ειπως

A word-for-word translation of ειπως is "if how". Using this translation, "X if how Y" would state that if there is a question on how Y will be achieved, then X is the answer. Note that "X if how Y" is not equivalent at all with "X if somehow Y". The latter implies that the speaker is uncertain whether he can achieve Y, and that X depends on Y. The interpretation "if how" of ειπως is considered here. This interpretation is applied below to the four New Testament passages that contain ειπως or ει πως: Ac 27:12, Ro 1:10, Ro 11:14, and Php 3:11. Related to this topic is also the study of the Hebrew word אולי; see the notes on אולי.

(Ac 27:12) ανευθετου δε του λιμενος υπαρχοντος προς παραχειμασιαν οι πλειους εθεντο βουλην αναχθηναι κακειθεν ειπως δυναιντο καταντησαντες εις φοινικα παραχειμασαι λιμενα της κρητης βλεποντα κατα λιβα και κατα χωρον

"And because the harbor was not suitable for wintering, the majority advised to depart from there. This is how they thought they could reach Phoenix, a harbor of Crete facing southwest and northwest, to spend the winter there." The phrase "they thought" was added to indicate the uncertainty implied by the optative form δυναιντο.

(Ro 1:9) μαρτυς γαρ μου εστιν ο θεος ω λατρευω εν τω πνευματι μου εν τω ευαγγελιω του υιου αυτου ως αδιαλειπτως μνειαν υμων ποιουμαι

(Ro 1:10) παντοτε επι των προσευχων μου δεομενος ειπως ηδη ποτε ευοδωθησομαι εν τω θεληματι του θεου ελθειν προς υμας

"For God is my witness, whom I serve in my spirit in the gospel of his Son, how I remember you unceasingly, always making supplication in my prayers. This is how I will succeed now at last, in the will of God, to come to you." Note that δεομενος does not need an object (Ac 4:31, 10:2). The combination μαρτυς ... ως appears also in Php 1:8, with ως being translated "how".

(Ro 11:13) υμιν γαρ λεγω τοις εθνεσιν εφ οσον μεν ειμι εγω εθνων αποστολος την διακονιαν μου δοξαζω

(Ro 11:14) ει πως παραζηλωσω μου την σαρκα και σωσω τινας εξ αυτων

"For I am speaking to you Gentiles, inasmuch as I am an apostle of the Gentiles, I magnify my ministry. This is how I will provoke to jealousy my flesh and save some of them." The ministry of the apostle was mangnified through miracles. This is provoked them to jealousy, as they saw God working powerfully among the Gentiles, but not among themselves.

(Php 3:10) του γνωναι αυτον και την δυναμιν της αναστασεως αυτου και την κοινωνιαν των παθηματων αυτου συμμορφουμενος τω θανατω αυτου

(Php 3:11) ει πως καταντησω εις την εξαναστασιν των νεκρων

"that I may know him, and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of his sufferings, being conformed to his death; this is how I will attain to the resurrection from the dead."