Devoted to the Propagation and Defense of New Testament Christianity
VOLUME 4
November 27, 1952
NUMBER 30, PAGE 15b

Word Study

George B. Curtis, Siloam Springs, Arkansas

Our knowledge of the word of God depends upon our knowing the meaning of the words by which God's will is expressed. My work of preaching and defending the truth has compelled me to make a rather close study of a number of words used in Holy Writ upon which there has been controversy. Two of these especially have I noted: Eis and Eggus and the derivatives.

Eis is the Greek word from which we have for in Acts 2:38. Baptist debaters have contended that the word here means because of. The word in the original occurs 1508 times in the New Testament. Here is how it is translated: against 25 times, among 16 times, at 20 times, for 91 times, in 131 times, into 571 times, that 30 times, on 57 times, to 282 times, toward 32 times, unto 208 times, upon 25 times. It is not translated because of in a single instance.

Eggus and Eggizo is the Greek from which we have the phrase at hand. To try to establish a pre-Pentecostal kingdom, Baptist debaters have contended that the phrase may mean that which is already present. Eggus occurs 31 times in the original in the New Testament. Here is how the translators have rendered it: at hand 6 times, from 1 time, near 3 times, near to 2 times, night 7 times, nigh at hand 4 times, nigh to 3 times, nigh unto 4 times, ready 1 time.

Eggizo (verb form) occurs 43 times in the original in the New Testament and is thus rendered by the translators: approach 2 times, be at hand 9 times, be nigh 2 times, come near 5 times, come nigh 8 times, draw near 5 times, draw nigh 12 times, a total of forty three times and not a single instance that the translators gave any shade of meaning favoring our Baptist friends.