1 COR 1:26 Parallel Verse View

Note: This view shows ‘verses’ which are not natural language units and hence sometimes only part of a sentence will be visible—click on any Bible version abbreviation down the left-hand side to see the verse in more of its context. Normally the OET discourages the reading of individual ‘verses’, but this view is only designed as a tool for doing comparisons of different translations—the older translations are further down the page (so you can read up from the bottom to trace the English translation history). The OET segments on this page are still very early looks into the unfinished texts of the Open English Translation of the Bible—please double-check these texts in advance before using in public.

Text critical issues=none Clarity of original=clear Importance to us=normal (All still tentative.)

OET (OET-RV) So brothers and sisters, think about how God called you. Not many of you were wise by human standards, not many were powerful, and not many were of noble birth,

Key: khaki:verbs, light-green:nominative/subject, orange:accusative/object, pink:genitive/possessor, magenta:vocative, red:negative.
Note: Automatic aligning of the OET-RV to the LV is done by some temporary software, hence the RV alignments are incomplete (and may occasionally be wrong).

ULT For consider your calling, brothers, that not many were wise according to the flesh, not many were powerful, and not many were of noble birth.

UST For proof that this is so, think about the fact that God chose you the way you are, fellow believers. From a human perspective, most of you did not think wisely, do powerful deeds, or belong to important families.

BLB For consider your calling, brothers, that not many were wise according to the flesh, not many powerful, not many of noble birth.

AICNT Consider your own calling, brothers and sisters: not many of you were wise by human standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth.

OEB Look at the facts of your call, friends. There are not many among you who are wise, as people reckon wisdom, not many who are influential, not many who are high-born;

WEBBE For you see your calling, brothers, that not many are wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, and not many noble;

WMBB (Same as above)

NET Think about the circumstances of your call, brothers and sisters. Not many were wise by human standards, not many were powerful, not many were born to a privileged position.

LSV for see your calling, brothers, that not many [are] wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble;

FBV Brothers and sisters, remember your calling—and that this did not include many who are wise, humanly speaking; not many who are powerful; not many who are important.

TCNT Consider your calling, brothers, that not many of you were wise according to the flesh, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth.

T4T My fellow believers, remember what kind of people you were when God chose you. Not many of you whom he chose are people whom unbelievers considered to be wise. Very few of you were considered to be important. Very few of you came from families with a high social standing.

LEB ¶ For consider your calling, brothers, that not many were wise according to human standards,[fn] not many were powerful, not many were well born.

1:26 Literally “according to flesh”

BBE For you see God's design for you, my brothers, that he has not taken a great number of the wise after the flesh, not the strong, not the noble:

Moff Why, look at your own ranks, my brothers; not many wise men (that is, judged by human standards), not many leading men, not many of good birth, have been called!

Wymth For consider, brethren, God's call to you. Not many who are wise with merely human wisdom, not many of position and influence, not many of noble birth have been called.

ASV For behold your calling, brethren, that not many wise after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called:

DRA For see your vocation, brethren, that there are not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble:

YLT for see your calling, brethren, that not many [are] wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble;

Drby For consider your calling, brethren, that [there are] not many wise according to flesh, not many powerful, not many high-born.

RV For behold your calling, brethren, how that not many wise after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called:
(For behold your calling, brethren/brothers, how that not many wise after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called: )

SLT For ye see your calling, brethren, that not many wise according to the flesh, not many powerful, not, many well born:

Wbstr For ye see your calling, brethren, that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble are called :

KJB-1769 For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called:
(For ye/you_all see your calling, brethren/brothers, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called: )

KJB-1611 For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble are called.
(Modernised spelling is same as from KJB-1769 above, apart from punctuation)

Bshps Brethren, ye see your callyng, howe that not many wise men after the fleshe, not many myghtie, not many noble are called.
(Brethren, ye/you_all see your calling, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mightie, not many noble are called.)

