Luke 12:20 But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee

Spoken to: 

group

A parable about caring for worldly goods after a man asks him to win his inheritance.

KJV: 

Luke 12:20 But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided?

NIV : 

Luke 12:20 But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?’

LISTENERS HEARD: 

The Divine said, however, to him,"Fool, on this here night, they demand back this self of yours from you. So then who will have those things you prepared?

MY TAKE: 

We don't know who will take away this "self" but it will eventually pass.

GREEK (Each Word Explained Bottom of Page): 

GREEK ORDER: 

εἶπεν δὲ            αὐτῷ    ὁ    θεός      Ἄφρων,      ταύτῃ τῇ  νυκτὶ  τὴν  ψυχήν σου   ἀπαιτοῦσιν   ἀπὸ σοῦ:
said, however, to him, The Divine "Fool,      on here  this night, this self of yours they demand back from you.

                   δὲ          ἡτοίμασας,      τίνι  ἔσται;
those things, So then, you prepared, who will have?

LOST IN TRANSLATION: 

The humor in this verse starts with Divine calling the man in the story a fool. From the divine perspective, we are all fools.

This verse doesn't say that the "soul" or "life" will be "required" or "demanded." The verb "demand back" is active, plural, and the present tense. "they demand back that self of yours." (This article explains why "self" is a better translation. In the previous verse, the NIV translated this word as "self".)  This raises the question of who can demand back our "selves?" This does not refer to the Divine because it isn't the first-person. It sounds as if some people are planning on killing this man.

The ending of the verse is an unusual Greek construction where the verb "to be" takes an indirect object. Literally, the line means "Those things will be to whom" but the best way to translate this form is to change the "will be" to "will have: and reverse the subject, "those things," and the object "whom." So we get, "who will have those things?"

# KJV TRANSLATION ISSUES: 

10
  • MW - Missing Word -- The word "the/this" before "God" is not shown in the English translation.
  • MW - Missing Word -- The word "the/this" before "night" is not shown in the English translation.
  • MW - Missing Word -- The word "the/this" before "soul" is not shown in the English translation.
  • CW --Confusing Word -- "Soul" has a religious meaning that the Greek word didn't have.
  • WF -- Wrong Form -  This is not a subject but an object.
  • WT --Wrong Tense - The tense of this verb "demanded" is not the future tense.
  • WV --Wrong Voice - The verb "demanded" here is translated as passive but it is active.
  • WN  --Wrong Number- The word "demanded" is translated as singular but the Greek word is plural.
  • CW - Confusing Word -- The "of" does not capture the word's specific meaning.
  • WT - Wrong Tense - The verb "have" indicates the past perfect tense, but the tense is something that happens at a specific point in time (past, present, or future).

# NIV TRANSLATION ISSUES: 

10
  • MW - Missing Word -- The word "the/this" before "God" is not shown in the English translation.
  • MW - Missing Word -- The word "the/this" before "soul" is not shown in the English translation.
  • CW --Confusing Word -- This is not the common word usually translated as "life."
  • WT --Wrong Tense - The tense of this verb is not the future tense.
  • WV --Wrong Voice - The verb here is translated as passive but it is active.
  • WW --Wrong Word -- The word translated as "get" should be something more like "be."
  • CW --Confusing Word -- This is not one of the common words usually translated as "what." This word is not singular but plural.
  • CW --Confusing Word -- This is not one of the common words usually translated as "what." This word is not singular but plural.
  • WT - Wrong Tense - The verb "have" indicates the past perfect tense, but the tense is something that happens at a specific point in time (past, present, or future).
  • IP - Inserted Phrase-- The "for yourself" doesn't exist in the source.

EACH WORD of KJV : 

But -- The Greek word translated as "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.

missing "the/this"  -- (MW) The untranslated word is the Greek definite article," the," which usually precedes a noun or changes the word it precedes (adjective, infinitive, participle, etc.) to act like a noun. The Greek article is much closer to our demonstrative pronouns ("this," "that," "these," and "those"). See this article for more.

