complete verse (1 Corinthians 15:35)

Following are a number of back-translations of 1 Corinthians 15:35:

  • Uma: “Certainly there are some who will ask: ‘How can the dead be caused to live again? What kind of body will be given to them?'” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “Perhaps there are some of you who ask, ‘How will the dead people be made alive again? What will the shape of their bodies be when they are alive again?'” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “And if, for example, someone asks how God is going to raise up the dead, or what their body will be like,” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “There may be someone who asks-a-question saying, ‘How perhaps do the dead live again? What is the nature of their bodies?'” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “Well, maybe there are some who are contradicting who say, ‘How will the bodies of the dead be made to live again? What will their appearance be like since their bodies have already rotted?'” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “I suppose that there are some who want to ask me a question and say: ‘How can the dead people resurrect? What kind of body will they have when they resurrect?’ they will say.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)

Translation commentary on 1 Corinthians 15:35

The strong But with which the verse opens appears to have a double function. (1) It marks the transition between the resurrection itself and how it would happen. (2) It may also imply a narrower contrast between “some of you” in verse 34, who are absolutely condemned, and others at Corinth who have genuine difficulties. Function (1) is fulfilled by the section heading and the paragraphing of a modern translation. Function (2) is adequately expressed by the repetition of “some” in verse 34 and this verse, referring to two separate groups of people. Good News Bible uses “Someone” for the second occurrence of “some.” Paul, however, almost certainly has no particular individual in mind. He is simply answering a typical objection. One may also translate some in the present verse as “other people.” As the punctuation note in the UBS text, third edition, shows, it is uncertain whether the rest of the verse consists of one or two questions. By placing the two questions side by side, without any connecting “and,” Revised Standard Version and Good News Bible imply, probably rightly, that the two questions are similar in meaning, the second making the first more specific.

Revised Standard Version‘s translation How are the dead raised? seems more accurate than Good News Bible‘s “How can the dead be raised to life?” Paul is asking a hypothetical question about the means used in raising the dead, not casting doubt on whether it is possible for the dead to be raised. Other possible renderings are “Someone will ask, ‘How are dead people raised to life?’ ” or “… ‘How will God raise dead people to life?’ ” or “… ‘In what way will God…?’ ”

Body: see comments on 5.3. In this verse Paul is speaking of a literal body. Paul does not intend a contrast between body in verses 35-38, 40-44, and “flesh” in verse 39. In some languages it may be necessary to translate both terms in the same way. On the other hand, in other languages translations will need separate terms for the body of a human being, an animal, a plant, and “celestial bodies” such as the sun. A footnote may then be added stating that only one term is used in Greek.

Do they come: the future is implied. It is uncertain whether Paul means “come out of these tombs” or “go up to heaven.” Therefore Good News Bible‘s neutral translation “What kind of body will they have?” is appropriate.

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 .