1 COR 5:3 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.)

OET (OET-RV) because even though I’m not there physically, I am present in the spirit, and I’ve already made my judgement about the man who’s doing this, as if I were present.

Key: khaki:verbs, light-green:nominative/subject, orange:accusative/object, cyan:dative/indirect 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 even I, being absent in the body but being present in the spirit, have already passed judgment on the one having done such a thing, as if being present.

UST You should expel him because I have already declared the man who did this evil thing to be guilty. Although I am not with you physically, I think about you and care about you. Therefore, when I declare this man to be guilty, it is as valid as if I were with you.

BSB Although I am absent [ from you ] in body, I am present [with you ] in spirit, and I have already pronounced judgment on the [one] [who] did this, just as if I were present.

BLB For I, though being absent in body, now being present in spirit, have already judged the one having thus produced this, as being present,

AICNT For I, indeed, [[as]][fn] though I am being absent in body but present in spirit, have already judged, as though I were present, him who has so done this thing.

5:3, as: Later manuscripts add. BYZ TR

OEB For I myself, though absent in body, have been present with you in spirit, and in the name of our Lord Jesus I have already passed judgment, just as if I had been present, on the man who has acted in this way.

WEBBE For I most certainly, as being absent in body but present in spirit, have already, as though I were present, judged him who has done this thing.

WMBB (Same as above)

NET For even though I am absent physically, I am present in spirit. And I have already judged the one who did this, just as though I were present.

LSV for I indeed, as being absent as to the body, and present as to the spirit, have already judged, as being present, him who so worked this thing:

FBV Even though I'm not physically present there, I am there in spirit and just as if I were there I've already made my judgment of the one who has done this.

TCNT For though I am absent in body, I am present in spirit. And I have already judged the man who did this, just as though I were present.

T4T As for me, I have already decided how you should punish that man. And even though I am away from you, my spirit is with you, and you should do as I would do if I were there with you.

LEB For although I[fn] am absent in body but present in spirit, I have already passed judgment on the one who has done this in this way, as if I[fn] were present.

5:3 *Here “although” is supplied as a component of the participle (“am absent”) which is understood as concessive

5:3 *Here “if” is supplied as a component of the participle (“were present”) which is understood as conditional

BBE For I myself, being present in spirit though not in body, have come to a decision about him who has done this thing;

Moff For my part, present with you in spirit though absent in body, I have already, as in your presence, passed sentence on such an offender as this,

Wymth I for my part, present with you in spirit although absent in body, have already, as though I were present, judged him who has so acted.

ASV For I verily, being absent in body but present in spirit, have already as though I were present judged him that hath so wrought this thing,

DRA I indeed, absent in body, but present in spirit, have already judged, as though I were present, him that hath so done,

YLT for I indeed, as being absent as to the body, and present as to the spirit, have already judged, as being present, him who so wrought this thing:

Drby For I, [as] absent in body but present in spirit, have already judged as present,

RV For I verily, being absent in body but present in spirit, have already, as though I were present, judged him that hath so wrought this thing,
(For I verily/truly, being absent in body but present in spirit, have already, as though I were present, judged him that hath/has so wrought/done this thing, )

SLT For I truly, as being at a distance in body, and being present in spirit, have already, as being present, judged him having so worked this.

Wbstr For I verily, as absent in body, but present in spirit, have judged already as though I were present, concerning him that hath so done this deed,

KJB-1769 For I verily, as absent in body, but present in spirit, have judged already, as though I were present, concerning him that hath so done this deed,
(For I verily/truly, as absent in body, but present in spirit, have judged already, as though I were present, concerning him that hath/has so done this deed, )

KJB-1611 For I verily as absent in body, but present in spirit, haue [fn]iudged alreadie, as though I were present, concerning him that hath so done this deed,
(Modernised spelling is same as from KJB-1769 above, apart from punctuation and footnotes)

5:3 Or, determined.

Bshps For I veryly, as absent in body, but present in spirite, haue determined alredie, as though I were present, concernyng hym that hath done this deede.
(For I verily/truly, as absent in body, but present in spirit, have determined alredie, as though I were present, concerning him that hath/has done this deede.)

Gnva For I verely as absent in bodie, but present in spirit, haue determined already as though I were present, that he that hath thus done this thing,
(For I verily/truly as absent in body, but present in spirit, have determined already as though I were present, that he that hath/has thus done this thing, )

Cvdl For I verely as absent in body, but present in sprete, haue determyned allready as though I were present (cocernynge him that hath done this dede)
(For I verily/truly as absent in body, but present in spirit, have determined already as though I were present (cocerning him that hath/has done this dede))

TNT For I verely as absent in body even so present in sprete have determyned all redy (as though I were present) of him that hath done this dede
(For I verily/truly as absent in body even so present in spirit have determined all ready (as though I were present) of him that hath/has done this deed )

