2 COR 6:15 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.)

Key: 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 RV alignments are incomplete (and may occasionally be wrong).

ULT And what harmony does Christ have with Beliar? Or what share does a believer have with an unbeliever?

UST The Messiah does not agree about anything with the devil Beliar. Further, people who trust the Messiah do not belong with people who do not trust the Messiah.

6:15 Scrivener’s TR and PT; many Greek sources Beliar

MSB What harmony [is there between] Christ and Belial?[fn] Or what {does} a believer have in common with an unbeliever?

6:15 Scrivener’s TR and GOC; many Greek sources Beliar

BLB And what harmony has Christ with Belial? Or what part to a believer is with an unbeliever?

AICNT What agreement has Christ with Belial,[fn] or what portion does a believer share with an unbeliever?

6:15, Belial: Or Beliar. A term occurring in the Hebrew Bible and later Jewish and Christian texts to refer to the devil or a wicked person. It is often used as a personification of wickedness.

OEB What harmony can there be between Christ and Belial? Or what can those who accept the faith have in common with those who reject it?

WEBBE What agreement does Christ have with Belial? Or what portion does a believer have with an unbeliever?

WMBB What agreement does Messiah have with Belial? Or what portion does a believer have with an unbeliever?

NET And what agreement does Christ have with Beliar? Or what does a believer share in common with an unbeliever?

LSV And what fellowship to light with darkness? And what concord to Christ with Belial? Or what part to a believer with an unbeliever?

FBV How could Christ and the Devil[fn] ever agree? How could a believer and an unbeliever share together?

6:15 Literally, “Belial.”

TCNT What harmony does Christ have with Belial? What portion does a believer have with an unbeliever?

T4T There is no [RHQ] agreement of any kind between Christ and Satan. So, believers have no [RHQ] common spiritual interests with unbelievers.

LEB And what agreement does Christ have with Beliar? Or what share does a believer have with an unbeliever?

BBE And what agreement is there between Christ and the Evil One? or what part has one who has faith with one who has not?

Moff What harmony can there be between Christ and Belial,
⇔ or what business has a believer with an unbeliever?

Wymth Where can harmony between Christ and Belial be found? Or what participation has a believer with an unbeliever?

ASV And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what portion hath a believer with an unbeliever?

DRA And what concord hath Christ with Belial? Or what part hath the faithful with the unbeliever?

YLT and what fellowship to light with darkness? and what concord to Christ with Belial? or what part to a believer with an unbeliever?

Drby and what consent of Christ with Beliar, or what part for a believer along with an unbeliever?

RV And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what portion hath a believer with an unbeliever?
(And what concord hath/has Christ with Belial? or what portion hath/has a believer with an unbeliever? )

SLT And what conformity to Christ with Belial? and what part to the believing with the unbelieving?

Wbstr And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel?

KJB-1769 And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel?
(And what concord hath/has Christ with Belial? or what part hath/has he that believeth/believes with an infidel? )

KJB-1611 And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that beleeueth, with an infidel?
(Modernised spelling is same as from KJB-1769 above, apart from punctuation)

Bshps Or what concorde hath Christe with belyall? Eyther what part hath he that beleueth, with an infidell?
(Or what concorde hath/has Christ with belyall? Eyther what part hath/has he that believeth/believes, with an infidell?)

Gnva And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath the beleeuer with the infidell?
(And what concord hath/has Christ with Belial? or what part hath/has the believer with the infidell? )

Cvdl How agreeth Christ with Belial? Or what parte hath the beleuer with the infydele?
(How agreeth Christ with Belial? Or what part hath/has the believer with the infydele?)

TNT What concorde hath Christ with beliall? Ether what parte hath he that beleveth with an infidele?
(What concorde hath/has Christ with beliall? Ether what part hath/has he that believeth with an infidele? )

Wycl and what acording of Crist to Belial? or what part of a feithful with the vnfeithful?
(and what according of Christ to Belial? or what part of a faithful with the unfeithful?)

