John 17:19 And for their sakes I sanctify myself,

Spoken to: 

Father

After the Last Supper, Jesus prays. He just said he and his apostles were sent into the world.

KJV: 

John 17:19 And for their sakes I sanctify myself, that they also might be sanctified through the truth.

NIV : 

John 17:19 For them I sanctify myself, that they too may be truly sanctified.

LISTENERS HEARD: 

And, on behalf of them, I myself sanctify myself so that they exist also themselves having been sanctified in truth.

MY TAKE: 

Jesus can purify himself and us by washing us in the truth.

GREEK (Each Word Explained Bottom of Page): 

GREEK ORDER: 

καὶ    ὑπὲρ             αὐτῶν  [ἐγὼ]      ἁγιάζω    ἐμαυτόν,
And, on behalf of them,   I myself sanctify   myself

ἵνα       ὦσιν         καὶ   αὐτοὶ           ἡγιασμένοι                    ἐν   ἀληθείᾳ.
so that they exist  also themselves  having been sanctified  in   truth.

LOST IN TRANSLATION: 

Most of the emphasis in this verse is lost in translation. Jesus uses the subject pronoun "I myself" as the one who sactifies himself. He then uses the subject pronoun "they" to emphasize the apostles. The tenses and verb forms here are  also interesting and lost in translation. Jesus is sanctifying himself in the present tense  so that his apostles can live already having been sanctified. The first verb "to be" has the sense of "exist," also in the present tense. It is mistranslated as a helper verb, forming a passive, but that is not its role in Greek. The participle "sanctified" is passive, but it is also the past perfect tense, an action completed in the past. Both ideas come from its verb ending, but must be translated using helped verbs in English, "having been sanctified."
 

The preposition before "truth" is mistranslated in the KJV and eliminated in the NIV. It is not "through" but "in." The feeling being that they are cleansed by truth as we are cleansed by water. In Greek, "truth" means what is real as opposed appearances. The word means literally, "not hidden," so it conveys the strong sense of something "obvious" as opposed to a mysterious "truth."

# KJV TRANSLATION ISSUES: 

7
  • MW -- Missing Word  -- The pronoun repeats the information in the verb so it should be repeated in English like "I myself."
  • CW --Confusing Word -- The "be" does not capture the word's specific meaning making it sound like a helper verb for passive  active verb.
  • MW -- Missing Word -- This subject pronoun duplicates information in the verb so it needs a "themselves" after "they" for emphasis.
  • WT --Wrong Tense - The English verb "sanctifed" is the past tense, but Greek is in the past perfect, a completed action, "having been sanctified."
  • WV --Wrong Voice - The particple here is translated as a fake passive mistranslating the "to be" active verb but it is a true passive, "having been sanctified."
  • CW --Confusing Word -- The "through" is not the common word usually translated as "through."
  • IW - Inserted Word -- The word "the" doesn't exist in the source.

# NIV TRANSLATION ISSUES: 

8
  • MW - Missing Word -- The word "and" is not shown in the English translation.
  • MW -- Missing Word  -- The pronoun repeats the information in the verb so it should be repeated in English like "I myself."
  • MW -- Missing Word -- This subject pronoun duplicates information in the verb so it needs a "themselves" after "they" for emphasis.
  • CW --Confusing Word -- The "be" does not capture the word's specific meaning, making it sound like a helper verb for passive active verb.
  • WT --Wrong Tense - The English verb "sanctifed" is the past tense, but Greek is in the past perfect, a completed action, "having been sanctified."
  • WV --Wrong Voice - The particple here is translated as a fake passive mistranslating the "to be" active verb but it is a true passive, "having been sanctified."
  • MW - Missing Word -- The word "in" is not shown in the English translation.
  • IW - Inserted Word -- The word "the" doesn't exist in the source.