Wycl And Y absent in bodi, but present in spirit, now haue demyd as present hym that hath thus wrouyt, whanne
(And I absent in body, but present in spirit, now have demyd as present him that hath/has thus wrought/done, when)

Luth Ich zwar, als der ich mit dem Leibe nicht da bin, doch mit dem Geist gegenwärtig, habe schon als gegenwärtig beschlossen über den, den solches also getan hat:
(I that_is, as the/of_the I with to_him body not there am, though/but with to_him spirit currently, have already as currently decided above him, the such also did has:)

ClVg Ego quidem absens corpore, præsens autem spiritu, jam judicavi ut præsens eum, qui sic operatus est,
(I indeed absens body, present however in_spirit, already I_judged as present him, who/which so worked it_is, )

UGNT ἐγὼ μὲν γάρ ἀπὼν τῷ σώματι, παρὼν δὲ τῷ πνεύματι, ἤδη κέκρικα ὡς παρὼν, τὸν οὕτως τοῦτο κατεργασάμενον.
(egō men gar apōn tōi sōmati, parōn de tōi pneumati, aʸdaʸ kekrika hōs parōn, ton houtōs touto katergasamenon.)

SBL-GNT Ἐγὼ μὲν γάρ, ⸀ἀπὼν τῷ σώματι παρὼν δὲ τῷ πνεύματι, ἤδη κέκρικα ὡς παρὼν τὸν οὕτως τοῦτο κατεργασάμενον
(Egō men gar, ⸀apōn tōi sōmati parōn de tōi pneumati, aʸdaʸ kekrika hōs parōn ton houtōs touto katergasamenon)

RP-GNT Ἐγὼ μὲν γὰρ ὡς ἀπὼν τῷ σώματι παρὼν δὲ τῷ πνεύματι, ἤδη κέκρικα ὡς παρών, τὸν οὕτως τοῦτο κατεργασάμενον,
(Egō men gar hōs apōn tōi sōmati parōn de tōi pneumati, aʸdaʸ kekrika hōs parōn, ton houtōs touto katergasamenon,)

TC-GNT Ἐγὼ μὲν γὰρ [fn]ὡς ἀπὼν τῷ σώματι παρὼν δὲ τῷ πνεύματι, ἤδη κέκρικα ὡς παρών, τὸν οὕτω τοῦτο κατεργασάμενον,
(Egō men gar hōs apōn tōi sōmati parōn de tōi pneumati, aʸdaʸ kekrika hōs parōn, ton houtō touto katergasamenon, )

5:3 ως ¦ — CT

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

SOTN SIL Open Translator’s Notes:

Section 5:1–13: Paul commanded the believers to punish the immoral church member

Someone had told Paul that one of the men in the church in Corinth had been having sexual relations with his father’s wife, that is, his step-mother. Paul wrote that the believers must punish this man by expelling him from the church. They should not allow this man to meet with them when they gathered to worship God together. Paul urged the Corinthians to keep away from people who called themselves believers but continually committed grave sins. The main point of this section is that the Corinthians were to judge and discipline the man within their fellowship who was sinning.

Paragraph 5:1–5

Paul introduced a new problem in the church at Corinth. One of the believers was behaving immorally. Paul urged the others to expel him from the church.

5:3–5

These three verses are one sentence in Greek. In your translation you will probably want to break it into several sentences. For example:

³I am not with you in person, but I am with you in spirit. And I have already judged the man who did that sin as if I were really there. ⁴When you meet together in the name of our Lord Jesus, and I meet with you in spirit with the power of our Lord Jesus, ⁵hand this man over to Satan. So his sinful self will be destroyed, and his soul will be saved on the day of the Lord. (NCV)

5:3a

Although I am absent from you in body,

Even though I am not there with you,
Although I am far away from you,

In Greek 5:3a begins with a connecting word that is often translated as “for” or “because” (See 5:3 in the NRSV.) In this context this word introduces one reason why the Corinthians should have expelled the man who had sinned.

Although I am absent from you in body: The Greek phrase that the BSB translates as absent from you in body indicates that Paul was not actually in Corinth in person. Other ways to translate this include:

Even though I am not physically present (NIV)

I am not there with you in person, but…. (NCV)

5:3b

I am present with you in spirit,

I am there with you in my spirit/heart/mind.
I am present with you spiritually.

I am present with you in spirit: The Greek clause that the BSB translates literally as I am present with you in spirit means: “I am there with you in my spirit,” that is, I am with you spiritually.

5:3c-5a

There is a problem with understanding the structure of these verse parts. There are three ways of understanding where the phrase “in the name of our Lord Jesus” belongs. The three main views are:

It belongs with the phrase “you are assembled.” The believers came together in the name of the Lord Jesus. For example:
I…have already condemned the man who behaved in this way, just as though I were present in person. When you have gathered together in the name of our Lord Jesus…. (NJB) (BSB, NIV, REB, NCV, NET, ESV, NJB)
It belongs with the phrase “I have already pronounced judgment.” Paul passed judgment on the sinner with the authority of the Lord Jesus. For example:
and as if present I have already passed judgment in the name of the Lord Jesus on the man who has done such a thing. When you are assembled… (NRSV) (RSV, GNT, CEV, NLT)
It belongs with the phrase “hand this man over to Satan.” Paul said the man should be handed over to Satan by the authority of the Lord Jesus. Here is another way to translate this:
Then, in the name of our Lord Jesus, and with his power, hand such a person over to Satan… (GW) (GW)

The KJV can be understood either way. It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1) since it has strong translation support.

