ZHLOUTE (I Cor 12:31)

Steven Lo Vullo slovullo at mac.com
Fri Nov 1 03:14:58 EST 2002


On Thursday, October 31, 2002, at 06:39 PM, 
bounce-b-greek-145610 at franklin.metalab.unc.edu wrote:

> I was wondering if there was any particular grammatical reason that
> ZHLOUTE in I Corinthians 12:31 is always translated in the imperative
> rather than the indicative mood.  The word itself is used both ways
> throughout Scripture.  The indicative seems to fit Paul's argumentation
> in chapters 12-14 better.

Greetings, Jesse:

1 Cor 12.31: ZHLOUTE DE TA CARISMATA TA MEIZONA.

I think understanding ZHLOUTE as imperative here makes better sense, 
and is for this reason is universally(?) accepted by Bible translators 
(out of 14 versions I couldn't find one that treats it as indicative). 
Note the repetition of ZHLOUTE when Paul returns to this point in 14.1: 
DIWKETE THN AGAPHN, ZHLOUTE DE TA PNEUMATIKA, MALLON DE hINA 
PROFHTEUHTE. Here ZHLOUTE cannot be taken as indicative, since it is 
coordinate with DIWKETE, which must be imperative, since the problem 
was that the Corinthians were NOT pursuing love. Note also the 
comparative adverb MALLON. The Corinthians were to pursue TA 
PNEUMATIKA, but *especially* that they might prophesy. This shows that 
some gifts were more to be desired than others, and thus "greater" than 
others, i.e., better suited for edification. If Paul commands the 
Corinthians here to pursue one gift especially, it makes sense that in 
12.31 he is commanding them to pursue the "greater" gifts. Note also 
the repetition of the use of MEIZWN. In 12.31 we have TA CARISMATA TA 
MEIZONA and in 14.1 the Corinthians are told MEIZWN DE hO PROFHTEUWN H 
hO LALWN GLWSSAIS EKTOS EI MH DIERMHNEUHi. Again, if the one who 
prophesies is "greater" than the one who speaks in tongues (unless 
there is an interpreter), then it makes sense for Paul to command the 
Corinthians in 12.31 to eagerly desire "the greater gifts," i.e., the 
gifts that are better suited to building up the body (cf. 14.1-5). Note 
the NLT translation of 12.31: "And in any event, you should desire the 
most helpful gifts."
============

Steven R. Lo Vullo
Madison, WI




More information about the B-Greek mailing list