[B-Greek] Greetings & Question
Steven Lo Vullo
themelios at charter.net
Sun Oct 17 15:53:25 EDT 2004
On Oct 17, 2004, at 1:18 PM, richard pardo wrote:
> This is my first post to this list, though I've lurked for many
> months. My name is Richard Pardo, and I live in Nashville, TN. I
> began studying Koine Greek many years ago, but due to other studies
> and activities, my Greek learning was discontinued. I would like to
> begin serious study again, as I believe in the value of knowing the
> language.
> There's my brief introduction. I don't want to take your time
> with a longer one. I do have a question for the List, and would
> appreciate as much response as is reasonable.
> The question has to do with certain comments about, and the
> translation of 1 Cor. 13:8, by Rev. William J. Morford, who also
> translated the N.T., samples of which may be found at
> http://www.thepowernewtestament.com/. I suppose (without discussing
> theology of course) my question is, "What do you think about it?" A
> copy of the text in question follows.
>
>
> Note by the translator:
>
> UBS is The United Bible Society, a group of Greek scholars whose life
> work is studying the ancient Greek manuscripts to determine which
> texts are closest to the original first century manuscripts. This
> takes considerable detective work since our oldest manuscripts date
> from the second century.
>
> Regarding 1 Corinthians 13:8:
>
> "And whether prophecies will be abolished; or tongues will cease, or
> knowledge will be abolished: love never perishes." I Corinthians 13:8.
> The Power New Testament
Mr. Morford has played a little clause order trick in his English
translation here in order to substantiate his novel proposal. Note the
clause order in the Greek:
hH AGAPH OUDEPOTE PIPTEI EITE DE PROFHTEIAI KATARGHQHSONTAI EITE
GLWSSAI PAUSONTAI EITE GNWSIS KATARGHQHSETAI
Note that Mr. Morford in his English translation must position the
FIRST clause in the Greek as the LAST clause in his English translation
to make his idea work. The problem is that hH AGAPH OUDEPOTE PIPTEI
comes first in the Greek, and the DE then introduces a contrast in the
following clauses. That DE here is contrastive rather than simply
copulative is obvious from the order and grammatical and semantic
makeup of the clauses. Note what we have when we follow the Greek
clause order and render DE as copulative:
Love never ceases. And if there are prophecies, they will be set aside;
if tongues, they will cease; if knowledge, it will be set aside.
It becomes clear in light of the grammar and meaning of the clauses
that the conditional sentences are NOT meant to carry on the thrust of
the first clause, since the first is negative, and the others positive.
It is love that DOES NOT cease. But prophecies, tongues, and knowledge
eventually DO. The first clause is negative followed by contrastive
positive clauses joined by adversative DE.
Now the contrastive use of DE:
Love never ceases. But if there are prophecies, they will be set aside;
if tongues, they will cease; if knowledge, it will be set aside.
This fits not only the grammar and semantics of the clauses in
question, but the context of the argument. The Corinthians were
dividing over things that were temporary, while forgetting to practice
that which was permanent and would unite them.
Not sure why the author would mention the UBS Greek NT in the context
of his comments on 1 Cor 13.8, since the UBS punctuation here makes
plain that they understand the relationship of these clauses much
differently than Mr. Morford. Here is the UBS text with punctuation:
hH AGAPH OUDEPOTE PIPTEI; EITE DE PROFHTEIAI, KATARGHQHSONTAI; EITE
GLWSSAI, PAUSONTAI; EITE GNWSIS, KATARGHQHSETAI.
Note carefully the commas. This shows that UBS (rightly) does NOT take
the nouns in the conditional sentences as the subjects of the explicit
verbs. The nouns in the protases of the conditional sentences are
viewed as subjects of elliptical verbs of being (ESTIN, EISIN, ESTIN),
which is common in Greek. The explicit verbs are viewed as the main
verbs of the apodoses.
Mr. Morford's translation seems to me to be theologically driven.
============
Steven Lo Vullo
Madison, WI
More information about the B-Greek
mailing list