1 Ἀδελφοί, ἐὰν καὶ προλημφθῇ ἄνθρωπος ἔν τινι παραπτώματι, ὑμεῖς οἱ πνευματικοὶ καταρτίζετε τὸν τοιοῦτον ἐν πνεύματι πραΰτητος, σκοπῶν σεαυτὸν μὴ καὶ σὺ πειρασθῇς.	Brothers [and sisters], if a person is surprised [discovered? caught? sprung?] in any transgression, you the spiritual ones restore this one in a spirit of gentleness, watching yourself carefully that you are not also tempted.
2 Ἀλλήλων τὰ βάρη βαστάζετε καὶ οὕτως ἀναπληρώσετε τὸν νόμον τοῦ Χριστοῦ.	Bear one another’s burdens, and in this way fulfil [indicative? imperative?] the law of Christ.
3 εἰ γὰρ δοκεῖ τις εἶναί τι μηδὲν ὤν, φρεναπατᾷ ἑαυτόν.	For if anyone supposes he is someone being noone, he deceives himself.
4 τὸ δὲ ἔργον ἑαυτοῦ δοκιμαζέτω ἕκαστος, καὶ τότε εἰς ἑαυτὸν μόνον τὸ καύχημα ἕξει καὶ οὐκ εἰς τὸν ἕτερον·	Let each one test his own works, and then for himself only he has a boast and not for another;
5 ἕκαστος γὰρ τὸ ἴδιον φορτίον βαστάσει.	For each will bear his own load.
6 Κοινωνείτω δὲ ὁ κατηχούμενος τὸν λόγον τῷ κατηχοῦντι ἐν πᾶσιν ἀγαθοῖς.	The one being taught the word must share with the one teaching in all good things.
7 Μὴ πλανᾶσθε, θεὸς οὐ μυκτηρίζεται. ὃ γὰρ ἐὰν σπείρῃ ἄνθρωπος, τοῦτο καὶ θερίσει·	Do not be deceived, God is not mocked. For if a man sows, this also he reaps;
8 ὅτι ὁ σπείρων εἰς τὴν σάρκα ἑαυτοῦ ἐκ τῆς σαρκὸς θερίσει φθοράν, ὁ δὲ σπείρων εἰς τὸ πνεῦμα ἐκ τοῦ πνεύματος θερίσει ζωὴν αἰώνιον.	The one sowing into his flesh reaps from the flesh destruction, but the one sowing into the spirit from the spirit reaps eternal life.
9 τὸ δὲ καλὸν ποιοῦντες μὴ ἐγκακῶμεν, καιρῷ γὰρ ἰδίῳ θερίσομεν μὴ ἐκλυόμενοι.	Let us not grow weary of doing good, for in its own season we will reap, not giving up.
10 Ἄρα οὖν ὡς καιρὸν ἔχομεν, ἐργαζώμεθα τὸ ἀγαθὸν πρὸς πάντας, μάλιστα δὲ πρὸς τοὺς οἰκείους τῆς πίστεως.	Therefore, then, just as we have a season [occasion, opportunity, time? cf. v. 9], let us work good to all, but especially to the household of faith.
11 Ἴδετε πηλίκοις ὑμῖν γράμμασιν ἔγραψα τῇ ἐμῇ χειρί.	Look how large are the letters I write to you by my very own hand!
12 Ὅσοι θέλουσιν εὐπροσωπῆσαι ἐν σαρκί, οὗτοι ἀναγκάζουσιν ὑμᾶς περιτέμνεσθαι, μόνον ἵνα τῷ σταυρῷ τοῦ Χριστοῦ μὴ διώκωνται.	As many as desire to make a good showing in flesh, these are the ones compelling you to be circumcised, only in order that they might not be persecuted by [reason of] the cross of Christ.
13 οὐδὲ γὰρ οἱ περιτεμνόμενοι αὐτοὶ νόμον φυλάσσουσιν ἀλλὰ θέλουσιν ὑμᾶς περιτέμνεσθαι, ἵνα ἐν τῇ ὑμετέρᾳ σαρκὶ καυχήσωνται.	For neither are the [very] ones circumcising keeping the law, but they want you to be circumcised, in order that they might boast in your flesh.
14 Ἐμοὶ δὲ μὴ γένοιτο καυχᾶσθαι εἰ μὴ ἐν τῷ σταυρῷ τοῦ κυρίου ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ, δι᾿ οὗ ἐμοὶ κόσμος ἐσταύρωται κἀγὼ κόσμῳ.	But to me may it never be to boast except in the cross of our lord Jesus Christ, through whom the world has been crucified and I to the world.
15 οὔτε γὰρ περιτομή τί ἐστιν οὔτε ἀκροβυστία ἀλλὰ καινὴ κτίσις.	For what [is of importance] is neither circumcision nor uncircumcision but new creation.
16 καὶ ὅσοι τῷ κανόνι τούτῳ στοιχήσουσιν, εἰρήνη ἐπ᾿ αὐτοὺς καὶ ἔλεος καὶ ἐπὶ τὸν Ἰσραὴλ τοῦ θεοῦ.	And as many as are living to this rule, peace upon them and mercy and upon the Israel of God.
17 Τοῦ λοιποῦ κόπους μοι μηδεὶς παρεχέτω· ἐγὼ γὰρ τὰ στίγματα τοῦ Ἰησοῦ ἐν τῷ σώματί μου βαστάζω.	Of the rest, let noone cause me any trouble; for I myself bear in my body the marks of Jesus.
18 Ἡ χάρις τοῦ κυρίου ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ μετὰ τοῦ πνεύματος ὑμῶν, ἀδελφοί· ἀμήν.	The grace of our lord Jesus Christ [be] with your spirit, brothers [and sisters]. Amen.

Be Free! (Gal 5:1)

Translation & Textual Notes

The Law is of no benefit (5:2-4)

Translation & Textual Notes

Structure:

• Declaration:
  • Circumcision is not an asset (2)
  • Circumcision is a liability (3)
• Relying on the law separates you from Christ (4)

Purpose: For the first time in this Epistle, Paul directly addresses the issue of circumcision, though it was no doubt clear to the Galatians that he had been building towards this all along. In particular, he has expounded the theme of freedom in chapters 3 and 4, ending in the climactic exhortation of 5:1: ‘To freedom Christ has set us free; therefore stand firm and do not be burdened again by the yoke of slavery.’ In 5:2, he turns from theory to practice by applying what he has said to the Galatian situation. This marks the commencement of the parenetic section of the Epistle.

Gal 5:2. ἴδε is common in the gospels, but is found only here in the rest of the NT. It is used to draw attention to something.¹ This, along with the lack of a conjunction joining this verse to the previous, requires a pause from the reader, lending great weight to what follows. This is amplified by the solemnity of Paul’s address. In supplying the superfluous personal pronoun, ἐγὼ, and his name, Paul is mustering every ounce of his apostolic authority and pouring it into this declaration: being circumcised negates the value of being in Christ.

The form of Paul’s declaration is akin to an oath, an impression strengthened by his repetition and use of the verb μαρτύρομαι in the next verse. Clearly Paul is ‘on trial’, as has been the case throughout the Epistle, and here the forensic language is particularly strong. Thus he demands a verdict from the Galatians, which will serve as the basis of the parenesis that constitutes the remainder of the Epistle.

Gal 5:3. The Apostle goes on to provide the grounds for this statement: submitting to part of the law requires submission to all of it. He thus argues from a specific case to a more general rule, taking circumcision as representative of the requirements of the law in general.

Paul punctuates his point with rhetorical word-play. Circumcision means the Galatians do not profit (ὠφελήσει) by Christ, but are rather in debt (ὀφειλέτης) to the whole law.

Much ink has been spilled over the latter half of the verse. The key issues are: (1) what is the frame of reference when Paul speaks of τὸν νόμον? (2) Did Paul believe it was possible to do (ποιῆσαι) the entire law? On the first, we may note at once that τὸν νόμον must include at a minimum the Pentateuch, since it is circumcision that is at issue here. Gal 4:10 may also give us an indication that this extended to the OT canon at large. It seems unlikely, however, that Paul would acknowledge the Pharisaic traditions, which he refers to as παράδοσις in 1:14, as νόμος here. As for whether Paul believed ‘doing’ the ‘whole’ law possible, the direction of his argument suggests not. For he moves on to speak in verse 4 of falling away from grace as a foregone conclusion. The two verses form an enthymeme, with the unstated minor premise that it is not possible to do all the law.

Gal 5:4. This verse draws the required conclusion from the previous verse. Those who seek justification have ‘severed’ (κατηργήθητε) themselves from Christ and ‘fallen from grace’ (τῆς χάριτος ἐξεπέσατε). δικαιοῦσθε may be passive (‘be justified’), or middle (‘justify themselves’) but the emphasis is on the ineffectuality of the act, rather than the agent, and the point remains the same in either case.

This verse accounts for proponents of the NPJ who claim that Paul has here misunderstood (or at least misrepresented) Judaism as a works-religion, when it was actually based on ‘covenantal nomism’. Jews, so the argument goes, did not require absolute perfection in obedience to the law. The OT cultus was provided as a means of ‘grace’, with atonement being made for imperfections. Observance of the law was required as a means of remaining within the covenant of grace, much in the way that the Israelites were required to remain within their homes during the first Passover. Quite apart from the difficulty inherent in believing that a such an advanced student of Judaism (1:14) should have so fundamentally misunderstood the religion for which he was so zealous, it is clear from this verse that if Paul had once considered OT sacrifice as a means ‘of grace’, he did so no longer.

Parenesis

Translation & Textual Notes

Endnotes

1. BDAG, “ἴδε”, 1

Translation and Textual Notes

Translation and Textual Notes

Translation and Textual Notes

Allegory of Hagar and Sarah (4:21-31)

Narrative (4:21-23)

Translation and Textual Notes

Structure:

• v21. You want the law, but do you not know the law?
• v22. The law prescribes two kinds of sons:
  1. v23a. Slave sons, born of a free woman by the flesh;
  2. v23b. Free sons, born of a free woman by a promise.

Purpose: This section develops the theme of being sons of Abraham. It is not enough just to be a Son of Abraham, for he had two kinds of sons. In particular, we see two nexuses: flesh and slavery on one hand; and promise and freedom on the other. Ultimately, Paul’s objective is to associate the former pair with the Law, and the latter with the Spirit.

v21: The strong imperative, λέγετέ μοι, coupled with an interrogative, signals a return to Paul’s ‘interrogation’ of the Galatians (FIXME – left off where?). He is asking the Galatians to give an account of their beliefs. They are to be both witness and judge.

Whilst it is possible that οἱ ὑπὸ νόμον θέλοντες εἶναι refers to the ‘agitators’ this is unlikely, since Paul nowhere else in this Epistle directly addresses them. His concern is to encourage the Galatians to return to the Gospel they were taught at first. He has no brief for engaging in dialogue with the ‘agitators’ themselves; his attitude to them is much more direct (5:12)!

v22: In spite of the citation formula (γέγραπται γὰρ ὅτι) there does not appear to be a specific quotation here.

Paul continues to draw on the example of Abraham, which he has been doing since 3:6. More specifically, he elaborates upon the idea of being ‘sons’ of Abraham by giving the examples of Abraham’s two most prominent sons. Neither mothers nor sons are named, however, signalling that this is more than simply a narration of biblical history.

The contrast developed here between slave and free is related but distinct from the image used at the beginning of the chapter of a heir who is ‘under guardians and stewards’ (Gal 4:2). There the image is a dynamic one, where one naturally progresses from child to adult and, consequently, from ‘slave’ to free. Here, the image is much more static: one’s freedom (or otherwise) is determined by the one who gave them birth, and the means by which they were conceived. In the language of the Fourth Gospel, one must be ‘born again’ (John 3:3) of a different mother, and according to promise, if they are to be free.

Is there a reference here also back to the τέκνα μου of verse 19? The question is implicit: if the Galatians are ‘children’ of Paul, with which son are they to be identified? This can only be answered by consideration of the source and mechanism of their conception.

v23. Notably, neither son is named or identified as either slave nor free. There are likely two reasons for this:

1. Paul has already indicated In Gal 3:28 that there is ‘neither slave nor free’. His emphasis here, then, is on the mothers;
2. By leaving the identifications vague, Paul leaves room for the dramatic reversal that is to come: the Jews are to be identified with the slave woman!

‘Flesh’ is here contrasted with ‘promise’ as the mechanism of conception/birth. One might have expected ‘spirit’ instead of ‘promise’, but the two have already been identified as coextensive (‘the promised Spirit’ 3:14). Of all Paul’s epistles, only Colossians has a higher frequency of occurrence for flesh-related words.¹ However, the majority of Colossians references are either positive or neutral, whereas Paul’s usage in Galatians is overwhelmingly negative. Thus he consistently uses σάρξ (Gal 1:16; 2:16, 20; 3:3; 4:13–14, 23, 29; 5:13, 16–17, 19, 24; 6:8, 12–13) with the more neutral σῶμα in Gal 6:17.²

Interpretation (4:24-27)

Translation and Textual Notes

Application (4:28-31)

Translation and Textual Notes

Endnotes

1. Based on searching for terms in Luow & Nida “A Body (8.1–8.8)”, Colossians registers 9.25 occurrences per 1000 words, Galatians 6.86 and 1 Corinthians 6.76.
2. Does this suggest a negative connotation for the phrase σαρκὶ καὶ αἵματι (Gal 1:16)?
3. Bruce M. Metzger, A Textual Commentary on the Greek New Testament (2d, Accordance electronic ed. New York: United Bible Societies, 1994), 527.
4. So Metzger, who quotes Zuntz: ‘gives the text a broader, pastoral application, but obscures Paul’s distinction between the ‘chosen ones’ and the ‘sons of Hagar” (Metzger, 528.; cf. Philip W. Comfort, New Testament Text and Translation Commentary (Accordance electronic ed. Wheaton: Tyndale House Publishers, 2008), 570.
5. So Metzger, 528.; Comfort, 570. Comfort also notes the frequency with which the two pronouns (ὑμεῖς and ἡμεῖς) were confused.
6. Comfort, 570.

Argument from Experience (Gal 3:1-5)

Translation & Textual Criticism

Structure:

• Rebuke (1a)
• What are your eyes on? (1b)
• How did you begin? (2)
• How will you finish? (3)
• Have you suffered in vain? (4)
• Does God work by works of law or by faith? (5)

Purpose: Having defended his gospel at length, Paul now argues that the Galatians have moved a long way from that which was preached at first. He asks a series of rhetorical questions that appeal to the Galatians’ own experience, knowing the response they must give.

Gal 3:1. The insult here (Ὦ ἀνόητοι Γαλάται) is typical of Hellenistic and Jewish diatribe,¹ and should not be taken too seriously. Paul’s intent is to motivate the Galatians to a response, and to direct their attention to what is to follow. In particular, it is clear that the antitheses to be presented next are no mere minor distinctions; one side is to be considered ‘foolish’, and Paul leaves no room for doubt which it is.

The link between the two clauses that make up the rest of the sentence is the eyes. βασκαίνω meant to ‘exert an evil influence through the eye’² and to ‘be resentful of something enjoyed by another’³. Paul thus, at one fell swoop, characterises the agitators as envious (cf. Gal 2:4?) and evil. Over against this, Paul reminds the Galatians of Christ crucified. Had they kept their eyes on him as they ought, they would have been proof against the ‘evil eye’.

Gal 3:2. In using μαθεῖν (‘to learn’), Paul ironically casts himself as a student desiring to learn from the ‘wise’ Galatians. Again, the question he asks of them relates to their own experience, this time what they heard, rather than what they saw. The Galatians had received the Spirit, the undeniable proof of the fulfilment of God’s eschatological promises to Abraham and his descendants. That this occurred before their newfound desire to submit to works of the law, and so the latter must be superfluous to entering covenantal relationship with God (cf. 3:14).

