brother (fellow believer)

The Greek that is translated in English as “brother” or “brother and sister” (in the sense of fellow believers), is translated with a specifically coined word in Kachin: “There are two terms for brother in Kachin. One is used to refer to a Christian brother. This term combines ‘older and younger brother.’ The other term is used specifically for addressing siblings. When one uses this term, one must specify if the older or younger person is involved. A parallel system exists for ‘sister’ as well. In [these verses], the term for ‘a Christian brother’ is used.” (Source: Gam Seng Shae)

In Matumbi is is translated as alongo aumini or “relative-believer.” (Source: Pioneer Bible Translators, project-specific notes in Paratext)

In Martu Wangka it is translated as “relative” (this is also the term that is used for “follower.”) (Source: Carl Gross)

In the German New Testament translation by Berger / Nord (publ. 1999) it is often translated as Mitchristen or “fellow Christians.”

See also brothers.

complete verse (1 Corinthians 6:5)

Following are a number of back-translations of 1 Corinthians 6:5:

  • Uma: “The purpose of my words is that you be ashamed, relatives. Isn’t there even one of you who is wise [lit., clear] who can decide the cases among your fellow Kristen people!” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “You should be ashamed! Is it that there is nobody, not even one among you trusters in Isa who knows how to judge you if you have opposing views?” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “The reason I say this is so that you might feel ashamed. Surely there must be one of you who could be a judge, who knows how to settle the case for believers.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “It’s utterly shameful! Is there perhaps not even one of you who is skilled to adjudicate the cases of you believers?” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “Please don’t (do that). Be ashamed of that now. Because look-here, is there nobody there who knows how to fix up whatever his fellow believers are quarrelling about?” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “I tell you this word in order that you be ashamed. There where you live, isn’t there even one of your brothers who knows how to settle a matter that is troubling his brothers?” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)

formal 2nd person plural pronoun (Japanese)

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Like a number of other East Asian languages, Japanese uses a complex system of honorifics, i.e. a system where a number of different levels of politeness are expressed in language via words, word forms or grammatical constructs. These can range from addressing someone or referring to someone with contempt (very informal) to expressing the highest level of reference (as used in addressing or referring to God) or any number of levels in-between.

One way Japanese shows different degree of politeness is through the choice of a formal plural suffix to the second person pronoun (“you” and its various forms) as shown here in the widely-used Japanese Shinkaiyaku (新改訳) Bible of 2017. In these verses, anata-gata (あなたがた) is used, combining the second person pronoun anata and the plural suffix -gata to create a formal plural pronoun (“you” [plural] in English).

(Source: S. E. Doi, see also S. E. Doi in Journal of Translation, 18/2022, p. 37ff. )

Translation commentary on 1 Corinthians 6:5

There is no difficulty with the meaning of I say this to your shame. However, no translation that we have consulted makes it clear whether this refers to what Paul has just said, or to what he is about to say. Both are possible, since the general subject is the same. It is more likely, however, that this phrase should be linked with what follows. This linking is done in Jerusalem Bible and Bible de Jérusalem through punctuation (but not in New Jerusalem Bible). Paul is counterbalancing the emphatic verse 5b by a preliminary statement concerning the reason why he is about to express himself so strongly. One could paraphrase this sentence as follows: “Let me ask you a question that should make you ashamed. Has it really come to this, that there is not a single person among you who is ‘wise’ enough to settle a dispute between Christians?” If, as seems likely, Christians in Corinth were always talking about “wisdom,” Paul’s question in this verse would indeed shame the readers by showing a contrast between their boasting and their real capabilities.

The clause that is translated decide between members of the brotherhood is ungrammatical in Greek. However, this clause is almost certainly a condensation of an idiom that means “settle a dispute between one brother and another.” The context requires this meaning here.

The punctuation problem in verses 5-6 is less important for the meaning than that in verse 4 (see the footnote on punctuation in the UBS Greek text). The main choice is between exclamations and negative rhetorical questions that have the same effect. Revised Standard Version uses a rhetorical question in 5 and a strong statement in 6. Good News Bible punctuates verse 5b as a statement and verse 6 as an exclamation, but both verses have the effect of strong statements. Again, translators need to decide what is most natural and effective in their language.

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 .