[B-Greek] Jn 1:47 - ALHQWS = 'true'??
Iver Larsen
iver_larsen at sil.org
Thu Sep 14 06:22:22 EDT 2006
>I don't get why most of my translations make Jn 1:47 say that Nathaniel is a
> "true Israelite". The only verb I see to go with the adverb ALHQWS is (OUK)
> ESTIN, whose subject is DOLOS. Agreeing with NRSV, I would have rendered the
> statement, "Look! An Israelite who truly has no dishonesty in him!"
>
> If I'm missing a nuance of how adverbs can function, can someone give me
> some examples of similar statements to help me get a feel for it?
>
> Webb Mealy
My guess is that most English versions are following in the footsteps of the KJV aided by the rather strange
interpretation in BAGD.
Carson has the following comment:
"When Jesus saw Nathanael approaching, he said in his hearing, 'Truly, an Israelite in whom there is no guile!'-not, as
in NIV, 'Here is a true Israelite ...'. The adjective 'true' (ALHQINOS) is an important word for John, but he does not
use it here (cf. notes on 1:9). Instead, he uses the word 'truly' (ALHQWS), consistently deployed in the Fourth Gospel
as an adverb (4:42; 6:14, 55 [ v.l .]; 7:26, 40; 8:31; 17:8)."
I agree with Carson against BAGD and the majority of English versions. I would not put the adverb inside the relative
clause, but rather take it as modifying the main verbless clause: "Look, truly, [here is] an Israelite who has no
dishonesty in him."
Iver Larsen
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