Re; John 3:5 and the genitive

Eric Weiss (eweiss@gte.net)
Sat, 15 Mar 1997 11:13:28 -0600

If (1) refers to a first or natural birth and (2) refers to second or
spiritual birth, Id portray the dialogue this way:

(2) 3:3 APEKRIQH IHSOUS KAI EIPEN AUTWi, AMHN, AMHN LEGW SOI,
EAN MH TIS GENNHQHi ANWQEN, OU DUNATAI IDEIN THN BASILEIAN TOU
QEOU.

(2) 3:4 LEGEI PROS AUTON hO NIKODHMOS, PWS DUNATAI ANQRWPOS
GENNHQHNAI GERWN WN; MH DUNATAI EIS THN KOILIAN THS MHTROS
AUTOU DEUTERON EISELQEIN KAI GENNHQHNAI;

(2) 3:5 APEKRIQH IHSOUS, AMHN, AMHN LEGW SOI, EAN MH TIS
GENNHQHi EX hUDATOS KAI PNEUMATOS, OU DUNATAI EISELQEIN EIS
THN BASILEIAN TOU QEOU.

- or -

(1) 3:5 APEKRIQH IHSOUS, AMHN, AMHN LEGW SOI, EAN MH TIS GENNHQHi EX
hUDATOS

(2) KAI PNEUMATOS, OU DUNATAI EISELQEIN EIS THN BASILEIAN TOU
QEOU.

(1) 3:6 TO GEGENNHMENON EK THS SARKOS SARX ESTIN,

(2) KAI TO GEGENNHMENON EK TOU PNEUMATOS PNEUMA ESTIN.

(2) 3:7 MH QAUMASHiS hOTI EIPON SOI, DEI hUMAS GENNHQHNAI
ANWQEN.

(2) 3:8 TO PNEUMA hOPOU QELEI PNEI KAI THN FWNHN AUTOU
AKOUEIS, ALL' OUK OIDAS POQEN ERCETAI KAI POU hUPAGEI - hOUTWS
ESTIN PAS hO GEGENNHMENOS EK TOU PNEUMATOS.

(2) 3:9 APEKRIQH NIKODHMOS KAI EIPEN AUTWi, PWS DUNATAI TAUTA
GENESQAI;

Does laying it out this way suggest that one of the two possibilities
for 3:5 is to be preferred?

--
"Eric S. and Karol-Ann Weiss"
http://home1.gte.net/eweiss/index.htm