[B-Greek] present participle

Barry Hofstetter nebarry at verizon.net
Sun Dec 5 08:34:18 EST 2004


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Gary Smith" <logicserch at yahoo.com>
To: <b-greek at lists.ibiblio.org>
Sent: Sunday, December 05, 2004 7:58 AM
Subject: [B-Greek] present participle


> MELLONTOON (to come) in Col 2:17
> I understand a present participle has no time of itself but is dependent upon
> the time of the main verb
>
> My understanding is the present participle would be of the same time as the
> main verb
>
> I take the main verb to be estin (are)
>
> Looking at the translations however most seem to treat the present participle
> as refering to future time some overtly speak of the future
>
> How am I to reconcile this ?
>
> Please help
>
> Tom Logan

Tom or Gary:

I don't think the issue here is one of the participial aspect, but is rather
semantic.  If you look up MELLW:

(2) the present participle used absolutely to denote what is coming future, to
come, coming (HE 2.5); neuter participle as a substantive, for an unlimited
extent of time to come the future (1T 6.19)...
    --Analytical Lexicon

In other words, the word is normally used to denote some aspect of futurity, and 
the present participle is used per the definition supplied.

N.E. Barry Hofstetter
Adjunct Faculty, The Center for Urban Theological Studies
         Philadelphia, PA
http://www.cuts.edu
Adjunct Faculty, Reformed Theological Seminary
         Washington, D.C.
http://www.rts.edu/campuses/washington_dc/index.cfm

And me:
http://mysite.verizon.net/nebarry/

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