Use of preposition phrase in Titus 2:6-7

Steven R. Lo Vullo slovullo at mac.com
Sat Nov 16 17:19:02 EST 2002


On Saturday, November 16, 2002, at 08:21 AM, Iver Larsen wrote:

> Yes, I would probably insist that PERI PANTA does not have much 
> emphasis
> following SWFRONEIN, but I would still agree with the editors of the 
> GNT
> that it belongs to SWFRONEIN. The way I think about emphasis and word 
> order,
> it is a matter of *relative* emphasis, and it depends on the inherent
> emphasis of the words used, too. In this case I see "to be sensible" 
> to be
> the main point and "about all things" being added because there is no
> detailed list to supplement SWFRONEIN. With this particular verb it 
> seems
> natural that PERI PANTA should follow.
> To take it with the following participial phrase gives IMO too much 
> emphasis
> on it. SEAUTON is already emphasized to show that it is not enough to 
> exhort
> others to good behaviour. One has to put oneself first as a model.
> PERI with accusative is interesting. The basic meaning is "around", 
> but it
> can be used in the sense of what your thoughts are circling around, 
> i.e.
> what you are thinking about. It seems to me that PERI PANTA (about/with
> respect to everything) therefore fits better with SWFRONEIN than it 
> fits
> with PARECOMENOS TUPON. I would have expected EN PASIN if it went with
> PARECOMENOS TUPON, and not in the front position. Actually, I don't 
> see the
> need for any use of "all" with the PARECOMENOS TUPON since the good 
> works
> are further clarified in the following context.

Iver, I agree with you (and the editors of UBS 4 and NA27) that PERI 
PANTA should be construed with SWFRONEIN. I also agree with your 
comments about PERI with the accusative.

PERI PANTA seems to be exceedingly rare in the NT and related 
literature (LXX and Apostolic Fathers). I could only find one example 
outside of Tit 2.7, but it seems to be a very relevant one in a very 
similar context. In the Epistle of Polycarp to the Philippians, 
Polycarp, like Paul in Titus, lays down certain instructions for 
different classes of people (wives, 4.2; widows, 4.3; deacons, 5.2; 
younger men and women, 5.3; elders, 6.1). In 5.2 deacons are charged to 
be EGKRATEIS PERI PANTA ("self-controlled with respect to all things"). 
I think there is considerable semantic overlap between SWFRONEIN in Tit 
2.6 and EGKRATEIS in Polycarp 5.2. For SWFRONEW, BDAG has "to be 
prudent, with focus on self-control,  *be reasonable, sensible, 
serious, keep one’s head*." For EGKRATHS it has "pert. to having one’s 
emotions, impulses, or desires under control, *self-controlled, 
disciplined*." This would seem to lend support to your comment about 
PERI with the accusative being used for "thoughts ... circling around, 
i.e., what you are thinking about."

There is one more relevant example in Polycarp. In 4.3 widows are 
enjoined to "think sensibly about the faith of the Lord" (SWFRONOUSAS 
PERI THN TOU KURIOU PISTIN). Here we have SWFRONEW modified by PERI 
with the accusative THN ... PISTIN. Again, this would seem to lend 
support to the idea of PERI with the accusative being a natural way to 
modify SWFRONEW (and semantically similar words) when indicating the 
things in respect to which the "sensible thought" should be engaged. 
And in all three of the above cases the prepositional phrase follows 
the word which it modifies (though this is admittedly a VERY small 
sample). At any rate, I think PERI PANTA works better with SWFRONEIN 
than with PARECOMENOS.

> Concerning the English translations, I suspect most are subconsciously
> following in the footsteps of the KJV. A few do not, such as:
> REB: "Urge the younger men, similarly, to be temperate in all things, 
> and
> set them an example of good conduct yourself."
> NTL could not decide, so opted for both: "In the same way, encourage 
> the
> young men to live wisely in all they do. And you yourself must be an 
> example
> to them by doing good deeds of every kind."

In addition to the versions you mention, there are the following:

CEV: "Tell the young men to have self-control in everything."

NJB: "Similarly, urge younger men to be moderate in everything that 
they do."
============

Steven R. Lo Vullo
Madison, WI



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