Romans 1:17

Paul Toseland toseland at blueyonder.co.uk
Tue Aug 6 18:15:25 EDT 2002


EK PISTEWS EIS PISTIN

On Aug 5 2002 Carl Conrad wrote,

>The principal threads on this topic are to be found in 
>Feb 1996, July 1996,February 1997, and August 1999. 

>I won't try to specify the dates more narrowly nor point 
>to the other brief and sporadic discussions of this 
>verse and problem.


Thanks, Carl, it has been interesting reviewing these
 posts. However, in respect of the phrase EK PISTEWS 
EIS PISTIN, no firm conclusions were reached; the 
construction remained a mystery. 

One of the sporadic discussions, contributed by Wayne 
Leman on Oct 28 2002, cited a biref paper in 'The Bible 
Translator' which surely throws some light:

Benware, W. A. 'Romans 1:17 and Cognitive Grammar', 
BT 51 (2000) 330-40.

Benware has studied the construction EK noun phrase 
EIS noun phrase, and reports that the following points 
hold good 'throughout Greek literature':

(1) NOUN PHRASE encompasses all types of 
nouns.
(2) Anarthrous noun phrases are by far the most 
common, but demonstratives in anaphoric reference 
are not uncommon, e.g. EK TINOS EIS TI ('from this 
to that').
(3) The construction occurs with different noun 
phrases, as well as dientical ones. 

And in the case where the two noun phrases are
identical,

(4) The verb with which the expression occurs is 
always non-telic.
(5) When the nouns are concrete, the verb expresses 
movement from one liocation to another.
(6) The idom maintains 'the exact conceptual identity' 
of the two nouns.

Examples include EK TOPOU EIS TOPON ('from 
Place  to place'), EX ALOGOU EIS ALOGON ('from 
absurdity to absurdity'), and from biblical literature, 
EK DUNAMEWS EIS DUNAMIN (Ps 83:8 XX), EK 
KAKWN EIS KAKA (Jer 9:3 LXX), and EK QANATOU 
EIS QANATON, EK ZWHS EIS ZWHN (2 Cor 2:16).

Arguing from Cognitive Grammar (he says the 
principles Of this field relating to prepositions are 
generally agreed among practitioners; I won’t try to
summarize his reasoning here), he argues that
‘‘the idiom simply underscores immutability, 
unchangeableness’. 

He argues quite persuasively that Rom 1:17 should 
Be translated along these lines:

'In the gospel, right relationship with God is being 
revealed: It is a path which begins in faith and ends 
in faith.'
   
Any comments would be much appreciated; this is 
Very significant for my work on 2 Corinthians!  

Paul Toseland
Bristol



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