EACH WORD of KJV : 

And -- The Greek word translated as "and" is used as the conjunction "and," but it also is used to add emphasis ("also"). In a series, it can be translated as "not only...but also." After words implying sameness "as."

for -- "For...sakes" is a preposition that means "over" "beyond," "concerning," "on behalf of,"  and "instead of" with many other specific uses.

their -- The word translated as "their" is the Greek adjective that acts like our third-person pronoun. The form is the third person, plural in the genitive form. It is used as a possessive or the object of a verb or preposition.  As a preposition's object means a movement away from something or a position away from something else.

sakes - This completes the idea of the preposition.

I -- This is from the  pronoun "I" is used here.  When it has no verb, the verb "is" or the previous verb is assumed. When the subject of the sentence is part of the verb, its explicit use accentuates who is speaking "I." Saying "I myself" captures this feeling in English.

missing "myself" -- (MW)  The subject pronoun repeats the information in the verb so it should be repeated in English like "I myself."

sanctify  -- This word is perhaps, an unusual form of a Greek verb meaning "to dedicate to God" and "to sanctify" usually by burning an offering. It may also be a verb form of a Greek noun, meaning "a thing that creates awe." In a good sense, this can mean holy or sacred, but it also means accursed. Another way to think about this word is that it describes something set apart only for God.

myself, -- The Greek reflexive pronoun is translated as "myself." It is used primarily as the object of a preposition. As a genitive object means a movement away from something or a position away from something else.

that -- The word translated as "that" is a conjunction that starts a subordinate clause  "that," "when," "in order that" "when," or "because." It is used as an introduction to a command, where it isn't translated. -- The word translated as "there" is an adverb "in that place," "there," "where," or "when."

they -- This is from the third-person, plural form of the verb.

also -- The Greek word translated as "also" is used as the conjunction "and," but it also is used to add emphasis ("also"). In a series, it can be translated as "not only...but also." After words implying sameness "as."

might -- This helping verb "might" indicates that the verb indicates a possibility, the subjunctive. Helping or auxiliary verbs are needed to translate the Greek verb forms into English.

be -- (CW) The verb "be" here is the common form of "to be" in Greek. It means to have a certain characteristic or remain in a certain condition. It also equates terms or assigns characteristics.  The word also means "to exist" and where it doesn't connect to characteristics or conditions. This is not used to create a passive since the endings of Gree verbs determine the voice. Translating it as "exist" is less confusing.

missing "themselves" -- (MW)  The subjective pronoun repeats the information in the verb so it should be repeated in English like "they themselves."

sanctified  -- (WT, WV)  The "sanctifed" here means to "purify" for dedication to the Divine, "to dedicate to God" and "to sanctify" usually by burning an offering. The noun form means "a thing that creates awe." Another way to think about this word is that it describes something set apart only for God. It is a participle, in the past perfect tense, in a passive form so "having been purified."

through "  -- (CW)  The word translated as "through" means "in," "within," "with" (an instrument), "by" (near), "by" (means of), "during" (time),  or "among"  with a dative object as the one here.   When referring to time, it means "during." It can mean "on," "at," or "by" in the sense of "near." This is not the word usually translated as "through."

the -- (IW) There is nothing that can be translated as "the" in the Greek sourceIW - Inserted Word -- The word "the" doesn't exist in the source.

truth. -- The literal meaning of the Greek word for "truth" is "not hidden," and it means what is real as opposed to how things seem. Applied to people, it means "truthfulness" and "sincerity." The opposite of a lie or appearance.

EACH WORD of NIV : 

missing "and"  -- (MW) The untranslated word  "and" is used as the conjunction "and," but it also is used to add emphasis ("also"). In a series, it can be translated as "not only...but also." After words implying sameness "as."

For -- "For" is a preposition that means "over" "beyond," "concerning," "on behalf of,"  and "instead of" with many other specific uses.

them-- The word translated as "them" is the Greek adjective that acts like our third-person pronoun. The form is the third person, plural in the genitive form. It is used as a possessive or the object of a verb or preposition.  As a preposition's object means a movement away from something or a position away from something else.

