OET interlinear 1 TIM 6:16

uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

ὁ μόνος ἔχων ἀθανασίαν

who alone having immortality

Here Paul means that God is the only One who always has and always will exist. He will never die or cease to exist. While Christians believe that those who trust in Jesus will live forever, God is the one who enables them to do that. So, God is the only one who lives forever without the help of someone else’s power. If it would be helpful in your language, you could use a form that makes that more explicit. Alternate translation: [the only One who has always existed] or [the only One who is by himself immortal]

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / abstractnouns

ἔχων ἀθανασίαν

having immortality

If your language does not use an abstract noun for the idea of immortality, you could express the same idea in another way. Alternate translation: [who is immortal]

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

φῶς οἰκῶν ἀπρόσιτον

˱in˲_light dwelling unapproachable

Here Paul describes the light that fills God’s dwelling place in heaven. No one can come near this place because of how bright that light is. If it would be helpful in your language, you could make it more explicit that Paul is referring to God’s dwelling place in heaven. Alternate translation: [who lives in heaven in light so bright that no one can come near it]

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / gendernotations

οὐδεὶς ἀνθρώπων

(Some words not found in SR-GNT: ὁ μόνος ἔχων ἀθανασίαν φῶς οἰκῶν ἀπρόσιτον ὅν εἶδεν οὐδείς ἀνθρώπων οὐδέ ἰδεῖν δύναται ᾧ τιμή καί κράτος αἰώνιον Ἀμήν)

Although the term men is masculine, Paul is using the word in a generic sense that includes all humans, both men and women. If it would be helpful in your language, you could use a phrase that makes this clear. Alternate translation: [no one of humans] or [no human being]

Note 5 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

ᾧ τιμὴ καὶ κράτος αἰώνιον

˱to˲_whom_‹be› (Some words not found in SR-GNT: ὁ μόνος ἔχων ἀθανασίαν φῶς οἰκῶν ἀπρόσιτον ὅν εἶδεν οὐδείς ἀνθρώπων οὐδέ ἰδεῖν δύναται ᾧ τιμή καί κράτος αἰώνιον Ἀμήν)

Here, the word translated as eternal could describe: (1) power. Alternate translation: [to whom be honor and power that is eternal] (2) how God has honor and power. Alternate translation: [to whom be honor and power forever]

Note 6 topic: figures-of-speech / abstractnouns

ἰδεῖν & ᾧ τιμὴ καὶ κράτος αἰώνιον

˓to˒_see & ˱to˲_whom_‹be› (Some words not found in SR-GNT: ὁ μόνος ἔχων ἀθανασίαν φῶς οἰκῶν ἀπρόσιτον ὅν εἶδεν οὐδείς ἀνθρώπων οὐδέ ἰδεῖν δύναται ᾧ τιμή καί κράτος αἰώνιον Ἀμήν)

If your language does not use abstract nouns for the ideas of honor and power, you could express the same ideas in another way. Alternate translation: [to see. May he be honored and always powerful]