OU DUNATAI hAMARTIAN in 1 John 3:9

SPegler919 at aol.com SPegler919 at aol.com
Wed Oct 20 19:17:34 EDT 1999


JAdkins264 at aol.com writes:

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

If verbal aspect theory is a better explanation of the Greek verbal system 
than Aktionsart and time based models, then I would offer the following 
(over)translation--

"everyone who is in the state of having been born of God does not continue to 
do sin because his seed is continuing to remain in him, and he is not 
continually able to be sinning, because he is in the state of having been 
born of God."

The two perfects stress the state of the person, they have been born of God.
The two presents indicate that the author, John, sees the action (or lack of 
it) as ongoing.

Stephen Pegler
Bannockburn, IL



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