Luke 4:23 Ye will surely say unto me this proverb, Physician, heal thyself:

Spoken to: 

group

After Jesus reads at the meeting house in Nazareth and people are surprised at his words.

KJV: 

Luke 4:23 Ye will surely say unto me this proverb, Physician, heal thyself: whatsoever we have heard done in Capernaum, do also here in thy country.

NIV : 

Luke 4:23 Surely you will quote this proverb to me: ‘Physician, heal yourself!’ And you will tell me, ‘Do here in your hometown what we have heard that you did in Capernaum.

LISTENERS HEARD: 

No doubt, you all want to say to me, this analogy here, "Doctor, attend yourself! As much as we hear happening in that Capernaum, do also here in this fatherland of yours. 

MY TAKE: 

When we know that people think we are crazy, we have to laugh at it.

GREEK (Each Word Explained Bottom of Page): 

GREEK ORDER: 

Πάντως     ἐρεῖτέ                μοι      τὴν παραβολὴν ταύτην Ἰατρέ,   θεράπευσον  σεαυτόν:
No doubt, you want to say to me, this analogy       here,   "Doctor, attend           yourself!

ὅσα             ἠκούσαμεν γενόμενα   εἰς τὴν  Καφαρναοὺμ ποίησον καὶ  ὧδε  ἐν τῇ   πατρίδι        σου.
As much as we hear      happening in  that Capernaum,    do          also here in this fatherland of yours. 

LOST IN TRANSLATION: 

This is light-hearted and self-deprecating. Jesus puts "heal yourself" in the mouths of his listeners who thought he'd lost his mind. "Proverb" is Greek for "analogy," and "comparison." The "whatsoever" means "as many," "how many, and similar ideas of comparison, between his hometown and Capernaum. The Greek translated as "done" and "did"  means "happening." The clear implication is that they do not trust what they hear happening unless they see it. But this sets up a contradiction. We must believe in wonder in order to see it. Seeing wonderful works without trust leads to mundane explanations.

# KJV TRANSLATION ISSUES: 

9

Ye will(WT) surely say unto me this (MW) proverb(CW), Physician, heal thyself: whatsoever(CW) we have(WT) heard done(WW,WF) in (MW) Capernaum, do also here in thy (MW) country.

  • WT - Wrong Tense - The verb "will" indicates the future tense, but that is not the tense here.
  • MW - Missing Word -- The word "the/this" before "proverb" is not shown in the English translation.
  • CW --Confusing Word -- The "proverb" does not capture the word's specific meaning in this situation.
  • 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).
  • CW --Confusing Word -- The "whatsoever" does not capture the word's specific meaning in this situation.
  • WW --Wrong Word -- The word translated as "done" should be something more like "happen."
  • WF -- Wrong Form -  The "done" is not an active verb but a participle, "happening."
  • MW - Missing Word -- The word "the/this" before "Capernaum" is not shown in the English translation.
  • MW - Missing Word -- The word "the/this" before "country" is not shown in the English translation.

# NIV TRANSLATION ISSUES: 

13

Surely you will(WT) quote(CW) this (MW) proverb(CW) to me: ‘Physician, heal yourself!’ And(WP) [you will tell me(IP)], ‘Do here in your (MW) hometown what(CW) we have(WT) heard [that you(IP)] did(WW,WF) in (MW) Capernaum.

  • WT - Wrong Tense - The verb "will" indicates the future tense, but that is not the tense here.
  • CW --Confusing Word -- The "quote" does not capture the word's specific meaning in this situation.
  • MW - Missing Word -- The word "the/this" before "proverb" is not shown in the English translation.
  • CW --Confusing Word -- The "proverb" does not capture the word's specific meaning in this situation.
  • WP -- Wrongly Placed -- The word "and" doesn't appear here but later in the sentence.
  • IP - Inserted Phrase-- The phrase "you will tell me" doesn't exist in the source.
  • MW - Missing Word -- The word "the/this" before "hometown" is not shown in the English translation.
  • CW --Confusing Word -- The "what" does not capture the word's specific meaning in this situation.
  • 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 phrase "that you" doesn't exist in the source.
  • WW --Wrong Word -- The word translated as "did" should be something more like "happen."
  • WF -- Wrong Form -  The "did" is not an active verb but a participle, "happening."
  • MW - Missing Word -- The word "the/this" before "Capernaum" is not shown in the English translation.

