[B-Greek] Ephesians 1:4 - Adjectival prepositional phrase?

Elizabeth Kline kline_dekooning at earthlink.net
Mon Sep 4 15:39:42 EDT 2006


EPH. 1:4 KAQWS EXELEXATO hHMAS EN AUTWi PRO KATABOLHS KOSMOU EINAI  
hHMAS hAGIOUS KAI AMWMOUS KATENWPION AUTOU EN AGAPHi,

One approach is to look at the other places where the expression is  
used:

JOHN 17:24 PATER, hO DEDWKAS MOI, QELW hINA hOPOU EIMI EGW KAKEINOI  
WSIN MET' EMOU, hINA QEWRWSIN THN DOXAN THN EMHN, hHN DEDWKAS MOI  
hOTI HGAPHSAS ME PRO KATABOLHS KOSMOU.

1PET. 1:20 PROEGNWSMENOU MEN PRO KATABOLHS KOSMOU FANERWQENTOS DE EP'  
ESCATOU TWN CRONWN DI' hUMAS


Both of these look semantically similar to Eph 1:4 and both are  
adverbial.


On Sep 4, 2006, at 11:55 AM, OwenW530 at aol.com wrote:

> Ephesians 1:4- KATHOS EXELEXATA hEMAS EN AUTO PRO KATABOLES KOSMOU
>
> Apologies if my transliteration is not the standard for this  
> mailing  list.
>
> I am curious as to the usage of PRO KATABOLES KOSMOU. Traditionally  
> it has
> been translated adverbially, describing EXELEXATA. However, I was  
> reading up on
>  prepositions in Daniel Wallace's textbook and noticed that he  
> stated that
> prepositional phrases that contain the genitive are often times  
> adjectival,
> though still more often than not adverbial. My question is how   
> reasonable would
> it be to take PRO KATABOLES KOMOU to be adjectival,  describing  
> AUTO? That
> would render the translation something like "Just as  He  
> predestines us in Him
> who was before the foundation of the world." Is there  any evidence  
> that
> supports or denies the adjectival prepositional  phrase?
>
> Thanks in advance.
>
> Owen Weddle
> Starkville, MS

Elizabeth Kline







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