Some commentators begin a new paragraph here on the grounds that verses 23-28, like 50-57, are concerned with the end of time. These two passages are also linked by the use of military terms such as order in verse 23 (see the comments) and “trumpet” in verse 52 (compare 14.8).

But leads the reader to expect a contrast, probably between “all” in verse 22 and each here. Paul may also have in mind a third group of people (verse 51), who will not be raised from death because they are still alive when Christ returns.

Each in his own order: in many languages it will be helpful to add the words “will be raised” as in Good News Bible. One may also say “But God will raise each one in his proper order.” Good News Bible avoids the masculine pronoun “his”; in any case, women are included.

The word translated order generally has a military meaning, referring either to a troop of soldiers or to a rank. But that meaning would not apply to Christ here. The passage seems to refer to succession in time or a progression of events. To show this meaning one can say in the following sentence “God raised Christ first….”

First fruits: the same Greek word was translated “guarantee” in verse 20 (see the comments). “First of all” (Good News Bible), though, is a more natural rendering here.

The word translated coming may also be translated as “appearance.” The meaning here, as in 1 Thes 2.19, is that of the arrival of some important person such as a ruler or judge. It may also be used more widely, as in 16.17, of the arrival, or simply of the presence, of an ordinary person. One may say, then, “when he appears” or “when he returns.”

Those who belong to Christ: the language is similar to, though not quite the same as, “Chloe’s people” in 1.11; the meaning is similar to “God’s holy people” (Good News Bible) in 1.2.

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 .

Then comes the end: this is the plain meaning of the text, and the one preferred by recent commentators. The end refers to “the end of the age” or “the end of the world.” One may render this clause as “after that the end of the world comes” or “after that this age will come to an end.”

In the rest of the verse, Revised Standard Version follows the Greek order quite literally, whereas Good News Bible rearranges the events to correspond more closely to their ordering in time. Many languages will find it helpful to follow Good News Bible‘s ordering.

It is impossible to establish clear-cut distinctions between rule, authority, and power. These words overlap considerably in meaning with the word translated kingdom, though kingdom refers in this verse to a power different from the other terms. Paul is referring to angels or spirits (obviously “evil”) that were thought of as controlling the area between heaven and earth (see comment on 8.5).

Good News Bible‘s “spiritual” in “spiritual rulers” is not in the Greek text but is almost certainly implied here. Translators in some languages will have to translate this phrase as “ruling spirits.”

Destroying does not mean that the spiritual powers will be absolutely destroyed, but that they will be made completely ineffective. Good News Bible uses the word “overcome.”

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 .

Most of this verse is a free quotation of Psa 110.1: “Sit at my right hand, till I make your enemies your footstool.”

Translators in most languages should add the names “Christ” and “God” to this verse in order to make clear in each case who the word he refers to: “For Christ must rule until God defeats all enemies and puts them under his feet” (Good News Bible). In the psalm God is speaking to a king of Israel. In the New Testament this verse is always understood to mean that God is speaking to the Messiah, that is, to Christ.

Must in this context suggests that Christ’s rule is part of God’s will or plan. The same word is used in the same sense in verse 53.

Reign is related in Greek to the word “kingdom” used in verse 24. Barrett translates “reign in his kingdom” to make this meaning clear. One may also say “rule as king.” The tense of the verb implies “Christ must go on ruling until….”

Until he has put all his enemies under his feet: There are ancient pictures of kings with their feet on the necks of defeated enemies. Translators should keep this metaphor if in their language it is clear that the meaning is “defeat his enemies.” However, in languages that do not speak in this way, Good News Bible‘s “God defeats all enemies and puts them under his feet” is a clear translation.

The context, especially verse 26, suggests that the enemies are not only Christ’s but also ours. For this reason Good News Bible has “all enemies” instead of all his enemies. Greek manuscripts differ on this, but Good News Bible follows the more reliable manuscripts.

His feet means Christ’s feet, not God’s, as Psa 110.1 shows.

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 .

The main theme of this entire chapter is the resurrection. So in this verse Paul is applying the text he has just used to this main theme.

