OET interlinear 2COR 12:20

uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: grammar-connect-words-phrases

γὰρ

for

Here, the word For could introduce: (1) a reason why Paul has written what he has in this letter. Alternate translation: “I have written these things because” (2) a reason why Paul wants to build them up. Alternate translation: “I want to build you up because”

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

οὐχ οἵους θέλω & οἷον οὐ θέλετε

not such_as ˱I˲_/am/_wanting & such_as not ˱you_all˲_/are/_wanting

Here Paul refers to how both he and the Corinthians have ideas about how they think the other person should be behaving. He fears that these ideas will not be accurate. If it would be helpful in your language, you could make this idea more explicit. Alternate translation: “not such as I expect … not such as you expect” or “not what I want you to be like … not what you want me to be like”

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / ellipsis

θέλετε; μή πως

˱you_all˲_/are/_wanting lest somehow

Paul is leaving out some of the words that in many languages a sentence would need in order to be complete. You can supply these words from earlier in the sentence if it would be clearer in your language. Alternate translation: “you wish; I fear that somehow there may be”

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

μή πως ἔρις

lest somehow lest somehow strife

Here Paul implies that they are doing all these wrong things within their own group. He does not mean that they are doing these things to people outside their group. If it would be helpful in your language, you could make this more explicit. Alternate translation: “that, within your group, somehow there may be quarreling”

Note 5 topic: figures-of-speech / abstractnouns

μή πως ἔρις, ζῆλος, θυμοί, ἐριθεῖαι, καταλαλιαί, ψιθυρισμοί, φυσιώσεις, ἀκαταστασίαι

lest somehow lest somehow strife jealousy rages selfish_ambitions slanders gossips conceits disturbances

If your language does not use abstract nouns for any of the ideas in this list, you could express the same ideas in another way. Alternate translation: “that somehow you may be quarrelsome, jealous, angry, competitive, slanderous, gossiping, proud, and disruptive”