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InterlinearVerse GEN EXO LEV NUM DEU JOB JOS JDG RUTH 1 SAM 2 SAM PSA AMOS HOS 1 KI 2 KI 1 CHR 2 CHR PROV ECC SNG JOEL MIC ISA ZEP HAB JER LAM YNA (JNA) NAH OBA DAN EZE EZRA EST NEH HAG ZEC MAL LAO GES LES ESG DNG 2 PS TOB JDT WIS SIR BAR LJE PAZ SUS BEL MAN 1 MAC 2 MAC 3 MAC 4 MAC YHN (JHN) MARK MAT LUKE ACTs YAC (JAM) GAL 1 TH 2 TH 1 COR 2 COR ROM COL PHM EPH PHP 1 TIM TIT 1 PET 2 PET 2 TIM HEB YUD (JUD) 1 YHN (1 JHN) 2 YHN (2 JHN) 3 YHN (3 JHN) REV
2 Cor C1 C2 C3 C4 C5 C6 C7 C8 C9 C10 C11 C12 C13
2 Cor 5 V1 V2 V3 V4 V5 V6 V7 V8 V9 V11 V12 V13 V14 V15 V16 V17 V18 V19 V20 V21
OET (OET-LV) For/Because which all us to_be_revealed it_is_fitting, before the tribunal of_the chosen_one/messiah, in_order_that may_receive_back each the things through the body, with what he_did, whether good or evil.
OET (OET-RV) Yes, we must all stand at our court hearing in front of the messiah, so that each of us may receive justice for what we did while in these bodies, whether it was good or evil.
In this section, Paul explained that after believers die, they will receive a heavenly body (5:1). He used the metaphor of a tent to refer to the earthly body and the metaphor of a building in heaven to refer to the heavenly body. Paul and his coworkers desired that the change would happen (5:2–4). He explained that God had given that desire and that God had also given the Holy Spirit so we can be assured that the promise of a heavenly body will be fulfilled (5:5).
Then Paul wrote that they were confident in their faith (5:6–8) and purposely chose to please God (5:9). He wrote the reason to do so, namely that all believers will be judged and rewarded by God for the things they have done (5:10).
Paul continued to use the pronoun “we” to refer to himself, Timothy, and others who traveled with him telling the good news about Jesus. But in some verses in this section, the pronoun “we” probably includes the believers in Corinth and therefore all believers.
Other examples of headings for this section are:
Our Heavenly Dwelling (NIV)
The mortal body that we have and the eternal body that God has promised
Faith Guides Our Lives (GW)
God has promised a new, eternal body and so we live by faith/believing
The assurance of an eternal body and judgment compels us to please the Lord
For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ,
for each of our(incl) lives will be revealed before Christ in his place as judge,
Because God will reveal all that every one of us have done before Christ our judge,
For: Here this word introduces the reason for aiming to please God (5:9a). For example:
because (NCV)
we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ: The Greek word that the BSB translates as appear means “be revealed.” It indicates that God will reveal all that a person has done and said. Christ will hear all of it and judge them as in a court of justice. Other ways to translate this clause are:
everything about us will be revealed before Christ our judge
God will reveal everything about us in front of Christ’s judgment seat
we must all have our lives laid open before the tribunal of Christ (REB)
the judgment seat of Christ: The phrase judgment seat refers to the place where a judge sits when he rules a court and decides court cases. Other ways to translate this phrase are:
Christ, who will sit as judge
Christ, to be judged by him (GNT)
Christ so that he will judge us
Christ: The word Christ is a title for Jesus. The word Christ literally means “the anointed one.” Translate the word Christ here as you did in 1:1.
that each one may receive his due
in order that each one of us(incl) may receive what we deserve
so that he would reward/compensate each one
that: This conjunction introduces the purpose for appearing before Christ. Here is another way to translate this:
so that (RSV)
each one may receive his due: This clause indicates that Jesus will give a judgment according to what each believer did. Other ways to translate this clause are:
We will each receive what we deserve (GNT)
each one may receive…according to (RSV)
each one may be recompensed (NASB)
each one may be paid back (NET)
he will reward each one
The Scriptures do not teach that Jesus will punish believers in heaven. Avoid translating in a way that indicates Jesus will punish believers. See also note on “bad” below.
