Brethren: see comment on verse 24 and elsewhere.
I mean, brethren gives the impression in English that Paul is about to explain what he has just said. However, there are reasons to believe that Paul is introducing a new thought here: (1) The word brethren generally introduces a new paragraph. (2) Paul uses exactly the same expression I mean, brethren in 15.50 at the beginning of a new paragraph. (3) In both this verse and in 15.50 there is good reason to think that Paul is repeating a common Christian teaching, not anything new or peculiar to himself. The impact of the phrase I mean, brethren is therefore probably similar to Jesus’ saying, “Truly, I tell you” (see Matt 5.18 and elsewhere). If this is so, An American Translation‘s rendering “but this I do say, brothers,” or Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch‘s “For this you must know, brothers,” gives the right effect. One may also say “I am sure that you know this, my fellow Christians.”
The appointed time has grown very short: or “the end time will come soon.”
The meaning of the phrase translated from now on and its relation to the rest of the sentence are uncertain (see the footnote on punctuation in the UBS Greek text). However, in Greek this phrase usually starts a new sentence and rarely ends one. Most translations and commentaries, therefore, agree with Revised Standard Version and Good News Bible‘s punctuation. Paul has just announced a general principle that the Corinthian Christians already know. Now he goes on to draw conclusions for readers in different situations. With this interpretation in mind, there are various ways to translate this phrase: “so,” “since that is so,” and “therefore.” We could also link the two parts of the verse closely together: “The time we live in will not last long. While it lasts….” (Revised English Bible).
The sentence let those who have wives live as though they had none does not mean that married men should abandon their wives and lead a celibate life (see verse 27), or feel free to marry someone else. Good News Bible‘s “married people” is incorrect; Good News Bible first edition “married men” is correct. The words as though show that Paul feels that married men should carry on their married lives under the realization that they live in the end times, and that they have much more important things to deal with than the fact that they are married. The present world will soon end. Good News Bible‘s translation “live as though they were not married” is clearer than Revised Standard Version‘s.
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 .