[B-Greek] PROS FQONON James4:5

Rbsads at aol.com Rbsads at aol.com
Mon Sep 15 08:32:22 EDT 2003


PROS FQONON EPIPOQEI TO PNEUMA hO KATWiKISEN EN hHMIN

How is it best to understand the phrase PROS FQONON?

Several translation seems to offer different readings, either taking the 
phrase literally as a preposition or taking the phrase periphrastically as an 
adverb.

"Longs toward envy." KJV "lusteth to envy"

"Enviously longs."

The RSV even breaks with most translations by treating TO PHEUMA as the 
object of EPIPOQEI rather than as its subject.

If PROS FQONON is best considered as an adverb, what might be the object of 
EPIPOQEI?

And, given the resolution of PROS FQONON, how might the whole of verse 5 be 
understood in relation to verse 6 which completes the sentence.

The NEB renders the two verses as "(5) Or do you suppose that Scripture has 
no meaning when it says that the spirit which God implanted in man turns 
towards envious desires? (6) And yet the grace he gives is stronger."

This rendering seems to require that the referenced indwelling spirit is not 
the Holy Spirit, but rather something spiritual and good but less the Holy 
Spirit?

Any thoughts are appreciated.

Peace,


Richard Smith
Chattanooga, TN



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