Pronouns and its implications
in exegesis
Language |
Greek |
English |
Greek |
English |
Cases |
1st person |
1st person |
2nd person |
2nd person |
N |
e)gw |
I |
su |
You
(Thou) |
A |
e)me,
me |
Me |
se |
You
(Thee) |
G |
e)mou,
mou |
My
/ Mine |
sou
|
Your
(Thy, Thine) |
D |
e)moi,
moi |
Me |
soi |
You
(Thee) |
|
|
|
|
|
Plural |
1st person |
1st person |
2nd person |
2nd person |
N |
h(meiv |
We |
u(meiv |
You |
A |
h(mav |
Us |
u(mav |
You
/ Ye |
G |
h(mwn |
Our |
u(mwn |
Your |
D |
h(min |
Us |
u(min |
You |
The following examples are taken from this
link; I don't agree with the author that it will not clarify the sentence.
- [64] le/gei au)tw=| o( )Ihsou=j Su\
ei)=paj: plh\n le/gw u(mi=n,
a)p' a)/rti o)/yesqe
to\n ui(o\n tou= a)nqrw/pou kaqh/menon e)k deciw=n th=j duna/mewj
kai\ e)rxo/menon e)pi\ tw=n nefelw~n
Matthew 26:64, "Jesus saith unto him, THOU
has said: nevertheless I say unto YOU,
hereafter shall YE see the Son
of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven."
"Thou" refers to the High Priest, but "You/Ye" include
all those who were standing there in addition to the high priest.
- ei)pei=n )/Egeire kai\ peripa/tei; i(/na de\ ei)dh=te o(/ti o( ui(o\j tou= a)nqrw/pou e)cousi/an e)/xei e)pi\ th=j gh=j a)fie/nai a(marti/aj ei)=pen tw=| paralelume/nw| Soi\ le/gw, e)/geire kai\ a)/raj to\ klini/dio/n sou poreu/ou ei)j to\n oi)=ko/n sou.
Luke 5:24, "But that YE may know...I
say unto THEE...take up THY
couch, and go into THINE house."
"Ye" refers to the crowd, but "Thee/Thy/Thine" refer only
to the man with palsy.
- mh\ qauma/sh|j o(/ti ei)=po/n soi
Dei= u(ma=j
gennhqh=nai a)/nwqen.
John 3:7, 11, "Marvel not that I said unto
THEE, YE must be born again."
The message was spoken to the individual Nicodemus ("Thee"), but
obviously has wider application to all those who desire to follow Christ ("Ye").
- le/gei au)tw=| [o(] )Ihsou=j Tosou=ton
xro/non meq' u(mw=n ei)mi\ kai\ ou)k e)/gnwka/j me, Fi/lippe; o( e(wrakw\j
e)me\ e(wraken to\n pate/ra: pw=j su\ le/geij Dei=con h(mi=n to\n
John 14:9, Jesus saith unto him, "Have I been so long time with YOU,
and yet hast THOU not known
me, Philip?" He that hath seen me hath
seen the Father; and how sayest thou
then, Shew us the Father?
The "You" refers to the crowd, but "Thou" is addressed
specifically to only one man, Philip.
- [9] ble/pete de\ mh/ pwj h( e)cousi/a
u(mw=n au(/th pro/skomma ge/nhtai toi=j a)sqene/sin.
[10] e)a\n ga/r tij i)/dh| [se\] to\n e)/xonta
gnw=sin e)n ei)dwli/w| katakei/menon, ou)xi\ h( sunei/dhsij au)tou= a)sqenou=j
o)/ntoj oi)kodomhqh/setai
[11] ei)j to\ ta\ ei)dwlo/quta e)sqi/ein; a)po/llutai ga\r o( a)sqenw=n e)n th=| sh=|
gnw/sei, o( a)delfo\j di' o(\n Xristo\j a)pe/qanen.
[12] ou(/twj de\ a(marta/nontej ei)j tou\j a)delfou\j kai\ tu/ptontej au)tw=n th\n sunei/dhsin a)sqenou=san ei)j Xristo\n a(marta/nete.
1 Corinthians 8:9-12, "...this liberty of YOURS....If
any man see THEE which hast
knowledge... through THY knowledge...but
when YE sin."
[9]But take
heed lest by any means this liberty of your's become a stumblingblock to them
that are weak.
[10]For if any man see thee which hast knowledge sit at meat in the idol's
temple, shall not the conscience of him which is weak be emboldened to eat
those things which are offered to idols;
[11]And through thy knowledge shall the weak brother perish, for whom Christ
died?
[12]But when ye sin so against the brethren, and wound their weak conscience,
ye sin against Christ.
The plural forms "Yours/Ye" refer to all believers in Christ, but
the singular forms "thee/thy" refer only to those in responsibility.