[B-Greek] Help With Translating Article Adverb

Robert Campanaro rcampanaro at comcast.net
Thu Feb 17 11:46:49 EST 2011


In the Greek text, Hebrews 3:13 reads, "ACHRIS HOU SEMERON  
KALEITAI" (αχρις ου το σημερον καλειται) I seem  
to be having difficulty handling  "TO SEMERON" In Dan Wallace's work  
"Greek Grammar Beyond The Basics" (pg. 232-233) he has a discussion of  
the article's use with adverbs, in which he gives 16 examples, out of  
which there are 4 where the article may simply be dropped in the  
translation, e.g. Acts 18:6:

APO TOU NUN EIS TA ETHNE POREUSOMAI (From now on, I will go to the  
Gentiles)

Of course you could keep the article and render it as (from the  
present time) but to make better sense in English I think it's best to  
drop it and render it simply (from now on). I'm therefore inclined to  
translate Heb 3:13: "ACHRIS HOU" (while) "TO SEMERON" (today)  
"KALEITAI" (it is called) or "while it is called today." But I've  
recently understood that if  "ACHRIS HOU" is translated "until"  
instead of "while" then the article may not simply substantise the  
adverb but could actually point to some other temporal entity, and  
thus be translated. "Until (that day) or (time) which is called  
today." If someone could clear up my confusion it would be much  
appreciated. Thanks.

Robert Campanaro
rcampanaro at comcast.net


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