1 COR 6:3 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) Don’t you realise that we’ll judge God’s messengers? So surely we can judge things of this life?

Key: khaki:verbs, orange:accusative/object, 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 Do you not know that we will judge angels? How much more, matters of this life?

UST You need to realize that we will decide whether angels are innocent or guilty. Since we will do that, we are certainly able to decide about disputes related to our current lives.

BLB Do you not know that we will judge angels? How much more the things of this life?

AICNT Do you not know that we will judge angels, [not to mention] matters of this life?

OEB Don’t you know that we are to try angels – to say nothing of the affairs of this life?

WEBBE Don’t you know that we will judge angels? How much more, things that pertain to this life?

WMBB (Same as above)

NET Do you not know that we will judge angels? Why not ordinary matters!

LSV Have you not known that we will judge messengers? Why not then the things of life?

FBV Don't you know we are going to judge angels? How much more those things that relate to this life!

TCNT Do you not know that we will judge angels, not to mention matters of this life?

T4T ◄You should keep in mind that we will even judge angels!/Do you not know that we will even judge angels?► [RHQ] So we certainly should be able to judge about matters that relate to how we conduct our lives here on earth!

LEB Do you not know that we will judge angels, not to mention ordinary matters?

BBE Is it not certain that we are to be the judges of angels? how much more then of the things of this life?

Moff Do you not know we are to manage angels, let alone mundane issues?

Wymth Do you not know that we are to sit in judgement upon angels—to say nothing of things belonging to this life?

ASV Know ye not that we shall judge angels? how much more, things that pertain to this life?

DRA Know you not that we shall judge angels? how much more things of this world?

YLT have ye not known that we shall judge messengers? why not then the things of life?

Drby Do ye not know that we shall judge angels? and not then matters of this life?

RV Know ye not that we shall judge angels? how much more, things that pertain to this life?
(Know ye/you_all not that we shall judge angels? how much more, things that pertain to this life? )

SLT Know ye not that we shall judge messengers? also not only things pertaining to the cares of life?

Wbstr Know ye not that we shall judge angels? how much more, things that pertain to this life?

KJB-1769 Know ye not that we shall judge angels? how much more things that pertain to this life?
(Know ye/you_all not that we shall judge angels? how much more things that pertain to this life? )

KJB-1611 Know ye not that we shall iudge Angels? How much more things that perteine to this life?
(Know ye/you_all not that we shall judge Angels? How much more things that perteine to this life?)

Bshps Know ye not howe that we shal iudge the angels? Howe much more thinges that parteyne to this lyfe?
(Know ye/you_all not how that we shall judge the angels? How much more things that parteyne to this life?)

Gnva Knowe ye not that we shall iudge the Angels? howe much more, things that perteine to this life?
(Know ye/you_all not that we shall judge the Angels? how much more, things that perteine to this life? )

Cvdl Knowe ye not that we shal iudge the angels? how moch more thinges that pertayne to the teporall life?
(Know ye/you_all not that we shall judge the angels? how much more things that pertain to the teporall life?)

TNT knowe ye not how that we shall iudge the angles? How moche more maye we iudge thinges that partayne to the lyfe?
(know ye/you_all not how that we shall judge the angles? How much more may we judge things that partayne to the life? )

Wycl Witen ye not, that we schulen deme aungels? hou myche more worldli thingis?
(Witen ye/you_all not, that we should judge/judgement angels? how much more worldli things?)

Luth Wisset ihr nicht, daß wir über die Engel richten werden? wieviel mehr über die zeitlichen Güter!
(Know you(pl)/their/her not, that we/us above the angel direct become? how_much more above the time(v)en goods!)

ClVg Nescitis quoniam angelos judicabimus? quanto magis sæcularia?
(You_don't_know since/because messenger/angels judgebimus? how_much more seculara? )

UGNT οὐκ οἴδατε ὅτι ἀγγέλους κρινοῦμεν, μήτι γε βιωτικά?
(ouk oidate hoti angelous krinoumen, maʸti ge biōtika?)

SBL-GNT οὐκ οἴδατε ὅτι ἀγγέλους κρινοῦμεν, μήτιγε βιωτικά;
(ouk oidate hoti angelous krinoumen, maʸtige biōtika;)

RP-GNT Οὐκ οἴδατε ὅτι ἀγγέλους κρινοῦμεν; Μήτι γε βιωτικά;
(Ouk oidate hoti angelous krinoumen; Maʸti ge biōtika;)

TC-GNT Οὐκ οἴδατε ὅτι ἀγγέλους κρινοῦμεν; Μήτι γε βιωτικά;
(Ouk oidate hoti angelous krinoumen; Maʸti ge biōtika; )

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

SOTN SIL Open Translator’s Notes:

Section 6:1–11: Believers must not take fellow believers to court before unbelieving judges

In this section Paul discussed another problem in the church in Corinth. At least one of the believers had taken another believer to a pagan/civil court to settle a dispute. Paul told the Corinthian believers that this was unwise and harmful to the church. He taught them what they as believers should do if another believer wronged them.

Here are some other possible section headings:

Believers should not go to law before unbelievers

Christians should not sue other Christians in pagan courts

Advice about lawsuits

Paragraph 6:1–6

In this paragraph Paul told the Corinthian believers how foolish they were to take disputes among themselves to be settled before unbelievers. He gave them some reasons why they should not have unbelievers judge between them. Paul used sarcasm and rhetorical questions to show the Corinthians how serious the situation in their church was. He wanted them to feel ashamed of themselves. They should settle disputes between believers themselves.

