Luke 19:23 Wherefore then gavest not thou my money into the bank,

Spoken to: 

audience

Parable of the three investors, two making money and this one not making money because he was afraid to lose it because the master was an investor, not a worker.

KJV: 

Luke 19:23 Wherefore then gavest not thou my money into the bank, that at my coming I might have required mine own with usury?

NIV : 

Luke 19:23 Why then didn’t you put my money on deposit, so that when I came back, I could have collected it with interest?’

LISTENERS HEARD: 

And so, why didn't you give mine, that cash, over a counter [of a broker]? And I myself, showing up, might possibly obtain it along with interest?

MY TAKE: 

The chance of gain is worth the risk of loss. 

GREEK (Each Word Explained Bottom of Page): 

LOST IN TRANSLATION: 

The word translated as "the bank" is uncommon for Jesus and a bit of a pun. It has the primary meaning of "table" or "counter" referring to the "tables" or "counters" of money-brokers. This is precisely how we use the terms "over the counter" to refer to trading stocks through a broker network rather than a stock exchange.  It is not the Greek word used elsewhere in the NT translated as "money-changers." This word is used because it is a pun, since the word also means the grinding surface of teeth and the lower mill stone which grinds grain. So in a sense the money brokers are "grinders."

However, the particle word translated as "might" and "could" is important here. There is no exact equivalent in English, but it is used to indicate the possibility of something rather than its certainty. So the master is indicating that the interests was not guaranteed, just a possibility. The chance of gain is worth the risk of loss. 

EACH WORD of KJV : 

Wherefore then gavest not thou my money into the bank, that at my coming I might have required mine own with usury?

Many uncommon words here, but most are also used in Matthew 25:27, the similar verse in the earlier Gospel.

The word translated as "Where-" means primarily means primarily "anything" or "anyone," but Jesus often uses it to start a question so it means "who", "what","where", or even "why". 

The word translated as "-fore " means "through," in the midst of," or "by (a cause)."

The Greek word translated as "then" is used as the conjunction "and", but it also is used to add emphasis ("also").

The verb translated as "gavest ...though" means "to give", "to grant", "to hand over", "appoint", "establish," and "to describe." It is almost always translated as some form of "give."

The Greek word translated as "not" is the Greek negative used to deny objective facts, not opinions. It makes a negative statement of fact. Adding "really" to the sentence captures the same idea.

"My" is the first-person possessive singular pronoun.

The word translated as "money" is an uncommon word for Jesus. It means "money" in the sense we use the term "cash," referring to the actual metal "silver."

The word translated as "into " means "on", "over", "upon", "against", "before", "after", "during", "by" or "on." The sense is "on", which makes sense because of the meaning of the next word.

The word translated as "the bank" is uncommon and has the primary meaning of "table" or "counter". which originally meant "table" from the "tables" or "counters" of money-changers. However, it is not the Greek word used elsewhere in the NT translated as "money-changers." This word is used because it is a pun, since the word for "bank" also means the grinding surface of teeth and the lower mill stone which grinds grain. So in a sense the "grinders" are "bankers".  There is no article "the".

"That at my...I" is a word that means "and I", where the "I" is in the form of a subject. 

The word translated as "coming" primarily means "to start out" but Christ usually uses it to mean "come" but not always. It indicates movement, especially its beginning, without indicating a direction toward or away from anything, so it works either as "start," "come," or "go," but it is more like our phrase "being underway." Our English word "show up" captures both the "start" and "come" ideas. 

"Might" is a particle used with verbs to indicate that the action is limited by circumstances or defined by conditions. There is no exact equivalent in English, but it is translated as "possibly," "would have", "might", "should," and "could."

The word translated here as "have required" is another rare word. This word means "passed over" and has more of a sense of "accomplishing" or "achieving" something. However, it also can be "obtain".

The word translated as "mine own" is the Greek word commonly translated as third-person pronouns in English.  This form would normally be translated as "it" since the form refers to the "money".

The word translated as "with" is also not from the word Christ uses to say "with." It is from a preposition that Christ rarely uses that means "along with" and, when referring to things "attached to" and "by means of." The last meaning makes sense here.

The word translated as "usury" primarily means "childbirth" but specifically to the gestation period in the womb. You can see how the ide of bank interest arose from growth in the womb as a kind of slang. Money gives birth to more money. The word itself is a good summary of this verse.

