[B-Greek] Acts 26:2-3
Iver Larsen
iver_larsen at sil.org
Mon Feb 4 09:35:26 EST 2008
----- Original Message -----
From: "Carl Conrad" <cwconrad2 at mac.com>> By virtue of its initial position in the sentence and
common usage
> MALISTA will always govern the whole sentence that follows. And I don't think the meaning of
> MALISTA is adequately rendered by "in as much as", but corresponds better to English
> "especially". BAGD suggest the following glosses: "most of all, above all, especially,
> particularly, (very) greatly."
> So, MALISTA may govern the implied verb hHGHMAI carried over from the previous clause, or it may
> govern the implied EPISTAMENOS plus what that verb governs. This could be expressed by something
> like (1) I am especially fortunate (to defend myself before you), because I know that you are en
> expert in Jewish matters or (2) I am fortunate, especially because (I know that) you are an
> expert in Jewish matters. I prefer (1), but it doesn't make much difference to the meaning.
[Carl:] I never meant to imply that MALISTA means "inasmuch as. What I
suggested for the whole phrase MALISTA GNWSTHN ONTA SE was "inasmuch
as you are especially knowledgeable ... " -- I intended MALISTA to be
represented by "especially" -- and I still believe that MALISTA
governs the clause GNWSTHN ONTA SE ... ZHTHMATWN rather than the
entire following sentence.
BDAG s.v. MALISTA (omitting the references preceding comments on our
passage in particular):
1. to an unusual degree, most of all, above all, especially,
particularly, (very) greatly ... . μ. γνώστην ὄντα σε
since you are outstandingly familiar Ac 26:3 (cp. Appian, Bell. Civ.
2, 26 §100 ὁ μάλιστα ἐχθρός=the bitterest enemy).
Iver:
Sorry that I didn't read your post carefully enough. Also, I had not noticed that BDAG (and BAGD)
suggest that the adverb governs GNWSTHN ONTA, which in my opinion is a mistake, probably because
they missed the participle EPISTAMENOS and therefore had problems understanding the whole sentence.
This does not agree with normal usage of MALISTA in the GNT. I notice that NET and (N)RSV, but not
most other translations, have followed the dictionary here and gone astray. MALLON, Paul is saying
that he is especially fortunate, knowing that Agrippa is familiar with the Jewish customs. In this
case I believe KJV got it right:
"Especially [because I know] thee to be expert in all customs and questions which are among the
Jews."
Iver Larsen
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