Open Bible Data Home  About  News  OET Key

OET OET-RV OET-LV ULT UST BSB MSB BLB AICNT OEB WEBBE WMBB NET LSV FBV TCNT T4T LEB BBE Moff JPS Wymth ASV DRA YLT Drby RV SLT Wbstr KJB-1769 KJB-1611 Bshps Gnva Cvdl TNT Wycl SR-GNT UHB BrLXX BrTr Related Topics Parallel Interlinear Reference Dictionary Search

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 ESA 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 8 V1 V2 V3 V4 V6 V7 V8 V9 V10 V11 V12 V13

OET interlinear 1 COR 8:5

◄ ← 1 COR 8:5 ↓ → ► ║ ©

SR Greek word order (including unused variant words in grey)

    1. Greek word
    2. Greek lemma
    3. OET-LV words
    4. OET-RV words
    5. Strongs
    6. Role/Morphology
    7. OET Gloss
    8. VLT Gloss
    9. CAPS codes
    10. Confidence
    11. OET tags
    12. OET word #
    1. καί
    2. kai
    3. even
    4. -
    5. 25320
    6. D·······
    7. even
    8. even
    9. -
    10. Y59
    11. 116068
    1. Γάρ
    2. gar
    3. For/Because
    4. -
    5. 10630
    6. C·······
    7. for
    8. for
    9. S
    10. Y59
    11. 116069
    1. εἴπερ
    2. eiper
    3. if indeed
    4. -
    5. 15120
    6. C·······
    7. if_indeed
    8. if_indeed
    9. -
    10. Y59
    11. 116070
    1. εἰσίν
    2. eimi
    3. there are
    4. -
    5. 15100
    6. VIPA3··P
    7. ˱there˲ are
    8. ˱there˲ are
    9. -
    10. Y59
    11. 116071
    1. λεγόμενοι
    2. legō
    3. being called
    4. -
    5. 30040
    6. VPPP·NMP
    7. ˓being˒ called
    8. ˓being˒ called
    9. -
    10. Y59; R116073
    11. 116072
    1. θεοί
    2. theos
    3. gods
    4. -
    5. 23160
    6. N····NMP
    7. gods
    8. gods
    9. -
    10. Y59; F116072
    11. 116073
    1. εἴτε
    2. eite
    3. whether
    4. -
    5. 15350
    6. C·······
    7. whether
    8. whether
    9. -
    10. Y59
    11. 116074
    1. ἐν
    2. en
    3. in
    4. -
    5. 17220
    6. P·······
    7. in
    8. in
    9. -
    10. Y59
    11. 116075
    1. οὐρανῷ
    2. ouranos
    3. heaven
    4. heavens
    5. 37720
    6. N····DMS
    7. heaven
    8. heaven
    9. -
    10. Y59
    11. 116076
    1. εἴτε
    2. eite
    3. or
    4. -
    5. 15350
    6. C·······
    7. or
    8. or
    9. -
    10. Y59
    11. 116077
    1. ἐπί
    2. epi
    3. on
    4. -
    5. 19090
    6. P·······
    7. on
    8. on
    9. -
    10. Y59
    11. 116078
    1. τῆς
    2. ho
    3. -
    4. -
    5. 35880
    6. E····GFS
    7. the
    8. the
    9. -
    10. -
    11. 116079
    1. γῆς
    2. gē
    3. earth
    4. earth
    5. 10930
    6. N····GFS
    7. earth
    8. earth
    9. -
    10. Y59
    11. 116080
    1. ὥσπερ
    2. hōsper
    3. as
    4. -
    5. 56180
    6. C·······
    7. as
    8. as
    9. -
    10. Y59
    11. 116081
    1. πολλοί
    2. pollos
    3. -
    4. -
    5. 41830
    6. A····NMP
    7. many
    8. many
    9. -
    10. -
    11. 116082
    1. εἰσίν
    2. eimi
    3. there are
    4. -
    5. 15100
    6. VIPA3··P
    7. ˱there˲ are
    8. ˱there˲ are
    9. -
    10. Y59
    11. 116083
    1. θεοί
    2. theos
    3. gods
    4. -
    5. 23160
    6. N····NMP
    7. gods
    8. gods
    9. -
    10. Y59
    11. 116084
    1. πολλοί
    2. pollos
    3. many
    4. -
    5. 41830
    6. A····NMP
    7. many
    8. many
    9. -
    10. Y59
    11. 116085
    1. καί
    2. kai
    3. and
    4. -
    5. 25320
    6. C·······
    7. and
    8. and
    9. -
    10. Y59
    11. 116086
    1. κύριοι
    2. kurios
    3. masters
    4. ‘masters
    5. 29620
    6. N····NMP
    7. masters
    8. lords
    9. -
    10. Y59
    11. 116087
    1. πολλοί
    2. pollos
    3. many
    4. -
    5. 41830
    6. A····NMP
    7. many
    8. many
    9. -
    10. Y59
    11. 116088