I -- This is from the pronoun "I" is used here.  When it has no verb, the verb "is" or the previous verb is assumed. When the subject of the sentence is part of the verb, its explicit use accentuates who is speaking "I." Saying "I myself" captures this feeling in English.

missing "myself" -- (MW)  The subject pronoun repeats the information in the verb so it should be repeated in English like "I myself."

sanctify  -- This word is perhaps, an unusual form of a Greek verb meaning "to dedicate to God" and "to sanctify" usually by burning an offering. It may also be a verb form of a Greek noun, meaning "a thing that creates awe." In a good sense, this can mean holy or sacred, but it also means accursed. Another way to think about this word is that it describes something set apart only for God.

myself, -- The Greek reflexive pronoun is translated as "myself." It is used primarily as the object of a preposition. As a genitive object means a movement away from something or a position away from something else.

that -- The word translated as "that" is a conjunction that starts a subordinate clause  "that," "when," "in order that" "when," or "because." It is used as an introduction to a command, where it isn't translated. -- The word translated as "there" is an adverb "in that place," "there," "where," or "when."

they -- This is from the third-person, plural form of the verb.

missing "themselves" -- (MW)  The subjective pronoun repeats the information in the verb so it should be repeated in English like "they themselves."

too -- The Greek word translated as "too" is used as the conjunction "and," but it also is used to add emphasis ("also"). In a series, it can be translated as "not only...but also." After words implying sameness "as."

may -- This helping verb "may " indicates that the verb indicates a possibility, the subjunctive. Helping or auxiliary verbs are needed to translate the Greek verb forms into English.

be -- (CW) The verb "be" here is the common form of "to be" in Greek. It means to have a certain characteristic or remain in a certain condition. It also equates terms or assigns characteristics.  The word also means "to exist" and where it doesn't connect to characteristics or conditions. This is not used to create a passive since the endings of Gree verbs determine the voice. Translating it as "exist" is less confusing.

missing "in"  -- (MW) The untranslated word  "in" means "in," "within," "with" (an instrument), "by" (near), "by" (means of), "during" (time),  or "among"  with a dative object as the one here.   When referring to time, it means "during." It can mean "on," "at," or "by" in the sense of "near." This is not the word usually translated as "through."

truly. -- (WF) The literal meaning of the Greek word for "truly" is the noun, "truth" which literally means "not hidden." It means what is real as opposed to how things seem. Applied to people, it means "truthfulness" and "sincerity." The opposite of a lie or appearance. It is not an adverb.

sanctified  -- (WT, WV)  The "sanctifed" here means to "purify" for dedication to the Divine, "to dedicate to God" and "to sanctify" usually by burning an offering. The noun form means "a thing that creates awe." Another way to think about this word is that it describes something set apart only for God. It is a participle, in the past perfect tense, in a passive form so "having been purified."

COMPARISON: GREEK to KJV : 

καὶ [1089 verses](conj/adv) "And" is kai, which is the conjunction joining phrases and clauses, "and," or "also." After words implying sameness, "as" (the same opinion as you). Used in series, joins positive with negative "Not only...but also." Also used to give emphasis, "even," "also," and "just."

ὑπὲρ [17 verses](prep) "For..sake" is hyper (huper), which means "over" (of place), "above' (in a state of rest), "off' (ships at sea), "over" and "across (in a state of motion), "over," "beyond," "on behalf of one (metaphor), "for," "instead of," "in the name of," "as a representative of" (in an entreaty), "for" and "because of" (of the cause or motive), "concerning," "exceeding" "above" and "beyond" (of measure), "above" and "upwards" (of numbers), "before" and "earlier than" (of time), "over much" and "beyond measure" (as an adverb), "for" and "in deference of" (doing a thing), and "above measure." 

αὐτῶν [720 verses](adj pl masc gen) "Their" is autos, is the genitive case of the third person pronoun. The word also means "the same,""one's true self," and "the soul" as opposed to the body. It also means "of one's own accord."