5:3c

and I have already pronounced judgment on the one who did this,

And I have already decided that/how we must punish/discipline the man who has sinned.

I have already pronounced judgment on the one who did this: The Greek verb that the BSB translates as I have…pronounced judgment is literally “I have judged.” This is the main verb in 5:3. Paul had already made his decision about what the Corinthian believers should do with this immoral man in their group.

5:3d

just as if I were present.

I am acting/speaking as one who is present/there with you.

just as if I were present: The Greek phrase that the BSB translates as just as if I were present is more literally “as present.” That is, Paul was emphasizing that he was spiritually present rather than that he was physically absent.

General Comment on 5:3c-d

In some languages it may be natural to follow the NRSV and reverse the order of these verse parts:

^3das if present ^3cI have already pronounced judgment (NRSV)

UTN uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: grammar-connect-logic-result

γάρ

for

Here, the word For introduces the reason why the man who has committed the sexual sin should be “removed from among you” ([5:2](../05/02.md)). The reason is because Paul has already passed judgment on him, and so the Corinthians should be enacting the punishment. Use a word or phrase in your language that introduces a reason. Alternate translation: [He should be removed since]

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / idiom

ἀπὼν τῷ σώματι

(Some words not found in SR-GNT: Ἐγώ μέν γάρ ἀπών τῷ σώματι παρών δέ τῷ πνεύματι ἤδη κέκρικα ὡς παρών τόν οὕτως τοῦτο κατεργασάμενον)

In Paul’s culture, being absent in body is a figurative way to speak about not being present in person. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express being absent in the body with a comparable expression or translate the idea plainly. Alternate translation: [not being there with you]

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / idiom

παρὼν & τῷ πνεύματι

In Paul’s culture, being present in spirit is a figurative way to speak of thinking about and caring about that person. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express the idea behind being present in spiritwith a comparable metaphor or plainly. Alternate translation: [still being connected to you]

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

τῷ πνεύματι

¬the ¬the ˱in˲_spirit

Here, spirit could refer to: (1) Paul’s spirit, which would be the part of him that connects with the Corinthians across a distance. Alternate translation: [in my spirit] (2) the Holy Spirit, which connects Paul with the Corinthians, even though they are not physically together. Alternate translation: [in God’s Spirit] or [by the power of God’s Spirit]

Note 5 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

ἤδη κέκρικα & τὸν οὕτως τοῦτο κατεργασάμενον

already ˓have˒_judged & (Some words not found in SR-GNT: Ἐγώ μέν γάρ ἀπών τῷ σώματι παρών δέ τῷ πνεύματι ἤδη κέκρικα ὡς παρών τόν οὕτως τοῦτο κατεργασάμενον)

Paul assumes that his readers will understand that already passed judgment means that he has declared the man to be guilty. You could include this information if that would be helpful to your readers. Two verses later ([5:4](../05/04.md)), Paul specifies what the punishment that results from the judgment should be: the man should be “handed over to Satan.” Use a word or phrase that indicates a decision about guilt, not a punishment. Alternate translation: [have already judged the one who did such a thing to be guilty]

Note 6 topic: figures-of-speech / abstractnouns

ἤδη κέκρικα

already ˓have˒_judged

If your language does not use an abstract noun for the idea behind judgment, you can express the idea by using a verb such as “judge” instead of passed judgment on. Alternate translation: [have already judged]

Note 7 topic: figures-of-speech / euphemism

τὸν οὕτως τοῦτο κατεργασάμενον

Paul does not wish to repeat the ugly details of the man having sex with his stepmother. Instead, he uses general words to refer back to what he has already said about the man. If possible, preserve how Paul avoids repeating the details of the sin in your translation. You could use vague language like Paul does, or you could use a similar euphemism. Alternate translation: [the man who committed this sin]

Note 8 topic: grammar-connect-condition-contrary

ὡς παρὼν

as (Some words not found in SR-GNT: Ἐγώ μέν γάρ ἀπών τῷ σώματι παρών δέ τῷ πνεύματι ἤδη κέκρικα ὡς παρών τόν οὕτως τοῦτο κατεργασάμενον)

Here Paul makes a conditional statement that might sound hypothetical but that he knows is not true. He knows that he is not present with them, but he wants to emphasize that his judgment is just as effective as if he were present. Use a natural form in your language for introducing a condition that the speaker believes is not true. Alternate translation: [even though I am absent]

Parallel 1 COR 5:3