God -- The word translated as "God" means "God" and "deity." It is introduced with an article, so "the God," "the Divine" or "the divine one." Jesus often uses it this way perhaps to indicate the one God as opposed to the pagan gods.

said - The word translated as "said" means "to say" and "to speak." It is one of the two most common words translated "speak," "say" and "tell," but it has more a sense of addressing and proclaiming.

unto -- This word "to" comes from the indirect object form of the following word that requires the addition of a preposition in English. The most common is a "to" for the English indirect object.

him, --  The word translated as "him" or "to him" is the Greek adjective that acts like our third-person,  indirect object pronoun.

Thou - This is from the vocative form of the noun that means it names the person being talked to.

fool, - - The adjective translated as "fool" means  "mindless," "senseless" (of statues), "frantic," "crazed," "silly," and "foolish."  This is the first time it is used in the Gospels by Jesus. It is used only once more. Its root words mean "no mind."

this --- The "this" is an adjective that can mean "this" or "that," "here," or "there," the nearer or the further depending on usage. When the noun already has an article, it meaning is "here."

missing "the/this"  -- (MW) The untranslated word is the Greek definite article," the," which usually precedes a noun or changes the word it precedes (adjective, infinitive, participle, etc.) to act like a noun. The Greek article is much closer to our demonstrative pronouns ("this," "that," "these," and "those"). See this article for more.

night -- "Night"  is the noun that means "night," "midnight," and is a metaphor for darkness. -

thy-- The word translated as "your" is the genitive form of the singular, second-person pronoun, which is most commonly the possessive form.  This pronoun follows the noun so "of yours."

missing "the/this"  -- (MW) The untranslated word is the Greek definite article," the," which usually precedes a noun or changes the word it precedes (adjective, infinitive, participle, etc.) to act like a noun. The Greek article is much closer to our demonstrative pronouns ("this," "that," "these," and "those"). See this article for more.

soul, -- (CW, WF) The word translated here as "soul" is psyche, a common word in Greek, familiar in English, translated commonly as "life," "soul," "consciousness," and "a sense of self." It is used for different aspects of "self," the emotional self, the conscious self, the intellectual self.  Jesus uses it to mean our identity in our worldly life specifically, the role we play on earth, what we might call the "self," "ego," or our "the person we are."   The problem with translating it as "life" is that another common Greek word means "life." The problem with "soul" is that it doesn't work for many verses because the "soul" is separate from the body. Though the word can mean a departed spirit, most of the word's meanings revolve around "self." "Soul" can also be confused with the concept of "spirit" which is another Greek word.  When "self" doesn't work, "person" offers the least confusion. See this article for detail about this word.  This is not a subject but an object.

shall -- (WT) This "shall" indicates the future tense, but this tense of this verb is the present.

be -- (WV) This helping verb "be" seems to indicate that the verb is passive but it is active.

required - (WN) The Greek verb translated as "required" means "demand back", "demand to have returned", "call down on oneself", passive, of things, "to be demanded in payment", and. of persons, "have demanded of one". Jesus only uses this word twice. It only appears in Luke. This word is not singular but plural.

of -- (CW) The word translated as "of" means "from" in both locations and when referring to a source or a cause. It also means the instrument "by" which a thing is done and "away from." It is not the word form  usually translated as "of." Referring to time, it means "from," and "after."

thee: -- The word translated as "your" is the genitive form of the singular, second-person pronoun, which is most commonly the possessive form.  This pronoun follows the noun so "of yours."

then --  The Greek word translated as "then" 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. In a listing, the sense is "then" or "yet." After an interruption, "so then."

whose -- The Greek word translated as "whose" in the singular means "anyone," "someone,"  "something," and "anything." The same forms are used both for the masculine or feminine so "anyone" works best for a person. In the plural, it means "everyone," "some," "they," and "those." Jesus often uses it to start a question so it means "who," "what," "which," or even "why." Its form is an indirect object (dative), but it can act as a subject here because of the way the verb "to be" works with this form of object. (See "be" below.)

shall -- This helping verb "shall" indicates the verb is in the future tense. Helping or auxiliary verbs are needed to translate the Greek verb forms into English.

those - The "those" is a pronoun that can mean "this" or "that," "here," or "there" the nearer or the further depending on usage. When the noun already has an article, it meaning is "here." It is often used in the neuter plural without a noun to refer to "these things."

