OET interlinear 1COR 9:7

uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / rquestion

τίς στρατεύεται ἰδίοις ὀψωνίοις ποτέ? τίς φυτεύει ἀμπελῶνα, καὶ τὸν καρπὸν αὐτοῦ οὐκ ἐσθίει? ἢ τίς ποιμαίνει ποίμνην, καὶ ἐκ τοῦ γάλακτος τῆς ποίμνης, οὐκ ἐσθίει?

who /is/_soldiering ˱to˲_/his/_own support once who /is/_planting /a/_vineyard and the fruit ˱of˲_it not /is/_eating or who /is/_shepherding /a/_flock and of the milk ˱of˲_the flock not /is/_eating

Paul does not ask these questions because he is looking for information. Rather, he asks them to involve the Corinthians in what he is arguing. The questions assume that the answer to all of them is “no one.” If it would be helpful in your language, you could express these questions by stating the ideas with strong negations. Alternate translation: [No one serves as a soldier at any time at his own expense. No one plants a vineyard and does not eat its fruit. No one shepherds a flock and does not drink from the milk of the flock.]

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / gendernotations

ἰδίοις

˱to˲_/his/_own

Here, his is masculine because most soldiers in Paul’s culture were male. However, Paul is not emphasizing the gender of soldiers here. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express his with a non gendered word or refer to both genders. Alternate translation: [his or her own]

Note 3 topic: translate-unknown

ἰδίοις ὀψωνίοις

˱to˲_/his/_own support

Here, expense refers to the cost of food, weapons, and lodging for a solider to “serve.” Paul’s point is that soldiers do not pay these costs. Rather, the one who controls the army pays these costs. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express expense by clarifying that it refers to the costs of maintaining an army. Alternate translation: [by paying for his own cost of living]