EACH WORD of KJV : 

Ye -- This is from the second-person, plural form of the verb.

will  -- (WT) This helping verb "will" indicates the optative form of the verb indicating something people want to happen, but it looks like the future tense, but the verb is not the future.

surely - The Greek word translated as "surely" is an adverb which means "in all ways", "especially", "absolutely", "no doubt", "by all means". This is the only verse in which Jesus uses this word.

say  -  This is the second most common word Jesus uses for "say" or "tell" for this idea. The other word is used more for discussion. Perhaps translating it consistently as "tell" would work. - The word translated as "speak" 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 dative case of the following word that requires the addition of a preposition in English. The most common is a "to" for the English indirect object.

me -- The "me" is in the indirect object form of the first-person pronoun, so usually "to me,""for me," and "by me."

this "This" is translated from a Greek adjective that means "this," "that," "the nearer." Without a noun, it has the sense of "this one" or "that 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. 

proverb, -- (CW) "Proverb" is Greek for "analogy," "comparison," and "illustration." It is the Greek source of our word "parable" and it is usually translated that way in the Bible, but it doesn't mean simply "educational story" as it has come to mean in English. This is not the Greek word for proverb, which Jesus in one other verse.

Physician, - The Greek word for "physician" is a noun that means  "one who heals" so "doctor" or "surgeon".  Jesus only uses this word here.

heal -- "Heal" is the Greek verb that means "to be an attendant, do service", "do service to the gods", "treat medically", "pay court to", "train" [animals]", "cultivate" [land]", and "take care of oneself". It does not mean "cure" as "heal" would apply but "treat medically", which is more an attempt to help. 

thyself:   -- "Thyself" is the second person reflexive pronoun.

whatsoever -- (CW) The adjective translated as "whatsoever" means "as many," "how many,"  "how much," "as much as," "as great as,"how great," "as far as," "how far," and "only so far as."and similar ideas of comparison.

we -- This is from the first-person, plural 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.

heard -- "Hear" is from a Greek verb that means "to hear," "to hear of," and "to listen." It has the same sense as the English not only of listening but of understanding.   It also means "to listen" and "to understand," but amusingly, it also means "to be silent." The accusative object is the person/thing heard about, while the genitive is the person/thing heard from.  However, two genitives can be used with the sense of "hear of a thing from a person."

done -- (WW, WF) The word translated as "done" means "to become," that is, to enter into a new state. When applied to events, this word means "to happen," "to occur," or "take place." For things, it can be "to be produced." When the participle takes a predicate, the sense is "coming into" something. The form of the verb's object can indicate the time or to whom it "happens." This is not the specific meaning of the word in this situation.  It is not the word for "done" which is used later in the verse. This word is a participle, not an active verb.

in -- The word translated as "unto" means "into" a place, "towards" as a direction, "in" (a position),  "as much as (of measure or limit)," "in regards to" a subject, "up to" limits in measures, "until" in reference to time, "within" a time limit, and "for" a purpose or object.

missing "the/that"  -- (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. 

Capernaum, - -  This is the Greek spelling of the fishing village in Galilee where Jesus taught in the synagogue, home of Peter and others.

do -- The Greek word translated as "do" has the primary meaning of "making" or producing" something or "causing" or "performing" as service. When it means It describes a productive action.  In English, "do" is also frequently a helper verb. This Greek word is not used as broadly.

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

here = The word translated as "in hither" means in manner, "in this way," referring to the manner, or "here," referring to place.

in   -- The word translated as "in" means "in," "within," "with" (an instrument), "by" (near), "by" (means of), "during" (time),  or "among"  with a dative object as the one here.  With the accusative, it means "into," "on," and "for." When referring to time, it means "during." It can mean "on," "at," or "by" in the sense of "near."

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

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. 

country. -- The Greek word translated as "country" is a noun that means "of your fathers" so "fatherland."

