SPIT OUT in Gal 4:14

Dmitriy Reznik dpreznik at usa.net
Thu Sep 2 19:47:39 EDT 1999


Dear friends,

Maybe anybody could help me to translate Gal 4:14. 
KAI TON PEIRASMON UMWN EN TH SARKI MOU OUK EXOUQENHSATE OUDE EXEPTUSATE...
I am interested how to understand EKPTUW in this context. Many versions 
just translate this word metaphorically: for example, as "to reject" (and 
that which was a trial to you in my bodily condition you did not despise or 
loathe...)But some lexicons insist on literal understanding "to spit out". 
They say it was a defence against evil spirits to spit having met a sick 
person. If it is right, I would like to know whether they just used to spit 
on the ground, or to that sick person's face, or anyhow else. I need to 
know it in order to choose a proper word for translating into Russian. 
Maybe anybody knows these things about usage of this Greek word and about 
this ancient coustom?

Thank you 

Dmitriy Reznik



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