From: Jonathan Robie (74144.2360@CompuServe.COM)
Date: Wed Jul 31 1996 - 10:22:06 EDT
Carl Conrad wrote:
> ARA OUN OU(K ESTI TO ELEIN) TOU QELONTOS (ANQRWPOU) OUDE TOU TREXONTOS
> (ANQRWPOU) ALLA TOU ELEWNTOS QEOU.
>
> And I'd give a "hyperliteral" translation thus: "So (ARA) being
> merciful is NOT, ultimately (OUN), an attribute of the human being who
> wills nor of the human being who runs, but rather of God who has
> mercy."
>
> I would say too that what is negated is not the participles but the
> implicit verb, ESTI(N).
This understanding makes sense, is insightful, and is reflected in a lot
of translations.
For instance, here is NRSV:
So it depends not on human will or exertion, but on God who
shows mercy.
REB:
Thus it does not depend on human will or effort, but on God's
mercy.
New Jerusalem:
So it is not a matter of what any person wants or any person
does, but only of God having mercy.
Zuercher Bibel:
Somit kommt es nun nicht auf den an, der will, noch auf den,
der laeuft, sondern auf Gott, der sich erbarmt.
Jonathan
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