[B-Greek] John 3:16

Iver Larsen iver_larsen at sil.org
Thu Jun 17 15:26:43 EDT 2004


>
> I agree that "so ... that" is a possible translation. But, it
> is quite misleading, if we consider how many times
> this passage is explained as "for God so *much* loved the
> world..."

There is nothing misleading about the translation "so much".

> And also, if you are not a native-english speaker, I suppose that
> you have noticed that other translations, which are based on
> the english traslation, translate it as "so much..."

As a non-native-English speaker and Bible translator I can inform you that
such translations are not necessarily based on English versions, but
hopefully on a careful study of the Greek text. There is no such thing as
"the English translation", but many and varied English renderings of John
3:16.

> Regards
> M.
>
> PS. Needless to say that I'm not a Th.D. or that I haven't got any
> kind of specialised knowledge in BGreek...

The normal result connector in John's gospel is hINA. hWSTE is used only
once by John, and that is in 3:16. hWSTE in the GNT normally indicates an
unusual or unexpected result. It is this aspect of hWSTE plus the context of
sacrificing one's own son that makes a translation like "God loved the world
so much that..." an accurate rendering of the Greek text.

You may find the following excerpt from the NET note of interest:

"The Greek adverb hOUTWS can refer (1) to the degree to which God loved the
world, that is, to such an extent or so much that he gave his own Son (see
R. E. Brown, John [AB], 1:133-34; D. A. Carson, John, 204) or (2) simply to
the manner in which God loved the world, i.e., by sending his own son (see
R. H. Gundry and R. W. Howell, "The Sense and Syntax of John 3.14-17 with
Special Reference to the Use of hOUTWS...hWSTE in John 3.16," NovT 41
[1999]: 24-39). Though the term more frequently refers to the manner in
which something is done (see BAGD 597-98 s.v. hOUTWS, the following clause
involving hWSTE plus the indicative (which stresses actual, but [usually]
unexpected result) emphasizes the greatness of the gift God has given."

Iver Larsen
SIL Translation Consultant




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