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

also for ˱he˲_ailed nearly ˱to˲_death but ¬the God showed_mercy_to him not him and only but also me in_order_that not sorrow on sorrow ˱I˲_/may/_have

Here 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

but ¬the God showed_mercy_to him

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 / explicit

λύπην ἐπὶ λύπην

sorrow on sorrow

If it would be helpful in your language, consider using an equivalent expression for sorrow upon sorrow, or state the meaning of this phrase explicitly. Alternate translation: [sorrow added to sorrow]

λύπην ἐπὶ λύπην

sorrow on sorrow

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]