No subject


Tue May 3 10:41:24 EDT 2011


The NAB (UNrevised New Testament, as of 1970) has "begotten from above"
for John 3:3, and defends that choice in the notes (at least in part) on
linguistic as well as semantic grounds as follows:  

<<*Begotten*:  The Greek verb can mean "born" from a female principle,
or "begotten" by a male principle.  As in 1:13, John primarily means it
as "begotten", though many early versions translate it as "born" or
even, with heightened baptismal symbolism, "reborn".  *From above*:  the
Greek term *anothen* means both "again" and "from above."  V. 31 below
shows that Jesus means it as "from above", but Nicodemus misunderstands.
(A misunderstanding that brings out Jesus' teaching is a common literary
device in John.>>

I've always liked that explanation.  I should note, though, that as I
remember it the Revised New Testament of the New American Bible reverts
to a more "traditional" translation here (I forget exactly what it is),
but retains a similar explanation in the notes. 

What Nicodemus *heard* was exactly what Jesus said -- GENNHQH ANWQEN.
The contention of the editors is that Jesus *meant* it as "begotten from
above*, but Nicodemus *understood* those very words as "born again".  

    -Chuck Stevens [SMTP:  Charles.Stevens at unisys.com]

> ----------
> From: 	WmHBoyd at aol.com[SMTP:WmHBoyd at aol.com]
> Sent: 	Tuesday, June 23, 1998 3:50 PM
> To: 	Biblical Greek
> Subject: 	What did Nicodemus hear?
> 
> John 3:3 - GENNHQH ANWQEV - commonly translated "born again,"  but
> sometimes
> "born from above."  It looks to me like "born from above" retaing the
> meaning
> of the root and is "more full equivalent" of ANWQEV, but I am puzzled
> by
> Nicodemus' response.  Why would "born from above" make him think a
> person
> would have to enter a second time into his mother's womb?  I suspect
> this is
> why "born again" is a popular translation of this word, but is that
> what the
> word is really saying?  If your answer is theological, I would
> appreciate your
> thought's off line, but my question for the GREEKS is, am I missing
> something
> in the word "ANWQEN" that would imply repetition?  Or am I hearing
> something
> that isn't there when I hear "born from above?" 
> 
> William Boyd (The little bitty Greek)
> Royal Palm Beach, Florida
> 
> ---
> b-greek home page: http://sunsite.unc.edu/bgreek
> To post a message to the list, mailto:b-greek at franklin.oit.unc.edu
> To subscribe, mailto:subscribe-b-greek at franklin.oit.unc.edu
> To unsubscribe,
> mailto:unsubscribe-b-greek at franklin.oit.unc.edu?subject=[charles.steve
> ns at unisys.com]
> 



More information about the B-Greek mailing list