complete verse (1 Corinthians 7:23)

Following are a number of back-translations of 1 Corinthians 7:23:

  • Uma: “God bought you, he already paid [for you]. Don’t any longer follow the desires of mankind.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “You were redeemed by God from your master sin and he redeemed you for a high price. Therefore don’t become slaves to people but become slaves to God.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “What God gave to set us free from slavery is very precious; therefore, it’s necessary that we don’t just become disciples of a mere man, but rather we must be disciples of the Lord.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “There is that which God paid in order that you would become his people, so don’t be permitting mere people to distract/turn-you -aside from your serving him.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “Really with a far-from-ordinary amount God like bought you so that you are now his people. Therefore what’s necessary is that you don’t enslave yourselves to your fellowman but rather just to God.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “Now we are in the hand of Christ, he who paid for our sins. Now our boss is not a mere person.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)

Translation commentary on 1 Corinthians 7:23

The first part of this verse is almost identical with that in 6.20; see the comments. The present context makes it likely that the passive expression You were bought implies not “God bought you” (Good News Bible) but “Christ bought you.” 1 Cor 6.20 and Rev 5.9 imply this interpretation too. There is no clear example in the New Testament of the Greek word for “buy” used figuratively with God as the subject. As in 6.20, the meaning here is “bought and paid for,” not “bought at a high price.”

Both the meaning and the translation of do not become slaves of men are clear, though it is less clear to what situation Paul is referring. Perhaps Paul is briefly recalling the party struggles and false teaching discussed in chapters 1 and 2. Bultmann, quoted by Barrett, paraphrases: “Do not make yourselves dependent on the value judgements of men.”

An alternative translation model for this verse is:
• God paid a price for you; so do not become the property (or, slave) of any one else.

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 .