2COR 4:7 Parallel Verse View

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Text critical issues=small word differences Clarity of original=clear Importance=normal (All still tentative.)

Key: khaki:verbs, light-green:nominative/subject, orange:accusative/object, pink:genitive/possessor, cyan:dative/indirect object.
Note: Automatic aligning of the OET-RV to the LV is done by some temporary software, hence the OET-RV alignments are incomplete (and may occasionally be wrong).

ULT But we have this treasure in clay jars, so that the surpassing greatness of the power might be from God and not from us;

UST We experience and proclaim these wonderful things, but we ourselves are weak and worthless. That way, it is clear that God causes these things to be so powerful, not we.

BSB § Now we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this surpassingly great power is from God and not from us.

BLB Now we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the surpassingness of the power may be from God, and not from us,

AICNT But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, so that the surpassing power may be of God and not from us;

OEB ¶ This treasure we have in these earthen vessels, so that its all-prevailing power may be seen to come from God, and not to be our own.

WEBBE But we have this treasure in clay vessels, that the exceeding greatness of the power may be of God and not from ourselves.

WMBB (Same as above)

NET But we have this treasure in clay jars, so that the extraordinary power belongs to God and does not come from us.

LSV And we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God, and not of us,

FBV But we have this treasure in clay jars, to show that this supreme power comes from God and not from ourselves.

TCNT But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that this extraordinary power is from God and not from us.

T4T This work that God has given to us (exc) is [MET] like a very valuable treasure. But we who have that treasure are as weak as fragile [MET] clay pots. God has planned it like that in order that people will know that the power that changes lives is God’s power, and not any power of our own.

LEB But we have this treasure in earthenware jars, in order that the extraordinary degree of the power may be from God and not from us.

BBE But we have this wealth in vessels of earth, so that it may be seen that the power comes not from us but from God;

Moff No Moff 2COR book available

Wymth But we have this treasure in a fragile vase of clay, in order that the surpassing greatness of the power may be seen to belong to God, and not to originate in us.

ASV But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the exceeding greatness of the power may be of God, and not from ourselves;

DRA But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency may be of the power of God, and not of us.

YLT And we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us;

Drby But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the surpassingness of the power may be of [fn]God, and not from us:

4.7 Elohim

RV But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the exceeding greatness of the power may be of God, and not from ourselves;

Wbstr But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God, and not from us.

KJB-1769 But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.

KJB-1611 But we haue this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellencie of the power may be of God, and not of vs.
(But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellencie of the power may be of God, and not of us.)

Bshps But we haue this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellencie of the power be Gods, and not ours.
(But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellencie of the power be Gods, and not ours.)

Gnva But we haue this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellencie of that power might be of God, and not of vs.
(But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellencie of that power might be of God, and not of us. )

Cvdl But this treasure haue we in earthen vessels, that ye power which excelleth might be of God, and not of vs.
(But this treasure have we in earthen vessels, that ye/you_all power which excelleth might be of God, and not of us.)

TNT But we have this treasure in erthe vessels that the excellent power of it myght appere to be of God and not of vs.
(But we have this treasure in earth vessels that the excellent power of it might appere to be of God and not of us. )

Wyc And we han this tresour in britil vessels, that the worthinesse be of Goddis vertu, and not of vs.
(And we have this tresour in britil vessels, that the worthynesse be of Goddis virtue, and not of us.)

Luth Wir haben aber solchen Schatz in irdischen Gefäßen, auf daß die überschwengliche Kraft sei Gottes und nicht von uns.
(We have but solchen Schatz in irdischen Gefäßen, on that the überschwengliche Kraft be God’s and not from uns.)

ClVg Habemus autem thesaurum istum in vasis fictilibus: ut sublimitas sit virtutis Dei, et non ex nobis.[fn]
(Habemus however thesaurum that in vasis fictilibus: as sublimitas let_it_be of_virtue of_God, and not/no from nobis. )

4.7 Habemus. Hactenus de altitudine scientiæ egit: hic de fragilitate carnis, quæ est ad gloriam, etsi contra videatur. Thesaurum. Sacramentum Dei, quod fidelibus erogatur, perfidis absconditur; esse thesaurum affirmat.

