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InterlinearVerse GEN EXO LEV NUM DEU JOB JOS JDG RUTH 1 SAM 2 SAM PSA AMOS HOS 1 KI 2 KI 1 CHR 2 CHR PROV ECC SNG JOEL MIC ISA ZEP HAB JER LAM YNA (JNA) NAH OBA DAN EZE EZRA EST NEH HAG ZEC MAL LAO GES LES ESG DNG 2 PS TOB JDT WIS SIR BAR LJE PAZ SUS BEL MAN 1 MAC 2 MAC 3 MAC 4 MAC YHN (JHN) MARK MAT LUKE ACTs YAC (JAM) GAL 1 TH 2 TH 1 COR 2 COR ROM COL PHM EPH PHP 1 TIM TIT 1 PET 2 PET 2 TIM HEB YUD (JUD) 1 YHN (1 JHN) 2 YHN (2 JHN) 3 YHN (3 JHN) REV
1 Cor C1 C2 C3 C4 C5 C6 C7 C8 C9 C10 C11 C12 C13 C14 C15 C16
1 Cor 4 V1 V2 V3 V4 V5 V6 V7 V8 V9 V10 V11 V12 V13 V14 V15 V16 V18 V19 V20 V21
OET (OET-LV) Because_of this I_sent to_you_all Timotheos, who is of_me the_child, beloved and faithful in the_master, who you_all will_be_reminding of_the ways of_me which in chosen_one/messiah Yaʸsous, as everywhere in every assembly I_am_teaching.
OET (OET-RV) and that’s why I sent Timothy to visit you. He’s like my own dear son in Yahweh, and he’ll remind you all about my ways in Messiah Yeshua, just like I teach everywhere in every church.
Paul continued to talk about how the Corinthian believers should think about their Christian leaders, especially himself. He said that Christian leaders are servants of Christ and should be judged only by Christ. Some Corinthian believers were saying that they did not have to listen to Paul’s teaching. Paul encouraged the Corinthians to respect and obey him as their spiritual father.
Other possible section headings include:
Paul encouraged the Corinthians to respect him and Apollos
Paul and Apollos deserved respect as Christ’s servants
Paul wanted the Corinthians to change the way they were thinking about him and accept his authority again. So he used another metaphor—that of a father with his children—to help them understand how they should respect and obey him.
That is why I have sent you Timothy,
That is why I have sent Timothy to visit you.
That is the reason I have asked/ordered Timothy to go to Corinth.
That is why: The Greek phrase that the BSB has translated as That is why is literally “For this.” In this case, the pronoun That refers to what immediately precedes it. It refers to the clause “I urge you to imitate me.” Because Paul wanted the Corinthians to imitate him, he sent Timothy to them.
I have sent you Timothy: Paul wanted Timothy to visit the Corinthians. In some languages it may be natural to translate this as:
I have asked/ordered Timothy to go/come to you.
I have told Timothy to visit you.
I have sent: In the Greek this verb is in the past tense: “I sent.” There are two ways to understand this:
Paul meant that he had already sent Timothy. When Paul wrote this letter, Timothy had already left Ephesus (where Paul was) and was on his way to Corinth. See Acts 19:22. For example:
I have sent you Timothy (NJB) (BSB, CEV, KJV, RSV, NASB, REB, GW, NJB, NET)
Paul meant that Timothy was still with him in Ephesus, but he was planning to send him to Corinth soon. By the time the Corinthians received this letter, Timothy would already be on his way. For example:
I am sending to you Timothy (GNT) (NIV, GNT, NCV)
It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1), because there is stronger commentary support for it. Paul probably meant that Timothy had already left Ephesus.There is good evidence from the Bible itself to support this interpretation:(a) Paul did not mention Timothy in 1:1 as he did at the beginning of other letters when Timothy was with him (2 Corinthians 1:1, Philippians 1:1, Colossians 1:1, 1 and 2 Thessalonians 1:1, Philemon).(b) In 1 Corinthians 16:10 Paul said, “If Timothy should come…,” instead of “When Timothy comes….” Paul was not sure if Timothy would arrive in Corinth or not.
my beloved and faithful child in the Lord.
He is like my child in the Lord. I love him and can depend on him.