Luth Wie stimmt Christus mit Belial? Oder was für ein Teil hat der Gläubige mit dem Ungläubigen?
(How stimmt Christ with Belial? Or what/which for/in_favour_of a part/portion has the/of_the Gläubige with to_him Ungläubigen?)

ClVg quæ autem conventio Christi ad Belial? aut quæ pars fideli cum infideli?[fn]
(which however conventio of_Christ to Belial? or which part faithful when/with infideli? )

6.15 Quæ autem conventio Christi. Ut Christus et Belial non conveniunt, sic Christianus et quilibet infidelis. Item nihil habet templum Dei cum idolis; et quia vos estis templum Dei, ideo non debetis communicare cum his qui sunt templum diaboli.

6.15 Which however conventio Christi. As Christ/Messiah and Belial not/no agree, so Christianus and anyone/anything unfaithful. Item nothing has the_temple/sanctuary of_God when/with idols; and because you(pl) you_are the_temple/sanctuary of_God, therefore/for_that_reason not/no you_must to_communicate when/with his who/which are the_temple/sanctuary devils.

UGNT τίς δὲ συμφώνησις Χριστοῦ πρὸς Βελιάρ, ἢ τίς μερὶς πιστῷ μετὰ ἀπίστου?
(tis de sumfōnaʸsis Ⱪristou pros Beliar, aʸ tis meris pistōi meta apistou?)

SBL-GNT τίς δὲ συμφώνησις ⸀Χριστοῦ πρὸς Βελιάρ, ἢ τίς μερὶς πιστῷ μετὰ ἀπίστου;
(tis de sumfōnaʸsis ⸀Ⱪristou pros Beliar, aʸ tis meris pistōi meta apistou;)

RP-GNT Τίς δὲ συμφώνησις χριστῷ πρὸς Βελίαρ; Ἢ τίς μερὶς πιστῷ μετὰ ἀπίστου;
(Tis de sumfōnaʸsis ⱪristōi pros Beliar; Aʸ tis meris pistōi meta apistou;)

TC-GNT Τίς δὲ συμφώνησις [fn]Χριστῷ πρὸς [fn]Βελίαρ; Ἢ τίς μερὶς πιστῷ μετὰ ἀπίστου;
(Tis de sumfōnaʸsis Ⱪristōi pros Beliar; Aʸ tis meris pistōi meta apistou; )

6:15 χριστω ¦ χριστου CT

6:15 βελιαρ ¦ βελιαλ ANT SCR

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

SOTN SIL Open Translator’s Notes:

Section 6:11–7:4: Paul urged them to love him and live holy lives

In this section, Paul told the believers in Corinth that he loved them completely (6:11), but the believers did not love him completely (6:12). He urged them to love him completely (6:13).

Then he urged them to avoid partnerships with unbelievers (6:14a) and used five rhetorical questions (6:14b–16a) to support this exhortation. He also supported this exhortation with quotes from the Old Testament (6:16b–18). On the basis of these quotes, he then urged them to live pure lives (7:1).

He again urged them to love him (7:2a) and explained that he had not wronged anyone (7:2b). He explained that his love was complete (7:3) and he was very confident in them and very happy for them (7:4).

Other examples of headings for this section are:

Open your hearts to us, and live holy lives

Love us as we love you and live pure lives

6:15a

What harmony is there between Christ and Belial?

Can Christ agree with Beliar/Belial, the devil?
Another example: There is no agreement between Christ and Satan.

What harmony is there between Christ and Belial?: There are two issues regarding these words.

Issue 1: Greek manuscripts

There is a textual issue with the word that the BSB spells Belial:

Some Greek manuscripts spell this word as Beliar. (NJB, NRSV, NABRE, NLT, NET)
Some Greek manuscripts spell this word as Belial. (BSB, RSV, NIV, NASB, REB, NCV, ESV, KJV)
Some Greek manuscripts spell this word as Belian.
Some Greek manuscripts spell this word as Beliab.

