[b-greek] Re: 1 Cor 16:2

From: Carl W. Conrad (cwconrad@artsci.wustl.edu)
Date: Mon Dec 17 2001 - 10:44:48 EST


At 8:58 AM -0600 12/17/01, Frazier Conley wrote:
>1 Corinthians 16:2 KATA MIAN SABBATOU hEKASTOS HUMWN PAR' hEAUTWi TIQETW
>QHSAURIZWN hO TI EAN EUODWTAI, hINA MH hOTAN ELQW TOTE LOGEIAI GINWNTAI.
>
>The phrase hO TI EAN EUODWTAI has been rendered in the versions:
>
>"as he may prosper" (the traditional)
>
>"In proportion to his gains" (NEB, similarly NIV, Phillips, NLT);
>
>"part of what you have earned" (CEV, similarly Beck);
>
>"whatever he has been able to save" (NAB);
>
>"whatever he can afford" (REB, similarly Knox);
>
>"whatever extra you earn" (NRSV);
>
>"something from his profits" (Transl NT);
>
>"all that he can (as much as possible)" (TDNT Michaelis, 5:113-114)
>
>I cannot see anything in it except "whatever he may prosper."
>
>Is there any justification for the "imaginative" renderings from the above
>examples.

I think that there's a simple and reasonable assumption in the way hO TI
EAN EUODWTAI has been understood in these versions: it is that "prosper" or
"gain a good income" (understanding hODOS in one of its common ancient
Greeks senses, "ways and means") means gaining income above and beyond what
one needs for sustenance. Since you can't save what you have to spend to
stay alive, you can only save the surplus of what you've earned. I think
that's what's being expressed in all these versions.

-- 

Carl W. Conrad Department of Classics/Washington University (Emeritus) Home: 7222 Colgate Ave./St. Louis, MO 63130/(314) 726-5649 cwconrad@artsci.wustl.edu WWW: http://www.artsci.wustl.edu/~cwconrad/

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