1 COR 3:6 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.)

Key: khaki:verbs, light-green:nominative/subject.
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).

UST God assigned me to proclaim the good news to you first. I was like someone who plants seeds. God assigned Apollos to proclaim even more about the good news to you. He was like someone who waters the seeds so that they grow. However, God himself enabled you to believe in and understand the good news. In the same way, he is the one who makes the plants grow.

AICNT I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth.

OEB I planted, and Apollos watered, but it was God who caused the growth.

WEBBE I planted. Apollos watered. But God gave the increase.

WMBB (Same as above)

NET I planted, Apollos watered, but God caused it to grow.

LSV I planted, Apollos watered, but God was giving growth;

FBV I did the planting, Apollos did the watering—but it was God who made you grow!

TCNT I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth.

T4T I was the first one who preached God’s message to you. I was like [MET] someone who plants seeds. Later, Apollos taught you more of God’s message. That was like [MET] someone who waters plants after they start to grow. But it is God who enables people to grow spiritually, just like he is the one who causes plants to grow.

LEB I planted, Apollos watered, but God was causing it to grow.

BBE I did the planting, Apollos did the watering, but God gave the increase.

Moff I did the planting, Apollos did the watering,
⇔ but it was God who made the seed grow.

Wymth I planted and Apollos watered; but it was God who was, all the time, giving the increase.

ASV I planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase.

DRA I have planted, Apollo watered, but God gave the increase.

YLT I planted, Apollos watered, but God was giving growth;

Drby I have planted; Apollos watered; but [fn]God has given the increase.

3.6 Elohim

RV I planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase.

SLT I have planted, Apollos watered; but God increased.

Wbstr I have planted, Apollos watered: but God hath given the increase.

KJB-1769 I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase.

KJB-1611 I haue planted, Apollo watered: but God gaue the encrease.
(I have planted, Apollo watered: but God gave the increase.)

Bshps I haue planted, Apollo watered: but God gaue the encrease.
(I have planted, Apollo watered: but God gave the increase.)

Gnva I haue planted, Apollos watred, but God gaue the increase.
(I have planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the increase. )

Cvdl I haue planted, Apollo hath watred, but God hath geuen the increase.
(I have planted, Apollo hath/has watered, but God hath/has given the increase.)

TNT I have planted: Apollo watred: but god gave increace.
(I have planted: Apollo watered: but god gave increace. )

Wycl Y plauntide, Apollo moystide, but God yaf encreessyng.
(I planted, Apollo moystide, but God gave encreessing.)

Luth Ich habe gepflanzet, Apollo hat begossen, aber GOtt hat das Gedeihen gegeben.
(I have planted, Apollo has begossen, but God has the Gedeihen given.)

ClVg Ego plantavi, Apollo rigavit: sed Deus incrementum dedit.
(I I_planted, Apollo rigavit: but God incrementum he_gave. )

UGNT ἐγὼ ἐφύτευσα, Ἀπολλῶς ἐπότισεν, ἀλλὰ ὁ Θεὸς ηὔξανεν.
(egō efuteusa, Apollōs epotisen, alla ho Theos aʸuxanen.)

SBL-GNT ἐγὼ ἐφύτευσα, Ἀπολλῶς ἐπότισεν, ἀλλὰ ὁ θεὸς ηὔξανεν·
(egō efuteusa, Apollōs epotisen, alla ho theos aʸuxanen;)

RP-GNT Ἐγὼ ἐφύτευσα, Ἀπολλὼς ἐπότισεν, ἀλλ' ὁ θεὸς ηὔξανεν.
(Egō efuteusa, Apollōs epotisen, all' ho theos aʸuxanen.)