6:3a

Do you not know that we will judge angels?

Have you forgotten that in the future we^(incl) will even judge angels?
Listen to this: some day we^(incl) believers will be judges over angels.
I want to remind you that in the future we^(incl) who are God’s people will even decide about God’s angels.

Do you not know that we will judge angels?: This is a rhetorical question. Paul used this rhetorical question to introduce another reason why the Corinthians did not need outside judges to settle disputes between them. He reminded the Corinthians of something someone had taught them before: Christians will someday judge angels. He reminded them of this in order to emphasize the difference between the important things believers will judge in the future and the unimportance of the disputes they were having at that time. There are two ways to translate this rhetorical question:

as a rhetorical question. For example:
Are you not aware that we are to judge angels…? (REB)
as a statement. For example:
You know that in the future we will judge angels. (NCV)

judge angels: Paul did not say here whether he was referring to good angels only, or bad angels only, or all angels, good and bad. So it would be good to use an expression that can cover any of those. Paul was emphasizing the high place/position God’s people will share with Christ in the kingdom of God. Believers will share in Christ’s authority over angels. You should not include in your translation any implied information about what God’s people will judge angels for.The Scriptures teach that angels, God’s heavenly messengers, will answer to God for the choices they make about serving God or the devil. See, for example, 2 Peter 2:4; Jude 6; Revelation 20:10; Matthew 25:41. But Paul does not discuss this here.

6:3b

How much more the things of this life!

So then, we^(incl) are certainly able to decide about the usual/ordinary disagreements which come up in this life!
So surely you/we^(incl) can settle little everyday problems/arguments!

How much more the things of this life!: Paul did not write a complete sentence here. He expected the Corinthians to make a comparison in their thoughts, something like this: “Since we will some day judge angels, then how much more we can judge and settle little everyday affairs.” If you need to translate this as a complete sentence, you may use:

a statement. For example:
How much more should we^(incl) be able to judge the things of this life!
a rhetorical question.There is some question about the correct punctuation of this verse. There is no punctuation in the earliest Greek manuscripts. The third edition of the UBS Greek New Testament notes the possibility of placing a question mark after 6:3a; the fourth edition places one only at the end of 6:3b. The translator can do what is natural in his or her language. The RSV, GNT, and NJB, like the BSB, place a question mark at the end of 6:3a. The RSV and NJB then punctuate 6:3b as a question, and the GNT punctuates it as an exclamation. Either is acceptable. For example:
Should we^(incl) not be even more capable of judging the things of this life?

the things of this life: The Greek word that the BSB translates as the things of this life refers to things connected with life here on earth, the everyday affairs of food, clothing, houses, and lands. Believers might have disagreements over money, possessions, inheritance, boundaries of fields, gardens, grazing area for animals, fishing rights, and so on. These are all things of this life. Other ways to translate this include:

the ordinary things of this life (NCV)

everyday matters (CEV)

UTN uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / rquestion

οὐκ οἴδατε ὅτι ἀγγέλους κρινοῦμεν,

(Some words not found in SR-GNT: Οὐκ οἴδατε ὅτι ἀγγέλους κρινοῦμεν μήτι γέ βιωτικά)

Paul does not ask this question because he is looking for information. Rather, he asks it to involve the Corinthians in what he is arguing. The question assumes that the answer is “yes.” If it would be helpful in your language, you could express the idea behind this question as an emphatic statement. Alternate translation: [Surely you know that we will judge angels.]

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / rquestion

μήτι γε βιωτικά?

surely_not (Some words not found in SR-GNT: Οὐκ οἴδατε ὅτι ἀγγέλους κρινοῦμεν μήτι γέ βιωτικά)

Paul does not ask this question because he is looking for information. Rather, he asks it to involve the Corinthians in what he is arguing. The question assumes that the reader agrees. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express the idea behind this question as an emphatic statement. Alternate translation: [How much more the matters of this life!]

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / ellipsis

μήτι γε βιωτικά

surely_not (Some words not found in SR-GNT: Οὐκ οἴδατε ὅτι ἀγγέλους κρινοῦμεν μήτι γέ βιωτικά)

Here Paul omits some words that may be required in your language to make a full sentence. You could supply words such as “can we judge” or “are we able to judge” to complete the thought. Alternate translation: [How much more can we judge the matters of this life] or [How much more are we able to judge the matters of this life]

Note 4 topic: grammar-connect-logic-result

μήτι γε

surely_not (Some words not found in SR-GNT: Οὐκ οἴδατε ὅτι ἀγγέλους κρινοῦμεν μήτι γέ βιωτικά)

Here Paul’s argument assumes that judging angels is a greater and more difficult thing than judging the matters of this life. The phrase How much more implies that people who can do a great and difficult thing like judging angels can easily do a less impressive and easier thing like judging the matters of this life. If How much more does not express that connection in your language, you could use a word or phrase that does express that connection. Alternate translation: [If we can do that, can we not judge] or [Should it not be easy, then, to judge]

Note 5 topic: translate-unknown

βιωτικά

˓the˒_living_‹things›

Here, matters of this life refers to anything that is a part of people’s ordinary or daily lives. Paul uses the word to identify the lawsuits among the Corinthians as simply matters of ordinary life and insignificant in comparison with something like judging angels. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express matters of this life with a word or phrase that refers to features of daily or regular life. Alternate translation: [what happens in our daily lives]

Parallel 1 COR 6:3

Section 6:1–11: Believers must not take fellow believers to court before unbelieving judges

Paragraph 6:1–6

6:3a

6:3b

Parallel 1 COR 6:3