[B-Greek] Ambiguous punctuation.

Oun Kwon kwonbbl at gmail.com
Wed Dec 6 13:13:03 EST 2006


A wrong comma can change the meaning of a sentence completely. Since
the original Gk did not have punctuation as we know, there are several
texts which give rise to controversy.

Lk 23:43
KAI EIPEN AUTW AMHN SOI LEGW SMERON MET EMOU ESH EN TW PARADEISW
[Three options: no comma, a comma before, or after SMERON]
[Unfortunately, in my Korean syntax, there is no way to leave it
ambiguous. One has to choose placement of the word 'today' either
close to 'say' or 'will be']

Mk 16:9	
ANASTAS DE PRWI PRWTH SABBATOU EFANH PRWTON MARIA ~
[It seems awkward to put a comma into this Gk text, but in English, a
comma may be placed after 'Now having risen,' so that 'early in the
first day of the week describes when the women went to the tomb (as in
NET, HCSB), not the time of the resurrection (as in KJV, NASB).]

Mt 28:1	 OYE DE SABBATWN
TH EPIFWSKOUSH EIS MIAN SABBATWN
HLQEN MARIAM hH MAGDALHNH KAI hH ALLH MARIA QEWRHSAI TON TAFON

[Placing a comma after this phrase OYE DE SABBATWN some put this
(rather than at the start of 28:1 but) at the end of the preceding
verse 27:66
hOI DE POREUQENTES HSFALISANTO TON TAFON SFRAGISANSTES TON LIQON META
THS TOUSTWDIAS]

Arguments for and against a particular choice seem to be of exegetical
nature.  Is there anything to say yes or no for the different choices
based on the Gk grammar and usage?

Oun Kwon



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