OET interlinear 1COR 9:17

uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: grammar-connect-condition-hypothetical

εἰ & ἑκὼν τοῦτο πράσσω, μισθὸν ἔχω; εἰ δὲ ἄκων, οἰκονομίαν πεπίστευμαι

if & willingly this ˱I˲_/am/_doing /a/_reward ˱I˲_/am/_having if but unwillingly /a/_management ˱I˲_/have_been/_entrusted

Here Paul uses if to introduce two possibilities. He means that he might do this willingly, or he might do it unwillingly. He specifies a result for each option, but he implies that he does it unwillingly (See: the “compulsion” in 9:16). If it would be helpful in your language, you could express this form by stating the if statements in a natural way in your language, such as by introducing them with “whenever.” Alternate translation: “were I to do this willingly, I would have a reward. But were it unwillingly, I would still have been entrusted with a stewardship”

Note 2 topic: writing-pronouns

τοῦτο πράσσω

this ˱I˲_/am/_doing

Here, this refers back to “preaching the gospel” in 9:16. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express this by clarifying what it refers to. Alternate translation: “I preach the gospel”

Note 3 topic: translate-unknown

ἑκὼν & ἄκων

willingly & unwillingly

Here, willingly means that someone does something because they choose to, while unwillingly means that someone has to do something whether they choose to or not. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express the idea behind willingly and unwillinglyby using two contrasting words that refer to whether someone chooses to do something or not. Alternate translation: “because I choose to … I do not choose to do it”

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / abstractnouns

μισθὸν ἔχω

/a/_reward ˱I˲_/am/_having

If your language does not use an abstract noun for the idea behind reward, you can express the idea by using a verb such as “reward” or “compensate.” Alternate translation: “I am compensated for it”

Note 5 topic: figures-of-speech / infostructure

εἰ δὲ ἄκων, οἰκονομίαν πεπίστευμαι.

if if but unwillingly /a/_management ˱I˲_/have_been/_entrusted

This sentence could: (1) include both the “if” and the “then” statements and explain how Paul preaching the gospel is “unwilling.” He did not choose this stewardship, and so he does it unwillingly. However, the reason he does preach the gospel is because he has been entrusted with that stewardship. Alternate translation: “But if unwillingly, I do this because I have been entrusted with a stewardship” (2) express the “if” statement for the question (the “then” statement) at the beginning of the next verse (9:18). The word unwillingly would modify entrusted, and you would need to connect the end of this verse and the beginning of the next verse with a comma, dropping the capitalization on “What.” Alternate translation: “But I have been unwillingly entrusted with a stewardship,”

Note 6 topic: figures-of-speech / ellipsis

εἰ δὲ ἄκων

if if but unwillingly

Here Paul omits some words that your language may require to make a complete thought. Paul omits these words because he stated them explicitly in the previous clause (I do this). If your language does need these words, you could supply them from that clause. Alternate translation: “But if I do this unwillingly”

Note 7 topic: figures-of-speech / activepassive

πεπίστευμαι

˱I˲_/have_been/_entrusted

If your language does not use the passive form in this way, you can express the idea in active form or in another way that is natural in your language. Paul uses the passive form here to focus on himself, who has been entrusted, rather than focusing on the person doing the “entrusting.” If you must state who does the action, Paul implies that “God” does it. Alternate translation: “God has entrusted me with”

Note 8 topic: figures-of-speech / abstractnouns

οἰκονομίαν

/a/_management

If your language does not use an abstract noun for the idea behind stewardship, you can express the idea by using a phrase with a verb such as “oversee” or “do.” Alternate translation: “something to do” or “a task to oversee”