I love him like a son. He is a believer and constantly/faithfully helps me.
my beloved and faithful child in the Lord: There are two possible ways to interpret the Greek words that the BSB translates as my beloved and faithful child in the Lord:
Timothy was faithful to Paul, his spiritual father in Christ. For example:
a dear and faithful son to me in the Lord (NJB) (BSB, NJB, RSV, GNT, NET, NASB, NLT, ESV)
As Paul’s spiritual son, Timothy was faithful to the Lord. For example:
I love him like a son, and he is a faithful servant of the Lord. (CEV) (CEV, REB, GW)
The NIV, KJV, and NCV are more ambiguous and do not explicitly say to whom Timothy was faithful. It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1) because it has stronger translation support. Paul considered Timothy to be his faithful son as they followed Christ together.
my beloved and faithful child: Timothy was not Paul’s child in the physical sense. Paul was Timothy’s spiritual father. See 1 Timothy 1:2. Paul had taught and trained Timothy, and Timothy had become one of Paul’s helpers.
faithful: The Greek word that the BSB translates as faithful means trustworthy or dependable. In some languages it may be natural to translate it as a verb phrase. For example:
I can trust him
I can rely/depend on him
he keeps his promises
in the Lord: The Greek phrase that the BSB translates as in the Lord here probably indicates that Timothy belonged to the Lord. He was a believer. Here is another way to translate this:
in the Christian life (GNT)
the Lord: This probably refers to the Lord Jesus. But it is best to keep your translation ambiguous unless you have a good reason not to.
He will remind you of my way of life in Christ Jesus,
He will remind you what I teach and how I behave as a follower of Christ Jesus,
When he arrives, he will tell you again about the way I live as I follow Christ’s ways.
He will remind you of my way of life in Christ Jesus: This verse part indicates that Timothy would help the Corinthians remember Paul and how he lived as a Christian. Other ways to translate this include:
He will help you remember my way of life in Christ Jesus. (NCV)
Timothy will tell you what I do to follow Christ. (CEV)
my way of life: The Greek phrase that the BSB translates as my way of life is literally “my ways.” Paul was probably referring not only to his behavior, the way he acted, but also to the reasons for his behavior and to his way of thinking.
in Christ Jesus: In this context the common phrase in Christ Jesus likely goes with “my way of life.” The phrase “my way of life in Christ Jesus” thus refers to the way Paul lived as a follower/believer in Christ Jesus.
Christ Jesus: There is a textual problem here:
Some Greek manuscripts say Christ Jesus. (BSB, NIV, NRSV, GNT, NLT, NCV)
Some Greek manuscripts say Christ. (RSV, KJV, NASB, ESV, NJB, REB, NET, CEV, GW)
It is uncertain which form is original. Either is acceptable. It is recommended that you use the form found in the major language version in your area.
which is exactly what I teach everywhere in every church.
which is the same thing that I teach to believers in every town/place I go.
And this is the same way that I teach in all God’s groups everywhere.
which is exactly what I teach everywhere in every church: This verse part indicates that Paul’s way of life was in agreement with his public teaching. He acted in the same way that he taught all other believers to act. Here is another way to translate this:
just as I teach it in all the churches everywhere (NCV)
In some languages it may be natural to connect 4:17c-d with a word meaning “and.” For example:
Timothy will tell you what I do to follow Christ and how it agrees with what I always teach about Christ in every church. (CEV)
He will remind you of the principles which I follow in the new life in union with Christ Jesus and which I teach in all the churches everywhere. (NJB)
In some languages it may be natural to reorder the information in these verse parts and tell about Timothy’s character at the end. For example:
17aThat’s why I’ve sent Timothy to you 17cto help you remember my Christian way of life 17das I teach it everywhere in every church. 17bTimothy is my dear child, and he faithfully does the Lord’s work. (GW)
Note 1 topic: writing-pronouns
διὰ τοῦτο
(Some words not found in SR-GNT: Διά τοῦτο ἔπεμψα ὑμῖν Τιμόθεον ὅς ἐστίν μού τέκνον ἀγαπητόν καί πιστόν ἐν Κυρίῳ ὅς ὑμᾶς ἀναμνήσει τάς ὁδούς μού τάς ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ καθώς πανταχοῦ ἐν πάσῃ ἐκκλησίᾳ διδάσκω)
Here, this refers back to what Paul said in the previous verse about imitating him. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express what this refers to by clarifying that it refers back to the previous verse. Alternate translation: [For that reason]
Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / pastforfuture
ἔπεμψα
˱I˲_sent
