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John 1:3


Footnote:

6

Him/Himself

Strong’s #G846. Personal pronoun ατο autou #G846 = him or himself. The Greek pronouns have three basic meanings: 1. himself, herself (emphatic) 2. he, she, it (used for the third person pronoun) and 3. the selfsame. Pronouns in the NT are not inconsequential. There is in fact what has been called "an inordinate use" of these pronouns in the NT not seen in other Greek texts. The standard he, she, it are typically left out in Greek because verbs are already constructed accordingly.

According to Smyth, “The nominative of the personal pronoun is usually omitted except when emphatic.” (Smyth grammar 4.41.83)

Emphatic pronouns can be possessive or reflexive. The reflexive himself or ownself is used when the verb action is reflexive, i.e they speak to themselves,

“...the scribes said within themselves, ‘this one blasphemes’.” Matt. 9:3 literal

In the case of the third meaning there is a definite article attached, i.e. the herself, the himself which are usually taken to mean the selfsame. “ ατός, ατ, τό ατό, with the article, the same;” – BDB. If translated literally we would read,

“…you however the self are, and the years of yourself will never fail.” Hebrews 1:12 literal