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Today's Verse Analysis

Luke 10:32 And likewise a Levite, when he was at the place,

The lawyer asked," Who is my neighbor?" Jesus tells the Parable of the Good Samaritan.

Spoken to:
an individual

Luke 10:32 ὁμοίως δὲ καὶ Λευείτης κατὰ τὸν τόπον ἐλθὼν καὶ ἰδὼν ἀντιπαρῆλθεν.

KJV Verse:

Luke 10:32 And likewise a Levite, when he was at the place, came and looked on him, and passed by on the other side.

NIV Verse:

Luke 10:32 So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side.

What His Listeners Heard:

Similarly, however, also a Levite showing up opposite that place and seeing [him], passed by on the opposite side. 

Lost In Translation:

Neither English translated captures the first three word completely. They are "similarly, however, also" and are a meant to add suspense to the story. The "similarly" makes it seem like this line is going to repeat the other. However, the "however" seems to contradict that its. The "also" reaffirms it.

The definite article in Koine can be translated as "that" since it is practically identical to the demonstrative article. Say "that place" makes the point clearer so we know where we are.

Both the "came" and "looked/saw" are not active verbs. They are participles, verbal adjectives describing what the Levite was doing "showing up" and "seeing." The word for "seeing" also has the sense of understanding what is seen. These words are the setup for the one-word punchline that delivers a complicated idea. The rare word means "passed by on the opposite side." Jesus often uses complicated words for their humorous effect.

 

 

KJV w/Translation Issues :
KJV List (See full page for word-by-word analysis):

Constantly Updated

My analysis standards and methods are constantly improving. New information on each verse is provided as articles are updated. It requires approximately two years to work through each of Jesus's verses.

What Jesus's Listeners Heard

The everyday meanings of the Greek words Jesus used were different than the definitions they have been given over time in biblical translation. The word translations here are based upon documents of his time such as the Greek Septuagint, not ideas unknown in his time.

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See what Jesus said in Greek and see how his words are changed in English translation. My goal is to translate Jesus's words as they were heard when he taught, not the way they are interpreted today. The work here resurrects the humor and cleverness of Jesus's words lost in translation.

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