The antithesis between Spirit and law is found only in Paul, and then only in Galatians and Romans (Rom 7:5-6; 8:2-3; Gal 3:2, 5, 12-14; 5:18),⁴ but would have been unusual to his Galatian audience. This unfamiliarity he resolves by appeal to the more familiar antithesis between πνεῦμα and σάρξ, to which Paul next appeals.

Gal 3:3. Paul draws out his implication more fully with a further question: If you have begun with the Spirit, why expect to finish by the flesh? Whilst cast in the interrogative, when coupled with the insult in 3:1 (note the repeated ἀνόητοι) this constitutes an accusation.

In shifting the contrast from πνεῦμα/νόμος to πνεῦμα/σάρξ, Paul has inseparably identified the law with the flesh. That the specific issue at hand is one of observance of the law by a mark of the flesh may be deliberate on Paul’s part, but is probably coincidental as circumcision is not specifically in view here.

Gal 3:4.

Gal 3:5

Translation & Textual Criticism

Endnotes

1. FIXME?
2. BDAG, “βασκαίνω” 1
3. BDAG, “βασκαίνω” 2
4. cf. Especially Rom 8:2, where Paul can speak of ὁ νόμος τοῦ πνεύματος, almost as a ‘rival’ law, though he clarifies this a few verses later in 8:6, where Spirit implicitly allows one to satisfy the requirements of the law (cf. Gal 5:22-3).
5. cf. BDAG s.v. ὅμως.
6. cf. Richard N. Longenecker, Galatians (WBC 41; Accordance/Thomas Nelson electronic ed. Waco: Word Books, 1990), 145. According to Longenecker, this is a ‘prepositional phrase’ meaning “before the coming”.

1 Ἔπειτα διὰ δεκατεσσάρων ἐτῶν πάλιν ἀνέβην εἰς Ἱεροσόλυμα μετὰ Βαρναβᾶ συμπαραλαβὼν καὶ Τίτον·	After fourteen years I went up again to Jerusalem, taking along Barnabas and Titus.	The ordering of πάλιν ἀνέβην is supported by P46 ℵ A B K P Ψ 81 614 1739 vg syr(p), h copsa arm, and is clearly the preferred reading on external evidence. The readings ἀνέβην πάλιν (D F G ar b) and πάλιν ἀνῆλθον (C) are later and secondary.
2 ἀνέβην δὲ κατὰ ἀποκάλυψιν· καὶ ἀνεθέμην αὐτοῖς τὸ εὐαγγέλιον ὃ κηρύσσω ἐν τοῖς ἔθνεσιν, κατ᾿ ἰδίαν δὲ τοῖς δοκοῦσιν, μή πως εἰς κενὸν τρέχω ἢ ἔδραμον.	I went up according to a revelation. I set before them the gospel which I preach among the Gentiles, but in private to the influential ones1, lest somehow I was running or had run in vain.
3 ἀλλ᾿ οὐδὲ Τίτος ὁ σὺν ἐμοί, Ἕλλην ὤν, ἠναγκάσθη περιτμηθῆναι·	But not even Titus, who was with me, being a Greek, was forced to be circumcised.
4 διὰ δὲ τοὺς παρεισάκτους ψευδαδέλφους, οἵτινες παρεισῆλθον κατασκοπῆσαι τὴν ἐλευθερίαν ἡμῶν ἣν ἔχομεν ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ, ἵνα ἡμᾶς καταδουλώσουσιν,	But because of the inflitrating false brothers, who had snuck in to spy out our freedom we have in Christ, in order that they might enslave us,	The insertion of μή after ἵνα in F G is narrowly supported, and does not seem consistent with the surrounding statements.
5 οἷς οὐδὲ πρὸς ὥραν εἴξαμεν τῇ ὑποταγῇ, ἵνα ἡ ἀλήθεια τοῦ εὐαγγελίου διαμείνῃ πρὸς ὑμᾶς.	We did not allow them obedience for a moment, so that the truth of the gospel might remain for you.	Some MSS (syrp Marcion Greek mssacc. to Ambrosiaster Ephraem) omit οἷς – Metzger suggests that this was deliberate, in order to resolve anacoluthon.2 The omission of οὐδὲ, both with and without οἷς, is more serious in its implications. The resultant reading (‘Because of the false brothers… I yielded for a brief time’) seems at odds with both the literary context of this epistle and Paul’s own temperament. It is possible that this represents a deliberate emendation, along the lines of the principle articulated in 1 Cor 9:20-23 of being ‘all things to all men’ for the sake of the gospel, as well as the events of Acts 16:3 where Paul circumcised Timothy. There is a minor variant (A F G) that substitutes the indicative διαμενη instead of the subjunctive διαμείνῃ, but this has only slender external support, and is most likely a substitution of the more familiar indicative.3
6 Ἀπὸ δὲ τῶν δοκούντων εἶναί τι, – ὁποῖοί ποτε ἦσαν οὐδέν μοι διαφέρει· πρόσωπον [ὁ] θεὸς ἀνθρώπου οὐ λαμβάνει – ἐμοὶ γὰρ οἱ δοκοῦντες οὐδὲν προσανέθεντο	But from the influential ones – of whatever kind they were makes no difference to me; God does not receive the face of man – for to me the influential ones added nothing.
7 ἀλλὰ τοὐναντίον ἰδόντες ὅτι πεπίστευμαι τὸ εὐαγγέλιον τῆς ἀκροβυστίας καθὼς Πέτρος τῆς περιτομῆς,	But on the contrary, seeing that I had been entrusted the gospel of the uncircumcision just as Peter of the circumcision,
8 ὁ γὰρ ἐνεργήσας Πέτρῳ εἰς ἀποστολὴν τῆς περιτομῆς ἐνήργησεν καὶ ἐμοὶ εἰς τὰ ἔθνη,	(for the one working in Peter for apostleship of the circumcision, worked in me also for the Gentiles)
9 καὶ γνόντες τὴν χάριν τὴν δοθεῖσάν μοι, Ἰάκωβος καὶ Κηφᾶς καὶ Ἰωάννης, οἱ δοκοῦντες στῦλοι εἶναι, δεξιὰς ἔδωκαν ἐμοὶ καὶ Βαρναβᾷ κοινωνίας, ἵνα ἡμεῖς εἰς τὰ ἔθνη, αὐτοὶ δὲ εἰς τὴν περιτομήν·	and recognising the gift given to me, James and Cephas and John, the ones seeming to be pillars, gave to Barnabas and me the right hand of fellowship, so that we to the Gentiles and they to the circumcision.	Several MSS substitute the more familiar Greek Πετρος in place of the Aramaic Κηφᾶς (P46 D F G itd, g, r goth Marcion Origenlat Marius Victorinus Ephraem Ambrosiaster Jerome). Of these, all but P46 and itr give prominence to Peter by placing his name first. Given the strength of the external evidence, together with the greater likelihood of substituting the more familiar Greek rather than the less familiar Aramaic, the reading Ἰάκωβος καὶ Κηφᾶς is likely original.
10 μόνον τῶν πτωχῶν ἵνα μνημονεύωμεν, ὃ καὶ ἐσπούδασα αὐτὸ τοῦτο ποιῆσαι.	Only of the poor, that they be remembered, which also I was eager to do.
11 Ὅτε δὲ ἦλθεν Κηφᾶς εἰς Ἀντιόχειαν, κατὰ πρόσωπον αὐτῷ ἀντέστην, ὅτι κατεγνωσμένος ἦν.	But when Cephas came into Antioch, I opposed him to his face, that he was being condemned.	κατεγνωσμένος could potentially be middle (‘having condemned himself’) or (divine?) passive (‘having been condemned’). cf. BDAG s.v. καταγινώσκω. Once again, some MSS (D F G M it vgmss syh Ambst ) substitute the Greek Πετρος for the Aramaic Κηφᾶς. See notes above.
12 πρὸ τοῦ γὰρ ἐλθεῖν τινας ἀπὸ Ἰακώβου μετὰ τῶν ἐθνῶν συνήσθιεν· ὅτε δὲ ἦλθον, ὑπέστελλεν καὶ ἀφώριζεν ἑαυτὸν φοβούμενος τοὺς ἐκ περιτομῆς.	For before certain ones came from James, he was eating with the Gentiles; but when they came, he drew back and set himself apart, fearing those from the circumcision.	A number of generally reliable MSS (P46vid ℵ B D* 33 330 2492 al) attest to the singular ἦλθεν rather than the plural ἦλθον (sometimes in combination with τινα substituted for τινας). Metzger suggests that the ‘singular number ἦλθεν is probably due to scribes who either imitated ὅτε δὲ ἦλθεν Κηφᾶς of ver. 11, or were unconsciously influenced by careless assonance with the immediately preceding and following verbs that end in -εν.’4 This offers the best explanation of how the various readings, although Metzger’s argument that ‘he sense of the passage seems to demand the plural’5 is less convincing. One or many emissaries from James, the point remains the same: Peter’s behaviour altered in response to the new arrival(s), to the detriment of Jewish/Gentile relations.
13 καὶ συνυπεκρίθησαν αὐτῷ καὶ οἱ λοιποὶ Ἰουδαῖοι, ὥστε καὶ Βαρναβᾶς συναπήχθη αὐτῶν τῇ ὑποκρίσει.	And the rest of the Jews joined his hypocrisy, so that even Barnabas was being led astray by their hypocrisy.	A number of MSS (P46 B 6. 630. 1739. 1881 pc ar f vg bo) omit the και following αύτῳ, however a slight majority of MSS include it. NA27/UBS4 include it in brackets to indicate that its marginality. In any case, little hangs on the difference, since it at most slightly intensifies the idea already implicit in the prefix ‘συν-‘.
14 ἀλλ᾿ ὅτε εἶδον ὅτι οὐκ ὀρθοποδοῦσιν πρὸς τὴν ἀλήθειαν τοῦ εὐαγγελίου, εἶπον τῷ Κηφᾷ ἔμπροσθεν πάντων· εἰ σὺ Ἰουδαῖος ὑπάρχων ἐθνικῶς καὶ οὐχὶ Ἰουδαϊκῶς ζῇς, πῶς τὰ ἔθνη ἀναγκάζεις ἰουδαΐζειν;	But when I saw that he was not walking rightly toward the the truth of the gospel, I said to Cephas before everyone, “If you, a Jew, are existing as a Gentile and not living as a Jew, how are you compelling the Gentiles to live as Jews?	Several western texts substitute the familiar Greek Πέτρῷ for the Aramaic Κεφῷ. See notes above. There are a number of variants on the phrase καὶ οὐχὶ Ἰουδαϊκῶς ζῇς: καὶ οὐκ Ἰουδαϊκῶς ζῇς (F G 6. 630. 1739 pc): The slightly diminished emphasis of the οὐκ (compared to οὐχὶ) does not match with the context. The Apostle’s point is that Peter is a Jew but not living as a Jew. This is probably a scribal omission, or assimilation to the earlier portion of the verse. The external support for this reading is slender and late. ζῇς καὶ οὐκ Ἰουδαϊκῶς (D2 M): Once again, the support for this reading is narrow and late. It is probably a stylistic correction to connect the verb more directly with the preceding clause, rendering the following clause subordinate. On the substitution of οὐκ for οὐχὶ see above. ζῇς καὶ οὐχὶ Ἰουδαϊκῶς (D✱ 326. 1241s. 1505. 2464 pc vgcl): Whilst enjoying marginally more external support than the previous readings this is probably also a stylistic amendment as per number 2 above. ζῇς (P46 1881 pc ar b d; Ambst): This shortened reading lessens the rhetorical force of Paul’s point. It is likely that this is an accidental scribal omission. καὶ οὐχὶ Ἰουδαϊκῶς ζῇς (ℵ A B C H P Ψ 0278. 33. 81. 104. 1175 pc): This is clearly the best attested variant, and preserves a strong emphasis consistent with the context. It is thus to be preferred.
15 Ἡμεῖς φύσει Ἰουδαῖοι καὶ οὐκ ἐξ ἐθνῶν ἁμαρτωλοί·	We ourselves are by nature Jews and not sinners out of the Gentiles.
16 εἰδότες δὲ ὅτι οὐ δικαιοῦται ἄνθρωπος ἐξ ἔργων νόμου ἐὰν μὴ διὰ πίστεως Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ, καὶ ἡμεῖς εἰς Χριστὸν Ἰησοῦν ἐπιστεύσαμεν, ἵνα δικαιωθῶμεν ἐκ πίστεως Χριστοῦ καὶ οὐκ ἐξ ἔργων νόμου, ὅτι ἐξ ἔργων νόμου οὐ δικαιωθήσεται πᾶσα σάρξ.	But we are knowing that a person is not made righteous out of works of the law except through faith in Jesus Christ, and we ourselves have believed into Christ Jesus, so that we are made righteous out of faith in Christ and not out of works of the law, because all flesh will not be made righteous out of works of the law.	A number of generally reliable MSS (P46 A D2 Ψ 0278✱. 33. 1739. 1881 M syh) omit the contrastive δὲ at the beginning of this verse, however it provides a contextually appropriate (if relatively weak) contrast with the preceding verse. It also has slightly stronger MS support (ℵ B C D✱ F G H 0278c. 81. 104. 1175. 1241s. 2464 pc lat ). These factors weigh in favour of its inclusion. The transposition of Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ and Χριστὸν Ἰησοῦν both have relatively narrow external support, and are of no significance. Several late MSS (C D2 H Ψ M f vg) substitute διότι for the final ὅτι. This is probably a deliberate change, either for stylistic variation or, more likely, to distinguish it from the ὅτι at the beginning of the verse, which functions as a ‘marker of narrative or discourse content’6.
17 εἰ δὲ ζητοῦντες δικαιωθῆναι ἐν Χριστῷ εὑρέθημεν καὶ αὐτοὶ ἁμαρτωλοί, ἆρα Χριστὸς ἁμαρτίας διάκονος; μὴ γένοιτο.	But if, seeking to be made righteous in Christ, we also are found to be sinners, is Christ, then, a servant of sin? By no means!	Some witnesses (B2 H 0278. 365. 945. 1175. 1739. 1881 al it; Ambst) substitute the inferential ἄρα in place of the interrogative ἆρα, but this is both late and contextually improbable in the middle of a rhetorical question.
18 εἰ γὰρ ἃ κατέλυσα ταῦτα πάλιν οἰκοδομῶ, παραβάτην ἐμαυτὸν συνιστάνω.	For if the things I destroyed these things I build again, I demonstrate myself a transgressor.
19 ἐγὼ γὰρ διὰ νόμου νόμῳ ἀπέθανον, ἵνα θεῷ ζήσω. Χριστῷ συνεσταύρωμαι·7	For through the law I myself died to sin, so that I might live to God. I have been crucified with Christ.
20 ζῶ δὲ οὐκέτι ἐγώ, ζῇ δὲ ἐν ἐμοὶ Χριστός· ὃ δὲ νῦν ζῶ ἐν σαρκί, ἐν πίστει ζῶ τῇ τοῦ υἱοῦ τοῦ θεοῦ τοῦ ἀγαπήσαντός με καὶ παραδόντος ἑαυτὸν ὑπὲρ ἐμοῦ.	But it is no longer I myself who lives, but Christ lives in me; that which I now live in flesh, in faith I live to the son of God, the one who loved me and gave himself for me.	Several important witnesses (P46 B D* G itd, g Marius Victorinus Pelagius) support the reading θεοῦ καὶ Χριστοῦ in place of τοῦ υἱοῦ τοῦ θεοῦ. Metzger argument that this would be unusual since ‘Paul nowhere else expressly speaks of God as the object of a Christian’s faith’8 is unconvincing since Paul speaks of Abraham believing in God (Rom 4:3, 17; Gal 3:6) and speaks of believers trusting in God (Rom 15:13). Nevertheless, Metzger offers the most convincing reconstruction as to how this variant came about, arguing that the scribe’s eye skipped from the first to the second τοῦ, and later attempted to go back and correct by adding και Χριστοῦ.9
21 Οὐκ ἀθετῶ τὴν χάριν τοῦ θεοῦ· εἰ γὰρ διὰ νόμου δικαιοσύνη, ἄρα Χριστὸς δωρεὰν ἀπέθανεν.	I do not nullify the grace of God; for if through the law [came] righteousness, then Christ died in vain.

