2 COR 1:23 Interlinear View

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. ἐγώ
2. egō
3. I
4. -
5. 14730
6. R···1N·S
7. I
8. I
9. -
10. Y60
11. 121141
1. Δέ
2. de
3. But
4. -
5. 11610
6. C·······
7. but
8. but
9. PS
10. Y60
11. 121142
1. μάρτυρα
2. marturos
3. as witness
4. witness
5. 31440
6. N····AMS
7. ˱as˲ witness
8. ˱as˲ witness
9. -
10. Y60
11. 121143
1. τόν
2. ho
3. the
4. -
5. 35880
6. E····AMS
7. ¬the
8. ¬the
9. -
10. Y60
11. 121144
1. Θεόν
2. theos
3. god
4. God
5. 23160
6. N····AMS
7. god
8. God
9. GN
10. Y60; Person=God
11. 121145
1. ἐπικαλοῦμαι
2. epikaleō
3. am calling
4. -
5. 19410
6. VIPM1··S
7. ˓am˒ calling
8. ˓am˒ calling
9. -
10. Y60
11. 121146
1. ἐπί
2. epi
3. on
4. -
5. 19090
6. P·······
7. on
8. on
9. -
10. Y60
11. 121147
1. τήν
2. ho
3. the
4. -
5. 35880
6. E····AFS
7. ¬the
8. ¬the
9. -
10. Y60
11. 121148
1. ἐμήν
2. emos
3. my
4. -
5. 16990
6. E···1AFS
7. my
8. my
9. -
10. Y60
11. 121149
1. ψυχήν
2. psuχē
3. soul
4. soul
5. 55900
6. N····AFS
7. soul
8. soul
9. -
10. Y60
11. 121150
1. ὅτι
2. hoti
3. that
4. -
5. 37540
6. C·······
7. that
8. that
9. -
10. Y60
11. 121151
1. φειδόμενος
2. feidomai
3. sparing
4. -
5. 53390
6. VPPM·NMS
7. sparing
8. sparing
9. -
10. Y60; R120621; Person=Paul
11. 121152
1. ὑμῶν
2. su
3. from you all
4. you
5. 47710
6. R···2G·P
7. ˱from˲ you_all
8. ˱from˲ you_all
9. -
10. Y60; R120795
11. 121153
1. οὐκέτι
2. ouketi
3. no longer
4. -
5. 37650
6. D·······
7. no_longer
8. no_longer
9. -
10. Y60
11. 121154
1. ἦλθον
2. erχomai
3. I came
4. -
5. 20640
6. VIAA1··S
7. ˱I˲ came
8. ˱I˲ came
9. -
10. Y60; R120621; Person=Paul
11. 121155
1. εἰς
2. eis
3. to
4. -
5. 15190
6. P·······
7. to
8. to
9. -
10. Y60
11. 121156
1. Κόρινθον
2. korinthos
3. Korinthos
4. Corinth
5. 28820
6. N····AFS
7. Korinthos
8. Corinth
9. U
10. Location=Corinth; Y60
11. 121157

SIL Open Translator’s Notes:

Section 1:12–2:4: Paul’s change in plans

In this section Paul explained that he had earlier planned to visit the Corinthians two times, once on his way to the province of Macedonia and again on his way back from there (1:15–16). But he probably came earlier than planned and had a painful visit (2:1). After he returned to Ephesus, he wrote a painful letter (7:8–9). He then went to Macedonia via Troas (2:12–13) instead of via Corinth. The false teachers probably accused him of not being trustworthy because he had changed his plans. So Paul explained in these verses why he had changed his plans.

Other examples of headings for this section are:

Paul’s Integrity (NASB)

Why Paul changed his plans (NJB)

Paul explained his change of plans

1:23a

I call God as my witness that

¶ So now, upon penalty of death, I myself appeal to him as a witness that what I say here is true:
¶ Indeed, I myself ask God to verify this truth and punish me with death if I lie:

This verse begins with a Greek conjunction that is often translated “But” (as in the RSV). But here the conjunction probably introduces a new part of what Paul wants to say. The conjunction probably does not indicate contrast to 1:22.

I call God as my witness: The Greek clause is literally “I call God as witness regarding my soul.”The KJV says, “…upon my soul.” The BDAG says that the Greek word that often means “upon” means “feelings directed toward someone, in, on, for, toward” (sense 15, page 366). It can also mean “power, authority, control of or over someone or something, over” (sense 9.c, page 365), or “hostile opposition, against” (sense 12.b, page 366). It indicates that God can say what Paul had done. It probably indicates that both:

God would testify against Paul if Paul lied in 1:23b;
God would testify for Paul if Paul spoke the truth in 1:23b.

If possible, translate in a way that allows both situations. For example:

I call upon God as witness over my life

I ask God to verify this truth

I: This pronoun is emphasized in the Greek. If possible, emphasize the pronoun here. For example:

I myself

call God as my witness: This clause asks God to verify that what Paul is about to say is true. Other ways to translate this clause are:

call upon God as my witness (NLT)

appeal to God as a witness on my behalf (GW)

ask God to be my witness that this is true: (NCV)

God is my witness, he knows what is true

1:23b

it was in order to spare you that I did not return to Corinth.

