As we mentioned in the comments on verse 35, there is no great difference in meaning in this passage between flesh and “body.” Languages differ according to whether or not they use the same term to describe the “flesh” of humans, animals, and plants. In languages where distinctions are made, translators should always use what is natural in the receptor language rather than word-for-word correspondence with the Greek terms.

Not all flesh is alike: Good News Bible‘s expanded translation “the flesh of living beings is not all the same kind of flesh” is much clearer in English. The words “of living beings” prepares the reader for the range of examples given later in the verse. In fact, all the examples are given from the animal kingdom. A general term for animals can be used; however, the Greek term normally covers domestic animals such as cattle, and that form is preferred in languages which must make a distinction.

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 begins to give the nonfigurative meaning of his illustrations. Translators should begin a new paragraph here. In the first sentence there is no verb in the Greek, but Good News Bible‘s “will be” is clearly implied.

So it is compares what follows with what precedes—the reality (resurrection) with the image (heavenly bodies).

The resurrection of the dead: in most languages it will be helpful to render resurrection as a verbal expression to show that it is an event: “when God raises the dead to life.” See comments on verse 12.

What is sown: Good News Bible has removed the metaphorical language to bring out the meaning of the passage: “When the body is buried.” Another solution is Barclay‘s translation: “what is buried in the earth, like a seed….” Such a translation keeps the figure of speech but expands it.

The words perishable and imperishable mean respectively “in a state of being subject to death and decay,” and the opposite. These words have to be understood in this particular context. Paul’s argument makes it clear that the resurrection body is imperishable or “immortal” (Good News Bible) because God has raised it to a new kind of life that it did not have before. Imperishable or “immortal” can also be expressed as “will never die.”

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 two halves of this verse are similar in structure to 42b. Revised Standard Version keeps the structure of the Greek. Good News Bible has combined these two sentences, making them more specific applications of verse 42b. This interpretation, however, is not certain. It is perhaps more likely that Paul makes three overlapping statements that are of equivalent importance and similar meaning. If translators think that such rhetorical repetition is natural and effective in their language, the three statements in verses 42b and 43 must be translated separately. Otherwise, not only the two halves of verse 43, but all three statements can be combined. Many translations keep the two halves of verse 43 separate.

The phrases It is sown and it is raised may be expressed as “When the body is buried” and “when the body is raised.”

Dishonor in the context of burial refers to “ugliness” (see Good News Bible), the opposite of glory, which refers to “beauty” (see comments on verse 40).

Glory: see the comments on verse 40. Good News Bible‘s “it will be beautiful” or Bible en français courant‘s “it will be glorious” make the meaning clear.

In weakness … in power may be translated “as something weak … as something strong.”

In some languages translators will be able to render this verse in a way similar to Revised Standard Version‘s translation, but with some expansion: “When the body is buried it is ugly, but when it is raised it will be beautiful. When it is buried it is weak, but when it is raised it will be powerful.” Many languages, however, will need to render this verse in a way similar to Good News Bible “When the body is buried, it is ugly and weak; when God raises it, it will be beautiful and strong.”

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 .

In this verse Paul begins to define the new body.

It is sown and it is raised: see the comments on verse 43.

Physical … spiritual: see comments on “spiritual … natural” in 2.13.

Spiritual body is a literal translation of the Greek. It does not mean a ghostly entity; on the contrary, Paul means that the source of life in the new body is the Holy Spirit. Bible en français courant translates “a body animated by the Spirit”; or one may say “a body to which the Holy Spirit gives life.”

The last sentence of this verse can be understood as an aside or as a footnote to verse 44a. Verse 45 follows on smoothly from verse 44a. This can be shown in translation by the use of parentheses around the last sentence in verse 44.

If there is a physical body: this is not really a conditional clause but rather a statement of fact. Therefore Good News Bible‘s translation “There is, of course, a spiritual body” is a clearer rendering. One may also express this clause as “Just as there is a physical body, so also there is a spiritual body” or “Since there is a physical body, there is also….”

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 word Thus shows that Paul is now comparing his previous statements with the scriptural evidence for them.

It is written may be expressed as “it is written in the Scriptures.” See comments on 1.19.

The words first and Adam are not in the Old Testament text; Paul is inserting a little explanation in order to make a closer parallel to the last part of the sentence. The clause The first man Adam became a living being may also be translated as “God created the first man, Adam, as a living being.”

Became represents a rather general word in Greek. Good News Bible‘s “created” is possibly too technical. In any case, Paul is not stating that Christ was created by God the Father, and so “created” should not be used in the last clause.

The last Adam is identified with Christ, as in verses 21-22.

A life-giving spirit does not mean one spirit among others, or even in the case of Good News Bible‘s “life-giving Spirit,” the Holy Spirit. The difficulties of translation may be solved or avoided by an unusually literal translation: “the first human being, Adam, was made (into) a living being; but the last Adam a life-giving spirit.”

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 .

Not … first in this context refers in one sense to time; we have an earthly body and then a body filled with God’s Spirit. But first in this verse may also imply “less important.” Jewish interpreters of the Old Testament had a saying: “A new act of God supersedes the old.” Paul may have meant something similar, where the two items are in order of increasing importance. Translation models reflecting this idea are the following: “The physical comes first and then the spiritual,” or “For the physical comes first and then the spiritual replaces 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 .

This verse must be understood in reference to verse 45 and to the Old Testament text quoted there. In the immediate context Paul says that “God formed man of dust from the ground.” Good News Bible‘s “earth” is a more natural English translation.

Man: as verse 45 and verses 21-22 showed, Paul can use man in place of “Adam” (Good News Bible). Doubtless he was thinking of the Hebrew word that is the same for both man and “Adam.” However, a literal translation such as that of Revised Standard Version creates problems for the reader, since the second man more naturally refers to Cain than to Christ (see Gen 4.1). Good News Bible‘s “the second Adam,” meaning “the second type of man” or “the founder of a new human race,” brings out the sense. Second in this context means the same as “last” in verse 45.

In both halves of the verse, Good News Bible‘s “came” is implied. Paul is thinking of the origins of Adam and Christ, not of movement from a particular place.

After the second man many Greek manuscripts add “the Lord.” However, modern translations are based on the shorter text, which is that of the UBS Greek New Testament.

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 .