Endnotes

1. cf. BDAG s.v. δοκέω 2.a.β. : ‘be influential, be recognized as being someth., have a reputation’
2. Bruce M. Metzger, A Textual Commentary on the Greek New Testament (2d, Accordance electronic ed. New York: United Bible Societies, 1994), 522.
3. διαμένω is found in the subjunctive only here in the NT, compared to three instances in the indicative (Luke 1:22; Heb 1:11; 2 Pet 3:4) and one participle (Luke 22:8).
4. Bruce M. Metzger, A Textual Commentary on the Greek New Testament (2d, Accordance electronic ed. New York: United Bible Societies, 1994), 524.
5. Bruce M. Metzger, A Textual Commentary on the Greek New Testament (2d, Accordance electronic ed. New York: United Bible Societies, 1994), 524.
6. “ὅτι,” BDAG, 731.
7. The clause Χριστῷ συνεσταύρωμαι (‘I have been crucified with Christ’) is placed at the beginning of v. 20 in most English versions, but both NA²⁷, UBS⁴ and the NRSV place it here.
8. Bruce M. Metzger, A Textual Commentary on the Greek New Testament (2d, Accordance electronic ed. New York: United Bible Societies, 1994), 524.
9. Bruce M. Metzger, A Textual Commentary on the Greek New Testament (2d, Accordance electronic ed. New York: United Bible Societies, 1994), 524.

Galatians 1:1-5 – Greetings and thanksgiving

Translation & Textual notes

Galatians 1:6-9 – There is no other gospel

Translation & Textual Notes

Galatians 1:10-24 – The Gospel of God, not of men

By Revelation (1:10-12)

Translation & Textual Notes

Structure:

• Is my goal to persuade/please men or God? (10a)
• If I am pleasing men I’m not serving God. (10b)
• But I am serving God by proclaiming the gospel (11a), which:
  • is not from men (11b – 12a);
  • but was revealed by Jesus Christ. (12)

Purpose: Paul commences his defence of his apostolic independence – or, more accurately, the independence of the gospel he preaches. He has just established that the gospel is the rule by which people are to be judged (1:8) and not the other way around. Here he points to the divine origin of his gospel – it comes δι᾿ ἀποκαλύψεως Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ (1:12). The implication is that the ones disturbing (οἱ ταράσσοντες, Gal 1:7) the Galatians bring a gospel κατὰ ἄνθρωπον (1:11), and παρὰ ἀνθρώπου (1:12). This is important in the overall epistle, because it establishes the strong antithesis between Paul’s gospel and that of the opponents (which Paul calls no gospel at all) based on its origins.

Gal 1:10. The two verbs prominent in this verse both have potential to invoke negative images. πείθω (‘I persuade’) carries the idea of (dishonest) cajolery,⁷ whilst ἀρέσκω can mean ‘to act in a fawning manner’.⁸ Yet God is also the direct object of πείθω (?) suggesting a more neutral reading of this verb at least. Similarly, Paul implies that by ‘serving’ Christ he is ‘pleasing’ Christ. We may gain greater insight into his meaning by considering the adverb ἔτι.

ἔτι (‘still’, ‘yet’) suggests that Paul is either confessing or being accused of having at some time striven to ‘please men’. Given the apologetic tone of this section, it is more likely the latter. This is confirmed when we consider that Paul has yet to establish the connection between Judaism (the most probable referent if this reflects Paul’s self-understanding) and pleasing men.

Gal 1:11. The preferred reading here is Γνωρίζω δὲ (see above), with δὲ suggesting a mild contrast with the previous verse. Thus, Paul is not pleasing men but preaching the gospel. Thus there is a striking similarity in this verse to 1 Cor 15:1, where Paul uses Γνωρίζω δὲ in speaking of the gospel that he preached and the Corinthians received. A majority of commentators note, therefore, that he is here also ‘reminding’ the Galatians of the gospel that they received at first. The divine origins of Paul’s gospel should not be new information to the Galatians; they need only be ‘reminded’ of it.⁹ The point should not be pressed, however, since the overwhelming majority of Paul’s uses of γνωρίζω (Rom 9:22–23; 16:26; 1 Cor 12:3; 2 Cor 8:1; Eph 1:9; 3:3, 5, 10; 6:19, 21; Phil 1:22; 4:6; Col 1:27; 4:7, 9) refer to the unveiling of new information, with only 1 Cor 15:1 definitely connoting ‘reminding’.

After the startling accusation of 1:6, and the double anathema (1:8-9), the familiar address, ἀδελφοί, strikes a conciliatory note. Paul’s diatribe is directed towards the opponents at this point, not the Galatians (though this is not the case throughout – cf. 3:1!). These are the men and women that Paul ministered amongst (1:11), and his attitude toward them is amazement (1:6) rather than hostility.

Paul firstly states his case negatively, declaring that his gospel is not according to man (i.e. of human origin). It is possible that this indicates the ground upon which the agitators were denigrating his gospel and calling the Galatians to something else. Several commentators, however, warn against assuming this. Barclay notes the inherent ambiguity of undertaking mirror-reading on a polemical work such as Galatians: (1) Paul is not directly addressing the opponents, but rather the Galatians; (2) Paul’s fierce polemic is aimed at persuading the Galatians rather than (directly) refuting the agitators; and (3)¹⁰ Thus, in this verse Paul may be outlining the grounds of his defense against some other charge, perhaps following the advice of Quintilian (so Betz, 59), rather than responding directly to a criticism from the agitators.¹¹

Gal 1:12. Paul presents the grounds for his assertion that his gospel is not κατὰ ἄνθρωπον, first negatively then positively.

Negatively, he denies having received from (παρέλαβον) or been taught by (ἐδιδάχθην) (a?) man the gospel that he proclaimed. If Paul is here responding to a direct criticism, it is likely the criticism was couched in terms of a contrast with the superior quality of their own ‘gospel’. There are a number of possibilities: (1) they had their gospel from James, a ‘pillar’ apostle, whereas Paul had his from some ‘no-name’ disciple in Damascus; (2) they received their gospel by direct revelation of the Spirit; (3) they were teaching the OT scriptures, and thus the word of God. All three possibilities find some support in the context of this Epistle, but (1) seems the most likely in light of the extended discussion on Paul’s relationship with the Jerusalem church (1:13-2:10).

Positively, Paul proclaims that he received his gospel by ‘revelation’ (ἀποκαλύψεως) of Jesus Christ. Much ink has been spilled over whether Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ should be taken as a subjective or objective genitive here. Both are possible – Christ was both the revealer (on the road to Damascus) and the content of the revelation – and there is no need to choose between them.

Not by Judaism (1:13-14)

Translation & Textual Notes

Not from Jerusalem (1:15-17)

Translation & Textual Notes

Not from Apostles (1:18-24)

Translation & Textual Notes

Endnotes

1. Bruce M. Metzger, A Textual Commentary on the Greek New Testament (2d, Accordance electronic ed. New York: United Bible Societies, 1994), 520.
2. Bruce M. Metzger, A Textual Commentary on the Greek New Testament (2d, Accordance electronic ed. New York: United Bible Societies, 1994), 520-521.
3. Bruce M. Metzger, A Textual Commentary on the Greek New Testament (2d, Accordance electronic ed. New York: United Bible Societies, 1994), 521.
4. Bruce M. Metzger, A Textual Commentary on the Greek New Testament (2d, Accordance electronic ed. New York: United Bible Societies, 1994), 521.
5. W. Hall Harris, ed., The NET Bible Notes (1st, Accordance electronic ed. Richardson: Biblical Studies Press, 2005), n.p.
6. BDAG, 740. They cite variant readings in Mk 5:3; Lk 12:26; 20:36; J 1:25; Ac 4:12; 1 Cor 3:2; Gal 1:12a; 1 Th 2:3; Rv 5:3; 9:20; 12:8; 20:4.
7. BDAG, 791
8. BDAG, 129.
9. cf. Betz, 56, where he argues that Paul is ‘pretending’ to introduce new information as a rhetorical device for reminding.
10. Barclay, “Mirror-reading a Polemical Letter”, 368-70.
11. Indeed, Barclay raises the possibility that the ‘opponents’ did not consider themselves in opposition to Paul, but believed they were carrying on in the tradition of his own teaching. (ibid., 373.)
12. Constantin von Tischendorf, ed., Novum Testamentum Graece: Editio Octava Critica Maior (Accordance electronic ed. 3 vols.; Leipzig: Giesecke & Devrient, 1869), 630.
13. W. Hall Harris, ed., The NET Bible Notes (1st, Accordance electronic ed. Richardson: Biblical Studies Press, 2005), n.p.

15:1-11

Vocabulary

• κατέχω – I hold fast
• ἐκτος – outside
• έκτος εἰ μή – except
• εἰχῆ – in vain, to no purpose, without due consideration.
• θάπτω – I bury
• ὤφθη – aor. pass. of ὁράω to see; pass. appear.
• ἐπάνω – more than, over, above
• πεντακόσιοι – five hundred
• ἐφάπαξ – at once; once for all
• ὡστερεί – as, as it were
• ἔκτρωμα, τό – untimely birth, miscarriage
• κἀμοί – also to me
• ἐλαχιστος – least
• ἱκανός – qualified, fit; sufficient
• κενός – vain, without result; without effect
• περισσότερος – more, greater
• κοπιάω – work hard, toil

Translation

1. Γνωρίζω δὲ ὑμῖν, ἀδελφοί, τὸ εὐαγγέλιον ὃ εὐηγγελισάμην ὑμῖν, ὃ καὶ παρελάβετε, ἐν ᾧ καὶ ἑστήκατε,	Now I make known to you, brothers and sisters, the gospel which we gospelled to you, which you received and in which you stand,
2. δι᾿ οὗ καὶ σῴζεσθε, τίνι λόγῳ εὐηγγελισάμην ὑμῖν εἰ κατέχετε, ἐκτὸς εἰ μὴ εἰκῇ ἐπιστεύσατε.	Through which you are being saved, with what word I gospelled you if you hold fast, outside except you believed in vain.
3. παρέδωκα γὰρ ὑμῖν ἐν πρώτοις, ὃ καὶ παρέλαβον, ὅτι Χριστὸς ἀπέθανεν ὑπὲρ τῶν ἁμαρτιῶν ἡμῶν κατὰ τὰς γραφὰς	For I delivered to you in the first, that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures,
4. καὶ ὅτι ἐτάφη καὶ ὅτι ἐγήγερται τῇ ἡμέρᾳ τῇ τρίτῃ κατὰ τὰς γραφὰς	That he was buried and that he was on the third day according to the Scriptures,
5. καὶ ὅτι ὤφθη Κηφᾷ εἶτα τοῖς δώδεκα·	And that he was seen by [‘appeared to’? (NIV, ESV)] Cephas, then the Twelve;
6. ἔπειτα ὤφθη ἐπάνω πεντακοσίοις ἀδελφοῖς ἐφάπαξ, ἐξ ὧν οἱ πλείονες μένουσιν ἕως ἄρτι, τινὲς δὲ ἐκοιμήθησαν·	Then he was seen by more than five hundred brothers [and sisters] at the same time, out of whom many remain until not, although some have fallen asleep;
7. ἔπειτα ὤφθη Ἰακώβῳ εἶτα τοῖς ἀποστόλοις πᾶσιν·	Then he was seen by James then all the apostles;
8. ἔσχατον δὲ πάντων ὡσπερεὶ τῷ ἐκτρώματι ὤφθη κἀμοί.	But last of all, as to one born suddenly [i.e. without adequate preparation], he was seen by me also.
9. Ἐγὼ γάρ εἰμι ὁ ἐλάχιστος τῶν ἀποστόλων ὃς οὐκ εἰμὶ ἱκανὸς καλεῖσθαι ἀπόστολος, διότι ἐδίωξα τὴν ἐκκλησίαν τοῦ θεοῦ·	For I am the least of the apostles, who is not worthy to be called an apostle because I persecuted the church of God.
10. χάριτι δὲ θεοῦ εἰμι ὅ εἰμι, καὶ ἡ χάρις αὐτοῦ ἡ εἰς ἐμὲ οὐ κενὴ ἐγενήθη, ἀλλὰ περισσότερον αὐτῶν πάντων ἐκοπίασα, οὐκ ἐγὼ δὲ ἀλλὰ ἡ χάρις τοῦ θεοῦ [ἡ] σὺν ἐμοί.	But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me was not in vain, but I worked harder than all of them, though not I but the grace of God with me.
11. εἴτε οὖν ἐγὼ εἴτε ἐκεῖνοι, οὕτως κηρύσσομεν καὶ οὕτως ἐπιστεύσατε.	Therefore whether I or they, in this way we preached and in this way you believed.

Notes

• Begins with resurrection of Jesus to prove general resurrection
• Not response to Corinthian letter (no περὶ δὲ), but to what some are saying (15:12), perhaps reported by Chloe’s people.
• Deferred discussion until end
  • Climactic effect?
  • Bookends of Cross (1:18-2:5) and Resurrection (15)
• Preaching of resurrection is at foundation of kerygma – Paul’s and everyone else’s!

1-2

1

• γνορίζω reiterates earlier knowledge discussion – here is knowledge that matters.
• τὸ εὐαγγέλιον ὃ εὐανγγελισάμεν – deliberate, emphatic repetition of cognate words.
• παρελάβετε – tradition language (cf. 15:3)

2

• σῴζεσθε – present tense, indicates continuing faith
• τίνι λόγῳ εὐηγγελισάμην – further repetition of εὐαγγελιζω verb
• εἰ κατέχετε, ἐκτὸς εἰ μὴ εἰκῇ ἐπιστεύσατε – underlines urgency; not holding to this gospel = believing in vain.

3a

• Language of tradition (cf. 11:23)
• ἐν πρώτοις – ‘first in importance’ or ‘first in time’ – meaning is unaffected either way.

3b-4

• Content of tradition, probably in credal form.
• Combination of ‘buried’ and ‘raised’ points to bodily resurrection.
• Repetition of κατὰ τὰς γραφὰς indicates both events and significance are rooted in Scripture.
• ὑπὲρ τῶν ἁμαρτιῶν ἡμῶν – cf. Is. 53:8-9

5

• May be part of credal formulation, but may also be start of Paul’s list of witnesses. If the latter, he presumably gives prominence to the authoritative witness of Peter.

6-8

• Unanimous witness
• ‘All the apostles’? Group distinct from 12, commissioned to be missionary witnesses.

8

• Personal testimony -> defence of apostleship
• ἐκτρώμα – premature birth – without benefit of normal preparation, such as was given to other apostles.

9-10

• Defence – why interrupt such an important argument? Because of strength of attack.
• Balanced hyperbolic claims – unworthiness, great labours, retraction of boasting.
• Repeated ‘ἠ χάρις τοῦ θεοῦ’.
• οὐ κενή will be connected to belief in resurrection:
  • If Christ is not raised, our hope is in vain (14)
  • But because Christ has not been raised, our labour is not in vain (58)

11

• Returns focus from proclaimer to proclamation.

