ Θεός ηὔξανεν)

Paul speaks about the roles that God gave to him and to Apollos as if they were farmers who planted and watered their crops. See the chapter introduction for further explanation of this metaphor. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express the way that Paul uses farming language to describe how the Corinthians received the gospel with a comparable metaphor or express the idea plainly. Alternate translation: [I introduced you to the gospel, Apollos taught you more about the gospel, but God enabled you to believe]

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / ellipsis

ἐγὼ ἐφύτευσα, Ἀπολλῶς ἐπότισεν, ἀλλὰ ὁ Θεὸς ηὔξανεν.

(Some words not found in SR-GNT: Ἐγώ ἐφύτευσα Ἀπολλῶς ἐπότισεν ἀλλά ὁ Θεός ηὔξανεν)

Paul never states what it is that he planted, that Apollos watered, and that God caused it to grow. He does not state what it is because he wishes to use a general statement about farming practices. If you need to state what is planted and watered, you could include a general word or words such as “seed,” “plant,” or “crop.” Alternate translation: [I planted the seeds, Apollos watered the plants, but God caused the crop to grow] or [I planted the crop, Apollos watered it, but God caused it to grow]

Note 3 topic: grammar-connect-logic-contrast

ἐφύτευσα, Ἀπολλῶς ἐπότισεν, ἀλλὰ ὁ Θεὸς

planted Apollos gave_to_drink (Some words not found in SR-GNT: Ἐγώ ἐφύτευσα Ἀπολλῶς ἐπότισεν ἀλλά ὁ Θεός ηὔξανεν)

Here Paul uses but to contrast himself and Apollos with God. The point is that what he did and what Apollos did are at the same level of importance, but God’s work is the most important. Another way to understand this contrast is to notice that Paul and Apollos assist in the process of plants growing, but God is the only one who actually makes them grow. Again, the main point is that Paul and Apollos are simply “servants” of God ([3:5](../03/05.md)) in a process that God oversees. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express but with a word or phrase that puts Paul and Apollos together in contrast with God. Alternate translation: [planted, and Apollos watered. However, it was God who]

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

    1. OET-LV words
    2. OET-RV words
    3. Strongs
    4. Greek word
    5. Greek lemma
    6. Role/Morphology
    7. OET Gloss
    8. VLT Gloss
    9. CAPS codes
    10. Confidence
    11. OET tags
    12. OET word #
    1. I
    2. -
    3. 14730
    4. S
    5. egō
    6. R-···1N·S
    7. I
    8. I
    9. S
    10. Y59
    11. 113975
    1. planted
    2. planted
    3. 54520
    5. futeuō
    6. V-IAA1··S
    7. planted
    8. planted
    9. -
    10. Y59
    11. 113976
    1. Apollōs
    2. Apollos
    3. 6250
    4. U
    5. apollōs
    6. N-····NMS
    7. Apollōs
    8. Apollos
    9. U
    10. Person=Apollos; Y59; F113992; F114002
    11. 113977
    1. gave to drink
    2. -
    3. 42220
    5. potizō
    6. V-IAA3··S
    7. gave_to_drink
    8. gave_to_drink
    9. -
    10. Y59
    11. 113978
    1. but
    2. but
    3. 2350
    5. alla
    6. C-·······
    7. but
    8. but
    9. -
    10. Y59
    11. 113979
    1. the
    2. -
    3. 35880
    5. ho
    6. E-····NMS
    7. ¬the
    8. ¬the
    9. -
    10. Y59
    11. 113980
    1. god
    2. God
    3. 23160
    4. GN
    5. theos
    6. N-····NMS
    7. god
    8. God
    9. GN
    10. Y59; Person=God
    11. 113981
    1. was growing
    2. -
    3. 8370
    5. auxanō
    6. V-IIA3··S
    7. ˓was˒ growing
    8. ˓was˒ growing
    9. -
    10. Y59
    11. 113982

OET (OET-LV) I planted, Apollōs gave_to_drink, but the god was_growing.

OET (OET-RV) I planted the seed and Apollos watered it, but God made it grow.

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.

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◄ ← 1 COR 3:6 ↑ → ► ║ ©