Showing posts with label cool syntax. Show all posts
Showing posts with label cool syntax. Show all posts

Tuesday, February 20, 2007

Acts 27:23—cool syntax

I have been reading through Acts. Hear how Paul expresses himself to the men on the ship, in Acts 27:23:
παρέστη γάρ μοι ταύτῃ τῇ νυκτὶ τοῦ θεοῦ, οὗ εἰμι [ἐγώ] ᾧ καὶ λατρεύω, ἄγγελος
That is, "For there stood by me on this night of God—whose I am and whom I serve—an angel!" The word-order seems to heighten the suspense.

Some scribes must have felt this awkward; I notice that the Byzantine "straightens" it out:
Παρέστη γάρ μοι ταύτῃ τῇ νυκτὶ ἄγγελος τοῦ θεοῦ, οὗ εἰμι, ᾧ καὶ λατρεύω,
UBS4 doesn't even note the variance, and Metzger's commentary doesn't even discuss it.