15:12-19

Vocabulary

• ψευδομάρτυς – false witness
• εἴπερ – if indeed, if after all, since
• ματαίος – fruitless, worthless, useless
• ἐλεεινός – pitiable, miserable

Translation

12. Εἰ δὲ Χριστὸς κηρύσσεται ὅτι ἐκ νεκρῶν ἐγήγερται, πῶς λέγουσιν ἐν ὑμῖν τινες ὅτι ἀνάστασις νεκρῶν οὐκ ἔστιν;	But if Christ is preached, that he was raised from the dead, how do some among you say that there is no resurrection of the dead?
13. εἰ δὲ ἀνάστασις νεκρῶν οὐκ ἔστιν, οὐδὲ Χριστὸς ἐγήγερται·	If there is not a resurrection of the dead, neither was Christ raised.
14. εἰ δὲ Χριστὸς οὐκ ἐγήγερται, κενὸν ἄρα [καὶ] τὸ κήρυγμα ἡμῶν, κενὴ καὶ ἡ πίστις ὑμῶν·	And if Christ was not raised, then our preaching is empty and your faith is empty.
15. εὑρισκόμεθα δὲ καὶ ψευδομάρτυρες τοῦ θεοῦ, ὅτι ἐμαρτυρήσαμεν κατὰ τοῦ θεοῦ ὅτι ἤγειρεν τὸν Χριστόν, ὃν οὐκ ἤγειρεν εἴπερ ἄρα νεκροὶ οὐκ ἐγείρονται.	We are even found false witnesses of God, since we witnessed against God that he raised Christ, whom he did not raise if after all it is true that the dead are not raised.
16. εἰ γὰρ νεκροὶ οὐκ ἐγείρονται, οὐδὲ Χριστὸς ἐγήγερται·	For if the dead are not raised, neither was Christ raised;
17. εἰ δὲ Χριστὸς οὐκ ἐγήγερται, ματαία ἡ πίστις ὑμῶν, ἔτι ἐστὲ ἐν ταῖς ἁμαρτίαις ὑμῶν,	And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile, you are still in your sins,
18. ἄρα καὶ οἱ κοιμηθέντες ἐν Χριστῷ ἀπώλοντο.	And therefore the ones asleep in Christ have been destroyed.
19. εἰ ἐν τῇ ζωῇ ταύτῃ ἐν Χριστῷ ἠλπικότες ἐσμὲν μόνον, ἐλεεινότεροι πάντων ἀνθρώπων ἐσμέν.	If only in this life in Christ we have hoped, we are the most pitiable of all people.

Notes

12

• Any rejection of general resurrection is rejection of specific resurrection.
• Appeal to logic

13-14

• Logical chain
• References to proclamation and faith reinforce vv. 1-2.
• Implications for proclamation and faith picked up in v. 15 & vv. 17-18 respectively.

14

• t.v.
  • ὑμῶν – earliest, most important witnesses. Required by context – ‘your faith’ correlates to ‘our preaching’. cf. v17
  • ἡμῶν – either itasticism or mechanical assimilation to previous ἡμῶν.
  • ὑμῶν, ἔτι ἐστὲ ἐν ταῖς ἁμαρτίαισ ὑμων – only late miniscule support, and is either accidental (homoioteleuton) or a deliberate conflation with v. 17.
  • Thus ὑμῶν best accounts for the others.

15

• Implication -> those who proclaim Christ’s resurrection must be liars – Paul, Peter & Apollos alike.
• ψευδομάρτυρες τοῦ θεοῦ – objective rather than subjective genitive, thus ‘concerning God’.

16

• Reiteration of v. 13, new logical chain/set of implications.

17

• Not only is faith empty, but victory over sin is in doubt, because Jesus’ vindication is in doubt.
• ματαίος and κενός are very similar.
  • κενός (BDAG) – ‘pert. to being devoid of intellectual, moral, or spiritual value’
  • ματαίος (BDAG) – ‘pert. to being of no use, idle, empty, fruitless, useless, powerless, lacking truth’
• In sins is both personal (individual sins), and cosmic (under power of sin). N. B. plural of sins

18-19

• Hope is gone for those both dead and alive.
• ‘Those who have fallen asleep’ is drained of its hope.
• μόνον modifies ἐν τῇ ζωῇ ταύτῃ rather than ἠλπικόντες ἐσμὲν, since the latter relies on a weaker meaning of hope than Paul’s usual use of ἐλπίζω. It is push to the end for emphasis.

19

• Hyperbole? Dismisses joys and rewards of serving Christ in this life? cf. sacrifices of comfort, status & safety in vv. 30-32.
• Genitives of comparison

15:20-28

Vocabulary

• ἀπαρχή, ἡ – first-fruits
• ἐπειδή – since, since then
• ζωοποιέω – I make alive, quicken
• παραδιδοῖ – pres. subj 3 s. of παραδίδωμι
• ἐχθρός, ὁ – enemy; adj. hostile
• δῆλος – clear, evident
• ἐκτός – except, outside

Translation

20. Νυνὶ δὲ Χριστὸς ἐγήγερται ἐκ νεκρῶν ἀπαρχὴ τῶν κεκοιμημένων.	But now Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of the ones who have fallen asleep.
21. ἐπειδὴ γὰρ δι᾿ ἀνθρώπου θάνατος, καὶ δι᾿ ἀνθρώπου ἀνάστασις νεκρῶν.	For because through a man [there was] death, also through a man [there is] resurrection of the dead.
22. ὥσπερ γὰρ ἐν τῷ Ἀδὰμ πάντες ἀποθνῄσκουσιν, οὕτως καὶ ἐν τῷ Χριστῷ πάντες ζῳοποιηθήσονται.	For just as in Adam all die, in this way also in Christ all will be made alive.
23. Ἕκαστος δὲ ἐν τῷ ἰδίῳ τάγματι· ἀπαρχὴ Χριστός, ἔπειτα οἱ τοῦ Χριστοῦ ἐν τῇ παρουσίᾳ αὐτοῦ,	But each in his/her own order; Christ the firstfruits, then those of Christ at his appearing,
24. εἶτα τὸ τέλος, ὅταν παραδιδῷ τὴν βασιλείαν τῷ θεῷ καὶ πατρί, ὅταν καταργήσῃ πᾶσαν ἀρχὴν καὶ πᾶσαν ἐξουσίαν καὶ δύναμιν.	Then the end, when he delivers the Kingdom to the one who is God and Father, when he destroys every rule and every authority and every power.
25. δεῖ γὰρ αὐτὸν βασιλεύειν ἄχρι οὗ θῇ πάντας τοὺς ἐχθροὺς ὑπὸ τοὺς πόδας αὐτοῦ.	For it is necessary for him to rule him until he has put all his enemies under his feet.
26. ἔσχατος ἐχθρὸς καταργεῖται ὁ θάνατος·	The last enemy being destroyed [is] death.
27. πάντα γὰρ ὑπέταξεν ὑπὸ τοὺς πόδας αὐτοῦ. ὅταν δὲ εἴπῃ ὅτι πάντα ὑποτέτακται, δῆλον ὅτι ἐκτὸς τοῦ ὑποτάξαντος αὐτῷ τὰ πάντα.	For he [i.e. God?] has subjected all things under his [i.e. Christ’s] feet. But when it says that every thing has been subjected, it is clear that the one subjecting all things to him is excepted.
28. ὅταν δὲ ὑποταγῇ αὐτῷ τὰ πάντα, τότε [καὶ] αὐτὸς ὁ υἱὸς ὑποταγήσεται τῷ ὑποτάξαντι αὐτῷ τὰ πάντα, ἵνα ᾖ ὁ θεὸς [τὰ] πάντα ἐν πᾶσιν.	But when all things are subjected to him, then the son himself will be subjected to the one who subjected all things to him, in order that God be all in all.

Notes

• Reaffirmation of central truth: Christ has been raised.
• Movement from negative consequences of denial to positive consequences of affirmation.

20

• Νυνὶ δὲ – logical transition rather than chronological ‘now’.
• ἀπαρχὴ – is Paul’s interpretation, suggesting Christ’s resurrection is not alone. Thiselton:
  • First in time
  • Representative
  • Contains promise of more to come

21-22

• ἀνθρώπου – ‘man’ rather than generic ‘human’ because of the Adam/Christ analogy that follows.
• Corporate solidarity: being in Christ leads to resurrection as being in Adam leads to death.
• Second-Adam Christology.
• ζωοποιηθήσονται – suggestive of God’s creative power.
• πάντες – those who have responded in faith to the proclamation of vv. 1-11.
• Translation of ανθρωπου – generic ‘human’ or the ‘men’ of following discussion?

23

• Return to language of firstfruits.
• Guards against over-realised eschatology, by pointing out necessary sequence of events.
• Reminder of promise of future resurrection.

24-26

• Victory over death placed in context of larger triumph, now in process of being brought about.
• Uses language from Ps 110:1 and Ps 8:6.
• Reminder that since death is still present, final consummation has not yet occurred.

27-28

• Christ, as representative firstfruits, acknowledges the kingship of God the Father so the eternal kingdom is undivided. This is the fulfilment of the Messiah’s work.
• ὁ ὑιὸς / ὁ θεὸς – it is ‘the Son’ who subjects himself to the one who subjected all things to him.
  • Not only commenting on earthly, but heavenly relationship between them.
  • It is ὁ θεὸς who reigns, meaning perhaps that Christ’s reign is not swallowed up but perfected in universal rule of trinitarian God.

15:29-34

Vocabulary

• ὁλως – actually, w. neg. not at all
• κινδθνεύω – be in danger, run a risk
• καθ᾽ ἡμέραν – daily
• νή – particle of affirmation, by my pride in you
• ὑμέτερος – your
• καύχησις, ἡ – boasting, pride
• θηριομαχέω – I fight with wild beasts
• ὀφελος, τό – benefit, profit
• αὔριον – adv. tomorrow
• πλανάω – Ι deceive, lead astray
• φθείρω – I corrupt, destroy
• ἦθος, τό – custom, manner, habit
• χρηστός – good, pleasant, kind
• ὁμιλία – company, association
• ἐκνήφω – I become sober, come to my senses
• ἀγνωσία, ἡ – ignorance
• ἐντροπή – shame, humiliation

Translation

29. Ἐπεὶ τί ποιήσουσιν οἱ βαπτιζόμενοι ὑπὲρ τῶν νεκρῶν; εἰ ὅλως νεκροὶ οὐκ ἐγείρονται, τί καὶ βαπτίζονται ὑπὲρ αὐτῶν;	Then what will the ones baptising on behalf of the dead do? If the dead are not raised at all, why are they being baptised on behalf of the dead?
30. Τί καὶ ἡμεῖς κινδυνεύομεν πᾶσαν ὥραν;	And why do we endanger ourselves every hour?
31. καθ᾿ ἡμέραν ἀποθνῄσκω, νὴ τὴν ὑμετέραν καύχησιν, [ἀδελφοί], ἣν ἔχω ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ τῷ κυρίῳ ἡμῶν.	I die every day, by my glorying in you [cf. Thiselton, 1250-1], brothers [and sisters], which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord.
32. εἰ κατὰ ἄνθρωπον ἐθηριομάχησα ἐν Ἐφέσῳ, τί μοι τὸ ὄφελος; εἰ νεκροὶ οὐκ ἐγείρονται, φάγωμεν καὶ πίωμεν, αὔριον γὰρ ἀποθνῄσκομεν.	If I fought wild animals in Ephesus according to a human [standard? reason?], what gain to me? If the dead are not raised, we [should?] eat and we drink, for tomorrow we will die.
33. μὴ πλανᾶσθε· φθείρουσιν ἤθη χρηστὰ ὁμιλίαι κακαί.	Do not be deceived; Evil company corrupts kind morals.
34. ἐκνήψατε δικαίως καὶ μὴ ἁμαρτάνετε, ἀγνωσίαν γὰρ θεοῦ τινες ἔχουσιν, πρὸς ἐντροπὴν ὑμῖν λαλῶ.	Sober up properly and stop sinning. For some have ignorance of God. I speak to you for shame.

Notes

• Return to consequences of not believing in resurrection (cf. 13-19).
• Exposes two practices that don’t make sense unless there is a resurrection: baptism for the dead and suffering for the sake of the gospel. Finally, exhortation to sober up and stop sinning.

29

• ad hominem argument
• Options for the practice:
  • Vicarious baptism for unbelievers- Paul doesn’t challenge because of higher priorities.
  • Vicarious baptism for believers who had not been baptised.
  • One’s own baptism, motivated in part by desire to be reunited with beloved believers.
  • τῶν νεκρῶν is metaphorical, referring to oneself dead in sins.

30-32

• Paul appeals to own example
• κινδνεύω appears only here in Paul, but cognate noun occurs 8 times in 2 Cor 11:26, so that could be considered an amplification.
• Shift from “we” to “I” and from literal danger language to hyperbole of daily death.

31

• t.v. inclusion or omission of ἀδελφοί.
  • External support is fairly evenly divided, with
    • Some early Alexandrian sources (א A B…) favour inclusion
    • P46 and later western sources omit
  • Internal evidence is that inclusion would be consistent with Pauline usage, particularly in such a solemn asseveration. cf. similar assimilation in 11:2 (but only in NA27 + Metzger, Textual Commentary as UBS4 does not include this variant).

32a

• Possible reference to Acts 19:28-32. i.e. metaphorical usage of ἐθηριομάχησα.

32b

• cf. Isaiah 22:12-13

33-34

• Moral exhortation – μὴ πλανᾶσθε often introduces these.
• ὁμιλίαι can mean ‘conversation’. Misleading talk about no resurrection can lead to immoral behaviour.
• cf. connection between Corinthians’ worldliness and lack of theological perspective in 4:8-13.
• Quotation from Menander.
• ἀγνωσίαν – dig at ‘knowledge’ party?

15:35-41

Vocabulary

• ἐρεῖ – fut. of λέγω
• ποῖος – of what kind or sort
• ἄφρων – without reason, senseless, foolish
• ζωοποιέω – make alive, quicken
• γυμνός – bare, naked
• κόκκος, ὁ – grain
• τυγχάνω – happen, chance, impers.
  • εἰ τύχοι – it may be, perhaps.
• σῖτος, ὁ – wheat, grain
• κτῆνος, τό – domesticated animal
• πτηνός, τό – winged; subst. bird
• ἐπουράνιος – heavenly
• ἐπίγειος – earthly
• ἥλιος – sun
• σελήνη, ἡ – moon
• διαφέρω – differ

Translation

35. Ἀλλὰ ἐρεῖ τις· πῶς ἐγείρονται οἱ νεκροί; ποίῳ δὲ σώματι ἔρχονται;	But someone will say, “How are the dead raised?” or “With what body do they come?”
36. ἄφρων, σὺ ὃ σπείρεις, οὐ ζῳοποιεῖται ἐὰν μὴ ἀποθάνῃ·	Foolishness! That which you sow is not made alive if it has not died.
37. καὶ ὃ σπείρεις, οὐ τὸ σῶμα τὸ γενησόμενον σπείρεις ἀλλὰ γυμνὸν κόκκον εἰ τύχοι σίτου ἤ τινος τῶν λοιπῶν·	And the thing which is sown, it is not the body which will be that is sown but a naked seed, perhaps of grain or something else.
38. ὁ δὲ θεὸς δίδωσιν αὐτῷ σῶμα καθὼς ἠθέλησεν, καὶ ἑκάστῳ τῶν σπερμάτων ἴδιον σῶμα.	But God gives it a body just as he has willed, and to each [kind] of seed[s] its own body.
39. Οὐ πᾶσα σὰρξ ἡ αὐτὴ σὰρξ ἀλλὰ ἄλλη μὲν ἀνθρώπων, ἄλλη δὲ σὰρξ κτηνῶν, ἄλλη δὲ σὰρξ πτηνῶν, ἄλλη δὲ ἰχθύων.	Not all flesh is the same flesh but some of humans, another flesh of animals, another flesh of birds, another of fish.
40. καὶ σώματα ἐπουράνια, καὶ σώματα ἐπίγεια· ἀλλὰ ἑτέρα μὲν ἡ τῶν ἐπουρανίων δόξα, ἑτέρα δὲ ἡ τῶν ἐπιγείων.	And [there is] a heavenly body, and an earthly body; but other [is] the glory of the heavenly, another [is] the [glory] of the earthly.
41. ἄλλη δόξα ἡλίου, καὶ ἄλλη δόξα σελήνης, καὶ ἄλλη δόξα ἀστέρων· ἀστὴρ γὰρ ἀστέρος διαφέρει ἐν δόξῃ.	Other [is] the glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon and another glory of the stars; for a star differs from stars in glory.

