1 COR 3:11 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=small word differences Clarity of original=clear Importance to us=normal (All still tentative.)

Key: khaki:verbs, light-green:nominative/subject, orange:accusative/object.
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 no one is able to lay a foundation other than the one being laid, that is, Jesus Christ.

UST No one can put a foundation in the ground if another person has already put it in the ground. So also, no one else can first proclaim the good news to you, because I already did that. What I proclaimed to you is what Jesus the Messiah accomplished. This message about Jesus is like the foundation of a house.

BLB For no one is able to lay another foundation, besides the one being already laid, which is Jesus Christ.

AICNT For no one can lay a foundation other than the one that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.

OEB for no one can lay any other foundation than the one already laid – Jesus Christ.

WEBBE For no one can lay any other foundation than that which has been laid, which is Jesus Christ.

WMBB For no one can lay any other foundation than that which has been laid, which is Yeshua the Messiah.

NET For no one can lay any foundation other than what is being laid, which is Jesus Christ.

LSV for no one is able to lay another foundation except that which is laid, which is Jesus the Christ;

FBV For no one can lay any other foundation than what's already laid—that is Jesus Christ.

TCNT For no one can lay a foundation other than the one that has been laid, which is Jesus Christ.

T4T Just like people can put in only one foundation for a house [MET], there is only one message that we can give to people. That message is about Jesus Christ.

LEB For no one is able to lay another foundation than the one which is laid, which is Jesus Christ.

BBE For there is no other base for the building but that which has been put down, which is Jesus Christ.

Moff The foundation is laid, namely Jesus Christ, and no one can lay any other.

Wymth For no one can lay any other foundation in addition to that which is already laid, namely Jesus Christ.

ASV For other foundation can no man lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ.

DRA For other foundation no man can lay, but that which is laid; which is Christ Jesus.

YLT for other foundation no one is able to lay except that which is laid, which is Jesus the Christ;

Drby For other foundation can no man lay besides that which [is] laid, which is Jesus Christ.

RV For other foundation can no man lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ.

SLT For none is able to lay another foundation above that laid, which is Jesus the Christ.

Wbstr For other foundation can no man lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ.

KJB-1769 For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.

KJB-1611 For other foundation can no man lay, then that is laide, which is Iesus Christ.
(For other foundation can no man lay, then that is laid, which is Yesus/Yeshua Christ.)

Bshps For other foundation can no man lay, then that that is layde, which is Iesus Christe.
(For other foundation can no man lay, then that that is laid, which is Yesus/Yeshua Christ.)

Gnva For other foundation can no man laie, then that which is laied, which is Iesus Christ.
(For other foundation can no man laie, then that which is laid, which is Yesus/Yeshua Christ. )

Cvdl For other foudacion can noman laye, then that which is layed, the which is Iesus Christ.
(For other foudacion can no man lay, then that which is laid, the which is Yesus/Yeshua Christ.)

TNT For other foundacion can no man laye then that which is layde which is Iesus Christ.
(For other foundation can no man lay then that which is laid which is Yesus/Yeshua Christ. )

Wycl For no man may sette another foundement, outtakun that that is sett, which is Crist Jhesus.
(For no man may set another foundation, outtakun that that is sett, which is Christ Yhesus.)

Luth Einen andern Grund kann zwar niemand legen außer dem, der gelegt ist, welcher ist JEsus Christus.
(A/One change Grund can that_is no_one place except to_him, the/of_the placed is, which is Yesus Christ.)

ClVg Fundamentum enim aliud nemo potest ponere præter id quod positum est, quod est Christus Jesus.[fn]
(Fundamentum because something_else nobody/no_one can to_put besides that that placed it_is, that it_is Christ/Messiah Yesus. )

3.11 Fundamentum enim. AUG., lib. de Fide et operibus, c. 15. Fides gratiæ christianæ, id est, ea quæ per dilectionem operatur, etc., usque ad de qua scriptum est: Vasa figuli probat fornax, et homines tentatio tribulationis probat Eccli. 27.. Christus. Id est, fides Christi, quæ per dilectionem operatur, per quam Christus habitat in cordibus. Aliud non est fundamentum. Hæc autem neminem perire sinit.

3.11 Fundamentum because. AUG., lib. from/about Fide and works, c. 15. Faith thanks anointed_oneanæ, that it_is, them which through love works, etc., until to from/about which written it_is: Vasa potters approves fornax, and people/men temptation tribulation approves Eccli. 27.. Christ/Messiah. That it_is, faith Christi, which through love works, through how Christ/Messiah he_lives in/into/on hearts. Another not/no it_is foundation. This however no_one to_perish allows.

UGNT θεμέλιον γὰρ ἄλλον οὐδεὶς δύναται θεῖναι, παρὰ τὸν κείμενον, ὅς ἐστιν Ἰησοῦς Χριστός.
(themelion gar allon oudeis dunatai theinai, para ton keimenon, hos estin Yaʸsous Ⱪristos.)

