OU DUNATAI hAMARTIAN in 1 John 3:9

Jay Adkins JAdkins264 at aol.com
Wed Oct 20 09:00:02 EDT 1999


Dear B-Greekers,

I would like to hear your thoughts about what I think is a present tense 
verb followed by a present tense complementary infinitive OU DUNATAI 
hAMARTIAN in 1 John 3:9.  Does either the grammatical context or the 
present tense of either term require or at least suggest translating "not 
able to sin continuously?"  From what I have been reading, both on the 
current thread on the present tense and in the grammars I have, there does 
not seem to be general agreement.  I can see where ones' views on 
sanctification could influence their answer, but would hope that, rather or 
not we are successful, we would all want to try to avoid that particular 
pitfall.  I believe, maybe naively, that we all want to know the truth.  
This is not the only passage that would be effected by ones' understanding. 
 I am just now coming to grips with the idea that the aorist is not the 
"once for all" tense.  Yet I am reading where some now see temporal issues 
as part of tense in the indicative (David Alan Black).  I was taught 20 
years ago tense effected the kind of action, not time.  The entire issue 
has become very confusing for me.  Largely influenced by my own early 
training in how to handle the present tense I contribute the following 
initial translation of the entire verse.  I do not expect agreement from 
all, but am wondering if there is even anyone who would agree and why or 
why not.

1Joh 3:9 (GNT) PAS hO GEGENNHMENOS EK TOU QEOU hAMARTIAN OU POIEI, hOTI 
SPERMA AUTOU EN AUTWi MENEI, KAI OU DUNATAI hAMARTIAN, hOTI EK TOU QEOU 
GEGENNHTAI.

1 John 3:9 All the ones having been born from God do not sin habitually, 
because His seed is abiding in him, and is not able to sin continuously, 
because he has been born from God.

Sola Gratia,
	Jay
Always Under Grace!

PS: As soon as I can afford it I would like to purchase Porter's & 
Fanning's books on Verbal Aspect.  I have Porter's Idioms of the Greek NT, 
Wallace's Greek Grammar Beyond the Basics, Blacks, It's Still Greek to Me & 
Linguistics For Students of NT Greek, plus some older Grammars by Summers, 
Robertson & Davis, and Dana & Mantey.  I am waiting for the new BAGD to 
come out like everyone else.  Any other suggestions for someone on a very 
limited budget would be appreciated.



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