[B-Greek] RE: Eis erγa autou (Proverbs 8:22) in NETS

vasilis tsialas tsialas78 at hotmail.com
Thu Aug 21 07:09:10 EDT 2008


I understand that “eis” can express—usually structured with dynamic nouns that denote action—
a purpose for the achievement of the action of the noun: 
For example, εις αφεσιν αμαρτιων “so that sins may be forgiven”.

However, with my limited knowledge of English, since it is not my mother tongue,
I feel that “for the sake of” could convey thoughts that cannot be justified with the mere use of “eis”.
I think that “for the sake of his works” could be understood to mean:
“Wisdom was created in order to play a beneficial role for God’s works”.

It is even more important for me that the expression “for the sake of his works”
cannot be justified at all if we take into account the original Hebrew wording. I strongly
believe that when the Greek text allows more than one rendering, 
the translator is obliged to choose the one that is in accordance with the meaning of the Hebrew text,
since that would be the most possible the ancient Greek translator had in mind.

Again, I would be grateful for your comments and corrections.


Vasileios Tsialas,

Athens, Greece

________________________________
> Date: Wed, 20 Aug 2008 17:31:40 -0700
> From: gfsomsel at yahoo.com
> Subject: Re: [B-Greek] Eis egra autou (Proverbs 8:22) in NETS
> To: tsialas78 at hotmail.com; b-greek at lists.ibiblio.org
> 
> 
> I apologize for snipping so much in this entry, but I don't wish to transliterate that much material.
> 
> .
> 
> 
> 
> ④ marker of goals involving affective/abstract/suitability aspects, into, to
> 
> ⓕ to denote purpose in order to, to (Appian, Liby. 101 §476 ἐς ἔκπληξιν [ES EKPLHCIN]=in order to frighten; Just., A I, 21, 4 εἰς προτροπήν [EIS PROTROPHN] ‘to spur on’) εἰς ἄγραν [EIS AGRAN] in order to catch someth. Lk 5:4. εἰς ἀπάντησιν [EIS APANTHSIN], συνάντησιν, ὑπάντησίν τινι [SUNANTHSIN, hUPANTHSIN TINI] (s. these 3 entries) to meet someone, toward someone Mt 8:34; 25:1; J 12:13. εἰς μαρτύριον αὐτοῖς [EIS MARTURION AUTOIS] as a witness, i.e. proof, to them Mt 8:4; 10:18; 24:14 al. εἰς ἄφεσιν ἁμαρτιῶν [EIS AFESIN hAMARTIWN] for forgiveness of sins, so that sins might be forgiven Mt 26:28; cp. Mk 1:4; Lk 3:3; Ac 2:38. εἰς μνημόσυνόν τινος [EIS MNHMOSUNON] in memory of someone Mt 26:13; Mk 14:9; cp. Lk 22:19 al. (εἰς μνημόσυνον [EIS MNHMOSUNON] En 99:3). εἰς ὅ [EIS hO] for which purpose (Hdt. 2, 103, 1) Col 1:29; otherw. 2 Th 1:11 with this in view; εἰς τί [EIS TI]; why? (Wsd 4:17; Sir 39:16, 21) Mt 14:31; Mk 14:4; 15:34; Hm 2:5; D 1:5. εἰς τοῦτο [EIS TOUTO] for this reason or purpose Mk 1:38; Lk 4:43 v.l.; J 18:37; Ac 9:21; 26:16; Ro 9:17; 14:9; 2 Cor 2:9; 1J 3:8; Hs 1:9 (Just., A I, 13, 3). εἰς αὐτὸ τοῦτο [EIS AUTO TOUTO] for this very reason 2 Cor 5:5; Eph 6:22; Col 4:8. W. subst. inf. foll. (X., Ages. 9, 3, Mem. 3, 6, 2; Just., A I, 9, 5) in order to (oft. LXX; neg. μή [MH] in order not to; s. B-D-F §402, 2) Mt 20:19; 26:2; 27:31; Mk 14:55 and oft.—εἰς ὁδόν [EIS hODON] for the journey 6:8.
> 
> .
> Arndt, W., Danker, F. W., & Bauer, W. (2000). A Greek-English lexicon of the New Testament and other early Christian literature. (3rd ed.) (290). Chicago: University of Chicago Press.
> 
> 
> george
> gfsomsel
> 
> 
> … search for truth, hear truth,
> learn truth, love truth, speak the truth, hold the truth,
> defend the truth till death.
> 
> 
> - Jan Hus
> _________
> 
> 
> ----- Original Message ----
> From: vasilis tsialas 
> To: b-greek at lists.ibiblio.org
> Sent: Wednesday, August 20, 2008 9:06:14 AM
> Subject: [B-Greek] Eis egra autou (Proverbs 8:22) in NETS
> 
> 
> I would like to make a question about a rendering in the NETS.
> 
> In Proverbs 8:22 is the famous
> Kyrios ektise me archen odwn autou eis erga autou.
> Kύριος ἔκτισέν με ἀρχὴν ὁδῶν αὐτοῦ εἰς ἔργα αὐτου
> 
> The NETS rendering is:
> “The Lord created me as the beginning of his ways, for the sake of his works.”
> 
> I am wandering how the preposition “eis” can be rendered “for the sake of”.
> 
> As far as I understand, the best rendering—and probably the only one possible—
> of “eis” here is “as regards” (or something similar in meaning),
> so that Wisdom may be the beginning of God’s ways as regards his works.
> 
> I believe that this understanding is in accordance with both the original Hebrew text
> and the Greek one. (The Greek rendering is a simplification of the original Hebrew verse.)
> 
> I would appreciate your comments or corrections very much,
> and especially those of Albert Pietersma, who has worked in the NETS.
> 
> 
> Vasileios Tsialas
> 
> 
> Athens, Greece
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