things -- This "things"  is from the plural, neuter form of the previous adjective.

be, -- The verb "is" 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.  With an indirect (dative) object, it means "have" where the subject and object are reversed.  "It is to him" becomes "it is his" or "he has it."  In this case, "who will have it."

which -- The word translated as "which" is a demonstrative pronoun ("this" "that"), but it often acts as a pronoun, "he," "she," "it," "which," "what," "who," "whosoever," "where," "when," "for which reason," and many similar meanings. In the neuter, plural, its sense is "these things."

thou -- This is from the second-person, singular form of the verb.

hast -- (WT) This helping verb "have" indicates that the verb is the tense indicating an action completed in the past. This is not the tense of the verb here.

provided? -- The verb translated as "provided" means to "get ready," "prepare," "make ready," and "to cause to prepare." It is in a form that indicates the action has been completed.

EACH WORD of NIV : 

But -- The Greek word translated as "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.

missing "the/this"  -- (MW) The untranslated word is the Greek definite article," the," which usually precedes a noun or changes the word it precedes (adjective, infinitive, participle, etc.) to act like a noun. The Greek article is much closer to our demonstrative pronouns ("this," "that," "these," and "those"). See this article for more.

God -- The word translated as "God" means "God" and "deity." It is introduced with an article, so "the God," "the Divine" or "the divine one." Jesus often uses it this way perhaps to indicate the one God as opposed to the pagan gods.

said - The word translated as "said" means "to say" and "to speak." It is one of the two most common words translated "speak," "say" and "tell," but it has more a sense of addressing and proclaiming.

to -- This word "to" comes from the indirect object form of the following word that requires the addition of a preposition in English. The most common is a "to" for the English indirect object.

him, --  The word translated as "him" or "to him" is the Greek adjective that acts like our third-person,  indirect object pronoun.

You - This is from the vocative form of the noun that means it names the person being talked to.

fool, - - The adjective translated as "fool" means  "mindless," "senseless" (of statues), "frantic," "crazed," "silly," and "foolish."  This is the first time it is used in the Gospels by Jesus. It is used only once more. Its root words mean "no mind."

This -- The word translated as "this" is the Greek definite article, "the," which usually precedes a noun or changes the word it precedes (adjective, infinitive, participle, etc.) to act like a noun. The Greek article is much closer to our demonstrative pronouns ("this," "that," "these," "those") than the English "the." See this article for more. 

very  --- The "very" is an adjective that can mean "this" or "that," "here," or "there," the nearer or the further depending on usage. When the noun already has an article, it meaning is "here."

night -- "Night"  is the noun that means "night," "midnight," and is a metaphor for darkness. -

your -- The word translated as "your" is the genitive form of the singular, second-person pronoun, which is most commonly the possessive form.  This pronoun follows the noun so "of yours."

missing "the/this"  -- (MW) The untranslated word is the Greek definite article," the," which usually precedes a noun or changes the word it precedes (adjective, infinitive, participle, etc.) to act like a noun. The Greek article is much closer to our demonstrative pronouns ("this," "that," "these," and "those"). See this article for more.

life , -- (CW) The word translated here as "life " is psyche, a common word in Greek, familiar in English, translated commonly as "life," "soul," "consciousness," and "a sense of self." It is used for different aspects of "self," the emotional self, the conscious self, the intellectual self.  Jesus uses it to mean our identity in our worldly life specifically, the role we play on earth, what we might call the "self," "ego," or our "the person we are."   The problem with translating it as "life" is that another common Greek word means "life." See this article for detail about this word. This is not the word usually translated as "life."

will -- (WT) This "will " indicates the future tense, but this tense of this verb is the present.

be -- (WV) This helping verb "be" seems to indicate that the verb is passive but it is active.

demanded - The Greek verb translated as "demanded " means "demand back", "demand to have returned", "call down on oneself", passive, of things, "to be demanded in payment", and. of persons, "have demanded of one". Jesus only uses this word twice. It only appears in Luke.

from -- The word translated as "from" means "from" in both locations and when referring to a source or a cause. It also means the instrument "by" which a thing is done and "away from." It is not the word form  usually translated as "of." Referring to time, it means "from," and "after."

you: -- The word translated as "your" is the genitive form of the singular, second-person pronoun, which is most commonly the possessive form.  This pronoun follows the noun so "of yours."

