John 16:11 Of judgment,

Spoken to
Apostles

After the Last Supper, after Jesus says the assistant will accuse the world of making mistakes of justice and judgment.

KJV

John 16:11 Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged.

NIV

John 16:11 And about judgment, because the prince of this world now stands condemned.

LISTENERS HEARD

...concerning judgment, on the other hand, because the high one of the social order, of this one, has been chosen.

LOST IN TRANSLATION

This is the final "on the other hand" statement that finishes Jesus's description of the mistakes in justice and judgment. The term "prince" is misleading. The word means "the high one" and usually means a leader of some kind, not his princes. It could also be the participle meaning "being the first" and "making a beginning." "The world" means the world's hierarchy, that is, the "world order."

However, the key issue is the meaning and tense of the "is judged" verb.  It primary meaning is "to separate." It can mean "to judge" in the context of a trial. However, it also means "to choose" and "prefer." This verb is not the present tense. It is the past perfect; an action completed in the past, "has been chosen." Jesus is not condemning a ruler. He is criticizing our choosing them in the past as the "high one."  Going back to a correct translation of John 16:8, Jesus is referring to "mistakes in judgment." He explains that mistake here: picking the leaders that we do AND mistaking those leaders as "the high one."

At the time, the ruler of the word was Emperor Tiberias, who some recognized as divine. The world's mistake in judgment was accepting Rome and its emperor as "the high one."

MY TAKE

Humanity is mistaken for raising politicians to the role of "the high one."

GREEK ORDER

...concerning on the other hand, judgment, because the high one of the social order, of this one, has been chosen.

# KJV TRANSLATION ISSUES
4
  • CW - Confusing Word -- The "of" does not capture the word's specific meaning.
  • MW - Missing Word -- The word "on the other hand" is not shown in the English translation.
  • MW - Missing Word -- The word "the/this" before "world" is not shown in the English translation.
  • WT - Wrong Tense - The verb "judged" should be the past perfect tense, not the present, "has been chosen."
# NIV TRANSLATION ISSUES
7
  • IW - Inserted Word -- The word "and" doesn't exist in the source.
  • MW - Missing Word -- The word "on the other hand" is not shown in the English translation.
  • MW - Missing Word -- The word "the/this" before "world" is not shown in the English translation.
  • IW - Inserted Word -- The word "now" doesn't exist in the source.
  • CW - Confusing Word -- The "stands" indicates a passive voice.
  • WW - Wrong Word -- The word translated as "condemned" should be something more like "judged."
  • WT - Wrong Tense - The verb "condemned" should be the past perfect tense, not the present, "has been chosen."
EACH WORD of KJV

Of - (CW) The Greek word translated as "of" means "around" when referring to a place, but in referring to a subject, it means "about," "concerning," "on account of," and "in regard to." This is the way Jesus usually uses it. It is not the word form usually translated as "of."

missing "on the other hand"  -- (MW) The untranslated word  "but" means "but," "however," and "on the other hand." It joins phrases in an adversarial way. Since it always falls in the second position, translating it as "however" often captures its feeling better.  It can also be an explanation of cause ("so").

judgment, -- The Greek word translated as "judgment" means distinguishing among choices and "separating" things. Christ uses it in a variety of ways, though the KJV usually translates it as "judgment." It also means a "turning point," since it is the source of the meaning of "crisis" has in English. Only secondarily does it means "judgment" as in a court judgment.

because -- The word translated as "that" introduces a statement of fact or cause, "for what," "because," "since," and "wherefore."

the -- The word translated as "the" is the Greek definite article; without a noun, it has the sense of "the one." The Greek article is much closer to our demonstrative pronouns ("this," "that," "these," "those") than the English "the." See this article for more. 

prince - "Prince" is from the Greek word that means "ruler," and "magistrate." It is from the participle meaning "being the first" and "making a beginning." This form of this word is the same as the plural of a slightly different Greek word, which means "leaders" and also "assholes," but the article before it is singular.

of -- This word "of"  comes from the genitive case of the following word that requires the addition of a preposition in English.  The most common is the "of" of possession.

this  -- "This" is a demonstrative pronoun that means "this," "here," "the nearer," and "the familiar." It often stands apart from its noun, acting like a pronoun, "this one here" or "this here." When it follows the noun it emphasizes it, "this one."

missing "the/this"  -- (MW) The untranslated word is the Greek definite article," the," which usually precedes a noun and, without a noun, takes the meaning of "the one." The Greek article is much closer to our demonstrative pronouns ("this," "that," "these," and "those"). See this article for more. 

world -- Jesus uses the word translated as "the world" to mean "the world order," and "civilization," specifically its "rulers," or its organization. Today, we use the word "society" or "regime" in this sense. More about this word in this article about related words.

is -- This helping verb "is" indicates that the verb is passive. Helping or auxiliary verbs are needed to translate the Greek verb forms into English. This could also be the middle voice, "judges himself."

judged. -- (WT) The term used here for "judged" primarily means to "separate" and "distinguish." It has a secondary meaning of "to pick out," "to choose," and "to prefer." It also can mean "to judge" but only in the context of a trial. How to leaders become leaders? They are "chosen" or "preferred" but someone, if only the military.  It is in the passive and past, perfect tense, "has been chosen."

