# Question about Heb. 6:6



## JM (Aug 18, 2010)

I’m looking at Hebrews 6:6, the ESV and AV read “fall away” but Young’s Literal reads “fallen away.”

Is there anything in the Greek that would suggest "fallen" is the better word for this verse? Does the context speak of falling from faith or having fallen from faith?


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## DTK (Aug 18, 2010)

The word/verb, *παραπεσόντας* (from *παραπίπτω*) is an aorist active participle, masculine plural; literally fall beside or aside, go astray, become lost; figuratively in the NT of abandoning a former relationship turn away, commit apostasy, Hebrews 6:6.

The aorist tense is often translated in the past tense,and this word is an aorist participle. The aorist tense often denotes a past event captured in time, sort of like a snap shot pic taken by a camera that captures the motion of an event as it happened. Wallace argues that the participle, *παραπεσόντας*, should be taken as adjectival, and translates this text as “It is impossible to restore again to repentance those who have once been enlightened . . . *and have fallen away*.” See Daniel B. Wallace, _Greek Grammar Beyond the Basics_ (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1996), p. 633.


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## JM (Aug 18, 2010)

Wonderful, thank you.


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## larryjf (Aug 18, 2010)

παραπεσοντας is second aorist active participle.

Hebrews 6:1 uses another word (leave - αφεντες) that is also second aorist active participle ...

_Therefore let us *leave* the elementary doctrine of Christ and go on to maturity, not laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God, (Heb 6:1, ESV)
_


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## DTK (Aug 18, 2010)

BTW JM, a second aorist translates no different than a first aorist - the only difference between the two is that a second aorist takes an irregular form. Generally, Greek verbs have either a first aorist form or a second aorist form. Very few verbs have both a first aorist and a second aorist form.


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## larryjf (Aug 18, 2010)

Though the second aorist doesn't pose any issues with strict translation, as DTK rightly points out, the fact that it is used can speak to the style of the writer.

One might consider the writing style of Paul and how he uses words such as "εξεπεσατε" as in Gal 5:4, and conclude that Hebrews is not in Paul's writing style.


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