2 COR 13:8 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, orange:accusative/object, pink:genitive/possessor, 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 we are not able to do anything against the truth, but only on behalf of the truth.

UST We want you to do good things even if then we cannot discipline you and appear to be powerful because we must obey God’s true message. We cannot do anything that contradicts God’s true message.

AICNT For we have no power against the truth, but only for the truth.

OEB We have no power at all against the truth, but we have power in the service of the truth.

WEBBE For we can do nothing against the truth, but for the truth.

WMBB (Same as above)

NET For we cannot do anything against the truth, but only for the sake of the truth.

LSV for we are not able to do anything against the truth, but for the truth;

FBV We can't do anything against the truth, only for the truth.

TCNT For we cannot do anything against the truth, but only for the truth.

T4T If you do what is right, I will not discipline you, because it would not be right for me to do that if you are conducting your lives the way you should, like God’s true message says that you should. What God asks me to do is to help people to know and obey his true message.

LEB For we are not able to do anything against the truth, but rather only for the truth.

BBE Because we are able to do nothing against what is true, but only for it.

Moff (Fail or succeed, I cannot work against the truth but for it!)

Wymth For we have no power against the truth, but only for the furtherance of the truth;

ASV For we can do nothing against the truth, but for the truth.

DRA For we can do nothing against the truth; but for the truth.

YLT for we are not able to do anything against the truth, but for the truth;

Drby For we can do nothing against the truth, but for the truth.

RV For we can do nothing against the truth, but for the truth.

SLT For we are not able anything against the truth, but for the truth.

Wbstr For we can do nothing against the truth, but for the truth.

KJB-1769 For we can do nothing against the truth, but for the truth.

KJB-1611 For wee can doe nothing against the trueth, but for the trueth.
(Modernised spelling is same as from KJB-1769 above)

Bshps For we can do nothyng agaynst the trueth: but for the trueth.
(Modernised spelling is same as from KJB-1769 above, apart from punctuation)

Gnva For wee can not doe any thing against the trueth, but for the trueth.
(For we cannot do anything against the truth, but for the truth. )

Cvdl For we maye do nothinge agaynst ye trueth, but for ye trueth.
(For we may do nothing against ye/you_all truth, but for ye/you_all truth.)

TNT We can do no thinge agaynst the trueth but for the trueth.
(We can do no thing against the truth but for the truth. )

Wycl For we moun no thing ayens treuthe, but for the treuthe.
(For we may/can no thing against truth, but for the truth.)

Luth Denn wir können nichts wider die Wahrheit, sondern für die Wahrheit.
(Because we/us can nothing against the truth, rather for/in_favour_of the truth.)

ClVg Non enim possumus aliquid adversus veritatem, sed pro veritate.
(Not/No because we_can something against the_truth, but for with_truth. )

UGNT οὐ γὰρ δυνάμεθά τι κατὰ τῆς ἀληθείας, ἀλλὰ ὑπὲρ τῆς ἀληθείας.
(ou gar dunametha ti kata taʸs alaʸtheias, alla huper taʸs alaʸtheias.)

SBL-GNT οὐ γὰρ δυνάμεθά τι κατὰ τῆς ἀληθείας, ἀλλὰ ὑπὲρ τῆς ἀληθείας.
(ou gar dunametha ti kata taʸs alaʸtheias, alla huper taʸs alaʸtheias.)

RP-GNT Οὐ γὰρ δυνάμεθά τι κατὰ τῆς ἀληθείας, ἀλλ' ὑπὲρ τῆς ἀληθείας.
(Ou gar dunametha ti kata taʸs alaʸtheias, all' huper taʸs alaʸtheias.)

TC-GNT Οὐ γὰρ δυνάμεθά τι κατὰ τῆς ἀληθείας, [fn]ἀλλ᾽ ὑπὲρ τῆς ἀληθείας.
(Ou gar dunametha ti kata taʸs alaʸtheias, all huper taʸs alaʸtheias. )

13:8 αλλ ¦ αλλα NA²⁷ SBL TH WH

Key for above GNTs: orange:accents differ, red:words differ (from our SR-GNT base).

SOTN SIL Open Translator’s Notes:

Section 13:1–10: Some warnings

In this section, Paul warned the believers that he would punish anyone who was sinning and refusing to repent (13:1–2). He said he would do that because some believers in Corinth were demanding proof from him that he was a true apostle (13:3a). He told them that he could work powerfully because Jesus is powerful (13:3b). He told them that they were weak in their natural abilities but had God’s power, as Jesus did when he lived on earth (13:4).

Then Paul commanded them to look carefully at themselves to see if they were truly believers or not (13:5). Paul expected that if they studied Paul’s words and deeds, then they would see that he was a true apostle (13:6). Paul told them that he and his coworkers prayed for the believers in Corinth that they would not sin and that they would do what was right (13:7). Paul told them that he and his coworkers worked in accordance with the truth (13:8). He told the believers that he prayed that they would always do as God wanted them to do (13:9). He told them that he wrote about their problems so that they would correct those problems themselves. Then he would encourage them when he went there and would not have to discipline them (13:10).

Other examples for this section heading are:

Examine Yourselves (NASB)

Paul gave final warnings

Final warnings and greetings

13:8a

For we cannot do anything against the truth,

For we cannot oppose the truth (NLT)
Since, whatever happens with you,^(plur) we^(excl) cannot do a thing against the truth,

For: This conjunction introduces an explanation of 13:7c–d or of the whole of 13:7.

we cannot do anything against the truth: Here the word truth probably refers to the gospel of Jesus. Paul could do nothing to hurt it. He implied that if the believers were following the truth, then he would have no need to do anything against them. Other ways to translate this clause are:

we cannot oppose the truth (NLT)

All we can do is to follow the truth and not fight against it (CEV)

as in this situation, we cannot do anything against the truth of the gospel about Jesus Christ

13:8b

but only for the truth.

but must always stand for the truth. (NLT)
instead, we can only do things for the truth.

but only for the truth: Some of the words from 13:8a are implied but not repeated here. In some languages, it may be more natural to repeat some or all of those words. For example:

but we can only do things for the truth

but we have power only to do things for the truth

but God gave us this power only for advancing the message of truth

UTN uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: grammar-connect-logic-result

γὰρ

(Some words not found in SR-GNT: οὒ Γάρ δυνάμεθα τὶ κατά τῆς ἀληθείας ἀλλʼ ὑπέρ τῆς ἀληθείας)

The word translated as For indicates that what follows is a reason for what came before. Use a connector in your language that makes it clear that what follows is a reason for what came before. Alternate translation: [This is because]

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / abstractnouns

(Occurrence -1) τῆς ἀληθείας

(Some words not found in SR-GNT: οὒ Γάρ δυνάμεθα τὶ κατά τῆς ἀληθείας ἀλλʼ ὑπέρ τῆς ἀληθείας)

If your language does not use an abstract noun for the idea of truth, you could express the same idea in another way. Alternate translation: [God’s true message … God’s true message]

Parallel 2 COR 13:8

Section 13:1–10: Some warnings

13:8a

13:8b

Parallel 2 COR 13:8