[B-Greek] Dative agent in 2 Peter 3:14??

Carl W. Conrad cwconrad at ioa.com
Fri Dec 2 10:22:53 EST 2005


On Dec 2, 2005, at 10:17 AM, Lorinda Hoover and Jim Mossman wrote:

> Thanks to all of you for your responses.  I found them very helpful.
>
> In light of your answers, and further reflection on the verse, I am  
> wonering
> if the following translation is an accurate rendering.
>
> 2 Peter 3:14:
>  DIO, AGAPHTOI, TAUTA PROSDOKWNTES SPOUDASATE ASPILOI KAI AMWMHTOI  
> AUTWi
> hEUREQHNAI EN EIRHNHi.
>
> Therefore, beloved, while you are expecting these things, make  
> haste to be
> found at peace, spotless and blameless in him.

No, I don't think we'd have the notion of "IN him" unless it were EN  
AUTWi. This is rather a matter of the one before whom those addressed  
must appear and be  ASPILOI and AMWMHTOI and EN EIRHNHi.

NET has it thus: "Therefore, dear friends, since you are waiting for  
these things, strive to be found4 at peace, without spot or blemish,  
when you come into his presence" -- and comments on the AUTWi thus:  
“'When you come into' is not in Greek. However, the dative pronoun  
AUTWi does not indicate agency (“by him”), but presence or sphere.  
The idea is “strive to found {before him/in his presence}.”
I think the NET has it right here.

Carl W. Conrad
Department of Classics, Washington University (Emeritus)
1989 Grindstaff Road/Burnsville, NC 28714/(828) 675-4243
cwconrad2 at mac.com
WWW: http://www.ioa.com/~cwconrad/




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