OU DUNATAI hAMARTIAN in 1 John 3:9

From: Jay Adkins (JAdkins264@aol.com)
Date: Wed Oct 20 1999 - 09:00:02 EDT


Dear B-Greekers,

I would like to hear your thoughts about what I think is a present tense
verb followed by a present tense complementary infinitive OU DUNATAI
hAMARTIAN in 1 John 3:9. Does either the grammatical context or the
present tense of either term require or at least suggest translating "not
able to sin continuously?" From what I have been reading, both on the
current thread on the present tense and in the grammars I have, there does
not seem to be general agreement. I can see where ones' views on
sanctification could influence their answer, but would hope that, rather or
not we are successful, we would all want to try to avoid that particular
pitfall. I believe, maybe naively, that we all want to know the truth.
This is not the only passage that would be effected by ones' understanding.
 I am just now coming to grips with the idea that the aorist is not the
"once for all" tense. Yet I am reading where some now see temporal issues
as part of tense in the indicative (David Alan Black). I was taught 20
years ago tense effected the kind of action, not time. The entire issue
has become very confusing for me. Largely influenced by my own early
training in how to handle the present tense I contribute the following
initial translation of the entire verse. I do not expect agreement from
all, but am wondering if there is even anyone who would agree and why or
why not.

1Joh 3:9 (GNT) PAS hO GEGENNHMENOS EK TOU QEOU hAMARTIAN OU POIEI, hOTI
SPERMA AUTOU EN AUTWi MENEI, KAI OU DUNATAI hAMARTIAN, hOTI EK TOU QEOU
GEGENNHTAI.

1 John 3:9 All the ones having been born from God do not sin habitually,
because His seed is abiding in him, and is not able to sin continuously,
because he has been born from God.

Sola Gratia,
        Jay
Always Under Grace!

PS: As soon as I can afford it I would like to purchase Porter's &
Fanning's books on Verbal Aspect. I have Porter's Idioms of the Greek NT,
Wallace's Greek Grammar Beyond the Basics, Blacks, It's Still Greek to Me &
Linguistics For Students of NT Greek, plus some older Grammars by Summers,
Robertson & Davis, and Dana & Mantey. I am waiting for the new BAGD to
come out like everyone else. Any other suggestions for someone on a very
limited budget would be appreciated.

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