James 2:5 TOUS PTWXOUS TWi KOSMWi

Jonathan Robie (jwrobie@mindspring.com)
Sun, 17 Aug 1997 07:04:23 -0400

I'm trying to decide whether this means "the poor in this world" or "those
who are poor in the eyes of the world". Good translations differ on this:

James 2:5 OUX hO QEOS EKSELEKSATW TOUS PTWXOUS TWi KOSMWi PLOUSIOUS EN
PISTEI KAI KLHRONOMOUS THS BASILEIAS hHS EPHGGEILATO TOIS AGAPWSIN AUTON;

Jame 2:5 (NIV) Listen, my dear brothers: Has not God chosen those who are
poor in the eyes of the world to be rich in faith and to inherit the kingdom
he promised those who love him?

Jame 2:5 (RSV) Listen, my beloved brethren. Has not God chosen those who are
poor in the world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom which he has
promised to those who love him?

The first reading seems to be the more obvious reading - I assume that the
second reading interprets the dative as a dative of reference. Are there
reasons to prefer the one reading to the other?

Thanks!

Jonathan

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