EACH WORD of NIV : 

Why then didn’t you put my money on deposit, so that when I came back, I could have collected it with interest?’

COMPARISON: GREEK to KJV : 

καὶ διὰ τί οὐκ ἔδωκάς μου τὸ ἀργύριον ἐπὶ τράπεζαν; κἀγὼ ἐλθὼν σὺν τόκῳ ἂν αὐτὸ ἔπραξα.

καὶ (conj/adv) Untranslated is kai, which is the conjunction joining phrases and clauses, "and," or "but." 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."

διὰ  [88 verses](prep) "-fore" is dia, which means with the genitive "through," "in the midst of," "in a line (movement)," "throughout (time)," "by (causal)," "for (causal)," "among," and "between." With the accusative, it can also be "thanks to," "because of,"  "by reasons of," and "for the sake of." --  The preposition translated as "through" means with the genitive "through," "in the midst of," or "by (a cause)." It indicates movement through a place or time, but it also means "by" the sense of "by means of" a given method.

τί ( pron sg neut acc) "Where" is tis which can mean "someone", "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."

οὐκ (partic) "Not" is ou which is the negative adverb for facts and statements, negating both single words and sentences. The other negative adverb, μή applies to will and thought; οὐ denies, μή rejects; οὐ is absolute, μή relative; οὐ objective, μή subjective.

ἔδωκάς ( verb 2nd sg aor ind act ) "Gavest thou" is didomi, which means "to give", "to grant", "to hand over", "appoint", "establish," and "to describe."

μου (pro sg masc gen) "My" is mou, which mean "my," or "mine."

τὸ ἀργύριον [uncommon] (noun sg neut acc) "Money" is from argyrion, which means "small coin", "piece of money", "money", "cash", and "silver."

ἐπὶ (prep) "Into" is epi, which means "on", "over",  "upon", "at", "by", "before", "across," "after" in position, "during", and "against."

τράπεζαν; [uncommon](noun sg fem acc) "The bank" is trapeza, the Greek word for "dining table", "money exchangers counter," and "bank".

κἀγὼ (conj pron) "That at my" is kago, a contraction of kai ego. "And" is kai, which is the conjunction joining phrases and clauses, "and," or "but."  Also used to give emphasis, "even", "also," and "just." "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."

ἐλθὼν ( part sg aor act masc nom ) "Come" is erchomai, which means "to start," "to set out", "to come", "to go," and any kind of motion. It means both "to go" on a journey and "to arrive" at a place.

σὺν [uncommon](prep) "With" is from syn, which means "along with", "in company with", "together with", "together", of things "attached to", as an instrument "by means of",

τόκῳ [uncommon](noun sg masc dat) "Usury" is from tokos, which means "childbirth", "the time of childbirth", "period of gestation", "offspring", "produce of money," and "interest."

ἂν [60 verses](particle) "Might" is an, which is a particle used with verbs to indicate that the action is limited by circumstances or defined by conditions. There is no exact equivalent in English, but it is translated as "possibly," "would have," "might," "should," and "could."  -- Untranslated is a particle used with verbs to indicate that the action is limited by circumstances or defined by conditions. There is no exact equivalent in English but "possibly" is close. This word works similarly to the "might" or "should" of a subjunctive verb, but we don't want to confuse it with the subjunctive so using "possibly" provides a consistent translation.  This particle usually suggests the subjunctive form of the verb but can be used without it. The same Greek letters can always be the more common conjunction meaning "when," so this meaning comes from context.

αὐτὸ (adj sg neut acc) "Mine own"  is autos, which means "the same," and the reflexive pronouns, "myself", "yourself", "himself", "herself", "itself," or the oblique case of the pronouns, "him", "her," and "it." It also means "one's true self," that is, "the soul" as opposed to the body and "of one's own accord." In the adverbial form, it  means "just here" or "exactly there."

ἔπραξα. [uncommon] (verb 1st sg aor ind act ) "I have required" is from prasso, which means "pass through", "pass over", "experience", "achieve", "effect", "accomplish", "attempt", "plot", "effect [an object]", "be successful", "manage [affairs]", "do [business]", "act", "transact", "negotiate", "practice", "obtain", "deal with," and "finish off."

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Front Page Date: 

Nov 16 2018