[B-Greek] My testimony is that he is the Son of God. (Jn 1:34)

Webb webb at selftest.net
Fri Sep 8 19:23:25 EDT 2006


Dear Listees,

 

MEMARTURHKA hOTI hOUTOS ESTIN hO hUIOS TOU QEOU

 

My testimony is that he is the Son of God. (Jn 1:34)

 

Am I right in thinking that the above translation more fully brings out the
force of the perfect MEMARTURHKA than

 

"I've testified that he is the Son of God"?

 

I was always taught that the Greek perfect has a stronger feeling of present
continuing/permanent condition based on the verbal action than the perfect
conveys in English. Could you, for example, say in Koine Greek, 

 

"I've testified MEMARTURHKA that he is the Son of God, but I've changed my
mind"? 

 

You can say that in English-but can you in Greek? If not, then perhaps "my
[settled, final] testimony is that he is the Son of God" is a better
rendering. In the context, it's understood that John has already given his
testimony and that he is now re-affirming it or restating it, so there's not
much risk of John being taken as meaning no more than MARTUREW hOTI hOUTOS
ESTIN hO hUIOS TOU QEOU (i.e. "I testify that he is the Son of God", as
though for the first time).

 

What do you think?

(I've cross-posted this to b-greek and b-trans because it could be relevant
to both lists.)

Webb Mealy

 




More information about the B-Greek mailing list