OET interlinear 1 COR 5:11

5:11a

But now I am writing you: A literal translation of the Greek is “But now I wrote to you…” It is not clear whether Paul was referring to the letter he had written earlier, or if he was referring to what he was now writing in this letter.

1. This refers to Paul’s earlier letter. for example, the GNT says:

   What I meant was that… (GNT) (GNT, CEV, GW, REB, RSV, NASB, NJB, NLT)

2. The BSB translates 5:11a in this way: But now I am writing you…. This translation makes Paul refer to what he is writing here in 1 Corinthians. For example:

   But in this letter I tell you (JBP) (BSB, NCV, NIV, NRSV, NET, ESV)

The KJV is not clear. The Greek could mean either one. But it is recommended that you follow interpretation (1). This is the view of the majority of commentators. Paul was probably explaining the command he had given them in his other letter. So another way to translate this is:

But now I will explain to you what I wrote.

5:11b-f

In these verse parts Paul indicated that the believers were not to associate in a friendly way with anyone who called himself a Christian but was deliberately sinning. Paul listed six kinds of serious sins as examples of the sins he was referring to. Paul was referring to anyone and everyone who might claim to be a Christian but continue to behave in these ways. So in some languages it may be natural to use plural forms. For example:

you must not associate with people who call themselves believers but behave immorally, or are greedy, or worship idols, or slander others, or get drunk, or cheat others. Do not even eat with people like this.

In some languages it may be natural to reorder these verse parts to put the two commands “you must not associate” and “do not even eat” together. See the General Comment at the end of 5:11f.

5:11b

not to associate with: The Greek verb that the BSB translates as associate with means to mingle freely with them, to fellowship with them, be close to them, and do things with them. See 5:9b, where the same word occurs.

anyone who claims to be a brother: Paul was referring to someone who claimed to be a brother in Christ, that is, a believer. If a literal translation would not make this clear, you may need to translate this as:

any professing Christian (JBP)

In some languages it may be natural to use a direct quote here. For example:

you must not associate with a person who says, “I follow Christ as you do”

5:11c-e

These verse parts lists six ways in which someone could sin. If a person who called himself a believer sinned in any of these ways, the other believers were not to associate with him. In your translation, consider how best to express each type of sin and how to put the expressions into a list in the most natural way. It is natural to connect each of the sins. In some languages it may be natural to use a word meaning “or” after each sin, but in other languages this may not be necessary.

The various items in the list can be translated in various ways:

• as a series of verb phrases (describing the various ways of sinning). For example:

  who sin sexually, covet things, worship idols, slander others, get drunk or cheat

• as a series of nouns (identifying the type of sinner)

  who are fornicators, greedy people, idol worshipers, slanderers, drunkards, swindlers

• as a series of adjectival phrases (describing people who sin in these ways).

  who are sexually immoral, greedy/materialistic, idolatrous, slanderous, addicted to alcohol, or dishonest

The Greek uses nouns to identify the people (fornicators, idol worshipers, etc). The BSB uses a combination of last two forms, because this is natural in English. Use whatever type is the most natural in your language.

5:11c

but is sexually immoral: A person who is sexually immoral is one who has sexual relations with someone other than his or her spouse. See note on 5:1b and 5:9, where the same word occurs.

greedy: This refers is the same word that occurs in 5:10b. See the note there.

5:11d

an idolater: See note on 5:10c, where the same word occurs.

a verbal abuser: The Greek word that the BSB translates as verbal abuser means a person who insults another, abusing him with hard words. Paul used the verbal form of the same word in 4:12b (where the BSB translates it as “vilified”). See the notes there.

5:11e

a drunkard: The Greek word that the BSB translates as drunkard refers to a person who often get drunk/intoxicated by drinking too much alcoholic drink such as beer, wine, or whiskey.

swindler: See 5:10b, where the same word occurs.

5:11f

With such a man do not even eat: There are two ways to understand this verse part:

1. It means that believers are not to even eat normal meals with people who claim to be Christians but are deliberately sinning.

2. It means that believers are not to allow such people who behave like this to eat communion (the Lord’s Supper) with them.

It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1). In those days, Christians often ate together when they gathered for worship. They often ate normal meals together as well as the Lord’s Supper. Probably Paul was referring to all occasions when the Christians ate together. He did not want them to allow a fellow believer who behaved in sinful ways to eat with them. He did does not want the believers to let such a person think that his bad ways were all right.