OET interlinear 1COR 7:36

uW Translation Notes:

(Occurrence 0) he is acting improperly toward

(Some words not found in SR-GNT: εἰ δέ τις ἀσχημονεῖν ἐπὶ τὴν παρθένον αὐτοῦ νομίζει ἐὰν ᾖ ὑπέρακμος καὶ οὕτως ὀφείλει γίνεσθαι ὃ θέλει ποιείτω οὐχ ἁμαρτάνει γαμείτωσαν)

This verse has two primary interpretations: (1) the fiancé interpretation, which suggests that the verse is about a man who is engaged to marry a woman. In this case, Paul is saying that the man should marry his fiancée if he thinks he is acting improperly and if she is of a certain age. (2) the father interpretation, which suggests that the verse is about a father who has a daughter. In this case, Paul is saying that the father should allow his daughter to get married if he thinks he is acting improperly and if the daughter is of a certain age. In the notes that follow, we will identify which choices match with which of these two major options.

Note 1 topic: grammar-connect-condition-hypothetical

εἰ & τις ἀσχημονεῖν ἐπὶ τὴν παρθένον αὐτοῦ νομίζει, ἐὰν ᾖ ὑπέρακμος καὶ οὕτως ὀφείλει γίνεσθαι

if & anyone /to_be/_dishonoring to the virgin ˱of˲_him /is/_thinking if ˱she˲_may_be beyond_marriable_age and thus ˱it˲_ought /to_be/_becoming

Here Paul uses if to introduce two true possibilities. He means that a man might be acting improperly, or the man might not be. He also means that the woman might be beyond the age of marriage, or she might not be. He then specifies the result for if the man is acting improperly and the woman is beyond the age of marriage. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express this form by stating the if statement by describing the specific situation. Alternate translation: “someone might think he is acting improperly toward his virgin, and she might be beyond the age of marriage. In this situation, it must be so”

Note 2 topic: writing-pronouns

τις

anyone

Here, anyone could refer to: (1) a man who is engaged to the virgin. This fits with the fiancé interpretation. Alternate translation: “any fiancé” (2) a father has a daughter who is a virgin. This fits with the father interpretation. Alternate translation: “any father”

Note 3 topic: translate-unknown

ἀσχημονεῖν ἐπὶ

/to_be/_dishonoring to

The phrase acting improperly is often used to refer to sexual impropriety, including shameful nakedness or improper sexual behavior. Therefore, acting improperly could refer to: (1) engaging in or wishing to engage in improper sexual behavior. This fits with the fiancé interpretation. Alternate translation: “he might have improper sex with” (2) wrongly prohibiting a daughter from marrying and thus shaming her. This fits with the father interpretation. Alternate translation: “he is wrongly shaming”

Note 4 topic: translate-unknown

τὴν παρθένον αὐτοῦ

the virgin ˱of˲_him

Here, his virgin could refer to: (1) a woman who is engaged to a man. This fits with the fiancé interpretation. Alternate translation: “his fiancée” (2) a daughter who has never married. This fits with the father interpretation. Alternate translation: “his unmarried daughter”

Note 5 topic: figures-of-speech / gendernotations

ᾖ

˱she˲_may_be

Here, the word translated she could refer to a man or to a woman. If it refers to: (1) a woman, it identifies something about the woman as the reason for the man and woman to get married. This fits with both the father and the fiancé interpretations. (2) a man, it identifies something about the man as the reason for the man and woman to get married. This fits best with the fiancé interpretation. Alternate translation: “he”

Note 6 topic: translate-unknown

ὑπέρακμος

beyond_marriable_age

Here, beyond the age of marriage could describe: (1) a person who is older than the normal age at which a person gets married. This fits with both the father and the fiancé interpretations. Alternate translation: “is older than average to get married” (2) a person who has reached full sexual maturity. This fits with both the father and the fiancé interpretations. Alternate translation: “is fully matured” or “is ready to have sex”

Note 7 topic: writing-pronouns

ὑπέρακμος καὶ οὕτως ὀφείλει γίνεσθαι & ποιείτω

beyond_marriable_age and thus ˱it˲_ought /to_be/_becoming & ˱him˲_/let_be/_doing

Here, it could refer to: (1) what Paul is about to say, which is he should do what he wants. Alternate translation: “is beyond the age of marriage—then this is how it must be: he should do” (2) the necessity of getting married. Alternate translation: “is beyond the age of marriage and it seems necessary to marry—he should do”

Note 8 topic: writing-pronouns

ὃ θέλει ποιείτω

what ˱he˲_/is/_willing ˱him˲_/let_be/_doing

Here, he could refer to: (1) the fiancé, who wants to get married. Alternate translation: “the fiancé should do what he wants” (2) the father, who wants his daughter to get married. Alternate translation: “the father should do what he wants”

Note 9 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

ὃ θέλει ποιείτω

what ˱he˲_/is/_willing ˱him˲_/let_be/_doing

Here, what he wants could refer to: (1) how the fiancé wants to get married and have sex. Alternate translation: “he should get married as he wants to” (2) how the father wants his daughter to get married. Alternate translation: “he should give her in marriage as he wants to”

Note 10 topic: figures-of-speech / imperative3p

ποιείτω

˱him˲_/let_be/_doing

Here Paul uses a third-person imperative. If you have third-person imperatives in your language, you could use one here. If you do not have third-person imperatives, you could express the idea using a word such as “must” or “let.” Alternate translation: “let him do”

Note 11 topic: figures-of-speech / imperative3p

γαμείτωσαν

˱them˲_/let_be/_marrying

Here Paul uses a third-person imperative. If you have third-person imperatives in your language, you could use one here. If you do not have third-person imperatives, you could express the idea using a word such as “should” or “can.” Alternate translation: “they can marry”

Note 12 topic: writing-pronouns

γαμείτωσαν

˱them˲_/let_be/_marrying

Here, them identifies the man and the woman who are getting married. This fits with both the fiancé interpretation and the father interpretation. Alternate translation: “let the man and the woman marry”