OET (OET-LV) For/Because even if_indeed there_are being_called gods, whether in heaven or on earth, as there_are gods many and masters many,

OET (OET-RV) Even though there are many so-called ‘gods’ and ‘masters’ said to live in the heavens or earth,

SIL Open Translator’s Notes:

Section 8:1–13: Paul answered questions about eating meat that had been offered to idols

In this section Paul wrote about something else the Corinthians had asked him in their earlier letter. They had asked him whether it was acceptable for them to eat the meat of an animal that had been sacrificed to an idol. The primary context for eating such meat was at an idol’s temple. Sometimes an animal would be offered to a false god in connection with a celebration such as a birthday or wedding to seek the god’s blessing and presence at the celebration. The animal would be butchered by a priest and a portion of the meat would be burned on an altar as an offering to the false god. Some of the remaining meat would be returned to the person who offered it and could be eaten together with family or other invited guests at a private banquet room at the temple. (Some of the remaining meat might be sent to the meat market to be sold, a situation that Paul addresses in 10:25–26.)

There were two opinions in the Corinthian church about whether this meat could be eaten by a believer in Christ. Some of the Corinthian believers, including those who wrote the letter, understood that idols were only things that people have made or imagined. They were hoping Paul would agree with them that it was acceptable to eat this meat. However, some other believers thought that it was wrong to enter a temple and eat such meat. They still believed the false gods were real and believed that eating meat offered to them in sacrifice was an act of worship or fellowship with these gods.

Paul agreed in this chapter that the idols worshiped at these temples were not real gods. But he did not give permission to eat this meat at their temple. Doing so might influence other believers to also eat the meat, even though they believed it was wrong. Paul asked the Corinthians believers to act in love toward these brothers rather than selfishly demanding the right to eat this meat.

In chapter 10, Paul will continue to answer the question about eating meat sacrificed to idols. He says that a believer can have no part in the worship of idols and also that demons are active in the sacrifices to idols. He also addresses the separate situations of buying and eating meat sold in the meat market and what to do when someone invites you to eat meat in their home. Before this, in chapter 9, he uses himself as an illustration of the principle he set down at the end of chapter 8 of giving up your rights in love. He had the right to be paid for his work as an apostle, but he gave up his right so that the good news of Jesus would be better accepted.

It is good to translate this section before you decide on a heading for it. Some other possible headings for this section are:

Paul gave instructions about eating meat of/from animals that had been sacrificed to false gods

Believers should not eat anything that causes other believers to sin

Paragraph 8:4–6

Paul began to write his answer to the Corinthians’ questions about eating food sacrificed to idols. In this paragraph he began by agreeing with them about several things.

8:5–6

For: The Greek conjunction that the BSB translates as For here introduces a further explanation of what Paul said in 8:4b-c. Some English versions do not translate this word.