This sentence is literally “Last enemy (that) is-destroyed, death.” “Paul uses the present tense (though the defeat of death lies in the future) because he looks at the process as a whole” (Barrett).

Destroyed here is a strong verb. Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch has “annihilated,” that is, “made nonexistent.” The word means that all the power of death is to be removed. The word for destroyed is sometimes used in the New Testament in speaking about the destruction of Satan as the one who has power over death (Heb 2.14). Paul may be thinking of death itself as one of the “spiritual rulers, authorities, and powers” mentioned in verse 24. In the light of all this, Good News Bible‘s translation “defeated” seems a little weak; New Jerusalem Bible has “done away with,” and Revised English Bible “deposed.”

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 .

For links verse 27, not directly to verse 26, but to the earlier argument, especially verse 24. It may therefore be better to omit For in translation, especially since it is not part of the quotation.

Good News Bible‘s “the scripture says” is implied and may be added to make the meaning of the text clear. The words that follow come from Psa 8.6. Paul’s readers would have known that these words were an Old Testament quotation. See comments on 1.19.

Comparison of Revised Standard Version with Good News Bible shows that in four places Good News Bible makes the meaning clearer by replacing pronouns (it, he, him) with nouns (“the scripture,” “God,” “Christ”). This is the most probable understanding of the verse, and Good News Bible‘s example is recommended to translators.

As in verse 25, God is implied but should be added by translators to show clearly who is doing the action put … under his feet. In Psa 8.6 God is speaking to “the son of man,” meaning “man” in the sense of “humanity.” The fact that Jesus often spoke of himself as “the Son of man” may have made New Testament writers understand that in this psalm, as in Psa 110.1, God is speaking to Christ (see also Heb 2.6-9).

The word translated put is stronger than “put” (“set,” “placed”) in verse 25, but the same as put at the end of this verse. The word explicitly expresses the idea of being subordinate or subject to another power. Paul understands the second quotation in the light of the first.

Good News Bible prints “all” in italics for emphasis, contrary to the usual Good News Bible style. There is, of course, nothing corresponding to italics in the Greek manuscripts. However, translators may use italics here to help the reader see in advance that this is the keyword of the quotation, and to suggest that it be given vocal emphasis or stress when read aloud.

His feet: Paul is applying the word his in the quotation to Christ. However, a translator may not expand his feet to “Christ’s feet.” The reference in Psa 8.6 is to “the son of man.”

But when it says … it is plain: many languages cannot talk about written texts saying or speaking. Also, in some languages it will be appropriate to place the phrase it is plain in front of “but where it says.” Good News Bible‘s translation, “It is clear, of course, that the words…,” will be a good model for many languages.

Revised Standard Version translates verse 27b quite literally, whereas Good News Bible abbreviates the text for stylistic purposes by avoiding some of the repetition. In many languages Good News Bible‘s abbreviated version will be adequate.

In repeating the verb put in subjection under, Paul changes the tense to make it refer to a continuous process covering both past and present. He is conscious that the process is not yet complete. However, Paul’s comment here has another purpose, namely, to show that God is not included in the all things that will be subjected to Christ. The clause who puts all things under him may be rendered as “who causes Christ to rule over all things.”

He is excepted is quite difficult English. Good News Bible‘s “do not include God himself” gives the meaning clearly.

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 .

Are subjected represents another change of tense and mood. The context clearly requires the meaning “when all things have been placed” (Good News Bible) or “when God has placed all things.”

Subjected to him means “under his rule.” The preceding verses suggest a picture of God placing everything under Christ, and this would make good sense of the rest of the verse, especially the emphatic the Son himself. This is the most likely explanation and the one preferred by translators generally. It may be good to replace the first him by “Christ,” as in Good News Bible.