EACH WORD of NIV : 

Surely - The Greek word translated as "surely" is an adverb which means "in all ways", "especially", "absolutely", "no doubt", "by all means". This is the only verse in which Jesus uses this word.

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

will  -- (WT) This helping verb "will" indicates the optative form of the verb indicating something people want to happen, but it looks like the future tense, but the verb is not the future.

quote -  (CW) This is the second most common word Jesus uses for "say" or "tell." The other word is used more for discussion. Perhaps translating it consistently as "tell" would work. - The word translated as "speak" 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.

this "This" is translated from a Greek adjective that means "this," "that," "the nearer." Without a noun, it has the sense of "this one" or "that 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. 

proverb, -- (CW) "Proverb" is Greek for "analogy," "comparison," and "illustration." It is the Greek source of our word "parable" and it is usually translated that way in the Bible, but it doesn't mean simply "educational story" as it has come to mean in English. This is not the Greek word for proverb, which Jesus in one other verse.

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

me -- The "me" is in the indirect object form of the first-person pronoun, so usually "to me,""for me," and "by me."

Physician, - The Greek word for "physician" is a noun that means  "one who heals" so "doctor" or "surgeon".  Jesus only uses this word here.

heal -- "Heal" is the Greek verb that means "to be an attendant, do service", "do service to the gods", "treat medically", "pay court to", "train" [animals]", "cultivate" [land]", and "take care of oneself". It does not mean "cure" as "heal" would apply but "treat medically", which is more an attempt to help.

yourself:   -- "Yourself" is the second-person reflexive pronoun.

And -- (WP) The Greek word translated as "and" is used as the conjunction "and," but it also is used to add emphasis ("also"). This word is later in the verse and doesn't connect sentences here.

you will tell me, -- (IP) There is nothing that can be translated as "you will tell me" in the Greek source.

Do -- The Greek word translated as "do" has the primary meaning of "making" or producing" something or "causing" or "performing" as service. When it means It describes a productive action.  In English, "do" is also frequently a helper verb. This Greek word is not used as broadly.

here = The word translated as "in hither" means in manner, "in this way," referring to the manner, or "here," referring to place.

in   -- The word translated as "in" means "in," "within," "with" (an instrument), "by" (near), "by" (means of), "during" (time),  or "among"  with a dative object as the one here.  With the accusative, it means "into," "on," and "for." When referring to time, it means "during." It can mean "on," "at," or "by" in the sense of "near."

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

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.

hometown . -- The Greek word translated as "country" is a noun that means "of your fathers" so "fatherland."

what -- (CW) The adjective translated as "what" means "as many," "how many,"  "how much," "as much as," "as great as,"how great," "as far as," "how far," and "only so far as."and similar ideas of comparison.

we -- This is from the first-person, plural 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.

heard -- "Hear" is from a Greek verb that means "to hear," "to hear of," and "to listen." It has the same sense as the English not only of listening but of understanding.   It also means "to listen" and "to understand," but amusingly, it also means "to be silent." The accusative object is the person/thing heard about, while the genitive is the person/thing heard from.  However, two genitives can be used with the sense of "hear of a thing from a person."

that you -- (IP) There is nothing that can be translated as "that you" in the Greek source.

did -- (WW, WF) The word translated as "done" means "to become," that is, to enter into a new state. When applied to events, this word means "to happen," "to occur," or "take place." For things, it can be "to be produced." When the participle takes a predicate, the sense is "coming into" something. The form of the verb's object can indicate the time or to whom it "happens." This is not the specific meaning of the word in this situation.  It is not the word for "done" which is used later in the verse. This word is a participle, not an active verb.

in -- The word translated as "unto" means "into" a place, "towards" as a direction, "in" (a position),  "as much as (of measure or limit)," "in regards to" a subject, "up to" limits in measures, "until" in reference to time, "within" a time limit, and "for" a purpose or object.

missing "the/that"  -- (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. 

Capernaum, - -  This is the Greek spelling of the fishing village in Galilee where Jesus taught in the synagogue, home of Peter and others.

COMPARISON: GREEK to KJV : 

Πάντως [1 verse](adv) "Surely" is from pantos, an adverb which means "in all ways", "especially", "absolutely", "no doubt", "by all means", and with the negative ou, "in no way", and "by no means". 

