Acts 26:23

I would like to read your thoughts on how to understand the construction EI PAQHTOS…EI PRWTOS…, FWS MELLEI KATAGGELLEIN.

If the Christ can suffer, if the first of the resurrection, (then) he is about to proclaim light

That the Christ can suffer, that the first, (therefore) he is about to proclaim

It seems to me that the translations are in all directions trying to convey the sense of this construction. I looked in Robertson’s Word Pictures but that explanation did not help me understand the connection between the subordinate clauses and the main clause, not to mention the connection with verse 22 (hOI PROFHTAI ELALHSAN MELLONTWN GINESQAI).

Thank you,

Richard Smith

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14 thoughts on “Acts 26:23

  1. Mark Lightman says:

    Hi, Richard,

    After verbs of declaring (in this case MARTUROMAI) εἰ (EI) can mean “that,”
    pretty much the same as hOTI. Your second translation captures the sense just
    fine. There is nothing conditional about either εἰ here.

    Mark L
    Φωσφορος

    FWSFOROS MARKOS

    ________________________________
    href=”mailto:b-greek@lists.ibiblio.org”>b-greek@lists.ibiblio.org
    Sent: Tue, January 11, 2011 5:50:00 PM

    I would like to read your thoughts on how to understand the construction EI
    PAQHTOS…EI PRWTOS…, FWS MELLEI KATAGGELLEIN.

    If the Christ can suffer, if the first of the resurrection, (then) he is about
    to proclaim light

    That the Christ can suffer, that the first, (therefore) he is about to proclaim

    It seems to me that the translations are in all directions trying to convey the
    sense of this construction. I looked in Robertson’s Word Pictures but that
    explanation did not help me understand the connection between the subordinate
    clauses and the main clause, not to mention the connection with verse 22 (hOI
    PROFHTAI ELALHSAN MELLONTWN GINESQAI).

    Thank you,

    Richard Smith

  2. Richard Smith says:

    Thanks Mark,

    That makes the most sense to me.

    I had been trying to force the verse into three clauses – EI PATHTOS… EI PRWTOS… FWS MELLEI.

    It now seems better to me to read only two clauses – “that the Christ can suffer; that he, the first of the resurrection of the dead, is about to bring light…”

    Thanks,

    Richard

    —– Original Message —–
    href=”mailto:b-greek@lists.ibiblio.org”>b-greek@lists.ibiblio.org
    Sent: Tuesday, January 11, 2011 9:05:08 PM

    Hi, Richard,

    After verbs of declaring (in this case MARTUROMAI) εἰ (EI) can mean “that,” pretty much the same as hOTI.   Your second translation captures the sense just fine.  There is nothing conditional about either εἰ  here.

    Mark L
    Φωσφορος

    FWSFOROS MARKOS

    href=”mailto:b-greek@lists.ibiblio.org”>b-greek@lists.ibiblio.org
    Sent: Tue, January 11, 2011 5:50:00 PM

    I would like to read your thoughts on how to understand the construction EI PAQHTOS…EI PRWTOS…, FWS MELLEI KATAGGELLEIN.

    If the Christ can suffer, if the first of the resurrection, (then) he is about to proclaim light

    That the Christ can suffer, that the first, (therefore) he is about to proclaim

    It seems to me that the translations are in all directions trying to convey the sense of this construction. I looked in Robertson’s Word Pictures but that explanation did not help me understand the connection between the subordinate clauses and the main clause, not to mention the connection with verse 22 (hOI PROFHTAI ELALHSAN MELLONTWN GINESQAI).

    Thank you,

    Richard Smith

  3. Mark Lightman says:

    Hi, Richard,

    After verbs of declaring (in this case MARTUROMAI) εἰ (EI) can mean “that,”
    pretty much the same as hOTI. Your second translation captures the sense just
    fine. There is nothing conditional about either εἰ here.

    Mark L
    Φωσφορος

    FWSFOROS MARKOS

    ________________________________
    href=”mailto:b-greek@lists.ibiblio.org”>b-greek@lists.ibiblio.org
    Sent: Tue, January 11, 2011 5:50:00 PM

    I would like to read your thoughts on how to understand the construction EI
    PAQHTOS…EI PRWTOS…, FWS MELLEI KATAGGELLEIN.

    If the Christ can suffer, if the first of the resurrection, (then) he is about
    to proclaim light

    That the Christ can suffer, that the first, (therefore) he is about to proclaim

    It seems to me that the translations are in all directions trying to convey the
    sense of this construction. I looked in Robertson’s Word Pictures but that
    explanation did not help me understand the connection between the subordinate
    clauses and the main clause, not to mention the connection with verse 22 (hOI
    PROFHTAI ELALHSAN MELLONTWN GINESQAI).