It is recommended that you follow option (1), since the UBS Greek New Testament recommends it. But if the common language follows one of the other options, you may want to follow that.

Issue 2: Meaning

The Greek word that the BSB translates as harmony means “agreement” (as in the NRSV). Christ and Satan agree on nothing. Other ways to translate this word are:

Can Christ agree with Belial? (REB)

Christ certainly does not agree with Belial!

Christ: The word Christ is a title for Jesus. The word Christ literally means “the anointed one.” Translate the word Christ here as you did in 1:1.

Belial: Belial is one of the names that the Jews used for Satan at that time. In some languages people will not guess that Belial refers to Satan. If that is true in your language, you may want to:

Explain who this name refers to in your translation. For example:
Belial, the devil (NCV)
Use one of the common names for Satan here. For example:
the Devil (GNT) Then you may want to include a footnote to explain the literal Greek word. For example:
Literally “Beliar/Belial.” This is another Jewish name for Satan. It probably means “worthless one.”

6:15b

Or what does a believer have in common with an unbeliever?

Can a believer share in what unbelievers believe?
Another example: a believer cannot share in what unbelievers follow.

Or what does a believer have in common with an unbeliever?: The Greek word that the BSB translates as have in common refers to having a portion or share in something. This is an exaggeration. Believers do not share the unbeliever’s evil goals, intentions, or motives. They may even have the same goal, for example, raising good children, but have differing ideas of what “good” is. Other ways to translate this clause are:

what sharing can a believer have with an unbeliever?

Or what portion does a believer share with an unbeliever? (ESV)

A believer shares nothing in common with an unbeliever.

In some languages the exaggeration excludes any common goal, intention, or motive between a believer and an unbeliever. If that is true in your language, do not exaggerate here. For example:

A believer shares almost nothing in common with an unbeliever.

UTN uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / rquestion

τίς δὲ συμφώνησις Χριστοῦ πρὸς Βελιάρ, ἢ τίς μερὶς πιστῷ μετὰ ἀπίστου

what what (Some words not found in SR-GNT: τίς Δέ συμφώνησις Χριστοῦ πρός Βελιάρ ἤ τίς μερίς πιστῷ μετά ἀπίστου)

Here, just as in [6:14](../06/14.md), Paul is using the question form to deny that something could be true. If you would not use the question form for this purpose in your language, you could express the idea by using strong negations. Alternate translation: [And Christ has no harmony with Beliar! Nor does a believer have a share with an unbeliever!]

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / abstractnouns

τίς δὲ συμφώνησις Χριστοῦ πρὸς Βελιάρ

what what (Some words not found in SR-GNT: τίς Δέ συμφώνησις Χριστοῦ πρός Βελιάρ ἤ τίς μερίς πιστῷ μετά ἀπίστου)

If your language does not use an abstract noun for the idea of harmony, you could express the idea by using verbs such as “agree” or “go together.” Alternate translation: [And does Christ go together with Beliar]

Note 3 topic: translate-names

Βελιάρ

Beliar

Here, the word Beliar is another name for the devil, who is also called Satan. If it would be helpful in your language, you could include a footnote or short phrase that clarifies that Beliar is another name for Satan. Alternate translation: [Beliar, that is, Satan]

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / genericnoun

τίς μερὶς πιστῷ μετὰ ἀπίστου

what what (Some words not found in SR-GNT: τίς Δέ συμφώνησις Χριστοῦ πρός Βελιάρ ἤ τίς μερίς πιστῷ μετά ἀπίστου)

Here Paul is speaking of believers and unbelievers in general, not of one particular believer and one particular unbeliever. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express this form with a form that refers to believers and unbelievers in general. Alternate translation: [what share does any believer have with any unbeliever] or [what share do believers have with unbelievers]

Parallel 2 COR 6:15

Section 6:11–7:4: Paul urged them to love him and live holy lives

6:15a

6:15b

Parallel 2 COR 6:15