I did not return to Corinth because I did not want to cause you^(plur) further pain.
the reason that I did not return to visit you in Corinth was that I might not have to punish you but allow you time to repent.

it was in order to spare you: The phrase in order to indicates reason or purpose. Other ways to translate this clause are:

because I wanted to spare you (GW)

for the purpose of sparing you

to spare you: Here the word spare refers to not doing something that would cause further pain to the believers in Corinth. Paul did not want to rebuke and discipline them at that time. He perhaps hoped that they would correct the problems themselves. Other ways to translate this word are:

to keep from punishing you

to keep from being hard on you (CEV)

ato void hurting you (JBP)

to give you opportunity to repent so that I would not have to cause you further pain

not to scold you

uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: writing-oathformula

ἐγὼ δὲ μάρτυρα τὸν Θεὸν ἐπικαλοῦμαι ἐπὶ τὴν ἐμὴν ψυχήν

(Some words not found in SR-GNT: ἐγώ Δέ μάρτυρα τόν Θεόν ἐπικαλοῦμαι ἐπί τήν ἐμήν ψυχήν ὅτι φειδόμενος ὑμῶν οὐκέτι ἦλθον εἰς Κόρινθον)

The phrase I invoke God as a witness upon my soul could be: (1) an oath formula. Use a natural way in your language to express an oath. Alternate translation: [Now I swear to God upon my soul] (2) simply a statement that God knows Paul’s motives. Alternate translation: [Now I call upon God as a witness to my intentions]

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / metonymy

ἐγὼ δὲ μάρτυρα τὸν Θεὸν ἐπικαλοῦμαι ἐπὶ τὴν ἐμὴν ψυχήν

Here, soul represents the life of the person. If it would be helpful in your language, you could use an equivalent expression from your language or state the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: [So may God take my life if I am lying, but he knows]

Note 3 topic: grammar-connect-logic-goal

ὅτι φειδόμενος ὑμῶν

that sparing ˱from˲_you_all

Here, that introduces a goal or purpose relationship. The purpose for which Paul canceled his visit to Corinth was to spare causing pain to the Corinthian believers (See: 2:1). Use a connector or phrase in your language that makes it clear that this is the purpose. Alternate translation: [that it was in order to spare you]

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / ellipsis

ὅτι φειδόμενος ὑμῶν οὐκέτι ἦλθον εἰς Κόρινθον

that sparing ˱from˲_you_all no_longer ˱I˲_came to Corinth

Paul is leaving out some of the words that in many languages a sentence would need in order to be complete. You could supply these words from the context if it would be clearer in your language. Alternate translation: [that it was in order to spare you sorrow that I have not yet come to Corinth] or [that it was to keep from grieving you that I have not yet traveled to Corinth again]

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. But
2. -
3. 11610
4. PS
5. de
6. C-·······
7. but
8. but
9. PS
10. Y60
11. 121142
1. I
2. -
3. 14730
5. egō
6. R-···1N·S
7. I
8. I
9. -
10. Y60
11. 121141
1. as witness
2. witness
3. 31440
5. marturos
6. N-····AMS
7. ˱as˲ witness
8. ˱as˲ witness
9. -
10. Y60
11. 121143
1. the
2. -
3. 35880
5. ho
6. E-····AMS
7. ¬the
8. ¬the
9. -
10. Y60
11. 121144
1. god
2. God
3. 23160
4. GN
5. theos
6. N-····AMS
7. god
8. God
9. GN
10. Y60; Person=God
11. 121145
1. am calling
2. -
3. 19410
5. epikaleō
6. V-IPM1··S
7. ˓am˒ calling
8. ˓am˒ calling
9. -
10. Y60
11. 121146
1. on
2. -
3. 19090
5. epi
6. P-·······
7. on
8. on
9. -
10. Y60
11. 121147
1. the
2. -
3. 35880
5. ho
6. E-····AFS
7. ¬the
8. ¬the
9. -
10. Y60
11. 121148
1. my
2. -
3. 16990
5. emos
6. E-···1AFS
7. my
8. my
9. -
10. Y60
11. 121149
1. soul
2. soul
3. 55900
5. psuχē
6. N-····AFS
7. soul
8. soul
9. -
10. Y60
11. 121150
1. that
2. -
3. 37540
5. hoti
6. C-·······
7. that
8. that
9. -
10. Y60
11. 121151
1. sparing
2. -
3. 53390
5. feidomai
6. V-PPM·NMS
7. sparing
8. sparing
9. -
10. Y60; R120621; Person=Paul
11. 121152
1. from you all
2. you
3. 47710
5. su
6. R-···2G·P
7. ˱from˲ you_all
8. ˱from˲ you_all
9. -
10. Y60; R120795
11. 121153
1. no longer
2. -
3. 37650
5. ouketi
6. D-·······
7. no_longer
8. no_longer
9. -
10. Y60
11. 121154
1. I came
2. -
3. 20640
5. erχomai
6. V-IAA1··S
7. ˱I˲ came
8. ˱I˲ came
9. -
10. Y60; R120621; Person=Paul
11. 121155
1. to
2. -
3. 15190
5. eis
6. P-·······
7. to
8. to
9. -
10. Y60
11. 121156
1. Korinthos
2. Corinth
3. 28820
4. U
5. korinthos
6. N-····AFS
7. Korinthos
8. Corinth
9. U
10. Location=Corinth; Y60
11. 121157

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 interlinear 2 COR 1:23

SR Greek word order

Section 1:12–2:4: Paul’s change in plans

1:23a

1:23b

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

OET interlinear 2 COR 1:23

SR Greek word order

Section 1:12–2:4: Paul’s change in plans

1:23a

1:23b

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

OET interlinear 2 COR 1:23