for the things done in the body, whether good or bad.
for things that we did while in this earthly body, whether good or bad/worthless.
according to whatever we(incl) did while living on earth, whether those deeds were good or bad/immoral.
the things done in the body: This phrase refers to deeds that believers do while living on earth. Other ways to translate this phrase are:
what we did when we lived in our bodies (JBP)
everything we have done…in our bodily life (GNT)
whatever we did while living on earth in these bodies
all that we have done in this earthly body
whether good or bad: There are two ways to interpret where this phrase connects:
This phrase connects to the things done. For example:
the good or the bad that we do while living in these bodies (CEV) (BSB, NIV, GNT, NJB, NRSV, NABRE, NASB, KJV, NLT, GW, CEV, NET, REB, ESV, KJV)
This phrase connects to receive what is due. For example:
each one may receive good or evil, according to what he has done (RSV) (RSV, NCV)
It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1).Harris (p. 407) says that “good or bad” should be connected to with the prior phrase “the things done” rather than the further away phrase “may receive what is due him.” Thrall (p. 357), Martin (p. 97), Kistemaker (p. 180), and Barrett (p. 160) support interpretation (1). See also the note on bad below.
bad: The Greek word that the BSB translates as bad means “morally wrong” or “worthless.” These deeds do not honor God. Jesus will discard these worthless deeds. He will not reward them. Other ways to translate this word are:
immoral
of no value
Note 1 topic: grammar-connect-logic-result
γὰρ
(Some words not found in SR-GNT: τούς Γάρ πάντας ἡμάς φανερωθῆναι δεῖ ἔμπροσθεν τοῦ βήματος τοῦ Χριστοῦ ἵνα κομίσηται ἕκαστος τά διά τοῦ σώματος πρός ἅ ἔπραξεν εἴτε ἀγαθόν εἴτε κακόν)
Here, the word For introduces a reason why Paul and those with him “aspire to be well-pleasing” to Jesus. If it would be helpful in your language, you could use a different word or phrase that introduces a reason for a previous statement. Alternate translation: [We aspire to that because] or [After all,]
Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / exclusive
τοὺς & πάντας ἡμᾶς
(Some words not found in SR-GNT: τούς Γάρ πάντας ἡμάς φανερωθῆναι δεῖ ἔμπροσθεν τοῦ βήματος τοῦ Χριστοῦ ἵνα κομίσηται ἕκαστος τά διά τοῦ σώματος πρός ἅ ἔπραξεν εἴτε ἀγαθόν εἴτε κακόν)
Here, the word us could refer to: (1) Paul and everyone who believes, including the Corinthians. Alternate translation: [all of us who believe] (2) all humans. Alternate translation: [all people]
Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / activepassive
τοὺς & πάντας ἡμᾶς φανερωθῆναι
(Some words not found in SR-GNT: τούς Γάρ πάντας ἡμάς φανερωθῆναι δεῖ ἔμπροσθεν τοῦ βήματος τοῦ Χριστοῦ ἵνα κομίσηται ἕκαστος τά διά τοῦ σώματος πρός ἅ ἔπραξεν εἴτε ἀγαθόν εἴτε κακόν)
If your language does not use the passive form in this way, you could express the idea in active form or in another way that is natural in your language. If you must state who did the action, Paul could be implying that: (1) we reveal ourselves. Alternate translation: [us all to reveal ourselves] or [us all to stand] (2) God reveals us. Alternate translation: [God to reveal us all]
Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit
ἔμπροσθεν τοῦ βήματος τοῦ Χριστοῦ
before the tribunal ˱of˲_the Messiah
Here, the phrase judgment seat refers to a raised seat that a judge or official would sit on when he or she was making official decisions. In Paul’s culture, people expected the Messiah to sit on this kind of seat when this world ends and decide whether to reward or punish people. Paul uses this idea to refer to how Jesus will judge us all. If it would be helpful in your language, you could make the idea more explicit or refer more directly to how Christ will judge. Alternate translation: [before the judgment seat that Christ will sit on when he returns] or [before Christ to be judged by him]