Sometimes, Paul uses the past tense sent with reference to the person who carries the letter to its destination. However, Paul later speaks of Timothy visiting them as only a possibility (See: [16:10](../16/10.md)). Therefore, the visit to which Paul refers here could: (1) have already happened by the time Paul is writing this letter. Timothy would be visiting the Corinthians while Paul is writing this letter, since Paul uses the future tense to refer to how Timothy will remind them of Paul’s ways. Alternate translation: [I have sent] (2) be when Timothy brings the letter to them, at which time he will remind them of his ways. Alternate translation: [I am sending]
Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor
ὅς ἐστίν μου τέκνον, ἀγαπητὸν καὶ πιστὸν
who is who (Some words not found in SR-GNT: Διά τοῦτο ἔπεμψα ὑμῖν Τιμόθεον ὅς ἐστίν μού τέκνον ἀγαπητόν καί πιστόν ἐν Κυρίῳ ὅς ὑμᾶς ἀναμνήσει τάς ὁδούς μού τάς ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ καθώς πανταχοῦ ἐν πάσῃ ἐκκλησίᾳ διδάσκω)
Here Paul speaks of Timothy as if he were his own child. This continues the metaphor about Paul as a spiritual father from [4:15](../04/15.md). Paul is Timothy’s spiritual father, and Paul loves Timothy in the way a father loves his child. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express the idea behind this figure of speech with a comparable metaphor or plainly. Alternate translation: [who is my beloved and faithful spiritual child] or [whom I love and who is faithful]
Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor
ἐν Κυρίῳ
in ˓the˒_Lord
Here Paul uses the spatial metaphor in the Lord to describe the union of believers with Christ. In this case, being in the Lord, or united to the Lord, identifies Timothy as someone who faithfully does what he is called to do in his union with the Lord. Alternate translation: [in his union with the Lord]
Note 5 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor
τὰς ὁδούς μου τὰς ἐν
(Some words not found in SR-GNT: Διά τοῦτο ἔπεμψα ὑμῖν Τιμόθεον ὅς ἐστίν μού τέκνον ἀγαπητόν καί πιστόν ἐν Κυρίῳ ὅς ὑμᾶς ἀναμνήσει τάς ὁδούς μού τάς ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ καθώς πανταχοῦ ἐν πάσῃ ἐκκλησίᾳ διδάσκω)
Here Paul speaks of how he lives and what he does as my ways, which refers to the paths that Paul walks on. This way of speaking is related to how Paul has already spoken of behavior as “walking” (See: [3:3](../03/03.md)). The phrase my ways could identify: (1) how Paul thinks and lives. Alternate translation: [the way that I live in] (2) the principles that Paul follows concerning how to think and live. Alternate translation: [the principles that I follow in]
Note 6 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor
ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ
in 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 Jesus, or united to Christ Jesus, describes Paul’s ways as ways that are appropriate for those united to Christ Jesus. Alternate translation: [appropriate in union with Christ Jesus]
Note 7 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit
καθὼς & διδάσκω
(Some words not found in SR-GNT: Διά τοῦτο ἔπεμψα ὑμῖν Τιμόθεον ὅς ἐστίν μού τέκνον ἀγαπητόν καί πιστόν ἐν Κυρίῳ ὅς ὑμᾶς ἀναμνήσει τάς ὁδούς μού τάς ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ καθώς πανταχοῦ ἐν πάσῃ ἐκκλησίᾳ διδάσκω)
Here Paul does not explicitly state what it is that he is teaching. From the previous words, however, it is clear that he teaches his ways, the same ways that Timothy will remind them about. If you need to clarify what Paul teaches, you could refer to the ways explicitly. Alternate translation: [the same ways that I teach]
Note 8 topic: figures-of-speech / hyperbole
πανταχοῦ ἐν πάσῃ ἐκκλησίᾳ
everywhere in every assembly
Here Paul speaks as if Paul has been everywhere and visited every church. The Corinthians would have understood this to refer to everywhere and every church that Paul has visited. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express everywhere and every church by clarifying that Paul refers to every place and church he has visited. Alternate translation: [everywhere I go and in every church that I visit]
Note 9 topic: figures-of-speech / doublet
πανταχοῦ ἐν πάσῃ ἐκκλησίᾳ
everywhere in every assembly
Here, the words everywhere and in every church have very similar meanings. Paul repeats the idea to emphasize that he teaches the ways in every church, not just among the Corinthians. If your language does not use repetition in this way, you can combine the two phrases into one. Alternate translation: [in every church]
4:17 Timothy, Paul’s child in the faith and one of his closest associates, was with Paul when he first preached the Good News in Corinth (see 2 Cor 1:19). Paul sent him to faithfully communicate what it means to follow Christ Jesus.
OET (OET-LV) Because_of this I_sent to_you_all Timotheos, who is of_me the_child, beloved and faithful in the_master, who you_all will_be_reminding of_the ways of_me which in chosen_one/messiah Yaʸsous, as everywhere in every assembly I_am_teaching.
OET (OET-RV) and that’s why I sent Timothy to visit you. He’s like my own dear son in Yahweh, and he’ll remind you all about my ways in Messiah Yeshua, just like I teach everywhere in every church.
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.