EACH WORD of NIV

and -- (IW) There is nothing that can be translated as "and" in the Greek source. It was added because the previous verb was translated as active rather than a participle. 

about -  The Greek word translated as "about" means "around" when referring to a place, but in referring to a subject, it means "about," "concerning," "on account of," and "in regard to." This is the way Jesus usually uses it.

missing "on the other hand"  -- (MW) The untranslated word  "but" means "but," "however," and "on the other hand." It joins phrases in an adversarial way. Since it always falls in the second position, translating it as "however" often captures its feeling better.  It can also be an explanation of cause ("so").

judgment, -- The Greek word translated as "judgment" means distinguishing among choices and "separating" things. Christ uses it in a variety of ways, though the KJV usually translates it as "judgment." It also means a "turning point," since it is the source of the meaning of "crisis" has in English. Only secondarily does it means "judgment" as in a court judgment.

because -- The word translated as "that" introduces a statement of fact or cause, "for what," "because," "since," and "wherefore."

the -- The word translated as "the" is the Greek definite article; without a noun, it has the sense of "the one." The Greek article is much closer to our demonstrative pronouns ("this," "that," "these," "those") than the English "the." See this article for more. 

prince - "Prince" is from the Greek word that means "ruler," and "magistrate." It is from the participle meaning "being the first" and "making a beginning. This form of this word is the same as the plural of a slightly different Greek word, which means "leaders" and also "assholes," but the article before it is singular.

of -- This word "of"  comes from the genitive case of the following word that requires the addition of a preposition in English.  The most common is the "of" of possession.

this  -- "This" is a demonstrative pronoun that means "this," "here," "the nearer," and "the familiar." It often stands apart from its noun, acting like a pronoun, "this one here" or "this here." When it follows the noun it emphasizes it, "this one."

missing "the/this"  -- (MW) The untranslated word is the Greek definite article," the," which usually precedes a noun and, without a noun, takes the meaning of "the one." The Greek article is much closer to our demonstrative pronouns ("this," "that," "these," and "those"). See this article for more. 

world -- Jesus uses the word translated as "the world" to mean "the world order," and "civilization," specifically its "rulers," or its organization. Today, we use the word "society" or "regime" in this sense. More about this word in this article about related words.

now -- (IW) There is nothing that can be translated as "now" in the Greek source. It was added because the previous verb was translated as active rather than a participle. IW - Inserted Word -- The word "it" doesn't exist in the source.

stands -- (CW) This helping verb "stands" indicates that the verb is passive. Helping or auxiliary verbs are needed to translate the Greek verb forms into English. This could also be the middle voice, "judges himself."

condemned. -- (WW, WT) The term used here for "condemned" means to "separate" and "distinguish." It has a secondary meaning of "to pick out," "to choose," and "to prefer." It also can mean "to judge" but only in the context of a trial. How to leaders become leaders? They are "chosen" or "preferred" but someone, if only the military.  It is in the passive and past, perfect tense, "has been chosen."

COMPARISON: GREEK to KJV

περὶ [73 verses](prep)  "Of" is peri, which means "round about (Place)," "around," "about," "concerning," "on account of," "in regard to," "before," "above," "beyond," and "all around." With the genitive, "round about" of place, "for" or "about" something," with verbs of knowing, "about" and "concerning," "before or "beyond," of superiority With the dative, "round about" of clothes, "around" in holding, "for" or "about" a struggle, "on account of" and "by reason of" a cause. With the accusative, "around" in movement, caring and generally of relationships "about,"  "about" of time. As an adverb "around," "about," also, "near, by," and "exceedingly" in relationships.

δὲ [446 verses](conj) "But" is de which means "but" and "on the other hand." It is the particle that joins sentences in an adversarial way but can also be an explanation of indirect cause ("so"). With the Greek word for "if" the sense is "if...than." In a series begun by men, its means "on the other hand."

κρίσεως,[26 verses](noun sg fem gen) "Judgment" is krisis, which means "separating," "distinguishing," "judgment," "choice," "election," "trial," "dispute," "event," and "issue."

ὅτι [332 verses](adv/conj) "That" is hoti, which introduces a statement of fact "with regard to the fact that," "seeing that," and acts as a causal adverb meaning "for what," "because," "since," and "wherefore."

[821 verses](article sg masc nom)  "The" is the Greek definite article, hos, ("the"). 

ἄρχων [5 verses](noun pl masc nom) "Prince" is archon, which means "ruler," "commander," "official," and "magistrate."  OR (part pl pres act masc nom) The "prince" is from the participle, arche (ἄρχω) meaning "being the first" and "making a beginning." This form of this word is also the same as the plural of a slightly different word, ἀρχός, which means "leaders" and also "assholes."

τοῦ [821 verses](article sg masc nom)  Untranslated is the Greek definite article, hos, ("the").  -

κόσμου [63 verses](noun sg masc gen) "World" is kosmos, which mean "order," "good order," "ruler," "civilization," "world order," "universe," and "the world of men." It is a form of the is verb kosmeô, which means "to order," "to arrange," "to rule," "to adorn" (especially women), and "to equip." It especially means controlling and arranging an army.

τούτου [51 verses](adj sg masc gen) "This" is toutos, which is a demonstrative pronoun that means "this," "here," "the nearer," and "the familiar."

κέκριται[21 verses](verb 3rd sg perf ind mp) "Is judged" is krino, which primarily means "to separate," "to put asunder," and "to distinguish." It has a lot of other secondary meanings, including "to pick out," "to choose," "to decide" disputes or accounts, "to win" a battle, "to judge" especially in the sense of "estimate," "to expound," or "to interpret" in a particular way.

Unimportant Opinions and Imaginings

People make mistakes regarding Jesus and justice because they live under a certain world order, with its own priorities and values. The world order exists because people choose to trust it. This means that they cannot believe in its opposite, the word of Jesus.

So, looking back at these three verses, Christ is saying people make mistakes about Christ for two reasons.

The first of these verses, John 16:9, sets up the fact that people make a mistake.

The next verse, John 16:10, describes the first reason for their mistakes, thinking that Christ is setting himself up as authority for justice when, in truth, he has been given the job of judgment by his Father and those judgments are made before the Father so they are hidden from earthly view.

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