You should introduce this further explanation in a way that is natural in your language.

even if: The Greek words that the BSB translate as even if here introduce a contrast between what the idol worshipers believed and what the Christians believed. Verse 5 tells what the idol worshipers believed. Verse 6 tells what the Christians believed. Some other ways to translate the contrast between 8:5 and 8:6 are:

5People may say that there are gods in heaven and on earth…6But for us, “There is only one God,… (GW)

5Even though there are things called gods,…6for us there is only one God… (NCV)

8:5a

For even if there are so-called gods, whether in heaven or on earth

so-called gods: The Greek phrase that the BSB translates as so-called gods here indicates that people spoke about beings that they called gods. Many people thought of the idols as being real gods or as representing real gods. Paul did not agree that they were gods. Other ways to translate this include:

beings whom/that people call gods

things called gods (NCV)

People may say that there are gods (GW)

whether in heaven or on earth: Paul was indicating that people talked about gods as either dwelling in heaven or on earth.

8:5b

(as there are many so-called gods and lords),

(as there are many so-called gods and lords): Paul adds that some of these so-called gods are referred to as gods and some are called lords. He himself did not think of idols as real gods and lords, but he knew that this is what people called them. The BSB indicates this by using the word so-called. Some English versions use quotation marks around gods and lords to indicate this. For example:

as indeed there are many “gods” and many “lords” (RSV)

lords: Here this word refers to nonhuman beings that the Greeks and others at this time considered to be rulers in spiritual realms. Some other ways to translate this are:

spiritual rulers

powerful spiritual beings

General Comment on 8:5a-b

In 5b, Paul adds a further comment about the “so-called gods” mentioned in 5a. Some English versions punctuate this with parenthesis (as the BSB). But it is also possible to use commas or whatever is most natural in your language. For example:

For even if there are so-called gods whether in heaven or on earth, there are many so-called gods and many lords,… (NASB)

Verse 5 begins with the concept of “so-called gods” and then further explains them saying they may be found in heaven or on earth and they may be called either “gods” or “lords.” It may be more natural to reorder these elements. For example:

Many things in heaven and on earth are called gods and lords, but none of them really are gods or lords. (CEV)

uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: grammar-connect-condition-contrary

καὶ & εἴπερ

(Some words not found in SR-GNT: καί Γάρ εἴπερ εἰσίν λεγόμενοι θεοί εἴτε ἐν οὐρανῷ εἴτε ἐπί γῆς ὥσπερ εἰσίν θεοί πολλοί καί κύριοι πολλοί)

Here, even if introduces a possibility that Paul does not believe to be true. In other words, Paul does not think that there are many gods and many lords. He does think that people speak about many gods and many lords. Thus, his main point is that, no matter how many gods and lords other people talk about, believers only acknowledge one God and one Lord ([8:6](../08/06.md)). If it would be helpful in your language, you could express even if with a natural form in your language for introducing a condition that the speaker believes is not true. Alternate translation: [although it might be that] or [while some people claim that]

εἰσὶν λεγόμενοι θεοὶ

(Some words not found in SR-GNT: καί Γάρ εἴπερ εἰσίν λεγόμενοι θεοί εἴτε ἐν οὐρανῷ εἴτε ἐπί γῆς ὥσπερ εἰσίν θεοί πολλοί καί κύριοι πολλοί)

Alternate translation: [people name many gods]

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / merism

θεοὶ, εἴτε ἐν οὐρανῷ εἴτε ἐπὶ γῆς

(Some words not found in SR-GNT: καί Γάρ εἴπερ εἰσίν λεγόμενοι θεοί εἴτε ἐν οὐρανῷ εἴτε ἐπί γῆς ὥσπερ εἰσίν θεοί πολλοί καί κύριοι πολλοί)

Paul speaks, using heaven and earth in order to include them and everything in between. By speaking in this way, he includes every place that God created. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express this figure of speech with an equivalent expression or plain language. Alternate translation: [gods in all parts of creation]

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / irony

θεοὶ πολλοὶ καὶ κύριοι πολλοί

(Some words not found in SR-GNT: καί Γάρ εἴπερ εἰσίν λεγόμενοι θεοί εἴτε ἐν οὐρανῷ εἴτε ἐπί γῆς ὥσπερ εἰσίν θεοί πολλοί καί κύριοι πολλοί)

Here Paul acknowledges that there are many “gods” and “lords”. He implies that so-called from earlier in the verse also applies here, so the ULT has put quotation marks around gods and lords to indicate that these are the names people use. Paul himself does not believe that what people call gods and lords really are those things; rather, [10:20–21](../10/20.md) suggests that Paul thinks these gods and lords are actually demons. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express what Paul means by “gods” and “lords” with a form that indicates that Paul is speaking from someone else’s perspective. Alternate translation: [many so-called gods and many so-called lords]

