[B-Greek] Help Translating John 1:18
George F Somsel
gfsomsel at yahoo.com
Tue Jul 8 05:59:57 EDT 2008
18Θεὸν οὐδεὶς ἑώρακεν πώποτε·μονογενὴς θεὸς ὁ ὢν εἰς τὸν κόλπον τοῦ πατρὸς ἐκεῖνος ἐξηγήσατο.
18 QEON OUDEIS hEWRAKEN PWPOTE; MONOGENHS QEOS hO WN EIS TON KOLPON TOU PATROS EKEINOS ECHGHSATO.
No, I wouldn't consider it accurate since it is distinctly non-English. While I consider it desirable to stay as close to the original as possible, it still must be English and understandable by those speaking English. Additionally, where does he get the idea "coming from God"? This seems to be based on a creedal formulation of procession though that was respecting the Holy Spirit.
No one has ever seen God; the only-begotten God, who is intimately connected with the Father [Lit: "in the bosom of the Father"], he has revealed [him].
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: "tempest at sunsetgrfx.com" <tempest at sunsetgrfx.com>
To: b-greek at lists.ibiblio.org
Sent: Monday, July 7, 2008 8:58:47 PM
Subject: [B-Greek] Help Translating John 1:18
I'm helping to edit a new edition of the Gospel of John. Neither of
us, (the editor nor me) actually read Greek, but I seriously want to
learn it and am ever so slowing working on it. We use greek
dictionaries, concordances and Barry's interlinear when we find
something "fishy" and I go over it all comparing it word for word to
Barry's Interlinear. T he editor translated John 1:18 as follows:
"The Only Son coming from God, Who no one has seen at anytime, is in
the Bosom of the Father He declared." At first I strongly believed
this to be wrong. Now I'm having second thoughts. I tried looking up
all the words I could, and deeply thought about the endings of the
words, but I'm just not sure now. Looking at the Greek text, it looks
so wrong. It sounds great, but I really want it to be accurate, as
does the editor (L.W.). The Greek text I'm using states it as follows
(in B-Greek's lettering system): "QEON OUDEIS hEWRAKEN PWPOTE hO
MONOGENHS hUIOS hO WN EIS TON KOLPON TOU PATROS EKEINOS EXHGHSATO" If
anyone could help me figure out if the above (the english one) is an
accurate literal translation, and /or give an accurate literal
alternative, I would be very appreciative, as it could very well
relieve a huge burden from me. I'm especially interested in the order
of the first line, "The Only Son coming from God", because (and this
is what caused my "second thought") that "hO MONOGENHS hUIOS" has
subject endings, and "QEON" has object endings. Though not as
seemingly important to me right now, "MONOGENHS" being translated as
"only coming from" has always seemed strange to me. Thank you all. I
pray GodJesus blesses you all in furthering and learning His Word
(HIM). Love. - Nichole Boseck
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