Then --  The Greek word translated as "then" 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. In a listing, the sense is "then" or "yet." After an interruption, "so then."

who -- The Greek word translated as "who" in the singular means "anyone," "someone,"  "something," and "anything." The same forms are used both for the masculine or feminine so "anyone" works best for a person. In the plural, it means "everyone," "some," "they," and "those." Jesus often uses it to start a question so it means "who," "what," "which," or even "why." Its form is an indirect object (dative), but it acts as a subject here because of the way the verb "to be" works with this form of object. (See "get" below.)

will -- This helping verb "shall" indicates the verb is in the future tense. Helping or auxiliary verbs are needed to translate the Greek verb forms into English.

get , -- (WW)  The verb "get" 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.  With an indirect (dative) object, it means "have" where the subject and object are reversed.  "It is to him" becomes "it is his" or "he has it."  In this case, "who will have it."

what -- The word translated as "what" is a demonstrative pronoun ("this" "that"), but it often acts as a pronoun, "he," "she," "it," "which," "what," "who," "whosoever," "where," "when," "for which reason," and many similar meanings. In the neuter, plural, its sense is "these things."

you -- This is from the second-person, singular form of the verb.

have -- (WT) This helping verb "have" indicates that the verb is the tense indicating an action completed in the past. This is not the tense of the verb here.

prepared ? -- The verb translated as "provided" means to "get ready," "prepare," "make ready," and "to cause to prepare." It is in a form that indicates the action has been completed.

for yourself?’ -- (IP) There is nothing that can be translated as this phrase in the Greek source.

COMPARISON: GREEK to KJV : 

εἶπεν [162 verses]  (verb 3rd sg aor ind act) "said" is eipon, which means "to speak," "to say," "to recite," "to address," "to mention," "to name," "to proclaim," "to plead," "to promise," and "to offer."  This is the second most common word Jesus uses for this idea. The other word is used more for discussion. Perhaps translating it consistently as "tell" would work.

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 an indirect cause ("so") and a condition ("if"). In an  "if" (εἰ) clause or temporal "when" (ὅταν) clause the sense is "if/when... then." In a series begun by men, it means "on the other hand." In a listing, the sense is "then" or "yet." After an interruption, "so then." It can also be an explanation of cause ("so") and a condition ("if").  When used with a conditional starting a clause, the sense is "if/when...then." When used with a particle meaning "indeed" the sense is "on one hand...on the other hand." In a listing, the sense is "then" or "yet." After an interruption, "so then."

αὐτῷ [106 verses](pron/adj sg masc/neut dat) "Him" is  is auto, the dative case of the third-person, singular 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." The form is the third person, plural as an indirect object of the verb or the object of a preposition.  When used as a noun, it is preceded by a definite article, and it means "the same."A dative object of a preposition implies no movement but in a fixed position. With the "to be," it acts as a possessive, "his."

[821 verses](article sg masc nom)  Untranslated is the Greek definite article, hos, ("the"). It usually precedes a noun or changes the word it precedes (adjective, infinitive, participle, etc.) to act like a noun. When not preceding a a word that can become a noun, takes the meaning of "the one" or, in the plural, "the ones."

θεός  [144 verses](noun sg masc nom) "God" is theos, which means "God," "divine," and "Deity."

Ἄφρων (adj pl masc voc) [2 verses](adj sg masc nom) "Fool" is aphron, which means  "senseless" (of statues), "frantic," "crazed," "silly," and "foolish."

ταύτῃ [16 verses] (adv/adj sg fem dat) "This" is taute, which can be either an adverb or adjective (houtos). As an adverb this  it means "in this way," "therefore," and "that is why." As an adjective, it means "this," "that," "there," and "here." It can mean the nearer or the further depending on usage.

τῇ [821 verses](article sg fem dat)   Untranslated is the Greek definite article, hos, ("the"). It usually precedes a noun or changes the word it precedes (adjective, infinitive, participle, etc.) to act like a noun. When not preceding a a word that can become a noun, takes the meaning of "the one" or, in the plural, "the ones." 