    Thank you,

    Richard Smith

  4. Richard Smith says:

    Thanks Mark,

    That makes the most sense to me.

    I had been trying to force the verse into three clauses – EI PATHTOS… EI PRWTOS… FWS MELLEI.

    It now seems better to me to read only two clauses – “that the Christ can suffer; that he, the first of the resurrection of the dead, is about to bring light…”

    Thanks,

    Richard

    —– Original Message —–
    href=”mailto:b-greek@lists.ibiblio.org”>b-greek@lists.ibiblio.org
    Sent: Tuesday, January 11, 2011 9:05:08 PM

    Hi, Richard,

    After verbs of declaring (in this case MARTUROMAI) εἰ (EI) can mean “that,” pretty much the same as hOTI.   Your second translation captures the sense just fine.  There is nothing conditional about either εἰ  here.

    Mark L
    Φωσφορος

    FWSFOROS MARKOS

    href=”mailto:b-greek@lists.ibiblio.org”>b-greek@lists.ibiblio.org
    Sent: Tue, January 11, 2011 5:50:00 PM

    I would like to read your thoughts on how to understand the construction EI PAQHTOS…EI PRWTOS…, FWS MELLEI KATAGGELLEIN.

    If the Christ can suffer, if the first of the resurrection, (then) he is about to proclaim light

    That the Christ can suffer, that the first, (therefore) he is about to proclaim

    It seems to me that the translations are in all directions trying to convey the sense of this construction. I looked in Robertson’s Word Pictures but that explanation did not help me understand the connection between the subordinate clauses and the main clause, not to mention the connection with verse 22 (hOI PROFHTAI ELALHSAN MELLONTWN GINESQAI).

    Thank you,

    Richard Smith

  5. Tony Pope says:

    Iver, might you be confusing MARTUROUMAI (from MARTUREW) and MARTUROMAI
    (separate entry in BDAG and LSJ)? Surely MARTUROMAI doesn’t occur often
    enough to make generalizations about possible constructions?

    I suspect that MARTUROMAI (the verb in Acts 26.22) is more emotional than
    you allow. (It is not only verbs of wonder that can take this EI, see the
    example with AGANAKTEW in BDAG.) Something like “protest” or “insist” seems
    more appropriate as a translation. Most English versions make no distinction
    from MARTUREW, but Weymouth has “solemnly exhorted”.

    However, some of the commentators (e.g. Jacquier, Lake & Cadbury) say that
    the EI is used in Acts 26.23 to express the concept that the proposition
    (that the Messiah had to suffer, etc) is something that is debated, denied
    by some and has to be argued for.

    Tony Pope

  6. Tony Pope says:

    Iver, might you be confusing MARTUROUMAI (from MARTUREW) and MARTUROMAI
    (separate entry in BDAG and LSJ)? Surely MARTUROMAI doesn’t occur often
    enough to make generalizations about possible constructions?

    I suspect that MARTUROMAI (the verb in Acts 26.22) is more emotional than
    you allow. (It is not only verbs of wonder that can take this EI, see the
    example with AGANAKTEW in BDAG.) Something like “protest” or “insist” seems
    more appropriate as a translation. Most English versions make no distinction
    from MARTUREW, but Weymouth has “solemnly exhorted”.

    However, some of the commentators (e.g. Jacquier, Lake & Cadbury) say that
    the EI is used in Acts 26.23 to express the concept that the proposition
    (that the Messiah had to suffer, etc) is something that is debated, denied
    by some and has to be argued for.

    Tony Pope

  7. That Christ ( the Messiah) should suffer ( means that He would die; in other words that was the reason He came. (Isiah Chapter 53 ) , and that He should be the first who should rise from the dead. ( Jesus is the First Fruits of the Resurrection. And , therefore, the guarantee of the Resurrection of all Believers. )(1Cor. 15: 1-23. ). (Rev. 1:5). And should show light unto the people, and to the Gentiles. (Refers to the Lord Jesus Christ as being the only Light ,and for all people. ).

  8. That Christ ( the Messiah) should suffer ( means that He would die; in other words that was the reason He came. (Isiah Chapter 53 ) , and that He should be the first who should rise from the dead. ( Jesus is the First Fruits of the Resurrection. And , therefore, the guarantee of the Resurrection of all Believers. )(1Cor. 15: 1-23. ). (Rev. 1:5). And should show light unto the people, and to the Gentiles. (Refers to the Lord Jesus Christ as being the only Light ,and for all people. ).

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