Note 5 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor
κομίσηται & τὰ διὰ τοῦ σώματος
˓may˒_receive_back & (Some words not found in SR-GNT: τούς Γάρ πάντας ἡμάς φανερωθῆναι δεῖ ἔμπροσθεν τοῦ βήματος τοῦ Χριστοῦ ἵνα κομίσηται ἕκαστος τά διά τοῦ σώματος πρός ἅ ἔπραξεν εἴτε ἀγαθόν εἴτε κακόν)
In this context, the phrase receive back refers to getting something in payment or in return for something else. Paul is speaking as if everyone will receive back as payment or recompense exactly what they did through the body. By this, Paul means that God will reward or punish everyone in a way that fits with what they did. If this figure of speech would be misunderstood in your language, you could state the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: [may receive a punishment or reward that fits what they did through the body]
Note 6 topic: figures-of-speech / activepassive
τὰ
(Some words not found in SR-GNT: τούς Γάρ πάντας ἡμάς φανερωθῆναι δεῖ ἔμπροσθεν τοῦ βήματος τοῦ Χριστοῦ ἵνα κομίσηται ἕκαστος τά διά τοῦ σώματος πρός ἅ ἔπραξεν εἴτε ἀγαθόν εἴτε κακόν)
If your language does not use the passive form in this way, you could express the idea in active form or in another way that is natural in your language. If you must state who did the action, Paul implies that each one did it. Alternate translation: [what he or she has done]
Note 7 topic: figures-of-speech / idiom
διὰ τοῦ σώματος
(Some words not found in SR-GNT: τούς Γάρ πάντας ἡμάς φανερωθῆναι δεῖ ἔμπροσθεν τοῦ βήματος τοῦ Χριστοῦ ἵνα κομίσηται ἕκαστος τά διά τοῦ σώματος πρός ἅ ἔπραξεν εἴτε ἀγαθόν εἴτε κακόν)
Here, the phrase through the body clarifies that the things done are what people did while they had mortal bodies and lived on this earth. If it would be helpful in your language, you could use a comparable expression that refers to what people do in their current bodies. Alternate translation: [with their earthly bodies] or [before they died]
Note 8 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit
πρὸς ἃ ἔπραξεν
(Some words not found in SR-GNT: τούς Γάρ πάντας ἡμάς φανερωθῆναι δεῖ ἔμπροσθεν τοῦ βήματος τοῦ Χριστοῦ ἵνα κομίσηται ἕκαστος τά διά τοῦ σώματος πρός ἅ ἔπραξεν εἴτε ἀγαθόν εἴτε κακόν)
Here, the phrase with regard to what things he did introduces what Christ is judging. If it would be helpful in your language, you could make the idea more explicit. Alternate translation: [on the basis of what things he did] or [being judged based on what he did]
Note 9 topic: figures-of-speech / gendernotations
ἔπραξεν
˱he˲_did
Although the word he is masculine, Paul is using it to refer to any person, either man or woman. If it would be helpful in your language, you could use a word that applies to both men and women or you could refer to both genders. Alternate translation: [he or she did] or [that person did]
Note 10 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit
εἴτε ἀγαθὸν εἴτε κακὸν
whether or (Some words not found in SR-GNT: τούς Γάρ πάντας ἡμάς φανερωθῆναι δεῖ ἔμπροσθεν τοῦ βήματος τοῦ Χριστοῦ ἵνα κομίσηται ἕκαστος τά διά τοῦ σώματος πρός ἅ ἔπραξεν εἴτε ἀγαθόν εἴτε κακόν)
Here, the words good or bad could describe: (1) the things that people did. Alternate translation: [whether those things were good or bad] (2) both the things that people did and what they receive back. Alternate translation: [whether good things deserving commendation or bad things deserving rebuke] (3) just what people receive back. Alternate translation: [whether reward or rebuke]
OET (OET-LV) For/Because which all us to_be_revealed it_is_fitting, before the tribunal of_the chosen_one/messiah, in_order_that may_receive_back each the things through the body, with what he_did, whether good or evil.
OET (OET-RV) Yes, we must all stand at our court hearing in front of the messiah, so that each of us may receive justice for what we did while in these bodies, whether it was good or evil.
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.