Re: 1 Jn 5:16, hAMARTANONTA hAMARTIAN

Kevin and Sandi Anderson (crossroads@sprynet.com)
Sat, 20 Sep 1997 13:40:26 -0400

My favorite cognate accusative from the GNT can be found in the "Christmas
story." Each year we are reminded, in that quaint Elizabethan turn of
phrase, that when the angels appeared to the shepherds "they were sore
afraid" (KJV; EFOBHQHSAN FOBON MEGAN, "they feared a great fear," Lk 2:9).
The nativity narratives in the first part of Lk are redolent with Semitic
(or Septuagintal--I assume most of you know the debate) language. One of
Jonathan's examples was in the previous verse (2:8).

Another "doubling" that comes to mind (not a cognate acc, but I'm sure Gk
grammarians have come up with some classification for it--"cognate
adjectival participle"?) is in 1Jn 5:4, hH NIKH hH NIKHSASA.

Kevin L. Anderson
Ph.D. Student
London Bible College/Brunel University

-----Original Message-----
From: Paul S. Dixon <dixonps@juno.com>
To: b-greek@virginia.edu <b-greek@virginia.edu>
Date: Saturday, September 20, 1997 2:47 AM
Subject: 1 Jn 5:16, hAMARTANONTA hAMARTIAN

>In this verse of luscious exegetical nuggets comes this intriguing
>phrase, hAMARTANONTA hAMARTIAN (1 Jn 5:16). It is translated,
>"committing a sin" (NASV), " committing ... sin" (RSV), "sin a sin"
>(KJV), and "commit a sin" (NIV).
>
>I remembered something like this doubling in 2 Tim 4:7,
>TON KALON AGWNA HGWNISMAI, "I have agonized the good agony."
>
>My question is two-fold: does anybody recall other such "doublings" in
>scripture, and secondly, is there any particular meaning to this? Is it
>merely a duplication for emphasis? What bearing, if any, does Classical
>Greek have?
>
>Thanks.
>
>Paul DIxon
>