OET interlinear 2COR 4:4

uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

ὁ θεὸς τοῦ αἰῶνος τούτου

the god ¬the ˱of˲_age this

Here, the phrase the god of this age refers to Satan, or the devil. Paul describes him in this way because God has allowed Satan to have some control or power in this age, which refers to the world as it is right now. If it would be helpful in your language, you could make the idea more explicit. Alternate translation: “the god of this age, Satan,” or “the devil, who rules over this age”

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / possession

ὁ θεὸς τοῦ αἰῶνος τούτου

the god ¬the ˱of˲_age this

Here Paul uses the possessive form to describe a god who rules over or controls this age. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express the idea in another way. Alternate translation: “the god who controls this age”

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

ἐτύφλωσεν τὰ νοήματα τῶν ἀπίστων, εἰς τὸ μὴ αὐγάσαι τὸν φωτισμὸν τοῦ εὐαγγελίου τῆς δόξης τοῦ Χριστοῦ, ὅς ἐστιν εἰκὼν τοῦ Θεοῦ

blinded the thinking ˱of˲_the unbelievers in_order that not /to/_radiate the enlightenment ˱of˲_the gospel ˱of˲_the glory ˱of˲_the Messiah who is /the/_image ¬the ˱of˲_God

Here Paul speaks as if minds were eyes that could be blinded or that could see light. If minds are blinded, they cannot understand something. If minds can see light, they can understand something. If it would be helpful in your language, you could use simile or express the idea plainly. Alternate translation: “has made the minds of the unbelievers to be like blind eyes, so that they do not understand the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.”

Note 4 topic: grammar-connect-logic-result

ἀπίστων, εἰς τὸ

unbelievers in_order that

Here, the phrase so that could introduce: (1) the result of the god of this age blinding people’s minds. Alternate translation: “of the unbelievers, with the result that” (2) the purpose of the god of this age blinding people’s minds. Alternate translation: “of the unbelievers, in order that”

Note 5 topic: figures-of-speech / possession

τὸν φωτισμὸν τοῦ εὐαγγελίου τῆς δόξης τοῦ Χριστοῦ

the enlightenment ˱of˲_the gospel ˱of˲_the glory ˱of˲_the Messiah

Here the author uses the possessive form multiple times. What he means is that the light either is or comes from the gospel, and the gospel is about the glory of Christ. In this last phrase, glory describes what Christ is like. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express the idea in a more natural form. Alternate translation: “the light, which is the gospel about the glorious Christ” or “the light that comes from the gospel concerning how glorious Christ is”

Note 6 topic: figures-of-speech / abstractnouns

τῆς δόξης τοῦ Χριστοῦ

˱of˲_the glory ˱of˲_the Messiah

If your language does not use an abstract noun for the idea of glory, you could express the idea by using an adjective such as “glorious” or “great.” Alternate translation: “of the great Christ” or “Christ, the glorious one,”

Note 7 topic: figures-of-speech / abstractnouns

ὅς ἐστιν εἰκὼν τοῦ Θεοῦ

who is /the/_image ¬the ˱of˲_God

If your language does not use an abstract noun for the idea of image, you could express the idea by using a verb such as “reflect” or “represent.” Alternate translation: “who reflects God” or “who represents God”

Note 8 topic: figures-of-speech / possession

εἰκὼν τοῦ Θεοῦ

/the/_image ¬the ˱of˲_God

Here Paul uses the possessive form to describe how Christ functions as the image that shows what God is like. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express the idea in another way. Alternate translation: “the image that shows what God is like” or “the image that reflects God”