[B-Greek] estin in Col 2:17

Steven Lo Vullo slovullo at mac.com
Fri Aug 20 20:17:32 EDT 2004


On Aug 20, 2004, at 4:56 PM, Fred Day wrote:

> A ESTIN SKIA TWN MELLONTWN TO DE SOMA TOU CHRISTOU.
>
> ESTIN is third person singular, and yet every translation I've checked
> renders it as third person plural.  I've not been able to find any
> explanation for why this is.  What is governing this?

Hi Fred:

Neuter plural substantives regularly (but not always) take a singular 
verb. Most believe the idea of a collective plural is present (a noun 
considered as a class or as a collective identity). In Col 2.17 the 
pronoun hA is a neuter plural nominative and quite naturally (in Greek) 
takes a singular verb (ESTIN).
============

Steven Lo Vullo
Madison, WI




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