νυκτὶ  [11 verses] (noun sg fem dat) "Night" is from nyx, which means "night," "midnight," and is a metaphor for darkness. -

τὴν[821 verses](article sg fem acc)  Untranslated is the Greek definite article, hos, ("the"). It usually precedes a noun or changes the word it precedes (adjective, infinitive, participle, etc.) to act like a noun. When not preceding a a word that can become a noun, takes the meaning of "the one" or, in the plural, "the ones."  

ψυχήν [33 verses] (noun sg fem acc) "Soul" is psyche, which is translated as "breath," "life," "self," "personality," "spirit," and "soul." It is also used to describe "the spirit" of things. It is also often translated as "soul." -

σου [144 verses](pron 2nd sg gen) "Thy" is sou is the genitive form of the second-person, singular pronoun that means "of you" and "your." As a genitive object of a preposition, as here, it means a movement away from something or a position away from something else. 

ἀπαιτοῦσιν [2 verses](verb 3rd pl pres ind act) "Shall be required" is apaiteo, which means "demand back", "demand to have returned", "call down on oneself", passive, of things, "to be demanded in payment", and. of persons, "have demanded of one." [NOTE: In Codex Vaticanus, this is αἰτοῦσιν [28 verses](part sg pres act masc dat) "Ask" is from aiteo, which means "to ask for," "to request," "to demand," "to beg of," "to postulate or assume [in logic]," "to claim," and "to ask for one's own use." In passive, "to be asked" and "to have a thing begged from one."

ἀπὸ [190 verses]​(prep) "From" is apo, a preposition of separation which means "from" or "away from" from when referring to place or motion, "from" or "after" when referring to time, "from" as an origin or cause. It also means the instrument "by" which a thing is done. Referring to time, it means "from," and "after."  Usually takes the genitive object. -

σου [144 verses](pron 2nd sg gen) "Thy" is sou is the genitive form of the second-person, singular pronoun that means "of you" and "your." As a genitive object of a preposition, as here, it means a movement away from something or a position away from something else.

[294 verses] (pron pl neut acc) "Those things" is hos, which means "this," "that," "he," "she," "it," "which," "what," "who," "whosoever," "where," "when," "for which reason," and many similar meanings. In the neuter, plural, its sense is "these things."

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 an indirect cause ("so") and a condition ("if"). In an  "if" (εἰ) clause or temporal "when" (ὅταν) clause the sense is "if/when... then." In a series begun by men, it means "on the other hand." In a listing, the sense is "then" or "yet." After an interruption, "so then." It can also be an explanation of cause ("so") and a condition ("if").  When used with a conditional starting a clause, the sense is "if/when...then." When used with a particle meaning "indeed" the sense is "on one hand...on the other hand." In a listing, the sense is "then" or "yet." After an interruption, "so then."

ἡτοίμασας  [13 verses] (verb 2nd sg aor ind act) "Thou has provided" is from hetoimazo, which means to "get ready," "prepare," "make ready," and "to cause to prepare."

τίνι [252 verses](pron sg dat) "Whose" is tis, which can mean "someone," "something," "any one," "everyone," "they [indefinite]," "many a one," "whoever," "anyone," "anything," "some sort," "some sort of," "each," "any," "the individual," "such," and so on. In a question, it can mean "who," "why," or "what." Plural, "who are" is τίνες ἐόντες.  It has specific meanings with certain prepositions, διὰ τί; for what reason? ἐκ τίνος; from what cause? ἐς τί; to what point?  to what end?

ἔσται; [614 verses] (verb 3rd sg fut ind mid) "Shall those things be"  is eimi, which means "to be," "to exist," "to be the case," of circumstance and events "to happen,"  and "is possible." With the possessive (genitive) object, it means "is descended from," "is the type of," "belongs to," "is made of," "is a duty of," "is at the mercy of," or " is dependent on." With an indirect (dative) object, it means "have" where the subject and object are reversed.  "It is to him" becomes "it is his" or "he has it."  With the preposition,"into" (εἰς), the sense is "consist of." When the verb "to be" appears early in the clause before the subject, the sense is more like "it is" or, in the plural, "there are."

Related Verses: 

Front Page Date: 

Jun 28 2024