Notes

35

• Objections to resurrection, in form of questions. Evidence that the objections were to bodily resurrection.

36-37

• Rebuke – σύ probably belongs with ἄφρων rather than ὃ σπείρεις, since the emphasis makes more sense this way.
• ‘Fool’ in OT sense – one who ‘says in his/her heart: “There is no God”‘ (Ps. 14:1).
  • cf. Mk 12:24-27 – there it is ignorance of the Scriptures and the power of God that leads to error about the resurrection. Incidentally, Mark also uses the verb πλανᾶσθε found in v. 33 above.
• εἰ τύχοι is aorist optative of τυγχάνω, literally ‘if it should so happen’, and introduces list of examples.

38

• Both conclusion and bridge to following analogy.
• Variation in tenses from δίδωσιν (‘God gives’) to ἠθέλησεν (‘he willed’) may suggest difference between providential activity and creation design.

39-41

• Variety of bodies, each suited to its environment. Thus, if we expect the environment to be different at the resurrection, so too will the bodies provided be.
• σώματα ἐπουράνια – sun, moon and stars or heavenly beings? Perhaps both, with transition from one to the other between 41 and 42.
• Both present and future body have their own glory; neither should be despised.

15:42-50

Vocabulary

• φθορά, ἡ – corruption, dissolution
• ἀφθαρσια, ἡ – incorruptibility, immortality
• ἀτιμία, ἡ – dishonour
• ζωοποιέω – make alive, quicken
• χοïκός – earthly, made of dust
• οἷος – of what sort, (such) as
• φορέω – bear constantly, wear
• κληρονομέω – I inherit

Translation

42. Οὕτως καὶ ἡ ἀνάστασις τῶν νεκρῶν. σπείρεται ἐν φθορᾷ, ἐγείρεται ἐν ἀφθαρσίᾳ·	In this way also the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption, it is raised in incorruptibility.
43. σπείρεται ἐν ἀτιμίᾳ, ἐγείρεται ἐν δόξῃ· σπείρεται ἐν ἀσθενείᾳ, ἐγείρεται ἐν δυνάμει·	It is sown in dishonour, it is raised in glory; it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power.
44. σπείρεται σῶμα ψυχικόν, ἐγείρεται σῶμα πνευματικόν. Εἰ ἔστιν σῶμα ψυχικόν, ἔστιν καὶ πνευματικόν.	It is sown an unspiritual body, it is raised a spiritual body. If it is an unspiritual body, it is also a spiritual.
45. οὕτως καὶ γέγραπται· ἐγένετο ὁ πρῶτος ἄνθρωπος Ἀδὰμ εἰς ψυχὴν ζῶσαν, ὁ ἔσχατος Ἀδὰμ εἰς πνεῦμα ζῳοποιοῦν.	And so it is written: The first man, Adam became an unspiritual living one, the last Adam a life-giving spirit.
46. ἀλλ᾿ οὐ πρῶτον τὸ πνευματικὸν ἀλλὰ τὸ ψυχικόν, ἔπειτα τὸ πνευματικόν.	But not spiritual [was] not first but the unspiritual, then the spiritual.
47. ὁ πρῶτος ἄνθρωπος ἐκ γῆς χοϊκός, ὁ δεύτερος ἄνθρωπος ἐξ οὐρανοῦ.	The first man [was] from the earth, made of earth; the second man from heaven.
48. οἷος ὁ χοϊκός, τοιοῦτοι καὶ οἱ χοϊκοί, καὶ οἷος ὁ ἐπουράνιος, τοιοῦτοι καὶ οἱ ἐπουράνιοι·	As the one made of earth, so also the ones made of earth; and as the heavenly one, so also the heavenly ones.
49. καὶ καθὼς ἐφορέσαμεν τὴν εἰκόνα τοῦ χοϊκοῦ, φορέσομεν καὶ τὴν εἰκόνα τοῦ ἐπουρανίου.	And just as we have borne the image of the one made of earth, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly one.
50. Τοῦτο δέ φημι, ἀδελφοί, ὅτι σὰρξ καὶ αἷμα βασιλείαν θεοῦ κληρονομῆσαι οὐ δύναται οὐδὲ ἡ φθορὰ τὴν ἀφθαρσίαν κληρονομεῖ.	I say this, brothers [and sisters]: flesh and blood are not able to inherit the kingdom of God, nor the perishable to inherit the imperishable.

Notes

42-44

• Paul applies analogies of seed and different kinds of bodies.
• Asserts existence of resurrection body, but it differs from present body:
  • imperishable
  • (more) glorious
  • powerful
  • spiritual – although not reflecting Greek dualism but biblical eschatology i.e. a body governed by the Spirit.
• σῶμα indicates totality of integrated self

45

• Basis for expectation is double solidarity with Adam (present, ψυχικός, life) and Christ (πνευματικὀς life).
• Citation of Gen 2:7 likens resurrection of Christ to giving life to Adam.

46

• Paul reasserts necessary ordering of events, perhaps over against ‘over-realised’ eschatology.

47

• More likely refers to nature than origin.

48-49

• Application: as we have shared in Adam’s earthly nature, so in Christ we shall share his heavenly nature.
• t.v. φορέσομεν (‘we shall bear’) vs. φορέσωμεν (‘let us bear’).
  • External evidence favours the latter, harder reading of hortatory subjunctive. Thus, let destiny govern present life.
  • UBS4 editors preferred indicative because the context is not hortatory.
• οἷος and τοιοῦτος work together as qualitative correlative adjectives – “as… so also”.

50

• Conclusion: It is ridiculous to reject resurrection on false assumption of unchanged body; the kingdom requires transformation.

15:51-58

Vocabulary

• ἀλλάσσω – I transform, change
• ἄτομος – subst. moment; indivisible
• ῥιπή, ἡ – twinkling, rapid movement
• σάλπιγξ, ἡ – trumpet
• σαλπίζω – I sound a trumpet
• θνητός – subject to death, mortal
• ἀθανασία – immortality
• καταπίνω – drink down, swallow
• νῖκος, τό – victory
• ἐδραῖος – steadfast, firm
• ἀμετακίνητος – immovable, firm
• περισσεύω – abound
• κόπος, ὁ – toil, labour; trouble
• κενός – vain, without result

Translation

51. ἰδοὺ μυστήριον ὑμῖν λέγω· πάντες οὐ κοιμηθησόμεθα, πάντες δὲ ἀλλαγησόμεθα,	Behold I tell you a mystery: not all will sleep, but all will be changed.
52. ἐν ἀτόμῳ, ἐν ῥιπῇ ὀφθαλμοῦ, ἐν τῇ ἐσχάτῃ σάλπιγγι· σαλπίσει γὰρ καὶ οἱ νεκροὶ ἐγερθήσονται ἄφθαρτοι καὶ ἡμεῖς ἀλλαγησόμεθα.	In a moment, in the blink of an eye, in/at the last trumpet; for the trumpet will sound and the dead will be raised imperishable and we will be changed.
53. Δεῖ γὰρ τὸ φθαρτὸν τοῦτο ἐνδύσασθαι ἀφθαρσίαν καὶ τὸ θνητὸν τοῦτο ἐνδύσασθαι ἀθανασίαν.	For it is necessary for this perishable [body] to put on imperishable and this mortal [body] to put on immortality.
54. ὅταν δὲ τὸ φθαρτὸν τοῦτο ἐνδύσηται ἀφθαρσίαν καὶ τὸ θνητὸν τοῦτο ἐνδύσηται ἀθανασίαν, τότε γενήσεται ὁ λόγος ὁ γεγραμμένος· κατεπόθη ὁ θάνατος εἰς νῖκος.	When the this perishable [body] puts on imperishability and this mortal [body] puts on immortality, then will happen the word which is written: Death has been swallowed up in victory.
55. ποῦ σου, θάνατε, τὸ νῖκος; ποῦ σου, θάνατε, τὸ κέντρον;	O death, where [is] your victory? O death, where [is] your sting?
56. τὸ δὲ κέντρον τοῦ θανάτου ἡ ἁμαρτία, ἡ δὲ δύναμις τῆς ἁμαρτίας ὁ νόμος·	The sting of death [is] sin, and the power of sin [is] the law.
57. τῷ δὲ θεῷ χάρις τῷ διδόντι ἡμῖν τὸ νῖκος διὰ τοῦ κυρίου ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ.	But thanks to God, the one giving to us the victory through our Lord, Jesus Christ.
58. Ὥστε, ἀδελφοί μου ἀγαπητοί, ἑδραῖοι γίνεσθε, ἀμετακίνητοι, περισσεύοντες ἐν τῷ ἔργῳ τοῦ κυρίου πάντοτε, εἰδότες ὅτι ὁ κόπος ὑμῶν οὐκ ἔστιν κενὸς ἐν κυρίῳ.	Thus, my beloved brothers [and sisters], be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, having known that your work is not empty in the Lord.

Notes

51-52

• From argument, Paul now turns to praise and encouragement.
• Opening words draw attention to importance, but may also imply against human expectation.
  • God’s great creative act on the last day.
  • Some see this as a development in Paul’s theology, because of formula of proclamation of something new.
• FIXME: t. v.?

53-55

• Reiterates contrast between two kinds of body, two orders of existence, and thus need for great change.
• Juxtaposition of Isaiah 25:6-10a & Hos 13:14
  • In both cases, νῖκος is substituted -> Song of triumph, celebrating Christ’s victory over death.

54

• FIXME: t. v. ?

56

• Explanation of 55.
• First half extends triumphing in Christ’s victory over sin. Also a reminder that if Christ has not been raised, there is no victory and they are still in their sins (15:17).

57

• Doxology – thanks is given for triumph, and declares, once again, agency of Christ in bringing that about.

58

• From celebration to exhortation.
• ἀδελφοί μου ἀγαπητοί – intensification of normal hortatory form of address.
• ἐν τῷ ἔργῳ τοῦ κυρίου – work of building up people of God (cf. 3:10-15; 9:1).
• Comparison to that which is ματαίος and κενός in 10, 14, 17. (cf. also Eccl, where everything is meaningless (LXX ματαιότης).

1 Corinthians 14

14:1-5

Vocabulary

• παραμυθία, ἡ – comfort, consolation
• διερμηνεύω – I interpret, translate

Translation

1. Διώκετε τὴν ἀγάπην, ζηλοῦτε δὲ τὰ πνευματικά, μᾶλλον δὲ ἵνα προφητεύητε.	Pursue love, and eagerly desire the spiritual [gifts], especially that you may prophesy.
2. ὁ γὰρ λαλῶν γλώσσῃ οὐκ ἀνθρώποις λαλεῖ ἀλλὰ θεῷ· οὐδεὶς γὰρ ἀκούει, πνεύματι δὲ λαλεῖ μυστήρια·	For the one speaking in a tongue speaks not to men and women but to God; for noone hears, but in the Spirit that one speaks mysteries.
3. ὁ δὲ προφητεύων ἀνθρώποις λαλεῖ οἰκοδομὴν καὶ παράκλησιν καὶ παραμυθίαν.	But the one prophesying to men and women speaks [words of] building up and encouragement and comfort.
4. ὁ λαλῶν γλώσσῃ ἑαυτὸν οἰκοδομεῖ· ὁ δὲ προφητεύων ἐκκλησίαν οἰκοδομεῖ.	The one speaking in a tongue builds up himself; but the one prophesying builds up the church.
5. θέλω δὲ πάντας ὑμᾶς λαλεῖν γλώσσαις, μᾶλλον δὲ ἵνα προφητεύητε· μείζων δὲ ὁ προφητεύων ἢ ὁ λαλῶν γλώσσαις ἐκτὸς εἰ μὴ διερμηνεύῃ, ἵνα ἡ ἐκκλησία οἰκοδομὴν λάβῃ.	I want all of you to speak in tongues, but especially that you prophesy; greater [is] the one prophesying than the one speaking in tongues, except if someone interprets, in order that the church receives edification.

Notes

• Practical application.
• Primacy of love, and right view of spiritual gifts as related to gatherings.
• Priority of prophecy over tongues, based on guiding principle of building up (which shapes entire chapter).

1

• Summary of 13 (pursue love) but combined with 12:31 (Inclusio)
• Reiterates encouragement of 12:31.

2-4

• Contrast two gifts.
• Tongues are positive – offered to God – but prophecy is better in context of gathering.
• Is self-edification positive or negative?
  • Thiselton (tentative) argues negative, i.e. building up status and ego. But this is only for untranslated tongues in assembly
• 3 terms in v. 3 are cumulative, stressing beneficial character of prophecy.
• Witherington, on implications of tongues being to God:
  • Not human, but special prayer language
  • Tongues + interpretation != prophecy (praise ->
    God not exhortation -> people)

5

• Surprising, given Paul’s statements about diversity in ch. 12. Perhaps he desires that they all receive the benefit, although aware that God does not give gift to all.
• Prophecy to be valued in the gathering, although interpreted tongues also to be valued.

14:6-12

Vocabulary

• ὠφελέω – I profit, help, benefit
• ὅμως – likewise; nevertheless, yet
• ἄψυχος – inanimate, lifeless
• αὐλος, ὁ – flute
• κιθάρα – harp
• διαστολή, ἡ – distinction, difference
• φθόγγος, ὁ – sound
• αὐλεω – I play the flute
• κιθαρίζω – I play the harp or lyre
• ἄδηλος – uncertain, indistinct
• σάλπιγξ, ἡ – trumpet
• παρασκευάζω – I prepare
• πόλεμος, ὁ – war
• εὔσημος – clear, distinct
• ἀήρ, ὁ – air
• τοσοῦτος – so many, so great, so much
• τύχοι – aor. opt. of τυγχάνω meet, happen
  • εἰ τύχοι – perhaps
• ζηλωτής, ὁ – zealot, enthusiast
• περισσεύω – I abound, overflow

Translation

6. Νῦν δέ, ἀδελφοί, ἐὰν ἔλθω πρὸς ὑμᾶς γλώσσαις λαλῶν, τί ὑμᾶς ὠφελήσω ἐὰν μὴ ὑμῖν λαλήσω ἢ ἐν ἀποκαλύψει ἢ ἐν γνώσει ἢ ἐν προφητείᾳ ἢ [ἐν] διδαχῇ;	But now, brothers and sisters, if I come to you speaking in tongues, what will I benefit you if I do not speak to you either in revelation or en knowledge or in prophecy or [in] teaching?
7. ὅμως τὰ ἄψυχα φωνὴν διδόντα, εἴτε αὐλὸς εἴτε κιθάρα, ἐὰν διαστολὴν τοῖς φθόγγοις μὴ δῷ, πῶς γνωσθήσεται τὸ αὐλούμενον ἢ τὸ κιθαριζόμενον;	Likewise, the lifeless things giving a sound, either flute or harp, if it does not give distinct sound, how will what is played on the flute or played on the harp be made intelligible?
8. καὶ γὰρ ἐὰν ἄδηλον σάλπιγξ φωνὴν δῷ, τίς παρασκευάσεται εἰς πόλεμον;	Indeed, if a trumpet gives an indistinct sound, who will prepare themselves for war?
9. οὕτως καὶ ὑμεῖς διὰ τῆς γλώσσης ἐὰν μὴ εὔσημον λόγον δῶτε, πῶς γνωσθήσεται τὸ λαλούμενον; ἔσεσθε γὰρ εἰς ἀέρα λαλοῦντες.	Likewise with you, by means of the tongue, if you do not give an intelligible word, how will the one speaking be made intelligible? For you will be speaking into air.
10. τοσαῦτα εἰ τύχοι [2aor opt] γένη φωνῶν εἰσιν ἐν κόσμῳ καὶ οὐδὲν ἄφωνον·	If it may happen that there are many different sounds in the world and none are unsounded;
11. ἐὰν οὖν μὴ εἰδῶ τὴν δύναμιν τῆς φωνῆς, ἔσομαι τῷ λαλοῦντι βάρβαρος καὶ ὁ λαλῶν ἐν ἐμοὶ βάρβαρος.	Therefore if I do not know the power of the sound, I will be a foreigner/barbarian to the one speaking and the one speaking foreign to me.
12. οὕτως καὶ ὑμεῖς, ἐπεὶ ζηλωταί ἐστε πνευμάτων, πρὸς τὴν οἰκοδομὴν τῆς ἐκκλησίας ζητεῖτε ἵνα περισσεύητε.	So it is with you, since you are zealous of spirits, seek to abound towards the building up of the church.