OET-LV English word order (‘Reverse’ interlinear)

    1. OET-LV words
    2. OET-RV words
    3. Strongs
    4. Greek word
    5. Greek lemma
    6. Role/Morphology
    7. OET Gloss
    8. VLT Gloss
    9. CAPS codes
    10. Confidence
    11. OET tags
    12. OET word #
    1. For/Because
    2. -
    3. 10630
    4. S
    5. gar
    6. C-·······
    7. for
    8. for
    9. S
    10. Y59
    11. 116069
    1. even
    2. -
    3. 25320
    5. kai
    6. D-·······
    7. even
    8. even
    9. -
    10. Y59
    11. 116068
    1. if indeed
    2. -
    3. 15120
    5. eiper
    6. C-·······
    7. if_indeed
    8. if_indeed
    9. -
    10. Y59
    11. 116070
    1. there are
    2. -
    3. 15100
    5. eimi
    6. V-IPA3··P
    7. ˱there˲ are
    8. ˱there˲ are
    9. -
    10. Y59
    11. 116071
    1. being called
    2. -
    3. 30040
    5. legō
    6. V-PPP·NMP
    7. ˓being˒ called
    8. ˓being˒ called
    9. -
    10. Y59; R116073
    11. 116072
    1. gods
    2. -
    3. 23160
    5. theos
    6. N-····NMP
    7. gods
    8. gods
    9. -
    10. Y59; F116072
    11. 116073
    1. whether
    2. -
    3. 15350
    5. eite
    6. C-·······
    7. whether
    8. whether
    9. -
    10. Y59
    11. 116074
    1. in
    2. -
    3. 17220
    5. en
    6. P-·······
    7. in
    8. in
    9. -
    10. Y59
    11. 116075
    1. heaven
    2. heavens
    3. 37720
    5. ouranos
    6. N-····DMS
    7. heaven
    8. heaven
    9. -
    10. Y59
    11. 116076
    1. or
    2. -
    3. 15350
    5. eite
    6. C-·······
    7. or
    8. or
    9. -
    10. Y59
    11. 116077
    1. on
    2. -
    3. 19090
    5. epi
    6. P-·······
    7. on
    8. on
    9. -
    10. Y59
    11. 116078
    1. earth
    2. earth
    3. 10930
    5. gē
    6. N-····GFS
    7. earth
    8. earth
    9. -
    10. Y59
    11. 116080
    1. as
    2. -
    3. 56180
    5. hōsper
    6. C-·······
    7. as
    8. as
    9. -
    10. Y59
    11. 116081
    1. there are
    2. -
    3. 15100
    5. eimi
    6. V-IPA3··P
    7. ˱there˲ are
    8. ˱there˲ are
    9. -
    10. Y59
    11. 116083
    1. gods
    2. -
    3. 23160
    5. theos
    6. N-····NMP
    7. gods
    8. gods
    9. -
    10. Y59
    11. 116084
    1. many
    2. -
    3. 41830
    5. pollos
    6. A-····NMP
    7. many
    8. many
    9. -
    10. Y59
    11. 116085
    1. and
    2. -
    3. 25320
    5. kai
    6. C-·······
    7. and
    8. and
    9. -
    10. Y59
    11. 116086
    1. masters
    2. ‘masters
    3. 29620
    5. kurios
    6. N-····NMP
    7. masters
    8. lords
    9. -
    10. Y59
    11. 116087
    1. many
    2. -
    3. 41830
    5. pollos
    6. A-····NMP
    7. many
    8. many
    9. -
    10. Y59
    11. 116088

OET (OET-LV) For/Because even if_indeed there_are being_called gods, whether in heaven or on earth, as there_are gods many and masters many,

OET (OET-RV) Even though there are many so-called ‘gods’ and ‘masters’ said to live in the heavens or earth,

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.

OET logo mark

◄ ← 1 COR 8:5 ↑ → ► ║ ©