world (Chinese)

The Hebrew and Greek that is translated as “world” in English is translated in Mandarin Chinese with shìjiè (世界). While shìjiè is now the commonly used term for “world” in Chinese, it was popularized as such by Chinese Bible translations. (Source: Mak 2017, p. 241ff.)

See also world.

complete verse (1 Corinthians 5:10)

Following are a number of back-translations of 1 Corinthians 5:10:

  • Uma: “But it was not my intention that you not mix with people who don’t know God and who behave wrongly, who are greedy/gluttonous, deceivers, or who worship idols. It isn’t them I meant. For if it were them I was telling you not to mix with, it would mean that you would have to really leave this world.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “The meaning of what I said is not that I told you not to follow/go-about with the people who don’t follow Almasi, the adulterers, the ones craving/greedy ones, and the thieves or those worshiping idols (lit. god-god). Because if this were it’s meaning, na, you should no longer be here in this world, then you could do it.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “I wasn’t talking about people who do not believe in God whose activities are filthy, or selfish people or people who rob and those who worship false gods, because if that was what I was talking about, it would be very difficult to avoid that, because we could only avoid things like that if we got completely out of the world. That I was saying was, that we should avoid people who say that they are believers but their activities are evil, like filthy-doing and those who are selfish, they worship false gods, and those who say their companions are evil when they’re not; those who are drunk and those who rob. Even to eat with these people, you must not do.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “But what I was talking-about was not those who don’t believe who sleep-with those who aren’t their spouses or who covet (lit. grab-after what isn’t theirs) or who steal or who worship idols (lit. imitation gods). Because if you distance-yourselves from all those-aforementioned who don’t believe, it will be necessary for you to leave the earth.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “By this I did not mean people who don’t acknowledge God who behave-immorally with one who is not their spouse, or who covet the things that can be obtained here in the world, (those who) make-a-habit-of-taking-what-they-want-by-force, or those who worship pretend gods. For if I meant people who don’t acknowledge God, of course it would be necessary for you to leave this world in order to get away from them.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “But I am not saying that now you are not able to approach the adulterers here on earth. Or that now you cannot approach the people who are only making money increase or thieves, or those who worship idols. If that was what I told you, then it would mean that you would leave this world. But the fact is that I did not tell you that.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)

Translation commentary on 1 Corinthians 5:10

Not at all translates an emphatic Greek negative expression. Good News Bible‘s “not” is perhaps too weak. The following words make it clear that Paul was not recommending that the Corinthian Christians separate themselves from all evildoers, for this would be impossible. Bible en français courant has “I was not thinking, in a general way, of all those who in this world are immoral”; New Jerusalem Bible says “I was not including everybody in this present world who is sexually immoral.” One way to show the correct emphasis is to say “I certainly did not mean….”

Revised Standard Version‘s literal translation of the Greek shows that the word for world occurs twice. The context shows that the first occurrence is negative and the second neutral. Good News Bible brings out the difference by translating the first occurrence as “pagans” (but the Greek is not the normal word for “pagans,” and Revised English Bible translates “people in general”) and by adding “completely” to the second. Revised Standard Version obscures the difference by adding this in each case; New Revised Standard Version omits the second this, suggesting the same interpretation as Good News Bible. Translators should keep the play on the two senses of world if this is possible and natural in their language; otherwise they may consider Good News Bible‘s example.

The words following immoral contain one of many lists of vices that are found in the New Testament and other ancient Greek and Jewish writings. This list parallels the one in 1 Cor 6.9-10, and translators should check that their translation in these two passages is consistent.

Immoral, as in verse 9, means “sexually immoral” and, like the following sins, includes both men and women.

Greedy means “wanting more than one has.” This is an attitude so contrary to Christian love that Paul does not only link it with idolatry (as here), but also describes it as a form of idolatry (Col 3.5; compare Matt 6.24, where the language is different).

Robbers: the idea of taking someone else’s property by force is the dominant one here.

Good News Bible‘s “To avoid them” is implicit in the Greek. It may be added by translators to make the meaning clear.

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 .