UTN uW Translation Notes:

1 Corinthians 13 General Notes

Structure and Formatting

8. On spiritual gifts (12:1–14:40) * The necessity of love (13:1–3) * The characteristics of love (13:4–7) * The enduring nature of love (13:8–13)

Special Concepts in this Chapter

Love

Paul’s main topic in this chapter is love. He speaks about how important it is, what it is like, and how it will endure forever. Much of the time, it seems that he is emphasizing love for other people. However, he likely also has love for God in mind. See the notes for ways to translate the abstract noun “love” if your language does not use an abstract noun for this idea. (See: love)

Important Figures of Speech in this Chapter

Hypothetical situations

In 13:1–3, Paul provides three hypothetical situations. He uses these situations to show how essential love is: no matter what other great things a person can do, they must have love. He uses himself as the character in the situations to avoid making someone else an example of a person who does not have love. Consider natural ways to speak about hypothetical situations in your language. If your readers would be confused when Paul uses “I” in the hypothetical situations, you can use a generic reference to a “person” or “someone” instead. (See: figs-hypo)

Personification

In 13:4–8a, Paul speaks about love as if it were a person who could do things. He speaks in this way because it makes the abstract idea of “love” easier to think about. If your readers would be confused when Paul speaks about love as a person, you can express the idea in another way. See the notes on those verses for translation options. (See: figs-personification)

Child analogy

In 13:11, Paul again uses himself as an example. This time he speaks about what he did as a child and what he does as an adult. He speaks in this way to illustrate how some things are appropriate for specific times. For example, speaking like a child is appropriate when one is a child, but it is not appropriate when one is an adult. Paul wishes the Corinthians to apply this reasoning to spiritual gifts and to love. Spiritual gifts are appropriate until Jesus comes back, but then they will no longer be appropriate. On the other hand, love is always appropriate.

Other Possible Translation Difficulties in this Chapter

Non-exhaustive lists

In 13:4–8a, Paul provides a list of love’s characteristics. While he mentions many things, he does not intend the list to completely define every characteristic of love. Instead, he wishes to show the Corinthians what love is like. Make sure that your translation does not imply that the characteristics that Paul lists are the only characteristics that love has.

First-person singular and plural

In 13:1–3, 11, 12b, Paul speaks of himself in the first-person singular. In 13:9, 12a, Paul includes the Corinthians and other believers with himself by using the first-person plural. However, the alternation between singular and plural, especially in 13:11–12, shows that Paul is not drawing any distinctions between his own experiences and those of other believers. Rather, Paul uses himself as an example, but he also wishes to speak about believers in general. If your readers would find switching between first-person singular and first-person plural to be confusing, you can use the first-person plural throughout. (See: writing-pronouns)