TC-GNT Ἐγὼ ἐφύτευσα, Ἀπολλὼς ἐπότισεν, [fn]ἀλλ᾽ ὁ Θεὸς ηὔξανεν.
(Egō efuteusa, Apollōs epotisen, all ho Theos aʸuxanen. )

3:6 αλλ ¦ αλλα NA²⁷ SBL TH WH

Key for above GNTs: yellow:punctuation differs, red:words differ (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 3:5–9

Paul told why the Corinthians should not divide into groups and following their favorite Christian workers. It was because all Christian workers are working for God. He and Apollos were not important in themselves. They were just servants of God whom God sent to help the Corinthians to believe.

3:6–9

In 3:6–9 Paul used a figure of speech called an extended metaphor. He talked about planting seeds, watering plants, and the way plants grow. However, he was actually referring to the way the church in Corinth started and grew.

There are several ways to translate this extended figure of speech. In the following illustration, 3:6a is used as an example of how to translate the rest of the figure of speech:

as a metaphor. For example:
I am the one who planted the seeds.

The NLT makes it clearer that this is a metaphor by supplying the words “in your hearts”:

My job was to plant the seed in your hearts. (NLT)

as a simile, using a word meaning “like.” For example:
I am like a person who planted the seeds.
My job is like the job of a person who planted the seeds.
as a metaphor or simile, with the comparison explained. For example:
I planted the seeds—meaning I began the work of teaching you God’s message.
I was like a person who planted seeds, because I was the one who began the work of teaching you God’s message.
without a figure of speech, translating only the meaning with no mention of planting or seed. For example:
I am the one who began the work of teaching you God’s message.

It is best if you can use one of the first three methods to translate the metaphor in 3:6–9. But if people in your language group are confused by this metaphor and cannot understand what Paul means, you may have to translate all of 3:6–9 using the fourth method.

Here is a sample translation of 3:6–9 that uses the fourth method:

^6aI am the one who began the work of teaching you God’s message. ^6bApollos continued this work. ^6cBut it was God who caused you to have faith. ^7aSo it is not the person who began the work or the person who continued the work that is important. ^7bGod is the one who is important; he is the one who causes you to believe. ^8aThe person who began the work among you and the person who continued the work, they/we^(excl) are all just part of the team. ^8bGod will give each of us^(excl) a reward for the work we^(excl) have done, ^9abecause we^(excl) are working as a team doing God’s work, not our^(excl) own. ^9bYou are God’s people, not ours^(excl). ^9cYou are like a house that God is building for himself.

3:6a

I planted the seed

I am the one who planted the seed of the good news in your hearts.
I am like a person who plants seeds, for I am the one who began telling the gospel in your city.
I was the first one to tell you God’s message, so I am like a person who plants seeds in the ground.

I planted the seed: This is a metaphor. Paul was indicating that he was the one who first preached the gospel to the Corinthians. See the notes on 3:6–9 above for suggestions of different ways to translate this.

The Greek verb that the BSB translates as I planted the seed is literally I planted. In many languages it will be natural or even necessary to follow the BSB and say what was planted. The pronoun I is emphatic here, to make a contrast with “Apollos” in 3:6b and “God” in 3:6c.

planted: In some languages there are different words for different kinds of planting. For example: planting by scattering seeds, planting by making a hole with a stick and dropping seeds in, planting with a shovel or other tool. Paul used a general word that can mean any kind of planting. So you can use whatever word will be the most easily understood in your language as a figure of speech.

the seed: The BSB has supplied this phrase. In this context it refers to many individual grains that are all of one kind/type. In some languages it may be natural to use a plural form:

the seeds

3:6b

and Apollos watered it,

Apollos is the one who watered the seed.
Apollos is like a person who watered the seed/sprouts, for he continued the work of teaching you.
After that, Apollos helped you to become stronger in your faith, just like another person waters the plants that have begun growing.

Apollos watered it: This verse part continues the metaphor. Paul was saying that after he had himself preached the gospel in Corinth, Apollos helped the church by preaching and teaching.

The Greek text that the BSB translates as Apollos watered it is literally Apollos watered. In many languages it may be necessary to say what he watered. You may be able to follow the BSB or you may need to say explicitly:

Apollos watered the seeds/seed.

