UTN uW Translation Notes:

1 Corinthians 1 General Notes

Structure and Formatting

1. Opening (1:1–9) * Greetings and Blessing (1:1–3) * Praise and Prayer (1:4–9)2. Against divisions (1:10–4:15) * Divisions, Leaders, and Baptism (1:10–17) * Wisdom, Foolishness, and Boasting (1:18–31)Some translations set each line of poetry farther to the right than the rest of the text to make it easier to read. The ULT does this with the words of verse 19, which are from the Old Testament.

Religious and Cultural Concepts in This Chapter

Disunity

In this chapter, Paul urges the Corinthians to stop dividing up into smaller groups that identify themselves with one specific leader. He mentions some of the leaders, including himself, in 1:12. The Corinthians probably chose these leaders themselves, since there is no evidence that any of the people mentioned in 1:12 were trying to create their own groups. People in the Corinthian church were probably trying to sound wiser or more powerful than other people, so they would choose a group and a leader and say they were better than others. Paul argues against these kinds of divisions first, and then he argues against anyone who tries to sound wiser and more powerful than others.

Wisdom and foolishness

Throughout this chapter, Paul speaks of both wisdom and foolishness. These words do not refer primarily to how much or how little education someone has. Rather, they refer to how well or how poorly someone plans actions and knows how the world works. If someone creates plans and ideas that work out well, that person is wise. If someone creates plans and ideas that do not work out well, that person is foolish. The wise person makes good choices, and the foolish person makes bad choices. Use words in your language that indicate these ideas. (See: wise and foolish)

Power and weakness

Throughout this chapter, Paul speaks of both power and weakness. These words primarily refer to how much influence and authority a person has and to how much they can accomplish. Someone who has “power” has much influence and authority and can accomplish many things. Someone who has “weakness” does not have much influence and authority and is not able to accomplish many things. Use words in your language that indicate these ideas (See: power)

Translation Issues in This Chapter

Metaphors about Christ

In this chapter, Paul says that “Christ is the power of God and the wisdom of God” (1:24) and that Christ “was made for us wisdom from God, righteousness, and also sanctification and redemption” (1:30). With these two verses, Paul is not saying that Christ is no longer a person and is instead these abstract ideas. Rather, Paul is speaking in this way because Christ and his work for believers include all of these abstract ideas. Christ’s work is powerful and wise, and gives those who believe in him wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption. For ways to translate these two statements, see the notes on these two verses.

Rhetorical questions

Paul asks many questions in this chapter. He is not asking these questions because he wants the Corinthians to provide him with information. Rather, he is asking these questions because he wants the Corinthians to think about how they are acting and what they are thinking. The questions encourage them to think along with Paul. For ways to translate these questions, look for the notes on each verse that includes these kinds of questions. (See: figs-rquestion)

Translation Issues in This Chapter

Positive and negative uses of “wisdom”

Throughout this chapter, Paul speaks about wisdom in both positive and negative ways. He uses the same words throughout the chapter, and he distinguishes between positive and negative meanings by connecting the words to different people or ideas. For example, he speaks of wisdom negatively when it is the wisdom of the world, or the wisdom of humans. However, he speaks of wisdom positively when it is wisdom from God or wisdom given by God. If possible, translate the negative and positive meanings of wisdom with the same word, just as Paul uses one word for both negative and positive. If you must use different words, use positive words for God’s wisdom and negative words for human wisdom.

Using different perspectives

Sometimes, Paul speaks of God as if God were “foolish” and “weak” (1:25) and as if he chose “foolish” and “weak” things (1:27). Paul does not actually think that God is foolish and weak and chooses foolish and weak things. Rather, he is speaking from the perspective of normal human thinking. What God does, from a human perspective, is “weak” and “foolish.” He makes this clear in several verses. For example, in 1:26, Paul says that most of the Corinthians were not wise “according to the flesh.” This is Paul’s way of saying that they were not wise according to human thinking. If possible translate the times Paul speaks from a human perspective with the same words he uses for “weakness” and “foolishness” when he speaks from God’s perspective. If it is necessary to distinguish these uses, use a word or phrase that explains which perspective Paul is using. He does this himself sometimes, and if it is necessary, you could do it in other places as well.

Information presented out of order

The ULT puts parentheses around 1:16 because Paul is speaking about whom he baptized, an idea that fits logically with 1:14 and not as well after 1:15. Paul has remembered someone else that he baptized, and instead of going back and putting that information in 1:14, he includes it in 1:16, interrupting the flow of the argument. If possible, keep 1:16 where it is, and use a form in your language that indicates that Paul is interrupting his argument. If there is no way to do this in your language, you could move 1:16 so that it is between 1:14 and 1:15.