This verse and the first part of verse 3 form a balanced whole: (see structure|fig:Table_1CO3-2.jpg)

The first half of verse 2, which is literally “I gave you milk to drink, not solid food, for you were not yet able,” will almost certainly need two modifications in translation. First, translators will need to avoid suggesting “I did not give you solid food to drink.” One can avoid this mistake, either by omitting “to drink,” or by adding “to eat” after solid food, or by using some general verb like the English “to feed.” This verb can have either solid or liquid food as its object. Second, it will be necessary in most languages to say what the readers were “not ready” for (Good News Bible). Translator’s New Testament has “for you could not yet take it,” where “take” has the meaning “swallow” or “digest.”

The wording of the phrase translated even yet (Good News Bible‘s “even now”) is a little difficult in the Greek, probably because Paul is emphasizing it strongly, but the meaning is quite clear.

An alternative translation model for this verse is:
• I gave you milk to drink, not solid food to eat, because you were not ready to swallow solid food. Even now (or, Besides,) you cannot swallow it.

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 .