OET interlinear 1COR 4:21

uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / rquestion

τί θέλετε?

what ˱you_all˲_/are/_wanting

Paul asks the Corinthians What they want because he wants them to realize that their behavior will show him how to respond to them. He does not want the Corinthians to tell him all their desires. Rather, he presents two options in the rest of the verse, and the question What do you want? shows the Corinthians that they can choose between those two options by listening to Paul or choosing not to listen to him. If your language does not use a question to express this idea, you can translate the question in statement form. Alternate translation: “Depending on what you do, I will behave towards you in one of two ways.” or “How you respond to me will tell me how to respond to you.”

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / rquestion

ἐν ῥάβδῳ ἔλθω πρὸς ὑμᾶς, ἢ ἐν ἀγάπῃ, πνεύματί τε πραΰτητος?

with /a/_rod ˱I˲_/may/_come to you_all or in love /a/_spirit and ˱of˲_gentleness

Here Paul uses a question to present the two options for how he could act toward the Corinthians when he “comes” to them. He asks a question for the same reason he asked the first question in this verse. He wants them to realize that how they choose to respond to him will dictate how he will act when he visits. If they do not listen to him, he will come with a rod. If they do listen, he will come with love and a spirit of gentleness. If your language does not use a question to express this idea, you can translate the question in statement form. Alternate translation: “I will either come to you with a rod or with love and a spirit of gentleness.” or “If you do not listen, I will come to you with a rod. If you do listen, I will come to you with love and a spirit of gentleness.”

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / go

ἔλθω πρὸς ὑμᾶς

˱I˲_/may/_come to you_all

Here Paul is speaking about his plan to visit the Corinthians at some point. Use a form in your language that indicates future travel plans to visit someone. Alternate translation: “Shall I arrive where you live”

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

ἐν ῥάβδῳ

with /a/_rod

Paul speaks of coming with a rod as if he is going to physically beat the Corinthians to teach them to listen to him. This metaphor may continue the way in which he speaks of himself as a “father” in 4:14–15, since fathers could punish their children physically with a rod if they did not obey. By speaking in this way, Paul thus refers to discipline or punishment, but the discipline he threatens will not be physical. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express this figure of speech with a word or phrase that would describe discipline or punishment, or you could express the idea plainly. Alternate translation: “to punish you” or “with a harsh rebuke”

Note 5 topic: figures-of-speech / abstractnouns

ἐν ἀγάπῃ & τε

with in love & and

If your language does not use an abstract noun for the idea behind love, you can express the idea by using an adverb such as “lovingly” or a verb such as “love.” Alternate translation: “shall I love you with”

Note 6 topic: figures-of-speech / possession

πνεύματί & πραΰτητος

/a/_spirit & ˱of˲_gentleness

Here Paul uses the possessive form to describe a spirit that is characterized by gentleness. If your language would not use the possessive form to express that idea, you could express the idea by translating gentleness as an adjective, such as “gentle.” Alternate translation: “a gentle spirit”

Note 7 topic: translate-unknown

πνεύματί

/a/_spirit

Here, spirit does not refer to God’s Spirit, the Holy Spirit. Rather, it refers to Paul’s spirit. In Paul’s culture, as spirit of something is a way to describe a person’s attitude that is characterized by that thing. Here, then, Paul speaks about an attitude that is gentle. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express spirit with a word such as “attitude” to express the idea. Alternate translation: “an attitude”

Note 8 topic: figures-of-speech / abstractnouns

πραΰτητος

˱of˲_gentleness

If your language does not use an abstract noun for the idea behind gentleness, you can express the idea by using an adjective such as “gentle.” Alternate translation: “that is gentle”