drink

In Telugu different verbs for humans drinking (tāgu / తాగు) and animals drinking (cēḍu / చేడు) are required.

inclusive vs. exclusive pronoun (1Cor. 9:4)

Many languages distinguish between inclusive and exclusive first-person plural pronouns (“we”). (Click or tap here to see more details)

The inclusive “we” specifically includes the addressee (“you and I and possibly others”), while the exclusive “we” specifically excludes the addressee (“he/she/they and I, but not you”). This grammatical distinction is called “clusivity.” While Semitic languages such as Hebrew or most Indo-European languages such as Greek or English do not make that distinction, translators of languages with that distinction have to make a choice every time they encounter “we” or a form thereof (in English: “we,” “our,” or “us”).

For this verse, translators typically select the exclusive form, referring only to Paul and Barnabas.

Source: Velma Pickett and Florence Cowan in Notes on Translation January 1962, p. 1ff.

complete verse (1 Corinthians 9:4)

Following are a number of back-translations of 1 Corinthians 9:4:

  • Uma: “We(excl.) who are apostles of the Lord Yesus, isn’t it fitting for us (excl.) to get our (excl.) food and drink from our (excl.) work carrying the Lord’s Word?” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “Is it that I don’t have authority to cause the people I preach-to to feed me and give me drink?” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “is it bad if I beg my food and drink from those believers who receive my teaching? It’s not bad.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “If it is true then that I am an apostle, do I indeed (rhet. quest.) have no right that those whom I am teaching feed-me?” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “Think about our (excl.) position/responsibility. Isn’t it so that we (excl.) have the authority to have our needs such as food and drink taken care of by those we are teaching?” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “It is right that I be given food for the work that I do.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)

Translation commentary on 1 Corinthians 9:4

In verses 1-3 Paul has used singular forms corresponding to “I” and “me.” In verses 4 and 5 he uses the plural forms we and our. Verse 6 speaks explicitly of “Barnabas and I” (singular), followed, of course, by a plural verb. Despite Good News Bible, the we forms in verses 4 and 5 are best understood in the same way as referring to Barnabas and Paul himself. An exclusive pronoun we should therefore be used here.

If we understand this verse in the light of what Paul said in chapter 8, particularly 8.13, it will mean “Do we not have the right to eat and drink whatever we like?” (so generally New International Version, Revised English Bible, New Jerusalem Bible, but New Jerusalem Bible footnote differs). But if verse 4 is understood in the light of the following verses, it is more likely to mean “Do we not have the right to eat and drink free of charge?” Many translations such as Revised Standard Version leave this question open and general. Those that make a choice agree with Good News Bible. Moffatt, for example, says “Have we no right to eat and drink at the expense of the churches?” Bible en français courant says “Do I not have the right to receive food and drink for my work?”

The phrases right to or “right to be given” (Good News Bible) may be rephrased as “right to receive.”

In certain languages food and drink may be translated more generally as “food.”

It seems that the translator is justified in making explicit the expression “for my work” (Good News Bible). It may be rendered as “for the work that I have done.” In some languages this rhetorical question may be rendered as a statement: “We have the right to receive food and drink for our work.”

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 .