Gnva For brethren, you see your calling, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble are called.
(For brethren/brothers, you see your calling, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble are called. )

Cvdl Brethren loke on youre callinge, how that not many wyseme after the flesh, not many mightie, not many of hye degre are called:
(Brethren look on your(pl) calling, how that not many wiseme after the flesh, not many mighty, not many of high degree are called:)

TNT Brethren loke on youre callinge how that not many wyse men after the flesshe not many myghty not many of hye degre are called:
(Brethren look on your(pl) calling how that not many wise men after the flesh not many mighty not many of high degree are called: )

Wycl But, britheren, se ye youre clepyng; for not many wise men aftir the fleisch, not many myyti, not many noble.
(But, brethren/brothers, see ye/you_all your(pl) cleping; for not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighti, not many noble.)

Luth Sehet an, liebe Brüder, euren Beruf: nicht viel Weise nach dem Fleisch, nicht viel Gewaltige, nicht viel Edle sind berufen.
(Behold an, love(v) brothers, your(s)(pl) Beruf: not many way/manner after to_him flesh, not many violent_(ones), not many Edle are appointed.)

ClVg Videte enim vocationem vestram, fratres, quia non multi sapientes secundum carnem, non multi potentes, non multi nobiles:[fn]
(See because calling your, brothers, because not/no many wise_people after/second the_flesh, not/no many powerful, not/no many nobles: )

1.26 Videte enim. Vere stultum et infirmum Dei, est sapientius et fortius hominibus. Quod in vobis potestis experiri. Insipientes enim et infirmi vos vocaverunt, inter stulta et infirma Dei enumerati sunt tales vocatores, qui tamen confundunt sapientes et fortes. Et vere sunt tales, quia non multi. Non autem ait, nulli, forsan pro se, qui solus inter apostolos sæcularium litterarum peritus, terrenarum opum dives, Romanæ dignitatis parentela conspicuus fuit; qui tamen hæc nihili pendit, nec usus est eis.

1.26 See because. Vere stupidity and weak of_God, it_is sapientius and braveus to_humans. That in/into/on to_you(pl) can_you experiri. Insipientes because and sick you(pl) vocaverunt, between stupid and weak of_God enumerati are tales he_callsores, who/which nevertheless confundunt wise_people and strong. And really/truly are tales, because not/no multi. Not/No however he_said, none, perhaps/possibly for himself, who/which alone between apostles secular letterrum perishesus, earthlyrum opum dives, Romanæ dignity parentela conspicuus it_was; who/which nevertheless these_things nothingi pendit, but_not use(n) it_is to_them.

UGNT βλέπετε γὰρ τὴν κλῆσιν ὑμῶν, ἀδελφοί, ὅτι οὐ πολλοὶ σοφοὶ κατὰ σάρκα, οὐ πολλοὶ δυνατοί, οὐ πολλοὶ εὐγενεῖς.
(blepete gar taʸn klaʸsin humōn, adelfoi, hoti ou polloi sofoi kata sarka, ou polloi dunatoi, ou polloi eugeneis.)

SBL-GNT Βλέπετε γὰρ τὴν κλῆσιν ὑμῶν, ἀδελφοί, ὅτι οὐ πολλοὶ σοφοὶ κατὰ σάρκα, οὐ πολλοὶ δυνατοί, οὐ πολλοὶ εὐγενεῖς·
(Blepete gar taʸn klaʸsin humōn, adelfoi, hoti ou polloi sofoi kata sarka, ou polloi dunatoi, ou polloi eugeneis;)

RP-GNT Βλέπετε γὰρ τὴν κλῆσιν ὑμῶν, ἀδελφοί, ὅτι οὐ πολλοὶ σοφοὶ κατὰ σάρκα, οὐ πολλοὶ δυνατοί, οὐ πολλοὶ εὐγενεῖς·
(Blepete gar taʸn klaʸsin humōn, adelfoi, hoti ou polloi sofoi kata sarka, ou polloi dunatoi, ou polloi eugeneis;)

TC-GNT Βλέπετε γὰρ τὴν κλῆσιν ὑμῶν, ἀδελφοί, ὅτι οὐ πολλοὶ σοφοὶ κατὰ σάρκα, οὐ πολλοὶ δυνατοί, οὐ πολλοὶ εὐγενεῖς·
(Blepete gar taʸn klaʸsin humōn, adelfoi, hoti ou polloi sofoi kata sarka, ou polloi dunatoi, ou polloi eugeneis; )

Key for above GNTs: yellow:punctuation differs (from our SR-GNT base).

