This verse is very similar to verse 20, and the differences, though significant, are not contrasts. Verse 24, apart from brethren and with God, is shorter than verse 20 in Greek because Paul does not repeat the emphatic expression “in the calling (in) which he was called.”

Brethren refers to “fellow Christians,” not to actual kin or family members.

Each may be rendered as “each one of you.” As in other places, Good News Bible uses “you” forms in order to avoid masculine pronouns (similarly New Revised Standard Version).

State may also be rendered as “circumstance” or “situation.”

Good News Bible‘s rendering “in fellowship” before with God is implied in the Greek. This phrase can also mean “in God’s presence” or “in God’s sight,” as in 3.19. In any case, translators should add words here, if necessary, to make the meaning clear.

An alternative translation model for languages that do not use the passive is the following:
• My fellow Christians, when God called you, each one of you was in a certain state (or, condition). As you live your lives with God, you should remain in that state.

Quoted with permission from Ellingworth, Paul and Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on Paul’s First Letter to the Corinthians, 2nd edition. (UBS Handbook Series). New York: UBS, 1985/1994. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .