OET interlinear PHP 2:27

uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: writing-pronouns

καὶ γὰρ ἠσθένησεν παραπλήσιον θανάτῳ, ἀλλὰ ὁ Θεὸς ἠλέησεν αὐτόν, οὐκ αὐτὸν δὲ μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἐμέ, ἵνα μὴ λύπην ἐπὶ λύπην σχῶ

(Some words not found in SR-GNT: καί Γάρ ἠσθένησεν παραπλήσιον θανάτῳ ἀλλά ὁ Θεός ἠλέησεν αὐτόν οὐκ αὐτόν δέ μόνον ἀλλά καί ἐμέ ἵνα μή λύπην ἐπί λύπην σχῶ)

The pronoun he refers to Epaphroditus, as do both uses of the pronoun him. If this would be unclear in your language, consider clarifying this in your translation. Alternate translation: [For indeed Epaphroditus was sick nearly to death. But God had mercy on him, and not on him only, but also on me, so that I might not have sorrow upon sorrow]

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / abstractnouns

ἠσθένησεν παραπλήσιον θανάτῳ

˱he˲_ailed nearly ˱to˲_death

If it would be clearer in your language, you could express the idea behind the abstract noun death with an adjective such as “dying” or with a verbal form such as died, as the UST does. Alternate translation: [he was sick nearly to the point of dying]

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / abstractnouns

ἀλλὰ ὁ Θεὸς ἠλέησεν αὐτόν

(Some words not found in SR-GNT: καί Γάρ ἠσθένησεν παραπλήσιον θανάτῳ ἀλλά ὁ Θεός ἠλέησεν αὐτόν οὐκ αὐτόν δέ μόνον ἀλλά καί ἐμέ ἵνα μή λύπην ἐπί λύπην σχῶ)

If your language does not use an abstract noun for the idea of mercy, you can express the idea behind the abstract noun mercy with an adjective such as “merciful” or in some other way. Alternate translation: [but God was merciful to him]

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / idiom

λύπην ἐπὶ λύπην

sorrow sorrow (Some words not found in SR-GNT: καί Γάρ ἠσθένησεν παραπλήσιον θανάτῳ ἀλλά ὁ Θεός ἠλέησεν αὐτόν οὐκ αὐτόν δέ μόνον ἀλλά καί ἐμέ ἵνα μή λύπην ἐπί λύπην σχῶ)

The phrase sorrow upon sorrow is an expression that refers to great or abundant sorrow. If this phrase does not have that meaning in your language, you could use a comparable expression from your language that does have that meaning or state the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: [endless sorrow] or [great sorrow]

Note 5 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

λύπην ἐπὶ λύπην

sorrow sorrow (Some words not found in SR-GNT: καί Γάρ ἠσθένησεν παραπλήσιον θανάτῳ ἀλλά ὁ Θεός ἠλέησεν αὐτόν οὐκ αὐτόν δέ μόνον ἀλλά καί ἐμέ ἵνα μή λύπην ἐπί λύπην σχῶ)

The expression sorrow upon sorrow could mean: (1) adding the sorrow of Epaphroditus’ death to the sorrow of Epaphroditus’ sickness. Alternate translation: [the sorrow of Epaphroditus’ death added to the sorrow of his sickness] (2) adding the sorrow of Epaphroditus’ death to the sorrow of Paul’s imprisonment. Alternate translation: [the sorrow of Epaphroditus’ death added to the sorrow of my imprisonment]