Philippians 1:22 καὶ τί αἱρήσομαι οὐ γνωρίζω

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Jonathan Robie
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Philippians 1:22 καὶ τί αἱρήσομαι οὐ γνωρίζω

Post by Jonathan Robie »

Philippians 1:22 wrote:22 εἰ δὲ τὸ ζῆν ἐν σαρκί, τοῦτό μοι καρπὸς ἔργου· καὶ τί αἱρήσομαι οὐ γνωρίζω.
How should I interpret οὐ γνωρίζω here? The translations are all over the map. Some say "I do not know", but isn't that a strange use of γνωρίζω?

ESV says "I cannot tell", which is similar to "I can't say", two nice English idioms that mix the concept of saying something with knowing it. Can γνωρίζω be used in this idiomatic sense?

Or could it mean, quite literally, that Paul isn't saying?

Or perhaps, if we follow Carl's suggetion that γνωρίζω implies the author/speaker is insistent that his readers/audience grasp what he is claiming, this could mean "I don't really want you to know"?
ἐξίσταντο δὲ πάντες καὶ διηποροῦντο, ἄλλος πρὸς ἄλλον λέγοντες, τί θέλει τοῦτο εἶναι;
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Scott Lawson
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Re: Philippians 1:22 καὶ τί αἱρήσομαι οὐ γνωρίζω

Post by Scott Lawson »

Jonathan Robie wrote:"I don't really want you to know"?
Doesn't the "want" part put it back into the desiderative rather than causative?
Scott Lawson
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Re: Philippians 1:22 καὶ τί αἱρήσομαι οὐ γνωρίζω

Post by cwconrad »

Scott Lawson wrote:
Jonathan Robie wrote:"I don't really want you to know"?
Doesn't the "want" part put it back into the desiderative rather than causative?
I don't think we should (necessarily) expect the verb to have the same basic meaning or nuance in every instance, and BDAG does indicate a different sense:
2. to have information or be knowledgeable about someth., know (Dio Chrys. 4, 33; Plut., Coriol. 224 [23, 4]; Herodian 2, 1, 10; Achilles Tat. 7, 14, 1 and 3; Herm. Wr. 10, 15; POxy 705, 39; 1024, 18; 1643, 8. Λόγος τέλειος: PGM 3, 602ff; Pr 3:6; 15:10; Job 4:16 Sym. ἐγνώρισα=LXX ἐπέγνων; TestAbr A 6 p. 83, 4 [Stone p. 14]; 8 p. 86, 9 [Stone p. 20]; Philo, De Jos. 165, Conf. Ling. 183; Jos., Ant. 2, 97, Vi. 420; Just., D. 3, 2 γνωρίζεις με al.; 80, 2 ‘share a point of view’; Ath. 3:1 ‘note, recognize’ of animals) w. indir. question foll.: τί αἱρήσομαι οὐ γ. which I shall choose I do not know Phil 1:22. Abs. (w. ἰδεῖν) Dg 8:5.—DELG s.v. γιγνώσκω p. 225. M-M. TW.
Based on that, I think idiomatic English might use something like, "I can't say" or "I can't give you an informed judgment," or "I can't tell you which is better."
οὔτοι ἀπ’ ἀρχῆς πάντα θεοὶ θνητοῖς ὑπέδειξαν,
ἀλλὰ χρόνῳ ζητέοντες ἐφευρίσκουσιν ἄμεινον. (Xenophanes, Fragment 16)

Carl W. Conrad
Department of Classics, Washington University (Retired)
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