[b-greek] RE: prepositional phrase John 16:23

From: Iver Larsen (iver_larsen@sil.org)
Date: Mon Apr 30 2001 - 01:38:24 EDT


> Dear fellow B-Greek Members:
>
> In John 16:23 we read;
> John 16:23 KAI EN EKEINH TH hHMERA EME OUK ERWTHSETE OUDEN. AMHN AMHN
> LEGW hUMIN, AN TI AITHSHTE TON PATERA EN TW ONOMATI MOU DWSEI hUMIN.
>
> My question is about the last prepositional phrase, EN TW ONOMATI MOU and
> its referent. Note the difference between the following translations.
>
> John 16:23 (NASU) "In that day you will not question Me about anything.
> Truly, truly, I say to you, if you ask the Father for anything in My name,
> He will give it to you.
> John 16:23 (NASB) "And in that day you will ask Me no question. Truly,
> truly, I say to you, if you shall ask the Father for anything, He will
> give it to you in My name.

> To clearly state my questions.
> 1. Is there a variant reading of which I am unaware?
> 2. What grammatical rule applies to the prepositional phrase EN TW ONOMATI
> MOU and its referent (i.e. which is the proper way to translate it, as the
> NASB {New American Standard Bible }OR NASU {New American Standard
> Updated}.

Yes to 1. As noted in the apparatus to NA some MSS have the prepositional phrase at the
end of the sentence, others have it after TON PATERA. NA25 had it at the end, but NA 27
has moved it forward. (I don't have NA or UBS GNT with apparatus on my shelf.)

The two versions you cite are both very literal versions so they follow different Greek
texts. It looks like the updated NASB simply follows the updating of the NA text. I don't
think the word order is decisive for the meaning, but since "in my name" is connected with
praying/asking in the following verse, the context indicates that the phrase was intended
to go with praying, not giving. Maybe that is why NA27 has changed to the word order that
tends to suggest this understanding.

Iver Larsen
Denmark


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