Greek: καυχήσωμαι (kauchēsōmai), καυθήσωμαι (kauthēsōmai)
English: that I may boast or that I may be burned
By Mark D. Taylor, NLT Bible Translation Committee
We don’t have the original manuscripts of the Old Testament and the New Testament. There are hundreds of ancient copies of the biblical texts, and there are many minor variations between those handwritten copies. The vast majority of the differences between ancient manuscripts make no significant difference in the meaning of the text. But some variations are more significant and do indeed yield different meanings.
Where there are differences, Bible translators have to determine which variant to use as the basis from which to translate into the modern language (e.g., English, German, or Spanish). One example appears in 1 Corinthians 13:3 where, depending on which Greek word is original, the text can mean either “that I may boast” or “that I may be burned.” The two Greek words that appear in the manuscripts, καυχήσωμαι (kauchēsōmai, pronounced kow-KAY-so-my) and καυθήσωμαι (kauthēsōmai, pronounced kow-THAY-so-my) differ by only one letter, but they have very different meanings.
Here are the translations of this verse in the New Living Translation (NLT) and the English Standard Version (ESV):
1 Corinthians 13:3 (NLT)
If I gave everything I have to the poor and even sacrificed my body, I could boast about it;* but if I didn’t love others, I would have gained nothing.
Footnote: 13:3 Some manuscripts read sacrificed my body to be burned.1 Corinthians 13:3 (ESV)
If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned,* but have not love, I gain nothing.
Footnote: Some manuscripts deliver up my body [to death] that I may boast.
Which reading reflects what the apostle Paul originally wrote in his letter to the Corinthians? We cannot be certain, but in such cases, Greek scholars study the ancient manuscripts to determine which Greek word is most likely to be Paul’s original word. While the evidence is fairly balanced between these two alternatives—each is found in early, significant manuscripts—the NLT follows the conclusions of the scholars who put together the authoritative Greek text in use today, which has kauchēsōmai (“that I may boast”). The ESV translators opted to follow the ESV’s predecessors, the KJV and RSV, and go with the other variant, kauthēsomai (“that I may be burned”). In each instance, the translation provides the alternate reading in a footnote to reflect the other possibility.
Here’s a list of various translations and which variant they have chosen to follow:
kauchēsōmai (“that I may boast”): NRSV, NAB, NIV (2011 edition), NLT, CSB
kauthēsōmai (“that I may be burned”): KJV, NKJV, RSV, ESV, NIV (1984 edition)
The two words have different meanings, but we must not lose track of Paul’s overall teaching in this section of 1 Corinthians 13. Paul’s main point is that no matter what we do, we gain nothing if we do not love others. Regardless of our Christian “credentials,” may we truly love those around us.