[B-Greek] Acts 2:36a ASFALWS GINWSKETW
Carl Conrad
cwconrad2 at mac.com
Fri Feb 1 19:23:47 EST 2008
On Feb 1, 2008, at 5:09 PM, Oun Kwon wrote:
> Acts 2:36
> ASFALWS OUN GINWSKETW PAS OIKOS ISRAHL
> hOTI KAI KURION AUTON KAI CRISTON EPOIHSEN hO QEOS,
> TOUTON TON IHSOUN hON hUMEIS ESTAURWSATE.
>
>
> ASFALWS in the emphatic position modifies GINWSKETW. As far as Gk
> goes, that's about it.
>
> However, when I read the verb as 'let ~ know', I am a little uncertain
> about whether it means 'make sure to let them know hOTI ~' or 'Let
> them know positively hOTI~'. Though there is only one verb in Greek,
> I like to decide whether ASFALWS has more to do with 'let them' or
> 'they know'. I tried to avoid thinking in English, but it didn't help
> me to get a clear picture.
I think you are letting your understanding of the English get in the
way of understanding the Greek: "let + infinitive" is the standard
English periphrastic way of expressing the sense of the third-person
imperative, but one could as easily say "should know" or "must know"
or -- to put about as awkwardly and old-timey as possible -- "it
behooves the entire house of Israel to know." But, as you have
yourself noted, ASFALWS qualifies GINWSKETW rather than the English
mode of conveying the third-person imperative: "KNOW ASSUREDLY" is
what it behooves the entire house of Israel to do.
Carl W. Conrad
Department of Classics, Washington University (Retired)
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