From: Carlton L. Winbery (winberyc@popalex1.linknet.net)
Date: Mon Jul 01 1996 - 02:55:33 EDT
Denny A Diehl wrote;
>In Acts 20:7 it says that Paul "...prolonged his message until
>midnight (MESONUKTIOU)." Does MESONUKTIOU carry
>with it the same preciseness of time in 1st century Greek as it
>does in 20th century English, i.e., 12 O'clock Midnight? Or, is
>it a more general, broad term designating a somewhat broad amount
>of time, say, from 9PM to 3AM or so?
>
The word literally means "in the middle of the night." It is so used in
the LXX, Aristotle, Strabo, and others. It would be precise according to
the words used in context. In Acts 20:7 with MECRI I would think that it
is more precise, "until midnight." However, in Acts 16:25 with KATA TO
MES. less precise, "about midnight."
Carlton L. Winbery
Prof. Religion
LA College, Pineville, La
winberyc@popalex1.linknet.net
winbery@andria.lacollege.edu
winbrow@aol.com
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