SOTN SIL Open Translator’s Notes:

Section 1:10–2:16: Believers should not divide up into competing factions. They should be united by true wisdom, the message of the cross.

In this section Paul wrote about a serious problem in the Corinthian church. The Corinthian believers were dividing up into competing groups. They were following whichever human leader they admired the most. Paul tried to solve this problem by reminding the Corinthians of the message of the cross. He wanted them to stop following human wisdom and to follow God’s wisdom.

Paragraph 1:26–31

In this paragraph Paul reminded the Corinthians that God did not choose them because they were wise or important. Instead, he deliberately chose people of no importance in this world. So the Corinthians had nothing to boast about, except what Christ had done for them.

1:26a

Brothers, consider the time of your calling:

¶ My brothers and sisters, think about your status in this world when God called you to become his people/believers.
¶ My Christian friends, remember what your status/position in life was when God called/summoned you to follow Christ.
¶ My fellow believers in Christ, remember what you were like when God called/invited you to belong to/follow him.

In Greek, 1:26 begins with a conjunction. The conjunction introduces one basis for Paul’s statement in 1:25. The foolishness of God is wiser than man’s wisdom and the weakness of God is stranger than man’s strength. One basis for Paul saying that is that God was foolish in calling the foolish Corinthian believers to become believers (1:26–31). According to human wisdom God should have called wise and important people to become believers. Some English versions do not translate this conjunction.

Paul also used this conjunction to introduce a new part/step/point of his argument. In the BSB this change is shown by beginning a new paragraph. You should begin this part of the argument in a way that is natural in your language.

Brothers: Paul often used a term of address (like Brothers) when he began a new topic. Here he introduced the topic of boasting only about God and never boasting about ourselves.

In the BSB, the word Brothers is first in the sentence. You should put/place it where it sounds natural in your language.

If a literal translation suggests that Paul was only addressing males, you may need to be more explicit or general. For example:

Brothers and sisters

Christian friends

consider the time of your calling: In Greek this clause is literally “Consider your calling.”The KJV translates this as an indicative clause: “ye see your calling.” It is alone in this among the major English versions, although it is supported by Barrett, p. 56. The imperative is supported by Fee p. 79, Thiselton p. 179. Paul wanted the Corinthian believers to think about who they were when God called them to be his people. Specifically, he wanted them to remember that they had no high status or position in the world when God called them.

Most of the first Corinthian believers were uneducated people, poor people, and slaves. However, they had become proud. Paul wanted to remind them that they had no reason to be proud of themselves. The only reason they had to be proud now came from their relationship with Christ.

the time of your calling: The Greek phrase that BSB translates as the time of your calling is literally your calling. This phrase refers to the time when God called or invited the Corinthians to believe the gospel. In some languages, it may be more natural to state who called the Corinthians. For example:

when God called you

In some languages it may be necessary to say what God called the Corinthians to do. If that is true in your language, you may add the implied information. For example:

when God called you to be Christians (GW)

when God called you to follow Christ

1:26b

Not many of you were wise by human standards;

Not many of you were what most people consider wise.
According to human standards, not many of you were clever/wise.
The people of this world thought/considered very few of you to be wise people.

Not many of you were wise by human standards: In Greek this clause indicates/shows what the Corinthian people were originally like according to human standards. When the Corinthian believers were called, not many of them were considered wise by other people. Another way to translate this phrase is:

From the human point of view, few of you were wise (GNT)

by human standards: In Greek this phrase is literally “according to the flesh.” This phrase is often used to contrast earthly, worldly standards with divine standards. Worldly people did not consider the Corinthian believers to be wise, influential, or noble people.

