1 Peter 3:7

Carlton Winbery winberyc at popalex1.linknet.net
Wed Sep 8 22:31:45 EDT 1999


John Barach wrote;

>Could any of you help me understand the syntax of 1 Peter 3:7?  The
>passage reads:
>
>hOI ANDRES hOMOIWS SUNOIKOUNTES KATA GNWSIN hWS ASQENESTERWi SKEUEI TWi
>GUNAIKEIWi APONEMONTES TIMHN hWS KAI SUGKLHPONOMOI CARITOS ZWHS EIS TO
>MH EGKOPTESQAI TAS PROSEUCAS hUMWN.
>
>I understand that the participle SUNOIKOUNTES is functioning as an
>imperative here.  The difficulty is understanding the two hWS clauses.
>
>(1) I notice, for instance, that some translations and commentaries
>treat both hWS clauses as modifying APONEMONTES TIMHN ("Giving honor to
>the woman as the weaker vessel and as a co-heir of the gift/grace of
>life").
>
>(2) Some translations (e.g., NASB), however, treat hWS ASQENESTERWi
>SKEUEI TWi GUNAIKEIWi as the indirect object of SUNOIKOUNTES ("Dwell
>with [your wife] as a weaker vessel, since she is a woman").
>
>Any help you could offer would be greatly appreciated.
>
I have only an earlier edition of Nestle with me now, but there is a
punctuation variation listed for this verse. Westcott and Hort punctuate it
as follows:

hOI ANDRES hOMOIWS SUNOIKOUNTES KATA GNWSIN, hWS ASQENESTERWi SKEUEI TWi
GUNAIKEIWi APONEMONTES TIMHN, hWS KAI SUGKLHPONOMOI CARITOS ZWHS EIS TO
MH EGKOPTESQAI TAS PROSEUCAS hUMWN.

Punctuated this way would produce this, "Husbands, likewise dwell together
according to knowledge, give honor to (your) wife as to a weaker vessel, as
also fellow heirs of the grace of life lest your prayers be hindered."

In the Nestle (edition 21) this way;

>hOI ANDRES hOMOIWS, SUNOIKOUNTES KATA GNWSIN hWS ASQENESTERWi SKEUEI TWi
>GUNAIKEIWi, APONEMONTES TIMHN hWS KAI SUGKLHPONOMOI CARITOS ZWHS, EIS TO
>MH EGKOPTESQAI TAS PROSEUCAS hUMWN.

Punctuated this way it would read,"Likewise husbands, live together
according to knowledge with (your) wives as with a weaker vessel, give
honor as also fellow heirs of the grace of life, lest your prayers be
hindered."

I agree that the participles are used as imperatives and the infinitive to
show purpose. Either set of punctuations is possible as for as the grammar
is concerned. both readings involve the difficult construction hWS KAI
SUGKLHPONOMOI CARITOS ZWHS. This seems to say that SUGKLHPONOMOI seems to
be in apposition with the participle APONEMONTES seemingly applying to the
husbands and not the husband and wife. It is awkward to say the least.

1 Peter is notorious for the use of participles.



Dr. Carlton L. Winbery
Foggleman Professor of Religion
Louisiana College
winbery at andria.lacollege.edu
winberyc at popalex1.linknet.net
Ph. 1 318 448 6103 hm
Ph. 1 318 487 7241 off





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