[B-Greek] Meaning of EIS in Galatians 6:8

bgreek at global4.freeserve.co.uk bgreek at global4.freeserve.co.uk
Tue Jun 29 08:26:59 EDT 2010


When Paul writes:

OTI hO SPEIRWN EIS THN SARKA hEAUTOU EK THS SARKOS QERISEI FQORAN 
hO DE SPEIRWN EIS TO PNEUMA EK TOU PNEUMATOS QERISEI ZWHN AIWNION

SPEIRWN EIS is translated in most Bibles something like 'sows to'.

But apart from this use in the Bible, I would not generally use the expression
'sows to' in any other context, so I don't really know what this means.

What would make more sense to me, given the context of the rest of the letter would be if this 
could be translated:

For the one who sows by means of the flesh (i.e. trying to be justified by the law).....
will reap destruction.... the one who sows by means of the Spirit (i.e. trying to be justified by faith) 
....will reap eternal life

For this to be valid, it would be necessary to translate EIS as 'by means of' - I had a quick 
look at BDAG this morning, and although there is a very broad scope for this word, I am not
convinced that it will stretch to 'by means of' or 'with the agent of' etc

Is EIS ever used in this way in Greek?

Many thanks

Adrian Clark




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