SBL-GNT θεμέλιον γὰρ ἄλλον οὐδεὶς δύναται θεῖναι παρὰ τὸν κείμενον, ὅς ἐστιν Ἰησοῦς Χριστός·
(themelion gar allon oudeis dunatai theinai para ton keimenon, hos estin Yaʸsous Ⱪristos;)

RP-GNT Θεμέλιον γὰρ ἄλλον οὐδεὶς δύναται θεῖναι παρὰ τὸν κείμενον, ὅς ἐστιν Ἰησοῦς χριστός.
(Themelion gar allon oudeis dunatai theinai para ton keimenon, hos estin Yaʸsous ⱪristos.)

TC-GNT Θεμέλιον γὰρ ἄλλον οὐδεὶς δύναται θεῖναι παρὰ τὸν κείμενον, ὅς ἐστιν Ἰησοῦς [fn]Χριστός.
(Themelion gar allon oudeis dunatai theinai para ton keimenon, hos estin Yaʸsous Ⱪristos. )

3:11 χριστος ¦ ο χριστος TR

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

SOTN SIL Open Translator’s Notes:

Section 3:1–23: Christian workers serve the Lord by building his church together

In this section Paul told the believers in Corinth that they had not become spiritually mature. That was why they were dividing into separate groups and arguing with one another about teachers. They needed to learn about God’s plan for Christian workers and leaders. Christian workers and leaders all belong to God and are all building God’s church together.

Other possible section headings include:

Paul and all the other apostles were the Lord’s servants

All believers belong to the Lord and should remain united

Paragraph 3:10–15

In this paragraph Paul used an extended metaphor. This is about constructing a building. Paul said that he was an expert builder who laid a foundation. This means that he started the church in Corinth. He was the one who first preached the gospel in Corinth and first taught the people there to believe in Jesus.

Paul said that other people were building on the foundation that he had laid. This means that other Christian workers were continuing the work in Corinth. They were teaching the believers. God will reward such workers if they do their work faithfully.

In these verses Paul talked about a building, housebuilders, the materials used to build the building, and about fire. It is best if you can keep this metaphor in your translation. But if the people who read your translation will not understand what Paul was saying, you may need to change how you translate it. There are several ways to translate these verses:

literally, as a metaphor. For example:
I was the expert builder who laid the foundation.
as a simile. For example:
I was like an expert builder who laid a foundation.
giving both the metaphor and the meaning. For example:
I began God’s work among you. I was like an expert builder who laid the foundation.
giving the meaning of the metaphor without the metaphor. For example:
I began God’s work among you.

This metaphor is an important part of Paul’s teaching in 3:10–15. Because of this, it is best if you translate these verses using one of the first three methods above. You should remove the metaphor only if the people in your language group cannot understand the metaphor when it is translated in any of the first three ways. In the footnote is a sample translation of 3:10–15 that follows the third method.Here is a sample translation of 3:10–16 that translates the extended metaphor as a simile and also gives the meaning:“(10a) God graciously gave me ability to do his work. So, using that ability, (10b) I began God’s work among you. I was like a wise house builder who begins building a house by laying the foundation. (10c) Now, other workers are continuing God’s work among you. they are like house builders who are building on top of the foundation that I already laid. (10d) But I warn each of those who are doing God’s work: Be careful what you do! (11) No one should teach any other way to be saved, except the way that God has given us. Jesus Christ is the only Savior that God has given us. He is like the foundation to the house.(12a) Some workers do God’s work well. They are like house builders who build on the foundation using good quality materials like gold, silver and valuable stones. (12b) Other workers do not do God’s work well. They are like house builders who build on the foundation using poor-quality materials like wood, hay and straw. (13a) In the future it will become clear what kind of work each worker has done, (13b) because when Jesus returns, he will make this all clear. (13c) When he returns he will judge what everyone has done. When he judges people, it will be like a fire. (13d) It will be like a person who tests different materials by putting them in a fire to see if they are good quality or not. (14a) When Jesus judges the works of some workers, he will say/declare that their works are good. Their works will be like good quality materials that do not burn up in the fire. (14b) He will reward those workers. (15a) But when he judges the works of other workers, he will declare/say that their work was not good. Their works will be like poor-quality materials that burn up in the fire. (15b) These workers will not get any reward. (15c) God will still save them from the punishment of their sins, (15d) but all of the work they have done will be of no value. They will be like a person who has run out of a burning house: he did not die but everything he had was burned up.”

3:11

For no one can lay a foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ.

For no one can put down a different/new foundation. The foundation has already been put in place. This foundation is Jesus Christ.
because no one can put anything else as the foundation. Jesus Christ is the only foundation of God’s house.

