Dave

Mark, for what it is worth…you said, “Ok, i hope this helps our discussion. You are arguing i think, that the woman’s salvation is not conditional on the husband, despite the fact we have a conditional clause and are further arguing that this is not the ONLY way she could be saved.”

No, this is not what I am arguing. There is obviously some relationship between the two parties and the hypothetical situation that Paul refers to in the conditional clause is a hypothetical one where the woman would appear to be influenced by the other party. I think Cheryl has explained well what the relationship might be. All I am saying is that it is not ONLY conditional on the husband. The passage does not say it is. You have said it is. As Cheryl has said, you have over stated your case.

You also said,
“ ‘If you are the son of God, turn these stones into bread”
Now is the meanig the same if we make it the same as 1 Tim 2:15
“you will be the son of God, if you turn these stones into bread”
I suggest that the meaning changes greatly, wouldn’t you agree?”

Certainly the meaning has changed, but only because you imported more info into the verse (the word ‘will’ suggests that making bread from stones will be how Jesus can become the Son of God – a new concept). To accurately swap the verse around we end up with, “You are the Son of God, if you turn stones into bread.” I suggest the meaning does not change, wouldn’t you agree?

In regards to your helpful link it provided no new info for me. It gave no evidence that swapping the main and conditional clauses makes an ounce of difference in meaning in any way and definitely not so as to make the passage exclude any other means through which the woman might be saved, i.e. her own faith.

Mark, please either concede the point or bring some evidence to the discussion. Please do not give me any more “helpful” links that provide no evidence. For some reason you wanted me to go and find evidence for how changing the clauses discounts my previous two examples. This is your job Mark. You have failed to do it. The burden of proof is on you.

For the conditional clause to say what you want it would have to say, “She will ONLY be save if they continue…” Bottom line – it does not say this.