ἐρεῖτέ [162 verses](verb 2nd pl pres opt act or verb 2nd pl pres ind act) "Ye will say"  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." 

μοί, [96 verses](pron 1st sg masc/fem dat) "Me" is moi (emoi) , which can be the object of some prepositions and as the object of a verb means "to me" "for me," and "by me."

τὴν [821 verses](article sg fem acc)  Untranslated is the Greek definite article, hos, ("the").  -

παραβολὴν[12 verses] (noun sg fem acc) "Proverb" is from parabole, which means "comparison," "illustration," and "analogy." It is most often translated in the NT as "parable" but occasionally as "comparison."

ταύτην [83 verses](adj sg fem acc) "This" is houtos, which as an adjective means "this," "that," "the nearer."  --

Ἰατρέ, [1 verse](noun sg masc voc) "Physician" is from iotros, which means "one who heals", "physician", "doctor", and "surgeon."

θεράπευσον  [5 verses](verb 2nd sg aor imperat act) "Heal" is from therapeuo, which means "to be an attendant, do service", "do service to the gods", "treat medically", "pay court to", "train" [animals]", "cultivate" [land]", and "take care of oneself".

σεαυτὸν [5 verses](pron refl masc/fem/neut sg acc) "Thyself" is from seatou, which means "of yourself."

ὅσα [28 verses](adj pl neut acc) "Whatsoever" is hosos, which means "as many," "how many,"  "how much," "as much as," "as great as,"how great," "as far as," "how far," and "only so far as."

ἠκούσαμεν  [95 verses](verb 1st pl aor ind act ) "We have heard" is akouo,  which means "hear of," "hear tell of," "what one actually hears," "know by hearsay," "listen to," "give ear to," "hear and understand," and "understand." The accusative object is the person/thing heard about, while the genitive is the person/thing heard from.  However, two genitives can be used with the sense of "hear of a thing from a person." -

γενόμενα  [117 verses](part sg aor mid fem nom) "Done" is ginomai, which means "to become," "to come into being," "to happen," of things "to be produced," of events "happen," (passive) "take place," "come to pass," "to be engaged in," math "to be multiplied into," "become one of," "turn into." It means changing into a new state of being. When the participle takes a predicate, the sense is "coming into" something. This verb also has a number of special meanings with different prepositions. It is the complementary opposite of the verb "to be" (eimi) which indicates existence in the same state. A genitive object indicates the time during which it "happens" or a date on which it "falls." A dative object indicates to whom it happens.

εἰς [325 verses](prep) "Into" is eis, which means "into (of place)," "up to (of time)," "until (of time)," "in" (a position),  "as much as (of measure or limit)," "as far as (of measure or limit)," "towards (to express relation)," "in regard to (to express relation)," "of an end or limit," and "for (of purpose or object)."

τὴν (article sg fem acc) Untranslated is the Greek definite article, hos, ("the").  -

Καφαρναούμ, [3 verses](noun) "Capernaum" is from Kapharnaoum, which is the Greek spelling of the fishing village in Galilee where Jesus taught in the synagogue. -

ποίησον[168 verses] (verb 2nd sg aor imperat act) "Do" is poieo, which means "to make," "to produce," "to create," "to bring into existence," "to bring about," "to cause," "to perform," "to render," "to consider," "to prepare," "to make ready," and "to do." The accusative object is what is made. Double accusative is to do something to someone. When it has a genitive object, it means "made from." When it doesn't have an object, the verb is translated as  "perform" or simply "do." When used with an accusative infinitive, it means to "cause" or "bring about." A dative object means "made with."  With the preposition "into" (eis) it means "made into."

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."

ὧδε [29 verses] (adv) "Here" is hode, the demonstrative adverb that means in manner, "in this wise," "thus," "so very," "so exceedingly," of Place, "hither," and "here."

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

τῇ  [821 verses](article sg fem dat)  Untranslated is the Greek definite article, hos, ("the").  -

πατρίδι  [3 verses] (noun sg fem dat) "Country" is from patris, which means "of one's father's" and "ones fatherland," and "country."

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." 

Front Page Date: 

Nov 15 2023