OET interlinear 1COR 4:15

uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: grammar-connect-condition-contrary

ἐὰν & μυρίους παιδαγωγοὺς ἔχητε ἐν Χριστῷ

if & ten_thousand tutors ˱you_all˲_/may_be/_having in Christ

Here Paul is making a conditional statement that sounds hypothetical, but he is already convinced that the condition is not true. He knows that the Corinthians do not have myriads of guardians, but he speaks in this way to emphasize that they have only one spiritual father, no matter how many guardians they have. Use a natural form in your language for introducing a condition that the speaker believes is not true. Alternate translation: “even if you somehow had myriads of guardians in Christ”

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / hyperbole

μυρίους παιδαγωγοὺς

ten_thousand tutors

Here, myriads of guardians is an exaggeration that the Corinthians would have understood to mean a large number of guardians. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express myriads with a word or phrase that refers to a large number. Alternate translation: “many guardians” or “a large number of guardians”

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

ἐν Χριστῷ

in Christ

Here Paul uses the spatial metaphor in Christ to describe the union of believers with Christ. In this case, being in Christ, or united to Christ, could identify: (1) that these guardians are helping the Corinthians in their union with Christ. Alternate translation: “who work to unite you more strongly to Christ” (2) the guardians as fellow believers in Jesus. Alternate translation: “who believe in Christ”

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / ellipsis

οὐ πολλοὺς πατέρας

not many fathers

Here Paul omits some words that may be essential in your language to create a complete thought. In English, these words are essential, so they have been included in the ULT in brackets. If you can translate this sentence without these words, you could do so here. Otherwise, you could retain these words as they appear in the ULT.

οὐ πολλοὺς πατέρας

not many fathers

Alternate translation: “you would have only one father”

Note 5 topic: figures-of-speech / exmetaphor

οὐ πολλοὺς πατέρας; ἐν γὰρ Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ διὰ τοῦ εὐαγγελίου, ἐγὼ ὑμᾶς ἐγέννησα.

not many fathers in for Christ Jesus through the gospel I you_all bore

Here Paul speaks of himself as a “father” to the Corinthian believers. He became their father through the gospel, which means that he is their spiritual father. He is the one who preached the gospel to them when they became united to Christ Jesus, and that makes him the one who fathered them. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express how Paul speaks about fathers by clarifying that Paul refers to “spiritual” fathers. Alternate translation: “you would not have many spiritual fathers; for I fathered you spiritually in Christ Jesus through the gospel”

Note 6 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

(Occurrence 2) ἐν & Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ

in & Christ Jesus

Here Paul uses the spatial metaphor in Christ Jesus to describe the union of believers with Christ. In this case, being in Christ, or united to Christ, could explain: (1) that the Corinthians became united to Christ when Paul preached the good news to them. Alternate translation: “when you were united to Christ Jesus” (2) Paul is their father in the Christian family, the family that is united to Christ. Alternate translation: “in the Christian family”