OET interlinear 2COR 3:6

uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / exclusive

ἡμᾶς διακόνους

us ˱as˲_servants

Here, just as in 3:1–5, the word us does not include the Corinthians. It could refer to: (1) Paul and those who proclaim the gospel with him. Alternate translation: [us, who preach the gospel, … as servants] (2) just Paul. Alternate translation: [me … as a servant]

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / possession

διακόνους καινῆς διαθήκης

˱as˲_servants ˱of˲_/a/_new covenant

Here Paul uses the possessive form to identify himself and his fellow workers as servants who serve for the benefit of a new covenant. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express the idea in another way. Alternate translation: [as those who serve a new covenant] or [as servants who administer a new covenant]

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / infostructure

οὐ γράμματος, ἀλλὰ Πνεύματος

not ˱of˲_/the/_letter but ˱of˲_/the/_Spirit

If your language would not naturally put the negative statement before the positive statement, you could reverse the two clauses here. Alternate translation: [of the Spirit, not of the letter]

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

οὐ γράμματος, ἀλλὰ Πνεύματος

not ˱of˲_/the/_letter but ˱of˲_/the/_Spirit

When Paul contrasts letter and Spirit, he implies that letter describes the old covenant and Spirit describes the new covenant. What he means is that the old covenant was only written down and could not change people on the inside. On the other hand, the new covenant is empowered by the Holy Spirit, who can change people on the inside. If it would be helpful in your language, you could make this contrast more explicit. Alternate translation: [not a covenant of the letter that is powerless but a covenant of the powerful Spirit] or [not one that is only written down but one that the Spirit puts inside people]

Note 5 topic: figures-of-speech / metonymy

γράμματος & τὸ & γράμμα

˱of˲_/the/_letter & the & letter

Here, the word letter refers generally to a message written using sound-symbols called letters. More specifically, Paul uses the word letter to refer to the old covenant, a written document. It could not change people like the Spirit can. If it would be helpful in your language, you could refer to a message written in “letters”. Alternate translation: [in written form … what was written]

Note 6 topic: figures-of-speech / possession

γράμματος, ἀλλὰ Πνεύματος

˱of˲_/the/_letter but ˱of˲_/the/_Spirit

Here, Paul uses the possessive form to describe a covenant that is given or mediated by the Spirit, not by the letter. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express the idea in another way. Alternate translation: [in letters but by the Spirit] or [mediated by letter but by the Spirit]

Note 7 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

Πνεύματος & τὸ δὲ Πνεῦμα

˱of˲_/the/_Spirit & the but Spirit

Here, the word Spirit could refer to: (1) the Holy Spirit. Alternate translation: [of God’s Spirit … but God’s Spirit] (2) the spirit of a person, or their mind or heart. Alternate translation: [of the spirit … but the spirit] or [of the heart … but the heart]

Note 8 topic: figures-of-speech / personification

τὸ & γράμμα ἀποκτέννει

the & letter the & (Some words not found in SR-GNT: ὃς καὶ ἱκάνωσεν ἡμᾶς διακόνους καινῆς διαθήκης οὐ γράμματος ἀλλὰ Πνεύματος τὸ γὰρ γράμμα ἀποκτένει τὸ δὲ Πνεῦμα ζῳοποιεῖ)

Here Paul speaks as if the letter were a person who kills others. He speaks in this way to indicate that the letter (which refers to the old covenant and its regulations) does not have the power to give life but instead can only condemn people to die. If it would be helpful in your language, you could use a comparable figure of speech or plain language. Alternate translation: [the letter is like someone who kills] or [the letter dooms people to die] or [the letter causes death]