Notes

6

• Hypothetical question
• First person
  • Rhetorical device, to invite participation?
  • Reference to his own practice?
  • Reference to his impending arrival?
• List is intended to cover all understandable utterance, hence no point trying to divide between elements.

7-8

• Analogy: flute, harp & trumpet
  • Intended to convey a message – sound is meaningful
  • Message requires distinction/clarity in order to be understood
  • Trumpet heightens the urgency

9

• Analogy is applied
• εὔσημον is parallel to ἄδηλον in v. 8 and γνωσθήσεται τὸ λαλούμενον is parallel to γνωσθήσεται το αὐλούμενον ἢ τὸ κιθαριζόμενον in v. 7.
• ‘By means of a tongue’ rather than ‘in a tongue’.

10-11

• Further analogy – compared with speaking in unknown language.
  • Is it an analogy? If Paul can use foreign language as analogy it reinforces argument that ‘tongues’ are not real human languages.
• τοσαῦτα… γένη – ‘so many kinds of’
• εἰ τύχοι – 2nd aor. opt. of τυγκάνω
  • ‘it may be that…’ or ‘if one were to count them’
  • Signals protasis to the apodosis of οὐδὲν ἄφωνον?
  • cf. Psalm 19:3, where there is a similar ambiguity.
• v. 11 makes point clear: every language makes some sort of noise, but if it is not understood it is meaningless
• Analogy effective in cosmopolitan Corinth

12

• Conclusion: give priority to building up the church
• πνεῦματα
  • ‘Spiritual things/gifts’?
  • Zeal to excel in their possession of ‘spirits’ that they can tap into in worship?

14:13-25

Vocabulary

• διερμηνεύω – I interpret,
  translate
• ἄκαρπος – unfruitful
• ψάλλω – I sing, sing praise
• ἀναπληροω – I fill, fulfill
• ἰδιώτης, ὁ – layman; ungifted person
• σός – your
• μύριοι – ten thousand
• φρήν, ἡ – thinking, understanding
• κακία, ἡ – evil, wickedness
• νηπιάζω – I am a child
• χεῖλος, τό – lip
• εἰσακούω – I obey, hear
• μαίνομαι – I am mad, out of my mind
• ἐλέγχω – I reprove, convict
• κρυπτός – hidden
• ὀντως – truly, indeed, really

Translation

13. Διὸ ὁ λαλῶν γλώσσῃ προσευχέσθω ἵνα διερμηνεύῃ.	Therefore, let the one speaking in a tongue  pray that he/she may interpret.
14. ἐὰν [γὰρ] προσεύχωμαι γλώσσῃ, τὸ πνεῦμά μου προσεύχεται, ὁ δὲ νοῦς μου ἄκαρπός ἐστιν.	[For] if praying in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my mind is unfruitful.
15. τί οὖν ἐστιν; προσεύξομαι τῷ πνεύματι, προσεύξομαι δὲ καὶ τῷ νοΐ· ψαλῶ τῷ πνεύματι, ψαλῶ δὲ καὶ τῷ νοΐ.	Therefore what is it [that I shall do]? I will pray in the Spirit, but I will pray also in the mind; I will sing in the Spirit, but I will also sing in the mind.
16. ἐπεὶ ἐὰν εὐλογῇς [ἐν] πνεύματι, ὁ ἀναπληρῶν τὸν τόπον τοῦ ἰδιώτου πῶς ἐρεῖ τὸ ἀμὴν ἐπὶ τῇ σῇ εὐχαριστίᾳ; ἐπειδὴ τί λέγεις οὐκ οἶδεν·	Since if you praise in Spirit, how will the one filling the place of the uninitiated say, ‘Amen,’ concerning your prayer, since he does not know what you are saying?
17. σὺ μὲν γὰρ καλῶς εὐχαριστεῖς ἀλλ᾿ ὁ ἕτερος οὐκ οἰκοδομεῖται.	For you are giving thanks well, but the other one is not built up.
18. Εὐχαριστῶ τῷ θεῷ, πάντων ὑμῶν μᾶλλον γλώσσαις λαλῶ·	I give thanks to God [that] I speak in tongues more than all of you;
19. ἀλλὰ ἐν ἐκκλησίᾳ θέλω πέντε λόγους τῷ νοΐ μου λαλῆσαι, ἵνα καὶ ἄλλους κατηχήσω, ἢ μυρίους λόγους ἐν γλώσσῃ.	But in the church I would rather speak five words with my mind, in order that I may instruct another, than ten thousand words in a tongue.
20. Ἀδελφοί, μὴ παιδία γίνεσθε ταῖς φρεσὶν ἀλλὰ τῇ κακίᾳ νηπιάζετε, ταῖς δὲ φρεσὶν τέλειοι γίνεσθε.	Brothers [and sisters], do not be children in thinking but be infants in evil, and in thinking be mature.
21. ἐν τῷ νόμῳ γέγραπται ὅτι ἐν ἑτερογλώσσοις καὶ ἐν χείλεσιν ἑτέρων λαλήσω τῷ λαῷ τούτῳ καὶ οὐδ᾿ οὕτως εἰσακούσονταί μου, λέγει κύριος.	In the Law it has been written, “In other tongues and in other lips I will speak to this people, and not even thus will they hear me,” says the Lord.
22. ὥστε αἱ γλῶσσαι εἰς σημεῖόν εἰσιν οὐ τοῖς πιστεύουσιν ἀλλὰ τοῖς ἀπίστοις, ἡ δὲ προφητεία οὐ τοῖς ἀπίστοις ἀλλὰ τοῖς πιστεύουσιν.	Thus tongues are not a sign for believers but for unbelievers, and the prophecies not for unbelievers but for believers.
23. Ἐὰν οὖν συνέλθῃ ἡ ἐκκλησία ὅλη ἐπὶ τὸ αὐτὸ καὶ πάντες λαλῶσιν γλώσσαις, εἰσέλθωσιν δὲ ἰδιῶται ἢ ἄπιστοι, οὐκ ἐροῦσιν ὅτι μαίνεσθε;	Therefore if the whole church gathers in the same [place] and all are speaking in tongues at the same time, and an uninitiate enters or an unbeliever, will they not say you are insane?
24. ἐὰν δὲ πάντες προφητεύωσιν, εἰσέλθῃ δέ τις ἄπιστος ἢ ἰδιώτης, ἐλέγχεται ὑπὸ πάντων, ἀνακρίνεται ὑπὸ πάντων,	But if all prophesy, and an unbeliever or uninitiate enters, he is convicted by all, judged by all,
25. τὰ κρυπτὰ τῆς καρδίας αὐτοῦ φανερὰ γίνεται, καὶ οὕτως πεσὼν ἐπὶ πρόσωπον προσκυνήσει τῷ θεῷ ἀπαγγέλλων ὅτι ὄντως ὁ θεὸς ἐν ὑμῖν ἐστιν.	The hidden things of his heart will become revealed, and in this way, falling upon the face he will pray to God, declaring that God is really among you.

Notes

13

• διὸ indicates that 13 is application of 12
• Don’t discard tongues, but desire edification of hearers.
• προσευχέσθω – 3rd imperative
• διερμηνεύω – more than translate, perhaps ‘put into words’

14

• Tongues without interpretation of no benefit, because speaker doesn’t understand their own words – the ‘barren’ mind yields no fruit.
• ‘My spirit’ need not be explicitly defined – the important thing is the contrast with ‘my mind/understanding’.

15

• Sets scene for 16ff.
• Public praying and singing.
• Referring to himself hypothetically in place of tongues-speaker.
• Parallel usage of pr
  aying/singing: singing in tongues?

16

• Example: thanksgiving prayer calls for others to join in, but they can’t unless they understand.
• ἐπει (‘since’) here seems to function with an implied ‘otherwise…’
• ‘In the position of’
  • Literal?
  • Figurative?
• ἰδιώτης? – ‘uninitiate’

17

• Paul desires that all present should understand and thus have opportunity to be built up.
• εὐχαριστεῖς – indicative, Paul not casting doubt on belief that one who speaks is genuinely giving thanks to God.

18-19

• Priority of intelligibility in the assembly
• Uses first person
  • State personal practice, calling on them to emulate
  • Confirms Paul’s own practice of often speaking in tongues, but in private. Possibly Paul was disrespected because of apparent lack of this gift.
• ἢ in last clause implies a μᾶλλον in previous clause (‘[rather]… than’).

20

• Fresh address (Ἀδελφοί) prepares way for what follows
• Present tense prohibition (μὴ παιδία γίνεσθε) ‘stop being children’ rather than ‘stop becoming…’.

21

• Selective quotation from Is 28:11f.
• Sound of foreign language is work of God’s judgment on Israel for not listening to his voice.

22

• Tongues a sign for unbelievers, prophecy a sign for believers
  • Tongues place believers/unbelievers alike in position of unbelievers, not understanding God, whereas prophecy brings grace -> Corinthians should seek way of grace.

23

• Hyperbolic situation, with all in one place, all speaking in tongues
• Outsiders/uninitiates (ἰδιῶται) and unbelievers (ἄπιστοι) enter.
  • Different/same? Perhaps unbaptised enquirers and total unbelievers respectively.
• Perceived as ‘out of one’s mind’, thus left in judgement. cf. Acts 2, where tongues were human

24-25

• On the other hand, hearing intelligible prophecy may lead to positive result.
• If 2 categories in 23, Paul seems particularly concerned about unbelievers.

14:26-33a

Vocabulary

• ψαλμός, ὁ – song of praise, psalm
• πλεῖστος – superl. of πολύς most
• ἀνα μέρος – in turn
• διερμηνευτής, ὁ – interpreter
• σιγκάω – I am silent
• διακρίνω – I judge, pass judgement
• καθ᾽ ἕνα – one by one
• μανθάνω – I learn
• ἀκαταστασία – disorder, confusion

Translation

26. Τί οὖν ἐστιν, ἀδελφοί; ὅταν συνέρχησθε, ἕκαστος ψαλμὸν ἔχει, διδαχὴν ἔχει, ἀποκάλυψιν ἔχει, γλῶσσαν ἔχει, ἑρμηνείαν ἔχει· πάντα πρὸς οἰκοδομὴν γινέσθω.	What then, brothers and sisters? Whenever you gather, each has a psalm, has a teaching, has a revelation, has a tongue, has an interpretation; let them all happen for building up.
27. εἴτε γλώσσῃ τις λαλεῖ, κατὰ δύο ἢ τὸ πλεῖστον τρεῖς καὶ ἀνὰ μέρος, καὶ εἷς διερμηνευέτω·	If someone speaks in a tongue, according to two or at most three and upon part [turn?], and let someone interpret;
28. ἐὰν δὲ μὴ ᾖ διερμηνευτής, σιγάτω ἐν ἐκκλησίᾳ, ἑαυτῷ δὲ λαλείτω καὶ τῷ θεῷ.	But if there is not an interpreter, let him be silent in church, or let him speak to himself and to God.
29. προφῆται δὲ δύο ἢ τρεῖς λαλείτωσαν καὶ οἱ ἄλλοι διακρινέτωσαν·	Let two or three prophets speak and let the others evaluate;
30. ἐὰν δὲ ἄλλῳ ἀποκαλυφθῇ καθημένῳ, ὁ πρῶτος σιγάτω.	But if it is revealed to another who is sitting, let the first be silent.
31. δύνασθε γὰρ καθ᾿ ἕνα πάντες προφητεύειν, ἵνα πάντες μανθάνωσιν καὶ πάντες παρακαλῶνται.	For you are all able according to one [singly?] to prophesy, in order that all may learn and all may be encouraged.
32. καὶ πνεύματα προφητῶν προφήταις ὑποτάσσεται,	And the spirits of prophets are subject to prophets,
33a. οὐ γάρ ἐστιν ἀκαταστασίας ὁ θεὸς ἀλλὰ εἰρήνης.	For God is not of confusion but of peace.

Notes

• Call for orderly procedure in gatherings (theme for remainder of chapter)
  • ὑποτασσομαι (32, 34)
  • οὐκ… ἀκαταστασία… ἀλλὰ εἰρήνη (33)
  • εὐσχημόνως καὶ κατὰ τάξιν (40)
• Order reflects character of God (33) and leads to edification (26, 31)
• Garland’s breakdown:
  • General principle (26)
  • Applied to tongues (27-28)
  • Applied to prophecy (including weighing) (29-35)
    • Assumes 33b-36 not third sub-section relating to women speaking in assembly, but continuation of prophecy instructions.
  • Concluding injunction and restatement (36-40)

26

• Rhetorical question introduces practical conclusions preceding arguments
• Terms cannot be exactly defined, but seem to suggest contributions by members of assembly
• Edification the key principle.

27

• Three requirements for orderly exercise of tongues:
  • Limited number
  • One at a time
  • Interpretation
• Does εἱς have numerical force (after δύο/τρεῖς)? i.e. single interpreter, separate from tongue-speaker
  • Not necessarily – may simply mean ‘a person’

28

• Requirement for interpreter is emphasised as essential
• No interpreter -> silence
  • At home?
  • ‘Under breath’?

29

• Begins to regulate prophecy in similar fashion
• Absence of conditional structure found in 27 and absence of ‘at most’ suggest Paul regards prophecy as essential element of gathering.
• ‘Weighing’ is unclear, but at least indicates prophecy not unconditionally accepted.
• ‘Others’ presumably whole congregation
  • Possibly ‘other prophets’, but this would negate responsibility Paul places on all to evaluate in 1 Thess 5:20-21. (cf. ‘discern all things’ 1 Cor 2:15).

30-31

• There is a place for spontaneity
• Repetition of ‘all’ serves to remind of Paul’s emphasis on community setting.
• Desired effect is both instruction and encouragement.

32

• Anticipated objection: Paul rejects idea that prophecy is involuntary (presumably also tongues, or else previous injunctions impractical).

33

• Further reason for orderly gatherings: reflects nature of God.
• ‘Peace’ is more than order – wholeness or well-being (shalom).

14:33b-40

Vocabulary

• ἀκαταστασία, ἡ – disorder, confusion
• σιγάω – be silent
• ἐπιτρέπτω – I allow, permit
• αἰσχρός – shameful, base
• καταντάω – I come to, arrive, reach
• ἀγνοέω – I do not recognize, disregard, do not know
• ζηλόω – I strive, am jealous
• κωλύω – I hinder
• εὐσχημόνως – decently, becomingly; properly
• τἀξις, ἡ – arrangement, order

Translation

33b. Ὡς ἐν πάσαις ταῖς ἐκκλησίαις τῶν ἁγίων	As in all the c hurches of the saints,
34. αἱ γυναῖκες ἐν ταῖς ἐκκλησίαις σιγάτωσαν· οὐ γὰρ ἐπιτρέπεται αὐταῖς λαλεῖν, ἀλλὰ ὑποτασσέσθωσαν, καθὼς καὶ ὁ νόμος λέγει.	Let women be silent in the churches; for it is not permitted for them to speak, but let them be subjected, as the Law also says.
35. εἰ δέ τι μαθεῖν θέλουσιν, ἐν οἴκῳ τοὺς ἰδίους ἄνδρας ἐπερωτάτωσαν· αἰσχρὸν γάρ ἐστιν γυναικὶ λαλεῖν ἐν ἐκκλησίᾳ.	But if they desire to learn anything, let them ask their own husband in the home; for it is shameful for a woman to speak in church.
36. ἢ ἀφ᾿ ὑμῶν ὁ λόγος τοῦ θεοῦ ἐξῆλθεν, ἢ εἰς ὑμᾶς μόνους κατήντησεν;	Or [was it] from you the word of God came, or into you alone it has arrived?
37. Εἴ τις δοκεῖ προφήτης εἶναι ἢ πνευματικός, ἐπιγινωσκέτω ἃ γράφω ὑμῖν ὅτι κυρίου ἐστὶν ἐντολή·	If anyone thinks to be a prophet or a spiritual one, let him recognise the things I am writing to you are a commandment of the Lord.
38. εἰ δέ τις ἀγνοεῖ, ἀγνοεῖται.	If anyone ignores, let him be ignored.
39. Ὥστε, ἀδελφοί [μου], ζηλοῦτε τὸ προφητεύειν καὶ τὸ λαλεῖν μὴ κωλύετε γλώσσαις·	Thus, my brothers and sisters, eagerly desire the [gift] to prophesy and do not forbid the [gift] to speak in tongues;
40. πάντα δὲ εὐσχημόνως καὶ κατὰ τάξιν γινέσθω.	But let all things become honestly and according to order.

