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The Greek term that is translated as a form of “save” in English is translated in Shipibo-Conibo with a phrase that means literally “make to live,” which combines the meaning of “to rescue” and “to deliver from danger,” but also the concept of “to heal” or “restore to health.”

In San Blas Kuna it is rendered as “help the heart,” in Laka, it is “take by the hand” in the meaning of “rescue” or “deliver,” in Huautla Mazatec the back-translation of the employed term is “lift out on behalf of,” in Anuak, it is “have life because of,” in Central Mazahua “be healed in the heart,” in Baoulé “save one’s head” (meaning to rescue a person in the fullest sense), in Guerrero Amuzgo “come out well,” in Northwestern Dinka “be helped as to his breath” (or “life”) (source: Bratcher / Nida), and in Noongar barrang-ngandabat or “hold life” (source: Warda-Kwabba Luke-Ang).

In South Bolivian Quechua it is “make to escape” and in Highland Puebla Nahuatl, it is “cause people to come out with the aid of the hand.” (Source: Nida 1947, p. 222.)

See also salvation.

complete verse (1 Corinthians 3:15)

Following are a number of back-translations of 1 Corinthians 3:15:

  • Uma: “If his work does not last the Lord’s inspection, he will suffer-loss. Its meaning, he himself will be freed from the punishment of his sins, but he will not get a reward from his work. He can be compared to a person whose house burns up: all his materials are lost, only his bare self is not eaten by the fire.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “but if the material a person uses burns, that means his teaching is bad, he will suffer loss, he will not receive good/blessing. He will be saved, but he will be like a person just escaping from his burning house.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “But if there is a person whose work is removed, he’ll be freed just the same from punishment, but he will have no reward. He’s like the person who was able to escape out of a burning house, carrying nothing.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “But the person whose construction is burned, he will receive no reward. He will indeed be saved, but like a person who is able-to-escape from a burning house.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “But if it is burned up, will he not suffer a big loss? Admittedly he himself will indeed be saved, but it will be just as if he had escaped through flames almost losing his life in the process.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “But the builder who put in that which burns, then the work he has done will be lost. The builder himself will be saved as though a person escapes death from his burning house.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)

Translation commentary on 1 Corinthians 3:15

As in verse 14, any man may refer to either men or women. Good News Bible uses “your,” “you,” and “you yourself” to make this clear; but Paul is not addressing any individual.

The first part of this verse parallels the structure of verse 14. It expresses a contrast that Good News Bible rightly brings out by adding “But.” Translators should consider what resources are available in their own language to express (1) the contrast between verses 14 and 15a; (2) the wider contrast between what happens to the work and what happens to the builder himself; the qualifications that are introduced at the end of the sentence. In most translations that we consulted, either (1) or (2) is left unexpressed.

Is burned up, like “survives” in verse 14, is in the future tense in Greek, referring to the Day of Judgment.

He will suffer loss is too general a translation. Three other translations are possible: (1) he will be punished (Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch); (2) he will lose his work (Good News Bible, New Jerusalem Bible), that is, it will be burnt up; (3) he will lose the reward for his work (Barrett, Bible en français courant, Parola Del Signore: La Bibbia in Lingua Corrente, Translator’s New Testament). (1) is an unusual meaning of the Greek word, though Paul may be thinking of its use in the Greek of Pro 19.19. (2) adds nothing to what has been said already. (3) makes a good contrast with verse 14b and may be the best solution.

He himself will be saved emphasizes the contrast between the person himself and the work he has done. He will be like someone who narrowly escapes death by running through flames. Literally, he will not be condemned and destroyed by God at the last judgment, although his work on earth has been destroyed. In languages that do not normally use the passive one may say, for example, “he himself will not perish,” or “he himself will not suffer (or, receive) destruction.”

But only as through fire is too literal a translation. Good News Bible‘s “as if he had escaped through the fire” rightly fills out the meaning of the Greek. “As if,” though, suggests that Paul is not thinking specifically of the judgment fires. The rendering “like someone who has been pulled out of the fire” probably is a more general and accurate meaning.

An alternative translation model for this verse is:
• But if the fire burns up anyone’s work, then he will not receive an award. But he himself will escape destruction, like someone whom they pull out of the fire.

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 .