Second Plural

Nelson D. Kloosterman ndk at jorsm.com
Sun Mar 11 17:59:50 EST 2001


> jim at dardenhome.com said:
> > Does anyone know of a scripture reference where the second plural is
> > so ambiguous when translated into English (excluding the KJV) that the
> > referent is easily confused?

How about John 3:7: MH QAUMASHS hOTI EIPON SOI, DEI hUMAS GEGGHQHNAI ANWQEN.

"Do not be surprised that I told you [you, Nicodemus], it is needful that
y'all [Israel?] be born from above."

Especially intriguing as well is the combination of singular noun + hUMWN,
seeming to indicate something shared by all, as in Eph. 4:23, ANANEOUSQAI DE
EN TWi PNEUMATI TOU NOOS hUMWN. By contrast, Eph. 4:26 probably does not
refer to something shared by all: hO hHLIOS MH EPIDUETW EPI [TWi] ORGIASMWi
hUMWN.

Nelson D. Kloosterman
Professor of Ethics and New Testament
Mid-America Reformed Seminary
Dyer, IN
ndk at jorsm.com




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