[B-Greek] sigma at end of "porneia(s)" ?

Mark Lightman lightmanmark at yahoo.com
Thu Sep 30 19:44:14 EDT 2010


Barry wrote to John:

<...ditch the interlinear and start learning Greek.  You won't regret it...>

Barry is 100% half right. 

 Mark L
Φωσφορος 


FWSFOROS MARKOS




________________________________
From: Barry H. <nebarry at verizon.net>
To: John Benson <johncbenson at gmail.com>; b-greek at lists.ibiblio.org
Sent: Thu, September 30, 2010 3:09:28 PM
Subject: Re: [B-Greek] sigma at end of "porneia(s)" ?


----- Original Message ----- From: "John Benson" <johncbenson at gmail.com>
To: <b-greek at lists.ibiblio.org>
Sent: Thursday, September 30, 2010 4:51 PM
Subject: [B-Greek] sigma at end of "porneia(s)" ?


> A struggling student's questions:
> 
> My Dictionary of New Testament Terms has a good explication of "porneia."
> However the text in my interlinear bible with which I am working says
> "porneias" with the ending sigma added. I am unsure if I can simply use the
> definitions of porneia as if the s wasn't there.
> 
> What difference does it make? Why are there two forms?
> 
> Thanks for the kind attention.

I take it that you have not studied Greek at all?  Greek is an inflected 
language, which means that endings on the nouns (and verbs, and pronouns, and 
adjectives) tend to change according to the grammatical function of the noun in 
the sentence.  This does not change the lexical definition of the word, only its 
usage in the sentence.  While you didn't list a verse, the "s" (sigma) at the 
end of the word is most likely the genitive singular ending (though 
theoretically it could be the accusative plural).  The genitive can be a bit 
tricky, but mostly its used for constructions which in English translate with 
the word "of," "of sexual immorality..."  The accusative could be used of the 
direct object, the object of certain prepositions...

So your definition is ok, but please, ditch the interlinear and start learning 
Greek.  You won't regret it...

N.E. Barry Hofstetter, semper melius Latine sonat...
Classics and Bible Instructor, TAA
http://www.theamericanacademy.net
(2010 Savatori Excellence in Education Winner)
V-P of Academic Affairs, TNARS
bhofstetter at tnars.net
http://www.tnars.net

http://my.opera.com/barryhofstetter/blog
http://mysite.verizon.net/nebarry

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