[ἐγὼ] [162 verses](pron 1st sg masc nom) "I" is ego, which is the first-person singular pronoun meaning "I." It also means "I at least," "for my part," "indeed," and for myself.

ἁγιάζω  [6 verses] (1st sg pres ind act) "Sanctify" is hagiazo, which means "to separate from profane things and dedicate to God," "to dedicate people to God," "to purify," and "to cleanse externally or internally." This may be a special form of hagizo which means "to hallow," "to dedicate," and "to make sacred," commonly by burning a sacrifice. It may also be a verb from of the noun hagos, which means "a thing that creates awe."

ἐμαυτόν[15 verses] (pron sg masc acc)  "Myself" is emautou, which means "of me," and "of myself".

ἵνα [134 verses](adv/conj) "That" is hina, which means "in that place," "there," "where," "when,"  but when beginning a phrase "so that," "in order that," "when," and "because."

ὦσιν .[614 verses](3rd pl pres subj act) "Might be" is eimi, which means "to be," "to exist," "to be the case," of circumstance and events "to happen,"  and "is possible." With the genitive object, the sense is "belongs to." With the dative, it means "have" where the subject and object are reversed.

καὶ [1089 verses](conj/adv) "Also" is kai, which is the conjunction joining phrases and clauses, "and," or "also." After words implying sameness, "as" (the same opinion as you). Used in series, joins positive with negative "Not only...but also." Also used to give emphasis, "even," "also," and "just."

αὐτοὶ [32 verses](pron/adj pl masc nom) "They" is the nominative case of the third-person, plural adjective that is used as a pronoun. The word also means "the same,""one's true self," and "the soul" as opposed to the body. It also means "of one's own accord."

ἡγιασμένοι [6 verses] (part pl perf mp masc nom) "Sanctified" is hagiazo, which means "to separate from profane things and dedicate to God," "to dedicate people to God," "to purify," and "to cleanse externally or internally." This may be a special form of hagizo which means "to hallow," "to dedicate," and "to make sacred," commonly by burning a sacrifice. It may also be a verb from of the noun hagos, which means "a thing that creates awe."

ἐν [413 verses](prep) "In" is en, which means, with a dative object, "in," "on," "at," "by," "among," "within," "surrounded by," "in one's hands," "in one's power," "during,"  and "with." With the accusative, it means "into," "on," and "for." Referring to time, it means. "in the course of" or "during." 

ἀληθείᾳ[19 verses] (noun sg fem dat) "Truth" is aletheia, which means literally "the state of not being hidden," "truth," and "reality." It was also applied to "real events" and "the realization of a dream." Applied to people, it means "truthfulness" and "sincerity." The opposite of a lie or appearance.  The Greek concept of truth was that it was defined by its opposition to that which is concealed. This goes back to a daughter of Zeus, Aletheia, whose opposites were Dolos (Trickery), Apate (Deception) and the Pseudologoi (Lies).

Related Verses: 

Unimportant Opinions and Imaginings: 

This section ends a series of verses (from Jhn 17:15) where Christ is discussing the concept of "holy" or "pure" as separation from the world while being sent into the world.

In English, the theme of this small here is lost because our idea of "holy" is not based on separation and we cannot see that the verb Christ uses for "sent" is begun with the preposition of separation.

In the alternative translation here, the word translated as "sanctified" in the KJV has been translated as "separated." This highlights its primary meaning of separating the things of God from the common things of the world.

The larger story here has three points.

First, (Jhn 17:18) Christ and the apostles were separated from the Father when they were sent away into the world. And Christ wants then to stay in the world, even though he is leaving (Jhn 17:15).

Second, even though the apostles exist physically in the world of men, they are separated from it (Jhn 17:16). This separation is what makes them "pure" and "holy."

Finally, what separates the apostles from the world of men is the "truth" or "reality" of God. This greater reality surrounds them. This truth is from the "word", that is, the law that Christ has taught them.

Front Page Date: 

Jan 1 2023