[B-Greek] Newbie / Lurker question on Hebrews 11:1 DE as transitional conjunction
Alex Poulos
apviper at gmail.com
Wed Aug 25 12:05:00 EDT 2010
I'm a lurker, and not at all an expert, but I agree with you for what it's
worth. δε (DE) is simply a transition. Had the author wanted to
communicate "now" in terms of present time, he would've thrown νυν (NUN) in
there somewhere (my guess, anyway).
I do find it strange that every translation I looked at translated it as
"Now..." except the REB and NLT. Everyone seems to follow the KJV. There
might be a more suitable conjunction to link it back to 10:39 (as, for,
etc.). I suppose anything translational choice is subject to
misunderstanding though.
Alex Poulos
Senior - Computer Science
NC State University
On Wed, Aug 25, 2010 at 11:24 AM, Kenneth Bent <ken at cotr.com> wrote:
> Hebrews 11:1 εστιν δε πιστις ελπιζομενων υποστασις πραγματων ελεγχος ου
> βλεπομενων
> 1 ESTIN DE PISTIS ELPIZOMENWN UPOSTASIS PRAGMATWN ELEGXOS OU
> BLEPOMENWN
>
> 1 ¶ Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do
> not see. (NIV)
>
> DE is commonly translated “now”.
>
> I keep running across what seem to be well intentioned but misinformed
> preachers who, because of the word “now” in the translation make some
> application in this manner:
>
> “Now faith is - It means faith is always “NOW” – in the present.”
>
> My understanding in reading Wallace is that “de” is a transitional
> conjunction. I haven’t been able to find any reference to DE translated as
> ‘NOW’ as being time referent.
>
> Of course, ESTIN is present active indicative, but that is not the basis on
> which they derive their application of the verse.
>
> Any thoughts would be appreciated.
>
>
> Kenneth Bent
> ken at cotr.com
>
> ---
> B-Greek home page: http://www.ibiblio.org/bgreek
> B-Greek mailing list
> B-Greek at lists.ibiblio.org
> http://lists.ibiblio.org/mailman/listinfo/b-greek
>
More information about the B-Greek
mailing list