The phrase literally translates as “[lest] he might fall into the condemnation of the devil.” The first part of the verse clearly indicates that new converts are at risk of falling (ἐμπέσῃ, empesē), but where they might fall is less clear: “into the condemnation of the devil.” In Greek, as in English, this expression could mean the condemnation caused by the devil (NLT) or the condemnation received by the devil (NASB, NIV). Some translations make an interpretative decision (e.g., NLT, NASB, NIV),
Page 6