For: The Greek conjunction that the BSB translates as For here introduces the basis for what Paul had just said in 3:10d.

no one can lay a foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ: This verse part indicates that there is only one possible foundation for the church. In some languages it may be natural to reorder the phrases in this verse part as the NCV has done:

The foundation that has already been laid is Jesus Christ, and no one can lay down another foundation (NCV)

foundation…which is Jesus Christ: Paul continued to use the metaphor of the church as God’s building. He said that the foundation of God’s building is Jesus Christ. This probably means that the message about Jesus Christ must be the basis of all the other teaching of all Christian workers.

the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ: The verb laid is passive. In some languages it may be more natural to use a active verb and provide a subject. However, Paul did not say here who had laid this foundation. There are two possible subjects:

It was Paul who had laid the foundation. Paul laid the foundation among the Corinthians by telling them what God has done through Christ. The foundation is thus a metaphor for the message about Christ.
It was God who had laid the foundation. The foundation is the actual sending of Christ to die on the cross for our sins. For example:
God has already placed Jesus Christ as the one and only foundation, and no other foundation can be laid. (GNT)

Many English versions use the passive. Because of this they can be understood in either way: BSB, NIV, NET, KJV, NASB, RSV, ESV, REB, GW, NCV, and JBP.

It is recommended that you leave this ambiguous. You may be able to do this by using a passive verb or by following the NJB:

nobody can lay down any other foundation than the one which is there already, namely Jesus Christ (NJB)

If you must make the subject explicit, it is recommended that you follow interpretation (1). This fits the context better, since Paul in 3:10b had just referred to himself as the one who laid the foundation. Paul laid the foundation in the sense that he preached about Jesus Christ and taught about who he was and what he did to save people.

UTN uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: grammar-connect-logic-result

γὰρ

(Some words not found in SR-GNT: θεμέλιον Γάρ ἄλλον οὐδείς δύναται θεῖναι παρά τόν κείμενον ὅς ἐστίν Ἰησοῦς Χριστός)

Here, for introduces the reason why the people who build on the foundation should “be careful how” they build “on it” ([3:10](../03/10.md)). They need to “be careful” because what they build must match the only foundation that exists, which is Jesus Christ. If for would not indicate this connection in your language, you could express the idea with a word that gives a reason or basis for a command. Alternate translation: [because]

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / exmetaphor

θεμέλιον & ἄλλον οὐδεὶς δύναται θεῖναι, παρὰ τὸν κείμενον, ὅς ἐστιν Ἰησοῦς Χριστός.

foundation & another (Some words not found in SR-GNT: θεμέλιον Γάρ ἄλλον οὐδείς δύναται θεῖναι παρά τόν κείμενον ὅς ἐστίν Ἰησοῦς Χριστός)

Paul continues the metaphor about houses, again speaking about a foundation. Here, he reminds the Corinthians that each house has only one foundation, and once that foundation has been laid, no one lays another foundation for the house. He speaks in this way to remind them that only one person can introduce them to the gospel, and anyone who tries to introduce them to another gospel is building a different house, not the same house. Paul then directly states that the foundation refers to the message about Jesus Christ that he preached to them and which should be the starting point and basis for everything else they learn about the gospel. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express the meaning of this metaphor with a comparable metaphor or express the idea plainly. Alternate translation: [no one can first proclaim a gospel to you other than the one that I already proclaimed to you, which is Jesus Christ]

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / activepassive

τὸν κείμενον

(Some words not found in SR-GNT: θεμέλιον Γάρ ἄλλον οὐδείς δύναται θεῖναι παρά τόν κείμενον ὅς ἐστίν Ἰησοῦς Χριστός)

If your language does not use the passive form in this way, you can express the idea in active form or in another way that is natural in your language. Paul uses the passive form here to focus on what is being laid rather than focusing on the person doing the “laying.” If you must state who does the action, Paul implies that he himself does it. Alternate translation: [the one that I already laid]

ὅς ἐστιν Ἰησοῦς Χριστός.

which (Some words not found in SR-GNT: θεμέλιον Γάρ ἄλλον οὐδείς δύναται θεῖναι παρά τόν κείμενον ὅς ἐστίν Ἰησοῦς Χριστός)

If you use the second alternate translation, you may need to change the comma to a period before it. Alternate translation: [which is Jesus Christ] or [That foundation is Jesus Christ]

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / metonymy

Ἰησοῦς Χριστός

Jesus Christ

Here Paul uses the words translated Jesus Christ to refer to the message he proclaimed to them about Jesus Christ. If it would be helpful in your language, you could include a word or phrase that refers to Paul’s message about Jesus Christ. Alternate translation: [the good news about Jesus Christ]

Parallel 1 COR 3:11

Section 3:1–23: Christian workers serve the Lord by building his church together

Paragraph 3:10–15

3:11

Parallel 1 COR 3:11