OET interlinear 1COR 7:37

uW Translation Notes:

(Occurrence 0) But if he is standing firm in his heart

(Some words not found in SR-GNT: ὃς δὲ ἕστηκεν ἐν τῇ καρδίᾳ αὐτοῦ ἑδραῖος μὴ ἔχων ἀνάγκην ἐξουσίαν δὲ ἔχει περὶ τοῦ ἰδίου θελήματος καὶ τοῦτο κέκρικεν ἐν τῇ ἰδίᾳ καρδίᾳ τηρεῖν τὴν ἑαυτοῦ παρθένον καλῶς ποιήσει)

Much like the previous verse (7:36), 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 who decides not to marry his fiancée does well. (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 who decides to keep his daughter from marrying does well. In the notes that follow, I will identify any choices that specifically match with these two major options. Follow the interpretation that you chose in the last verse.

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

ὃς & ἕστηκεν ἐν τῇ καρδίᾳ αὐτοῦ ἑδραῖος

˱he˲_who & /has/_stood in the heart ˱of˲_him firm

Here Paul speaks as if a person’s heart were a place in which he or she could “stand firm.” By speaking in this way, Paul means that the person will not change what they have decided in his or her heart. It is as if they are standing firm in a specific location. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express the idea behind this figure of speech plainly or with a comparable metaphor. Alternate translation: “the one who settles on a decision” or “the one who firmly decides”

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / metonymy

ἐν τῇ καρδίᾳ αὐτοῦ & ἐν τῇ ἰδίᾳ καρδίᾳ

in the heart ˱of˲_him & in his own heart

In Paul’s culture, the heart is the place where humans think and plan. If it would be helpful in your language, you could translate heart by referring to the place where humans think in your culture or by expressing the idea plainly. Alternate translation: “in his mind … in his own mind” or “in what he has planned … in what he himself has planned”

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / abstractnouns

ἔχων ἀνάγκην

having necessity

If your language does not use an abstract noun for the idea behind compulsion, you can express the idea by using a verb such as “compel.” Alternate translation: “through someone compelling him”

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / abstractnouns

ἐξουσίαν & ἔχει περὶ τοῦ ἰδίου θελήματος

authority & /is/_having concerning his own will

If your language does not use abstract nouns for the ideas behind authority and will, you can express the ideas by using verbs such as “control” and “want.” Alternate translation: “ruling over what he wants”

Note 5 topic: figures-of-speech / infostructure

τοῦτο κέκρικεν ἐν τῇ ἰδίᾳ καρδίᾳ, τηρεῖν τὴν ἑαυτοῦ παρθένον, καλῶς ποιήσει

this /has/_judged in his own heart /to_be/_keeping the ˱of˲_himself virgin well /will_be/_doing

The order of these three phrases might be unnatural in your language. If the order is unnatural, you could reorder the phrases so that they sound more natural. Alternate translation: “he has decided in his own heart to keep his own virgin, this man will do well”

Note 6 topic: writing-pronouns

τοῦτο & ἐν τῇ ἰδίᾳ καρδίᾳ, τηρεῖν

this & in his own heart /to_be/_keeping

Here, this refers forward to what Paul is about to say: to keep his own virgin. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express this by clarifying that Paul is talking about what he is about to say. Alternate translation: “in his own heart to do this—that is, to keep”

Note 7 topic: figures-of-speech / idiom

τηρεῖν τὴν ἑαυτοῦ παρθένον

/to_be/_keeping the ˱of˲_himself virgin

Here, to keep his own virgin could mean that: (1) the man does not marry his fiancée but leaves her as a virgin. This fits with the fiancé interpretation. Alternate translation: “to remain unmarried to his fiancée” (2) the father does not give his daughter in marriage but leaves her as a virgin. This fits with the father interpretation. Alternate translation: “not to give his daughter in marriage”

Note 8 topic: figures-of-speech / ellipsis

καλῶς ποιήσει

well /will_be/_doing

Here Paul omits what it is that is done well. The Corinthians would have inferred from the verse that Paul means that keeping his own virgin is what he does well. If your readers would not make this inference, you could clarify what is done well. Alternate translation: “he is right to do this” or “this is a good choice”

Note 9 topic: figures-of-speech / pastforfuture

ποιήσει

/will_be/_doing

Here Paul uses the future tense to identify something that is true in general. If your language would not use the future tense for something that is generally true, you could use whatever tense is natural here. Alternate translation: “he does”