4.7 Habemus. Hactenus about altitudine scientiæ egit: this about fragilitate carnis, which it_is to gloriam, etsi on_the_contrary videatur. Thesaurum. Sacramentum of_God, that fidelibus erogatur, perfidis absconditur; esse thesaurum affirmat.

UGNT ἔχομεν δὲ τὸν θησαυρὸν τοῦτον ἐν ὀστρακίνοις σκεύεσιν, ἵνα ἡ ὑπερβολὴ τῆς δυνάμεως ᾖ τοῦ Θεοῦ, καὶ μὴ ἐξ ἡμῶν;
(eⱪomen de ton thaʸsauron touton en ostrakinois skeuesin, hina haʸ huperbolaʸ taʸs dunameōs aʸ tou Theou, kai maʸ ex haʸmōn;)

SBL-GNT Ἔχομεν δὲ τὸν θησαυρὸν τοῦτον ἐν ὀστρακίνοις σκεύεσιν, ἵνα ἡ ὑπερβολὴ τῆς δυνάμεως ᾖ τοῦ θεοῦ καὶ μὴ ἐξ ἡμῶν·
(Eⱪomen de ton thaʸsauron touton en ostrakinois skeuesin, hina haʸ huperbolaʸ taʸs dunameōs aʸ tou theou kai maʸ ex haʸmōn;)

TC-GNT Ἔχομεν δὲ τὸν θησαυρὸν τοῦτον ἐν ὀστρακίνοις σκεύεσιν, ἵνα ἡ ὑπερβολὴ τῆς δυνάμεως ᾖ τοῦ Θεοῦ, καὶ μὴ ἐξ ἡμῶν·
(Eⱪomen de ton thaʸsauron touton en ostrakinois skeuesin, hina haʸ huperbolaʸ taʸs dunameōs aʸ tou Theou, kai maʸ ex haʸmōn; )

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

UTN uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: grammar-connect-logic-contrast

δὲ

but

Here, the word But contrasts the “glory of God” from the previous verse with how Paul and his fellow workers are clay jars. If it would be helpful in your language, you could use a word or phrase that introduces a contrast, or you could leave But untranslated. Alternate translation: “However,”

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

ἔχομεν & τὸν θησαυρὸν τοῦτον ἐν ὀστρακίνοις σκεύεσιν

˱we˲_/are/_having & ¬the treasure this in earthen vessels

Here Paul speaks of the knowledge about God’s glory as if it were a treasure, that is, something that is very valuable. He speaks of himself and those who proclaim the gospel as if they were clay jars, which are not valuable and can break easily. He speaks in this way to contrast how valuable and long-lasting the gospel is (the treasure) with how worthless and weak he and those who preach the gospel with him are in comparison (clay jars). If it would be helpful in your language, you could explain the figure of speech or state the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: “we have these riches in disposable containers” or “we have this valuable gospel as weak and worthless people”

Note 3 topic: writing-pronouns

τὸν θησαυρὸν τοῦτον

¬the treasure this

Here, the word this identifies the treasure as “the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ” (See: 4:6). If it would be helpful in your language, you could make explicit what this refers to. Alternate translation: “the treasure of the knowledge of the glory of God” or “that treasure”

Note 4 topic: translate-unknown

ὀστρακίνοις σκεύεσιν

earthen vessels

Here, the word jars refers to any type of container that is meant to hold something else. The word clay refers to dirt or mud, which was used to make inexpensive and fragile containers. If it would be helpful in your language, you could use words that refer to containers made out of cheap and weak material. Alternate translation: “inexpensive containers” or “fragile and cheap vessels”

Note 5 topic: figures-of-speech / possession

ἡ ὑπερβολὴ τῆς δυνάμεως

the excellent ˱of˲_the power

Here Paul uses the possessive form to characterize the power as something with surpassing greatness. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express the idea in another way. Alternate translation: “the surpassing greatness that characterizes the power” or “the surpassingly great power”

Note 6 topic: figures-of-speech / abstractnouns

ἡ ὑπερβολὴ τῆς δυνάμεως

the excellent ˱of˲_the power

If your language does not use abstract nouns for the ideas of greatness and power, you could express the ideas by using adjectives such as “great” and “powerful.” Alternate translation: “how surpassingly great and powerful these things are”

Parallel 2COR 4:7