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in detail from the writings of the N.T. the various forms of the sentence which expresses the hypothetical consequence of an unfulfilled condition.

Two main cases arise. In one (I) the protasis expressed by eij with the indicative is followed by the imperfect indicative with a[n . The thought here is of a present or continuous result which would have been seen now if the unfulfilled supposition had been realised. In the other (II), the protasis expressed by eij with the indicative is followed by the aorist indicative with a[n . The thought here is of a past and completed result which would have ensued if the unfulfilled condition had been realised.

No uniform rendering in English is able to give the exact force of these two different forms of expression. It has become common to translate (I) by if (he) had...(he) would ...; and (II) by if (he) had...(he) would have ...But if this rendering is adopted, the definite negation of the fact in the apodosis of (I) is commonly lost or obscured, and the statement appears to be simply hypothetical and to suggest a possible fulfilment in the future. On the other hand if (I) and (II) are translated in the same manner, the suggestion of the present or continuous fact in (I) is obliterated.

Each case therefore must be considered by itself in order that the translator may convey the truest impression of the original with regard to the context.

If we look at the two main cases more closely we shall see that each has two divisions according as eij is joined with the imperfect or with the aorist in the protasis. Thus four types of expression must be distinguished.

I. (1) Eij imp. indic.......imp. with a[n .

(2) Eij aor. indic.......imp. with a[n .

II. (1) Eij imp. indic.......aor. with a[n .

(2) Eij aor. indic.......aor. with a[n .

I. (1) Eij with imp. ind. in protasis followed by imp. in apodosis. In this case the hypothetic unfulfilled condition and the consequence of its non-fulfilment are both regarded ( a ) generally as present, or ( b ), if not as present, as continuous and not definitely complete in a specific incident.

( a ) Heb. 8:4 eij h\n ... oujdj a]n h\n ... (if he had been now invested with such an office...he would not be as he now is...).

Heb. 8:7 eij h\n ... oujk a]n ejzhtei'to ...

John 5:46 eij ejpisteuvete ... ejpisteuvete a[n . John 8:42 eij ... h\n ... hjgapa'te a[n ... John 9:41 eij h\te ... oujk a]n ei[cete . John 14:7 eij ejgnwvkeite ... a]n h[deite . John 15:19 eij h\te ... a]n ejfivlei . John 18:36 eij h\n ... hjgwnivzonto a[n ... Luke 7:39 eij h\n ... ejgivnwsken a[n ...


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