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OET (OET-LV) Not not we_are_having right a_sister, a_wife to_be_taking_along, as also the other ambassadors, and the brothers of_the master, and Kaʸfas?
OET (OET-RV) Don’t we have a right to take along a believing wife like the rest of the missionaries and the master’s brothers and Peter?
In this section Paul responded to a claim by some of the Corinthians that he was not an apostle. First, he defended his calling and work as an apostle. Then he used himself as an example of someone who did not use his rights.
In chapter 8 and chapter 10 Paul talked about food offered to idols. In this chapter Paul said that he was an example of somebody who had the right to do anything. He was thinking about the right to eat any kind of food. Out of love for others he refrained from doing things that he had a right to do. Instead, he tried to act in a way that would lead others to Christ.
Other possible section headings include:
Paul’s rights as an apostle
Paul's example of not using his rights
In this paragraph Paul discussed his right to receive food and drink from the people he served. He used three examples from everyday life to illustrate his argument.
Have we no right to take along a believing wife, as do the other apostles and the Lord’s brothers and Cephas?: This is a rhetorical question. Paul used this rhetorical question as a statement. He expected them to respond, “Yes.” He stated that he and his fellow workers had the same right as the other apostles to travel with a wife.
Here are some ways to translate this statement:
Use a rhetorical question. For example:
Do we not have the right to bring a believing wife with us when we travel as do the other apostles and the Lord’s brothers and Peter? (NCV)
Use a statement. For example:
We each have the right to marry one of the Lord’s followers and to take her along with us, just as the other apostles and the Lord’s brothers and Peter do. (CEV)
Translate this statement in a way that is natural in your language.
Have we no right to take along a believing wife,
We(excl) surely have the right to have a believing wife accompany us on our journeys, don’t we?
And when we travel doing the Lord’s work, it is right that we can take along a Christian wife.
Have we no right to take along a believing wife…?: In this clause Paul said that he and the other apostles have the right to take a wife with them on their journeys. He implied that it was right for the churches to support this wife as well as the apostle. Consider how you translated the idea Have we no right in 9:4. It is good to translate it in the same way in this verse. Here are some other ways to translate this phrase:
it is right that we should be able to ask our believing wife to accompany us
May we not travel with a Christian wife (JBP)
we: The pronoun we is exclusive. Paul referred to himself and his fellow apostles, not to his readers.
a believing wife: Here is another way to translate this:
a Christian wife (NJB)
In your translation, make sure that you do not imply that an apostle brought his Christian wife from among his several other wives. In some languages it may be better to say
a believer who is his wife
as do the other apostles and the Lord’s brothers and Cephas?
That is what the rest of the apostles and the Lord’s own brothers and Peter have the right to do.
The other messengers of the Lord, including Peter and the Lord’s brothers, are able to do this.
as do the other apostles and the Lord’s brothers and Cephas: There is no verb in the last part of this sentence. The BSB has supplied the verb do. This could mean either “do have this right” or “do take along with them.” It is best to translate this in a way that means “do have this right.” Paul was focused on his rights as an apostle. Some ways to translate this are:
like the other apostles and the Lord’s brothers and Cephas
This is what the other apostles and the Lord’s brothers and Cephas have the right to do
the other apostles and the Lord’s brothers and Cephas: These were not separate groups of people. The Lord’s brothers were probably included in the group of apostles, and Cephas certainly was. To avoid the wrong meaning that Cephas was not an apostle, it may be necessary to say:
the other apostles, including Cephas and the Lord’s brothers
the Lord’s brothers: These were the younger brothers of Jesus. In some languages it may be necessary to say:
the Lord’s younger brothers
Cephas: Cephas was the Aramaic name of Simon Peter. Some English versions say “Peter.” If you put Cephas in the text, you may wish to include this footnote:
FOOTNOTE: Cephas is another name for Simon Peter.
If you put “Peter” in the text, you may wish to include this footnote:
FOOTNOTE: The Greek text says “Cephas,” which is the name of Peter in Aramaic.
In some languages it may be natural to reverse the order of 9:5a-b. For example:
The other apostles and the Lord’s brothers and Peter take their Christian wives with them when they travel, and we(excl) have this right too.9:5 See Ellington & Hatton, page 196.
Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / rquestion
μὴ οὐκ ἔχομεν ἐξουσίαν ἀδελφὴν, γυναῖκα περιάγειν, ὡς καὶ οἱ λοιποὶ ἀπόστολοι, καὶ οἱ ἀδελφοὶ τοῦ Κυρίου, καὶ Κηφᾶς?