In some languages it may be more natural to make these people the subject of the sentence. For example:

The people of this world didn’t think that many of you were wise. (CEV)

1:26c

not many were powerful;

Not many of you were powerful people.
Not many of you held power over other people.
Only a few of you had positions of power/influence.

not many were powerful: The Greek word that the BSB translates as powerful refers to those people who were powerful in society and politics, the prominent leaders in Corinth. Many languages have idioms for influential people. Some languages use phrases such as “big men” or “people with big names.” Some other ways to translate this are:

Not many of you had great influence. (NCV)

not many were influential (NIV)

You were not in powerful positions… (GW)

1:26d

not many were of noble birth.

Not many of you were born into the higher classes of society.
Only a few of you were born into important/noble families.

not many were of noble birth: The Greek word that the BSB translates as noble birth refers to people whose parents are members of the ruling classes. Some languages have a term for “nobles” or “high caste” that can be used here. Some other ways to translate this are:

not many were born to a privileged position (NET)

You were not…in the upper social classes. (GW)

Not many of you came from important families. (NCV)

You may have an idiom in your language for a privileged birth. If that is true you may use it here since Paul is talking generally. For example:

He was born with a silver spoon in his mouth.

General Comment on 1:26b-d

There are two ways to understand how the phrase “by human standards” is used:

It is connected only to the word wise. For example:
The people of this world didn't think that many of you were wise. Only a few of you were in places of power, and not many of you came from important families. (CEV) (GW, CEV, NCV)
It is connected to each part of the entire sentence, that is, wise, influential, and of noble birth. For example:
From the human point of view few of you were wise or powerful or of high social standing (GNT)

It is recommended that you follow option (1) since it has stronger support in the commentaries.

UTN uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: grammar-connect-words-phrases

γὰρ

(Some words not found in SR-GNT: βλέπετε Γάρ τήν κλῆσιν ὑμῶν ἀδελφοί ὅτι οὒ πολλοί σοφοί κατά σάρκα οὒ πολλοί δυνατοί οὒ πολλοί εὐγενεῖς)

Here, For introduces proof for or examples of what Paul has claimed so far about God choosing to work through foolishness and weakness. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express this connection with a word or phrase that introduces examples or support. Alternate translation: [For instance,]

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / synecdoche

τὴν κλῆσιν ὑμῶν

Here, calling refers primarily to who the Corinthians were at the time of their calling. It does not primarily refer to God’s act in calling them. If it would be helpful in your language, you could emphasize this aspect in your translation. Alternate translation: [who you were at your calling]

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / gendernotations

ἀδελφοί

brothers

Here, brothers does not just refer to men but to people of any sex. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express brothers with a non gendered word or refer to both genders. Alternate translation: [brothers and sisters]

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / litotes

(Occurrence -1) οὐ πολλοὶ

Here Paul uses a form that can more easily be stated in inverse form in many languages. If: (1) your language would most naturally put not with the verb instead of many, you could do so here. Alternate translation: [many were not … many were not … and many were not] (2) your language would most naturally use a word that indicates a small number of people here, you could use it without not. Alternate translation: [few … few … and few]

Note 5 topic: writing-pronouns

(Occurrence -1) οὐ πολλοὶ

While Paul does not explicitly state that not many refers to the Corinthians, he is referring to the Corinthians when he says not many. If it would be helpful in your language, you could insert “you.” Alternate translation: [not many of you … not many of you … and not many of you]

Note 6 topic: figures-of-speech / infostructure

οὐ πολλοὶ σοφοὶ κατὰ σάρκα, οὐ πολλοὶ δυνατοί, οὐ πολλοὶ εὐγενεῖς

Paul here uses the phrase according to the flesh to clarify what he means by wise, and also powerful, and also of noble birth, not just wise. If it would be helpful in your language, you could move the phrase according to the flesh so that it is clear that it modifies all three of these statements. Alternate translation: [according to the flesh, not many were wise, not many were powerful, and not many were of noble birth]

Note 7 topic: figures-of-speech / idiom

κατὰ σάρκα

Here Paul uses the phrase according to the flesh to refer to human ways of thinking. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express the meaning of this phrase by stating the idiom according to the flesh with a phrase that refers to human values or perspectives. Alternate translation: [according to human definitions] or [according to what humans value]

Parallel 1 COR 1:26