Apollos watered the sprouts/plants.

If it is not a normal custom in your part of the world to water crops, you may need to translate the verb watered with a general word such as “tended” or “took care of”:

Apollos took care of the seedlings.

3:6c

but God made it grow.

But it was God who made the plants grow.
But God is the one who caused the seed to sprout, that is, he is the one who gave you spiritual life.
But it was God who gave you new life, just as he is the one who makes seeds grow into plants.

but God made it grow: The Greek word that the BSB translates as but indicates contrast. Here in 3:6a-c, the strong contrast is not between Paul and Apollos. It is between both of them and God. Show this contrast in a way that is natural in your language.

made it grow: The verb made…grow means to cause to become bigger, or to cause to increase. In the figure of speech Paul was referring to the way seeds sprout and grow into plants. The meaning of this figure of speech is this: Paul was the first one who came and preached the gospel to the Corinthians. Then Apollos came and helped them understand the gospel more. But God is the one who caused them to believe and grow in their faith, not Paul or Apollos.

General Comment on 3:6a-c

In Greek, the verbs in 3:6a and 3:6b (“planted,” “watered”) are in the simple past tense. But the verb in 3:6c (“made it grow”) is in the imperfect tense, indicating continuous action. The following translation helps explain the meaning of these tenses:

I at one time planted the seeds. At another time Apollos watered the plants. But during the whole time God was causing the plants to grow.

Try to show this difference in the verbs in a way that is natural in your language.

UTN uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / exmetaphor

ἐγὼ ἐφύτευσα, Ἀπολλῶς ἐπότισεν, ἀλλὰ ὁ Θεὸς ηὔξανεν.

(Some words not found in SR-GNT: Ἐγώ ἐφύτευσα Ἀπολλῶς ἐπότισεν ἀλλά ὁ Θεός ηὔξανεν)

Paul speaks about the roles that God gave to him and to Apollos as if they were farmers who planted and watered their crops. See the chapter introduction for further explanation of this metaphor. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express the way that Paul uses farming language to describe how the Corinthians received the gospel with a comparable metaphor or express the idea plainly. Alternate translation: [I introduced you to the gospel, Apollos taught you more about the gospel, but God enabled you to believe]

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / ellipsis

ἐγὼ ἐφύτευσα, Ἀπολλῶς ἐπότισεν, ἀλλὰ ὁ Θεὸς ηὔξανεν.

(Some words not found in SR-GNT: Ἐγώ ἐφύτευσα Ἀπολλῶς ἐπότισεν ἀλλά ὁ Θεός ηὔξανεν)

Paul never states what it is that he planted, that Apollos watered, and that God caused it to grow. He does not state what it is because he wishes to use a general statement about farming practices. If you need to state what is planted and watered, you could include a general word or words such as “seed,” “plant,” or “crop.” Alternate translation: [I planted the seeds, Apollos watered the plants, but God caused the crop to grow] or [I planted the crop, Apollos watered it, but God caused it to grow]

Note 3 topic: grammar-connect-logic-contrast

ἐφύτευσα, Ἀπολλῶς ἐπότισεν, ἀλλὰ ὁ Θεὸς

planted Apollos gave_to_drink (Some words not found in SR-GNT: Ἐγώ ἐφύτευσα Ἀπολλῶς ἐπότισεν ἀλλά ὁ Θεός ηὔξανεν)

Here Paul uses but to contrast himself and Apollos with God. The point is that what he did and what Apollos did are at the same level of importance, but God’s work is the most important. Another way to understand this contrast is to notice that Paul and Apollos assist in the process of plants growing, but God is the only one who actually makes them grow. Again, the main point is that Paul and Apollos are simply “servants” of God ([3:5](../03/05.md)) in a process that God oversees. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express but with a word or phrase that puts Paul and Apollos together in contrast with God. Alternate translation: [planted, and Apollos watered. However, it was God who]

Parallel 1 COR 3:6