(Some words not found in SR-GNT: Μή οὐκ ἔχομεν ἐξουσίαν ἀδελφήν γυναῖκα περιάγειν ὡς καί οἱ λοιποί ἀπόστολοι καί οἱ ἀδελφοί τοῦ Κυρίου καί Κηφᾶς)
Paul does not ask this question because he is looking for information. Rather, he asks it to involve the Corinthians in what he is arguing. The question assumes that the answer is “yes, you do.” If it would be helpful in your language, you could express the idea behind this question with a strong affirmation. Alternate translation: [We certainly do have the right to take along a believing wife, even as do the rest of the apostles and the brothers of the Lord and Cephas.]
Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / exclusive
ἔχομεν
˱we˲_˓are˒_having
Here, we refers to Paul and Barnabas (See: [9:6](../09/06.md)). It does not include the Corinthians.
Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / doublenegatives
μὴ οὐκ
(Some words not found in SR-GNT: Μή οὐκ ἔχομεν ἐξουσίαν ἀδελφήν γυναῖκα περιάγειν ὡς καί οἱ λοιποί ἀπόστολοι καί οἱ ἀδελφοί τοῦ Κυρίου καί Κηφᾶς)
The words translated certainly not are two negative words. In Paul’s culture, two negative words made the statement even more negative. English speakers would misunderstand two negatives, so the ULT expresses the idea with one strong negative. If your language can use two negatives as Paul’s culture did, you could use a double negative here. If your language does not use two negatives in this way, you can translate with one strong negative, as the ULT does. Alternate translation: [surely not]
Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / abstractnouns
ἔχομεν ἐξουσίαν
˱we˲_˓are˒_having right
If your language does not use an abstract noun for the idea behind right, you can express the idea by using a verbal phrase such as “are able to” or “can require.” Alternate translation: [Are we … able to]
Note 5 topic: translate-unknown
περιάγειν
˓to_be˒_taking_along
Here, to take along refers to journeying with someone as a companion. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express to take along with a word or phrase that refers to traveling with someone else. Alternate translation: [to travel with]
οἱ λοιποὶ ἀπόστολοι, καὶ οἱ ἀδελφοὶ τοῦ Κυρίου, καὶ Κηφᾶς
the the (Some words not found in SR-GNT: Μή οὐκ ἔχομεν ἐξουσίαν ἀδελφήν γυναῖκα περιάγειν ὡς καί οἱ λοιποί ἀπόστολοι καί οἱ ἀδελφοί τοῦ Κυρίου καί Κηφᾶς)
Here, apostles could include: (1) Paul and Barnabas, the brothers of the Lord, Cephas, and many others who proclaimed the good news. Alternate translation: [the rest of the apostles, including the brothers of the Lord and Cephas] (2) just the “Twelve,” the primary apostles, which would include Cephas but not the brothers of the Lord. Alternate translation: [the rest of the twelve apostles and the brothers of the Lord—even Cephas]
Note 6 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit
οἱ λοιποὶ ἀπόστολοι, καὶ οἱ ἀδελφοὶ τοῦ Κυρίου, καὶ Κηφᾶς
the the (Some words not found in SR-GNT: Μή οὐκ ἔχομεν ἐξουσίαν ἀδελφήν γυναῖκα περιάγειν ὡς καί οἱ λοιποί ἀπόστολοι καί οἱ ἀδελφοί τοῦ Κυρίου καί Κηφᾶς)
Even though Cephas was one of the apostles, Paul mentions him separately to emphasize him as an example. He has already used Cephas as an example earlier in the letter (See: [1:12](../01/12.md); [3:22](../03/22.md)). Perhaps the Corinthians were comparing Cephas and Paul. Be sure that the wording of your translation does not suggest that Cephas was not an apostle. Alternate translation: [the rest of the apostles and the brothers of the Lord—even Cephas]
Note 7 topic: translate-kinship
οἱ ἀδελφοὶ τοῦ Κυρίου
the the (Some words not found in SR-GNT: Μή οὐκ ἔχομεν ἐξουσίαν ἀδελφήν γυναῖκα περιάγειν ὡς καί οἱ λοιποί ἀπόστολοι καί οἱ ἀδελφοί τοῦ Κυρίου καί Κηφᾶς)
These were Jesus’ younger brothers. They were sons of Mary and Joseph. Since the Father of Jesus was God, and their father was Joseph, they were actually his half-brothers. That detail is not normally translated, but if your language has a specific word for “younger brother,” you can use it here. Alternate translation: [the younger brothers of the Lord] or [the half-brothers of the Lord]
OET (OET-LV) Not not we_are_having right a_sister, a_wife to_be_taking_along, as also the other ambassadors, and the brothers of_the master, and Kaʸfas?
OET (OET-RV) Don’t we have a right to take along a believing wife like the rest of the missionaries and the master’s brothers and Peter?
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.