Notes

33b-35

• Either third subsection concerning ‘ordering of women’ or continuation of instructions regarding prophecy, and the role played by women/wives.

33b

• Connected with preceding or following?
  • Some mss. show vv. 34-35 after v. 40.
  • Forms inclusio with v. 36.
  • Repetition of ἐν … ταῖς ἐκκλησίαις is awkward, but preferable to alternative.

34-35

• Interpretation must be consistent with 11:2-16.
• Placement here or after v. 40?
  • Later interpolation?
  • More likely simple scribal error, then corrected by adding to margin.
• Silence
  • Within gathering.
  • Not absolute silence, otherwise 11:2
    -16, where women are described as praying/prophesying with head covered, would not make sense.
  • Disruptive speaking? Assumption that synagogue-seating, with women in separate part of room.
    • Pro: concern for speaking one at a time vv. 27, 31
    • Pro: general concern for order
    • Con: Unlikely modelled on synagogue.
    • Con: Paul gives instruction only to women.
  • When prophecy weighed
    • Something to do with submission of wives to husbands
    • Women or wives? Assumed they have their own husbands at home.
    • Submission to husband or to order established by God?
    • ‘Shame’?
      • Husband’s prophecy publicly examined by wife?
      • Intrinsic shamefulness? Or Greco-Roman social more? cf. ‘glory’ & ‘disgrace’ of 11:2-16.

36-38

• Reinforce importance of heeding previous instruction.
• Rebuke.

36

• Rebukes arrogant pursuit of own way.
• cf. 33b, and ‘all the churches’.
• Primarily applicable to 34f., but also more widely applicable.

37

• More specific rebuke of arrogance of those claiming to be ‘prophets’ or ‘spiritual’.
• Textual variants for last couple of words are manifold, but not shown in UBS4.
• Which things? Previous verse(s) or entire chapter?
  • Which would Paul be most defensive over?

38

• Word play: ignores/ignored.
  • ἀγνοέω is negation of ‘I know’
  • ἐπιγνώσκω is an intensification.
• Who ignores?
  • Passive indicative -> God
  • Third person active imperative -> community

39-40

• Reiterate main points of chapter.
• Prophecy is strongly endorsed (ζηλοῦτε), tongues less so (μὴ κωλύετε)
• κατὰ τάξιν
  • Pragmatic – order within gathering
  • Theological – reflect God of order.

1 Corinthians 13

13:1-7

Vocabulary

• χαλκός, ὁ – copper, brass (gong)
• ἠχέω – I sound, ring out
• κύμβαλον, τό – cymbal
• ἀλαλαζω- I clash; cry out loudly
• κἄν – and if, even if
• μεθίστημι – remove
• ψωμίζω – I feed, divide in small pieces, fritter
• τὰ ὑπάρχοντα – one’s belongings
• καίω – burn
• ὠφελέω – help, benefit, profit
• μακροθυμέω – I have patience
• χρηστεύομαι – I am kind
• ζηλόω – I am jealous; I strive
• περπερεύομαι – I boast, brag
• ἀσχημονέω – I behave disgracefully, dishonourably
• παροξύνω – provoke to wrath, irritate
• συγκαίρω – I rejoice together with
• στέγω- I bear, endure
• ὑπομένω – I bear, am steadfast, patient

Translation

1. Ἐὰν ταῖς γλώσσαις τῶν ἀνθρώπων λαλῶ καὶ τῶν ἀγγέλων, ἀγάπην δὲ μὴ ἔχω, γέγονα χαλκὸς ἠχῶν ἢ κύμβαλον ἀλαλάζον.	If I speak with the tongues of men [and women] and of angels, but don’t have love, I have become a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal.
2. καὶ ἐὰν ἔχω προφητείαν καὶ εἰδῶ τὰ μυστήρια πάντα καὶ πᾶσαν τὴν γνῶσιν καὶ ἐὰν ἔχω πᾶσαν τὴν πίστιν ὥστε ὄρη μεθιστάναι, ἀγάπην δὲ μὴ ἔχω, οὐθέν εἰμι.	And if I have [the gift of] prophecy and I know all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to move a mountain, but I do not have love, I am nobody.
3. κἂν ψωμίσω πάντα τὰ ὑπάρχοντά μου καὶ ἐὰν παραδῶ τὸ σῶμά μου ἵνα καυχήσωμαι, ἀγάπην δὲ μὴ ἔχω, οὐδὲν ὠφελοῦμαι.	And if I gave away all my possessions, and if I delivered my body in order that I might boast, but I do not have love, I gain nothing.
4. Ἡ ἀγάπη μακροθυμεῖ, χρηστεύεται ἡ ἀγάπη, οὐ ζηλοῖ, [ἡ ἀγάπη] οὐ περπερεύεται, οὐ φυσιοῦται,	Love is patient, love is kind, it is not jealous, [love] does not brag, it does not cause conceit,
5. οὐκ ἀσχημονεῖ, οὐ ζητεῖ τὰ ἑαυτῆς, οὐ παροξύνεται, οὐ λογίζεται τὸ κακόν,	It is not rude, it does not seek [the good] of itself, it does not suffer provocation, it does not consider [or keep a record of] evil,
6. οὐ χαίρει ἐπὶ τῇ ἀδικίᾳ, συγχαίρει δὲ τῇ ἀληθείᾳ·	It does not rejoice concerning unrighteousness, but rejoices together with the truth.
7. πάντα στέγει, πάντα πιστεύει, πάντα ἐλπίζει, πάντα ὑπομένει.	It bears all things, believes (trusts?) all things, hopes all things, endures all things. [Alternately, πάντα may be adverbial, i.e. ‘always bearing…’]

Notes

1-3 – ‘The Necessity of Love’

• Applicable both at a personal and community level

1

• Distinction between human & angelic tongues (angelic in emphatic position at the end)
  • Human eloquence vs. glossolalia
  • Difference of opinion amongst Corinthians re glossolalia – human or angelic? cf. Testament of Job 48-50, were a daughter of Job is said to speak ‘ecstatically in the angelic dialect’.
  • Reference to glossolalia + hyperbolic ‘even if they were the tongues of angels’. Paul uses angels as form of heightening elsewhere (1 Cor 4:9, 6:3; Gal 1:8)
• ἀγάπη is not a precise term, but rather a colourless one taken up in LXX and NT.
• χαλκὸς (brass gong) and κύμβαλον (cymbal) are both monotonic instruments. cf. flute & harp of 14:7-9. Used in mystery religions either to invoke a god or, drive away demons or rouse worshippers (Prior, 227-8).

2

• Broadens his reference beyond tongues to other types of giftedness. Intensifies it to hypothetically extreme degree.
• Echo language of Jesus in Mk 11:23

3

• Further broadening to encompass laudable and self-sacrificing action:
  • Charitable giving
  • ??
• t.v. καυχήσωμαι (‘boast’ or ‘glory’) vs. καυθήσομαι (‘be burnt’)
  • Selling oneself into slavery (literal or metaphorical??), an intensification of previous giving. But for one’s own glory rather than love for others.
    • PRO: Early and reliable early evidence
    • PRO: Harder reading
    • PRO: Transcriptional evidence – scribes more likely to try and improve the sense by substituting similar sounding word
    • PRO: 35 other uses in Pauline corpus
    • CON: PRO: Internal evidence, for no need to declare boasting or glorying worthless – ἀγάπην δὲ μὴ ἔχω becomes superfluous. Although, Paul doesn’t necessarily consider ‘glorying’ to be bad cf. 15:31.
  • Martyrdom by fire
    • PRO: Impressive number of witnesses
    • CON: Martyrdom more likely to have crept in in later era, when death by fire was more common.
    • CON: would expect, as more natural expression, ἵνα καυθῇ (‘that it may be burnt’) or ἱνα + subjunctive.
• ‘Gain nothing’ instead of ‘am nothing’ – shift may not be significant, but if it is, it could be addressing Jewish ideas of gaining credit with God by unusually good acts.

4-7 – ‘The Character of Love’

• Definition of ἀγάπη.
• Unbroken series of verbs – love is known by how it acts
  • All present continuous, denoting habitual action (Prior, 229-30).

4

• Both passive (μακρθυμεῖ) and active (χρηστεύεται).
• Series of 7 negatives
• περπερεύεται – a fairly gross boasting (rare)
• φυσιοῦται – being puffed up, which Paul has already condemned numerous times in this letter.

5

• οὐ ζητεῖ τὰ ἐαυτῆς – ‘it does not seek the things of itself’ – cf. 10:24, 33
• οὐ παροξύνεται – verb to be angered -> ‘not easily angered’

6

• οὐ χαίρει ἐπὶ τῇ ἀδικίᾳ
  • Seeing others in the wrong
  • Taking pleasure in gaining advantage over others through wrong-doing.
  • Sympathy with wrong-doing.
  • Whichever, it is lack of love that is important, so probably one of first two.

7

• Climax
• Rapid fire πάντα repeated. Adverbial function? This makes best sense of middle two clauses at least.
• στέγει – bears, endures, protects, covers, sustains
  • cf. 9:12b, hence synonymous with ὑπομένει (‘endures’).
  • Chiasm, with faith & hope also closely related.
• How do these things relate to love? Live life of Christian faith and hope in all circumstances, and this will govern how you relate to God and to others.

13:8-13

Vocabulary

• οὐδεποτε – never
• παύω – cause to stop; mid. cease
• φρονέω – I think
• ἔσοπτρον, τό – mirror
• αἴνιγμα, τό – riddle, indistinct image
  • ἐν αἰνίγματι – dimly
• μείζων – greater, better

Translation

8. Ἡ ἀγάπη οὐδέποτε πίπτει· εἴτε δὲ προφητεῖαι, καταργηθήσονται· εἴτε γλῶσσαι, παύσονται· εἴτε γνῶσις, καταργηθήσεται.	Love never falls. Now prophecies, they will be nullified; tongues, they will cease; knowledge, it will be nullified.
9. ἐκ μέρους γὰρ γινώσκομεν καὶ ἐκ μέρους προφητεύομεν	For we know from a fragment and we prophesy from a fragment
10. ὅταν δὲ ἔλθῃ τὸ τέλειον, τὸ ἐκ μέρους καταργηθήσεται.	But whenever the perfect thing comes, that which [is] from a fragment will be nullified.
11. ὅτε ἤμην νήπιος, ἐλάλουν ὡς νήπιος, ἐφρόνουν ὡς νήπιος, ἐλογιζόμην ὡς νήπιος· ὅτε γέγονα ἀνήρ, κατήργηκα τὰ τοῦ νηπίου.	When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I thought as a child, I reasoned as a child; when I became a man, I nullified the things of a child.
12. βλέπομεν γὰρ ἄρτι δι᾿ ἐσόπτρου ἐν αἰνίγματι, τότε δὲ πρόσωπον πρὸς πρόσωπον· ἄρτι γινώσκω ἐκ μέρους, τότε δὲ ἐπιγνώσομαι καθὼς καὶ ἐπεγνώσθην.	For we see now through a mirror in a dim reflection, but then face to face. Now I know from a fragment, but then I shall fully know, even as I have been fully known.
13. Νυνὶ δὲ μένει πίστις, ἐλπίς, ἀγάπη, τὰ τρία ταῦτα· μείζων δὲ τούτων ἡ ἀγάπη.	Now faith, hope and love, these three remain; but love is the greatest of these.

Notes

8-13 – ‘The Permanence of Love

• Return to contrasting love with prophecy, tongues & knowledge

8

• Does ‘love never fails’ connect with what precedes or follows? Bridge between them. Thus, both love continues under all circumstances and is eternal.
• End of sign-gifts after apostolic era? Context makes clear that the eschaton is in view.
• Cessation of γνῶσις refers to end of partial knowledge.

9-10

• Explanation of why these things come to an end – they belong to an age of incompleteness.
• ἐκ μέρους – ‘part by part’ or ‘piece by piece’

11

• Reinforces image of incompleteness by suggesting childhood state in which the aid of spiritual gifts is appropriate, in contrast with time of perfection to come.

12

• Second analogy: mirror. Indirectness (and hence incompleteness) of vision.
• God’s knowledge of us is already complete (καθὼς καὶ ἐπεγνώσθην).

13

• Conclusion: triad of faith, hope, love, then singling out love.
• Singling out:
  • Context?
  • Eschatological?
• νυνὶ δὲ μένει – logical rather than temporal
• Triad unexpected, and thus independent origin of passage? but cf. v. 7.

vv. 1-11

vv. 1-3

Vocabulary

• ἀπάγω – I lead away
• διαίρεσις – apportionment, division; difference, variety

Translation

1. Περὶ δὲ τῶν πνευματικῶν, ἀδελφοί, οὐ θέλω ὑμᾶς ἀγνοεῖν.	Now concerning the things of the spirit, brothers [and sisters], I do not want you to be ignorant.
2. Οἴδατε ὅτι ὅτε ἔθνη ἦτε πρὸς τὰ εἴδωλα τὰ ἄφωνα ὡς ἂν ἤγεσθε ἀπαγόμενοι.	You know that when you were gentiles you, if you were being led, you were being led astray towards mute idols.
3. διὸ γνωρίζω ὑμῖν ὅτι οὐδεὶς ἐν πνεύματι θεοῦ λαλῶν λέγει· Ἀνάθεμα Ἰησοῦς, καὶ οὐδεὶς δύναται εἰπεῖν· Κύριος Ἰησοῦς, εἰ μὴ ἐν πνεύματι ἁγίῳ.	Therefore I make known to you that no one speaking in the Spirit of God says, “Jesus is cursed,” and no one is able to say, “Jesus is Lord,” except in the Holy Spirit.

Notes

• Response to Corinthian letter – ‘περὶ δὲ’.
• Is πνευματικῶν masc. (i.e. ‘spiritual people’) or nt. (‘spiritual gifts’)? Treat as neuter and as encompassing both (cf. Fee & Thiselton).

2.

• Paul uses ἔθνη here to speak of past state of gentiles.
• tr. Required to supply an additional ἦτε between ἤγεσθε and ἀπαγόμενοι
• ὡς ἂν ἤγεσθε = subordinate clause
• ἦτε ἀπαγόμενοι = periphrastic imperfect
• cf. ESV ‘You know that when you were pagans you were led astray to mute idols, however you were led.’
• Being led?
  • Cultic processions? (Garland)
  • ‘Led’ by spirits – cf. being led by the Spirit. Not a new experience for pagans.

3.

