complete verse (1 Corinthians 15:53)

Following are a number of back-translations of 1 Corinthians 15:53:

  • Uma: “For these bodies of ours that can die and become rotten must be changed to become bodies that have no death and that cannot become rotten. So, when these bodies of ours are indeed changed, at that time will come to pass the words written in the Holy Book long ago that say: ‘God has defeated death, there is no longer any death.'” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “Because this our body which will eventually die, has to be changed so that our body will no more die but live without end.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “And when this has already taken place, all of us (incl.) whose bodies are made from the earth, we will be given a body which will no longer die. And as for this body of ours which has no immortality, at that time it will be made immortal.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “Because this body of ours that easily dies and rots, it must be transformed into a body that never-dies and never-rots.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “Because as for this body which perishes, it’s necessary that it be replaced with one which does not perish, and this body which dies, that it be replaced by one which does not die.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “Because our bodies do not endure forever, it is necessary for them to be changed so that they will endure forever. So our bodies at the present must die, but when they are changed then they will not die.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)

Translation commentary on 1 Corinthians 15:53

For appears to draw a conclusion from what precedes, but in fact this verse is largely a restatement of what has already been said.

And: the two halves of the verse also largely repeat one another. For this reason Good News Bible omits the and that is present in the Greek before this mortal (see comments on verse 50). The phrases this perishable nature and this mortal nature may be expressed in many languages as “For this nature of ours that will decay must be changed into a nature that will live for ever.”

Put on: the metaphor of “putting on” or “wearing” clothes is continued from verse 49. Good News Bible removes this figurative language. Revised English Bible and Barclay have “clothed,” which is clearer. Phillips somewhat intensifies the metaphor by translating “wrapped in.”

This perishable nature means “what is subject to decay,” perhaps implying “what is decaying” (see verses 42, 50, and 54, where the same or related terms are used).

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 .