Gal. 5:16 -- OU MH TELESHTE
Steve Amato
samato at cfa.harvard.edu
Thu Jul 16 09:39:52 EDT 1998
> The question: should
>OU MH TELESHTE be translated "do not carry out/gratify" or "you will not
>carry out/gratify"? There is obviously a huge difference in interpretation
>of this particular passage with two totally different meanings. Thanks.
>
>Justin
>
Wallace mentions about this construction:
Emphatic Negation Subjunctive
Emphatic negation is indicated by ou me plus the aorist subjunctive
or, less frequently, ou me plus the future indicative. This is the
strongest was to negate something in Greek. One might think that the
negative with the subjunctive could not be as strong, as the neative with
the indicative. However, while ou + the indicative denies a certainty, ou
me + the subjunctive denies a potentiality. ou me rules out even the idea
as being a possibility.
Matt 24:35 My words will not at all pass away.
John 10:28 I give them eternal life, and they will not at all perish.
Steve Amato
More information about the B-Greek
mailing list