The situation is slightly complicated by the fact that some manuscripts have also before the Son himself. (The UBS Greek text prints this “and” in square brackets.) This requires the meaning “but when God has subjected everything to himself, then the Son himself will also be subjected to God who subjected all things to him” (similarly Revised English Bible). Such a meaning would raise the same difficulty as noted in verse 25, since “to him” can scarcely mean “to himself.” It is simpler, then, to follow the interpretation that underlies both Revised Standard Version and Good News Bible. The following is a possible translation of this first phrase: “But when God has placed all things under Christ’s rule, then Christ himself, the Son….”

Will also be subjected to him can be translated in languages that do not use passives as “will place himself under God” (Good News Bible). Alternatively, the implied subject may be expressed as “God,” give the meaning “When God has put all things under the Son, he will also subject the Son to himself he who put all things under the Son that God….”

That God may be everything to every one: it is difficult to be certain of the exact meaning of this clause. Paul uses the same or similar language in 12.6 and in Eph 1.23, always at the climax of a paragraph. It is possible, therefore, that the traditional translation “all in all” may come closer to Paul’s meaning than any attempt to define more narrowly the meaning of the two “alls.” The first “all” cannot refer to people; the second “all” may refer either to people or to things. Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch has “then God alone is the Lord who works everything and in everyone”; Parola Del Signore: La Bibbia in Lingua Corrente “and then God will reign effectively in all”; Phillips “Thus, in the end, shall God be wholly and absolutely God.” Moffatt and An American Translation make it clear that they think the second “all” refers to people: “so that God may be everything to everyone.” Revised Standard Version follows this interpretation.

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 .

Some of the difficulties that commentaries discuss arise because we do not know enough about the situation to which Paul refers. In the present verse these difficulties are impossible to separate from problems of translation.

Otherwise (Good News Bible‘s “Now”): Paul is digressing here from the main subject of the resurrection of Christ and of the believers. Other possible renderings of this sentence are “Just for a moment let us think about those people who are baptized on behalf of dead people” or “… those people who receive baptism on behalf of people who have died.”

Nowhere else does the New Testament mention baptism on behalf of the dead. Some ancient Greek commentators have claimed that “baptism on behalf of the dead” refers to baptism in order to ensure the resurrection of living people themselves, not to ensure the resurrection of others who have died. This interpretation is unlikely, for one reason, because people in the final sentence of the verse seems to refer to a particular group in the church. All translations that we consulted agree with the interpretation that underlies Revised Standard Version and Good News Bible.

What do people mean…? is literally “what will they do?” The use of the future tense is unexpected and difficult. Revised Standard Version‘s what do people mean and Good News Bible‘s “What do they hope to accomplish?” represent two main interpretations. Good News Bible seems to make better sense of the future tense. Translator’s New Testament‘s translation, “what good will those people do who are baptised for the dead?” agrees with Good News Bible.

The clause If the dead are not raised at all may be connected either with the earlier part of the sentence or the last part. In verses 12-19, conditional clauses beginning with If have been placed at the beginning of the sentences. So it is probably more natural here to begin a new sentence with If and connect this clause with what follows.

Good News Bible‘s “as some claim” is added as a reminder of what was said in verse 12; other common language translations do not follow Good News Bible‘s example.

Revised Standard Version‘s the dead are not raised at all shows the emphatic quality of the Greek; this is missing in Good News Bible. Some languages can render this clause as “If God does not raise the dead to life at all….”

The last clause, beginning with why are people …, is also emphatic. It can be phrased “What possible reason can those people have for being baptized for the dead?”

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 .

At this point Paul moves rather suddenly from the experience of the Corinthians to his own experience. The effect is to intensify his appeal to the readers. Paul’s entire work, he implies, is based on the hope of resurrection and would make no sense without it. Good News Bible indicates the transition by the words “And as for us.” New English Bible marks this sudden change of theme by beginning a new paragraph. However, verse 30 logically, though not grammatically, depends on the condition “If the dead are not raised,” expressed in verse 29. It may be good to begin this verse “If there is no resurrection, why then would we…?”

Some commentators and translators take “we” (Good News Bible) to refer to Paul alone. However, in verse 32 he uses singular words in speaking of his personal experience. He could have done this in the present verse if other evangelists were not included. Good News Bible‘s “we” is probably a better translation.

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 .