• διὸ – ‘therefore’ i.e. because spiritual phenomena can be either pagan or Christian (v. 2)
• Rule of thumb: Spirit’s work is seen where Jesus is glorified.

vv. 4-11

Vocabulary

• ἐνέργημα – activity
• φανέρωσις, ἡ – manifestation, disclosure
• συμφέρω – I am profitable
• ἴαμα, τό – healing, remedy
• γένος, τό – class, kind; nation
• ἑρμηνεία, ἡ – interpretation
• βούλομαι – I wish, will

Translation

4. Διαιρέσεις δὲ χαρισμάτων εἰσίν, τὸ δὲ αὐτὸ πνεῦμα·	There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit;
5. καὶ διαιρέσεις διακονιῶν εἰσιν, καὶ ὁ αὐτὸς κύριος·	And there are different kinds of ministries, an d the same Lord;
6. καὶ διαιρέσεις ἐνεργημάτων εἰσίν, ὁ δὲ αὐτὸς θεὸς ὁ ἐνεργῶν τὰ πάντα ἐν πᾶσιν.	And there are different kinds of workings, but the same God who is working them all in all.
7. ἑκάστῳ δὲ δίδοται ἡ φανέρωσις τοῦ πνεύματος πρὸς τὸ συμφέρον.	To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the bringing together.
8. ᾧ μὲν γὰρ διὰ τοῦ πνεύματος δίδοται λόγος σοφίας, ἄλλῳ δὲ λόγος γνώσεως κατὰ τὸ αὐτὸ πνεῦμα,	For to one a word of wisdom is given through the Spirit, but  to another a word of knowledge according to the same spirit,
9. ἑτέρῳ πίστις ἐν τῷ αὐτῷ πνεύματι, ἄλλῳ δὲ χαρίσματα ἰαμάτων ἐν τῷ ἑνὶ πνεύματι,	To another faith in the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing in the one Spirit,
10. ἄλλῳ δὲ ἐνεργήματα δυνάμεων, ἄλλῳ [δὲ] προφητεία, ἄλλῳ [δὲ] διακρίσεις πνευμάτων, ἑτέρῳ γένη γλωσσῶν, ἄλλῳ δὲ ἑρμηνε tyle=”font: normal normal normal 12px/normal ‘Lucida Grande'; letter-spacing: 0px”>ία γλωσσῶν·	To another workings of powers, to another prophecy, to another discernment [weighing?] of spirits, to another kinds of tongues, to another interpretation of tongues;
11. πάντα δὲ ταῦτα ἐνεργεῖ τὸ ἓν καὶ τὸ αὐτὸ πνεῦμα διαιροῦν ἰδίᾳ ἑκάστῳ καθὼς βούλεται.	All these the one and the same Spirit works, apportioning to each individually, just as he wills.

Notes

4-6.

• Contrast different (διαιρέσεις, ‘different kinds’) vs. same (αὐτὸ).
• χαρίσματα, διακονίαι, ἐνεργήματα
• Garland – different ‘categories’ of gifts (unconvincing)
• Fee, Bruce et al synonyms
• Starting with χαρίσματα may emphasise origin of gifts. Remaining words broaden scope.
• Spirit/Lord/God – trinitarian

7

• ἑκάστῳ – each and every
  • Over against Corinthian elitism.
  • cf. ἐν πᾶσιν in v. 6.
• φανέρωσις implies activity or ability that reveals the presence of Spirit.
  • cf. v. 3 for a sign of revealing Spirit
• Paul corrects view of gifts as being συμφέρον – ‘for the common good’
  • Thus anticipates chs. 13-14.

8-10

• Variation between ἄλλω and ἑτέρω
  • Structure list by breaking into 3 groups:
    • A: Word gifts (knowledge and wisdom)
    • B: Diverse gifts
    • C: Tongues
• Deliberately ordered list
  • First, emp
    hasis on edifying others by intelligible wisdom and knowledge
  • Middle, reinforce diversity of gifts
  • Last & least is tongues
• λόγος σοφίας and λόγος γνώσεως
  • Wisdom cf. 2:6-16, ability to convey message of cross
  • Knowledge cf. 8:4, truth about idols and oneness of God.
• χαρίσματα ἰαμάτων
  • Plural – many gifts? many types of healing?
• προφετεία
  • Agreement
    • Intelligible verbal content (14:2-3)
    • Originates with Spirit (12:11)
    • Different from pagan ecstatic speech (14:31-33
    • Functions to edify and encourage (14:3)
    • Distinct from teaching, but those who receive prophecy can be instructed by it (14:19, 31).
  • Disagreement
    • Pastoral preaching?
    • Spontaneity?
    • Require testing? (1 Cor 14; 1 Thess 5)
      • cf. διακρίσεις πνευμάτων
• διακρίσεις πνευμάτων – ‘weighing’ of spirits
  • cf. 14:29
  • Parallel with προφητεία in the same way that γένη γλωσσῶν parallels ἑρμηνεία γλωσσῶν.
  • γένη γλωσσῶν and ἑρμηνεία γλωσσῶν
    • Last, therefore least?
    • Real tongues?
      • But addressed to God, not humans (14:2, 14, 28)
      • Ref to foreign human languages in 14:10-11 is analogy
    • Heavenly tongues?
    • Instructions in 14:28-29 suggest able to control, i.e. not ecstatic.

11

• Ties together vv. 4-11 as a paragraph, echoing language and ideas of vv. 4-7.

vv. 12-31

vv. 12-26

Vocabulary

• καθάπερ – just as
• ἀκοή, ἡ – faculty of hearing, art of hearing; report
• ὄσφρησις, ἡ – smelling
• χρεία, ἡ – need
• ἀναγκεῖος – necessary
• ἄτιμος – insignificant, dishonoured
• τιμή, ἡ – honour, price
• περισσότερος – greater, more
• περιτίθημι – grant, bestow; put around
• ἀσχήμων – shameful, unpresentable; indecent
• εὐσχημοσύνη, ἡ – propriety, decorum
• εὐσχἠμων – proper, presentable
• συγκεράννυμι – mix, blend, unite
• ὑστερέω – I lack, miss, am inferior
• σχίσμα, τό – division, dissension
• μεριμνάω – I am anxious, care for

Translation

12. Καθάπερ γὰρ τὸ σῶμα ἕν ἐστιν καὶ μέλη πολλὰ ἔχει, πάντα δὲ τὰ μέλη τοῦ σώματος πολλὰ ὄντα ἕν ἐστιν σῶμα, οὕτως καὶ ὁ Χριστός·	For just as the body is one and has many parts, and all of the parts, though they are many, are one body, so is Christ.
13. καὶ γὰρ ἐν ἑνὶ πνεύματι ἡμεῖς πάντες εἰς ἓν σῶμα ἐβαπτίσθημεν, εἴτε Ἰουδαῖοι εἴτε Ἕλληνες εἴτε δοῦλοι εἴτε ἐλεύθεροι, καὶ πάντες ἓν πνεῦμα ἐποτίσθημεν.	For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free, and we were all given one Spirit to drink.
14. Καὶ γὰρ τὸ σῶμα οὐκ ἔστιν ἓν μέλος ἀλλὰ πολλά.	For the body is not one part but many.
15. ἐὰν εἴπῃ ὁ πούς· ὅτι οὐκ εἰμὶ χείρ, οὐκ εἰμὶ ἐκ τοῦ σώματος, οὐ παρὰ τοῦτο οὐκ ἔστιν ἐκ τοῦ σώματος;	If the foot says, “I am not a hand, I am not of the body,” it is not because of this not of the body, is it?
16. καὶ ἐὰν εἴπῃ τὸ οὖς· ὅτι οὐκ εἰμὶ ὀφθαλμός, οὐκ εἰμὶ ἐκ τοῦ σώματος, οὐ παρὰ τοῦτο οὐκ ἔστιν ἐκ τοῦ σώματος;	An if the ear says, “I am not an eye, I am not of the body,” it is not because of this not of the body, is it?
17. εἰ ὅλον τὸ σῶμα ὀφθαλμός, ποῦ ἡ ἀκοή; εἰ ὅλον ἀκοή, ποῦ ἡ ὄσφρησις;	If the whole body were an eye, where the hearing? If the whole hearing, where the sense of smell?
18. νυνὶ δὲ ὁ θεὸς ἔθετο τὰ μέλη, ἓν ἕκαστον αὐτῶν ἐν τῷ σώματι καθὼς ἠθέλησεν.	But now God has placed the parts, each one of them in the body just as he willed.
19. εἰ δὲ ἦν τὰ πάντα ἓν μέλος, ποῦ τὸ σῶμα;	If they were all one part, where the body?
20. νῦν δὲ πολλὰ μὲν μέλη, ἓν δὲ σῶμα.	But now many parts, but one body.
21. οὐ δύναται δὲ ὁ ὀφθαλμὸς εἰπεῖν τῇ χειρί· χρείαν σου οὐκ ἔχω, ἢ πάλιν ἡ κεφαλὴ τοῖς ποσίν· χρείαν ὑμῶν οὐκ ἔχω·	The eye is not able to say to the hand, “I do not have a need of you.” Nor again, the head to the feet, “I do not have a need of you.”
22. ἀλλὰ πολλῷ μᾶλλον τὰ δοκο ῦντα μέλη τοῦ σώματος ἀσθενέστερα ὑπάρχειν ἀναγκαῖά ἐστιν,	But rather many parts of the body  seeming weaker are necessary to have for existence.
23. καὶ ἃ δοκοῦμεν ἀτιμότερα εἶναι τοῦ σώματος τούτοις τιμὴν περισσοτέραν περιτίθεμεν, καὶ τὰ ἀσχήμονα ἡμῶν εὐσχημοσύνην περισσοτέραν ἔχει,	And the parts of the body we think to be dishonourable to these we put on more honour, and our shameful parts have more modesty,
24. τὰ δὲ εὐσχήμονα ἡμῶν οὐ χρείαν ἔχει. ἀλλὰ ὁ θεὸς συνεκέρασεν τὸ σῶμα τῷ ὑστερουμένῳ περισσοτέραν δοὺς τιμήν,	but our presentable parts do not have a need. But God has united the body, having given greater honour to those lacking,
25. ἵνα μὴ ᾖ σχίσμα ἐν τῷ σώματι ἀλλὰ τὸ αὐτὸ ὑπὲρ ἀλλήλων μεριμνῶσιν τὰ μέλη.	in order that there is no division in the body but the parts are anxious for each other.
26. καὶ εἴτε πάσχει ἓν μέλος, συμπάσχει πάντα τὰ μέλη· εἴτε δοξάζεται [ἓν] μέλος, συγχαίρει πάντα τὰ μέλη.	And if one part suffers, all the parts suffer together; if one part is honoured, all the parts rejoice.

Notes

General

• Teaches diversity through analogy with parts of body.
• Is the emphasis on unity or diversity?
  • Majority say unity
  • Fee argues diversity
    • Culminates in string of rhetorical questions about diversity in vv. 29-30.

12

• tr. ὄντα is concessive – i.e. ‘though being’
• Introduction of analogy… although cf. 6:15, 10:17.
  • Initially only an analogy, but by end of verse could be metonymy.

13

• Unity traced to common baptism/drinking-of one Spirit
  • Primary image is bathed in Spirit, secondary is water baptism, as βαπτίζω was not a technical term.
• Parallelism:
  • πάντες εἰς ἓν σῶμα    ἐβαπτισθημεν
  • πάντες       ἓν πνεῦμα ἐποτίσθημεν
  • Synonymous or synthetic?
    • σῶμα / πνεῦμα held together (spiritual body) in 15:44, so there is no implicit contradiction… although the σῶμα πνευματικὸν is spoken of as the post-resurrection state.
• Explicit inclusions reinforce point that within community there is no room for divisions/hierarchy
• Not ‘second blessing’, for this would undermine Paul’s argument for abolishing distinctions.

14

• Recapitulate initial analogy and introduce development.

15-16

• Personification of parts to paint ridiculous picture.
• All are needed in their variety.
• Questions or statements?
  • UBS4 shows questions but majority of English versions translate as statements – probably to avoid necessity of unravelling double negatives.
  • οὐ usually indicates expectation of affirmative response – very difficult to render.
  • Given that this is a change from UBS3, surprising that Metzger’s Textual Commentary contains no comment.

17

• tr. Need to supply a subjunctive form of verb to be.
• Continues absurd image to reinforce point that envy is not appropriate, as all gifts (and all those gifted) are necessary for the whole body to function.

18

• Diversity is both necessary and desirable – indeed, it is according to God’s plan.
• νυνὶ δὲ is logical rather than temporal – indicates the status quo.
• Redundant ἓν is for emphasis – ‘every single one’… although this is not entirely satisfactory because throughout the rest of the passage ἓν refers to the whole rather than the parts?

19-20

• Reiterate conclusion of v. 17, stressing both unity and diversity.

21

• Focus on hierarchy becomes clearer here than in 15-17, with distinctions between part and part rather than part and whole.
  • It is a single part that excludes another, rather than that part excluding itself from the whole body.
  • Outward focused here – excluding others rather than excluding self.
  • Parts who speak are representative of ‘puffed up’ Corinthians.

22

• Paul directly contradicts superiority (strong adversative)
• ‘Unimportant’ members are necessary.

23-24a

• From unimportant to shameful/unpresentable, suggesting that these we treat with special honour.

24b – 25

• Positive conclusion.
• Analogy or allegory?
  • Members caring for one another demands application to church.

26

• Again, suffering together and rejoicing together demands application to the church.

vv. 27-31

Vocabulary

• ἀντίλεμψις, ἡ – help
• κυβέρνησις, ἡ – administration
• διερμηνεύω – I interpret, translate
• ζηλόω – strive, be jealous
• μείζων – better
• ὑπερβολή – excess, extraordinary quality;
  • καθ᾽ὑπερβολήν – better
• δείκνυμι – show

Translation

27. Ὑμεῖς δέ ἐστε σῶμα Χριστοῦ καὶ μέλη ἐκ μέρους.	Now you are the body of Christ and part of a part.
28. Καὶ οὓς μὲν ἔθετο ὁ θεὸς ἐν τῇ ἐκκλησίᾳ πρῶτον ἀποστόλους, δεύτερον προφήτας, τρίτον διδασκάλους, ἔπειτα δυνάμεις, ἔπειτα χαρίσματα ἰαμάτων, ἀντιλήμψεις, κυβερνήσεις, γένη γλωσσῶν.	And whom in the church God has appointed first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then powers, then gifts of healings, helps, administrations, earthly tongues.
29. μὴ πάντες ἀπόστολοι; μὴ πάντες προφῆται; μὴ πάντες διδάσκαλοι; μὴ πάντες δυνάμεις;	Not all are apostles, are they? Not all are prophets, are they? Not all are teachers, are they? Not all are [workers of] powers, are they?
30. μὴ πάντες χαρίσματα ἔχουσιν ἰαμάτων; μὴ πάντες γλώσσαις λαλοῦσιν; μὴ πάντες διερμηνεύουσιν;	Not all have gifts of healings do they? Not all speak in tongues, do they? Not all interpret, do they?
31. ζηλοῦτε δὲ τὰ χαρίσματα τὰ μείζονα. Καὶ ἔτι καθ᾿ ὑπερβολὴν ὁδὸν ὑμῖν δείκνυμι.	But be zealous for the greater gifts. And yet according to a greater way I show to you.

Notes

27

• Emphatic identification between body of Christ and Corinthians church
  • Ὑμεῖς is in first postion for emphasis
• ἐκ μερους indicates role of individual in the whole body, rather than that this is how to view the whole community.

28

• Second list of things God has given church
  • Reflects Paul’s emphases.
  • Introduction stresses God’s sovereign role.
  • Numbered items (first/second) remind of Paul’s founding role
    • Although Fee notes plural of apostles reminds of larger work of God, beneficiary of all the apostles.
  • Unnumbered items intersperse ‘unspectacular’ gifts amongst the more ‘spectacular’.
  • κυβερνήσεις is metaphor for leadership from steering of a ship.

29-30

• String of slanted rhetorical questions, requiring negative response, by way of conclusion.

31a

• Statement or question?
  • Statement: ‘You desire… but now I shall tell you the greater way’
  • Command: ‘Desire greater gifts… and this is the greatest’
  • Latter to be preferred:
    • No adversative conjunction
    • cf. 14:1 and 14:39-40
    • μείζονα clearly redefined from Corinthians’ interpretation

31b

• Depends on
  interpretation of 31a, but intention is clear. The way of love (expounded in 13:1-13) is the priority.