[B-Greek] GENNAW

Iver Larsen iver at larsen.dk
Fri May 27 15:05:35 EDT 2005


> John 3:3 EAN MH TIS GENNHQH ANWQEN, OU DUNATAI IDEIN THN
> BASILEIAN TOU QEOU.
>
> My question is about GENNHQH (GENNAW). The meaning seems rather
> straightforward. E.g. BDAG: 1) to become parent of, 2) give
> birth, 3) cause
> (something) to happen, bring forth, produce. Generally translated
> along the
> lines of 'to beget' when referring to the male activity in the
> reproductive
> process, and 'to give birth' when referring to the female.
>
> So why is John 3:3ff invariably translated along the lines of
> 'unless a man be
> BORN again/from above...'
>
> Why not 'unless a man be BEGOTTEN again/from above...'?

Because that would be a too restrictive analysis of GENNAW.

In the passive, the word can refer either to a child being conceived as in
Matt 1:20, or to a child being born as in Matt 2:1. Jesus was born in
Bethlehem, but not conceived there. The context of John 3 suggests that the
sense is indeed being born rather than being conceived, however, the two are
closely connected in the wider sense of "being produced" or "come to life".

Iver Larsen




More information about the B-Greek mailing list