Good News Bible, Bible en français courant, and New English Bible (but not Revised English Bible) put this verse in parentheses, to show the close links between verses 18 and 20. However, in the Greek, verse 19 is linked grammatically with verse 18 by the conjunction for. Paul may imply something like “such divisions are only to be expected,” or even “such divisions are part of God’s purpose.” The verb translated must is often used in speaking of God’s purpose, as in Mark 8.31.

Factions means the same as “divisions” in verse 18.

Those who are genuine: the Greek probably implies that the crisis of division in the church will serve as a test or trial, after which it will be possible to tell who have remained faithful and who have not (compare 3.13; 9.27).

Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch expresses this clause as “… so that one can see who has maintained himself in faith”; similarly Parola Del Signore: La Bibbia in Lingua Corrente, “… so that one can recognize who have overcome the test”; and Bible en français courant, “… so that one can recognize those among you who are truly faithful.”

In this verse Paul repeats twice the phrase among you that he has already used in verse 18. This emphasizes his concern in this passage for the corporate life of the Christian community.

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 .