Spoken to:
A man wanting to be a follower asks to go and bury his father.
KJV:
Luke 9:60 Let the dead bury their dead: but go thou and preach the kingdom of God.
NIV :
Luke 9:60 Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and proclaim the kingdom of God.
LISTENERS HEARD:
Leave the dead to entomb those their own dead. You yourself, however, going away, proclaim the realm of the Divine.
MY TAKE:
Those who are dead inside bury others.
GREEK (Each Word Explained Bottom of Page):
GREEK ORDER:
LOST IN TRANSLATION:
The word translated as "leave" primarily means "to let go," "leave," or "to send away." This same word is usually translated as "leave", "forgive", "suffer," and "let" in the New Testament. It is from a noun that means "letting go" or "release." It is in the form of a command.
The word translated as "bury" means "bury" but it also means "to pay the last dues to a corpse", "to honor with funeral rites." It doesn't mean "bury" in the sense of putting something into a hole. The Judeans did not put their dead in the ground. "Entomb" works better.
The Greek verb translated as "go" means "to go away," "to depart from", "to spread abroad," and "to depart from life." It is not the common verb used by Jesus translated as "go" in the Gospels, but it is not rare. It is usually used to mean "go away". It is not an active verb or a command. It is a participle, a verb adjective describing the person Jesus is talking to.
# KJV TRANSLATION ISSUES:
- CW --Confusing Word -- The "bury" does not capture the word's specific meaning.
- MW - Missing Word -- The word "the/this" before "their" is not shown in the English translation.
- CW --Confusing Word -- This is not the common word usually translated as "go."
- WF -- Wrong Form - This "go" is not an active verb but a participle, a verbal adjective, ending with "-ing. "
- IW - Inserted Word-- The "and" doesn't exist in the source.
- MW -- Missing Word -- This subject pronoun duplicates information in the verb so it needs a "yourself" after "you" for emphasis.
- CW --Confusing Word -- This is not the common words usually translated as "preach."
- MW - Missing Word -- The word "the/this" before "God" is not shown in the English translation.
# NIV TRANSLATION ISSUES:
- CW --Confusing Word -- The "bury" does not capture the word's specific meaning.
- MW - Missing Word -- The word "the/this" before "their" is not shown in the English translation.
- CW --Confusing Word -- This is not the common word usually translated as "go."
- WF -- Wrong Form - This "go" is not an active verb but a participle, a verbal adjective, ending with "-ing. "
- MW -- Missing Word -- This subject pronoun duplicates information in the verb so it needs a "yourself" after "you" for emphasis.
- IW - Inserted Word-- The "and" doesn't exist in the source.
- MW - Missing Word -- The word "the/this" before "God" is not shown in the English translation.
EACH WORD of KJV :
Let -- (CW) "Let" is often a helping verb used to translate the Greek form of the third-person command. Here, however, it is a second-person command from the Greek usually translated as "forgive."It primarily means "to let go," "leave alone," or "to let drop." See this article for more. CW --Confusing Word -- The "let" does not capture the word's specific meaning.
the -- The word translated as "the" is the Greek definite article, 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", "those"). See this article for more.
dead -- The word translated as "dead" means "corpse," "a dying man," and "inanimate, non-organic matter." Christ uses it in all three senses, referring to the actual dead, the spiritually dead, and inanimate matter.
bury --(CW) The word translated as "bury" means "to pay the last dues to a corpse", and "to honor with funeral rites." It doesn't mean "bury" in the sense of putting something into a hole. The Judeans did not put their dead in the ground. "Entomb" works 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.
their -- "Their" is a special reflexive pronoun that means "himself," "herself," and so on. " When used in the possessive, it has the sense of "their own."
dead -- The word translated as "dead" means "corpse," "a dying man," and "inanimate, non-organic matter." Christ uses it in all three senses, referring to the actual dead, the spiritually dead, and inanimate matter.
: 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.
go -- (CW, WF) The Greek verb translated as "departed" means "to go away," "to depart from," "to spread abroad," and "to depart from life." This is not the word usually translated as "go." This is not an active verb but a participle, a verbal adjective, ending with "-ing. "
thou -- The "you" here in the second-person pronoun in form of a singular subject. When it has no verb, the verb "is" or the previous verb is assumed. When it has a verb, the subject of the sentence is part of the verb, its explicit use repeats the idea of who is speaking, "you." Saying "you yourself" captures this feeling in English.
missing "yourself" -- (MW) The subjective pronoun repeats the information in the verb so it should be repeated in English like "you yourself."
and -- (IW) This is not the word usually translated as "go." This word is not in the Greek source.
preach - (CW) "Preach" is a Greek verb that means "give notice by messenger", "noise abroad", and "proclaim". This is not the words usually translated as "preach."
the -- The word translated as "the" is the Greek definite article, 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", "those"). See this article for more.
kingdom -- The word translated as "kingdom" can be the region, the reign, the castle or the authority of a ruler. Christ does not seem to use it to mean a physical region, so its translation as "reign" or "realm" seems more appropriate. This is especially true because the "reign" of a king means the execution of his will.
of -- This word comes from the genitive case of the following word(s) that required the addition of a preposition in English. The most common is the "of" of possession, but it can also mean "belonging to," "part of", "which is", "than" (in comparisons), or "for", "concerning" or "about" with transitive verbs.
missing "the" -- (MW) The untranslated word is the Greek definite article, 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", "thatViews", "these", "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." Jesus often uses it this way perhaps to indicate the one God as opposed to the pagan gods.
EACH WORD of NIV :
Let -- (CW) "Let" is often a helping verb used to translate the Greek form of the third-person command. Here, however, it is a second-person command from the Greek usually translated as "forgive."It primarily means "to let go," "leave alone," or "to let drop." See this article for more. CW --Confusing Word -- The "let" does not capture the word's specific meaning.
the -- The word translated as "the" is the Greek definite article, 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", "those"). See this article for more.
dead -- The word translated as "dead" means "corpse," "a dying man," and "inanimate, non-organic matter." Christ uses it in all three senses, referring to the actual dead, the spiritually dead, and inanimate matter.
bury --(CW) The word translated as "bury" means "to pay the last dues to a corpse", and "to honor with funeral rites." It doesn't mean "bury" in the sense of putting something into a hole. The Judeans did not put their dead in the ground. "Entomb" works 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.
their -- "Their" is a special reflexive pronoun that means "himself," "herself," and so on. " When used in the possessive, it has the sense of "their own."
dead -- The word translated as "dead" means "corpse," "a dying man," and "inanimate, non-organic matter." Christ uses it in all three senses, referring to the actual dead, the spiritually dead, and inanimate matter.
: 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.
you -- The "you" here in the second-person pronoun in form of a singular subject. When it has no verb, the verb "is" or the previous verb is assumed. When it has a verb, the subject of the sentence is part of the verb, its explicit use repeats the idea of who is speaking, "you." Saying "you yourself" captures this feeling in English.
missing "yourself" -- (MW) The subjective pronoun repeats the information in the verb so it should be repeated in English like "you yourself."
go -- (CW, WF) The Greek verb translated as "departed" means "to go away," "to depart from," "to spread abroad," and "to depart from life." This is not the word usually translated as "go." This is not an active verb but a participle, a verbal adjective, ending with "-ing. "
and -- (IW) This is not the word usually translated as "go." This word is not in the Greek source.
proclaim -- "Proclaim" is a Greek verb that means "give notice by messenger", "noise abroad", and "proclaim". This is not the words usually translated as "preach."
the -- The word translated as "the" is the Greek definite article, 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", "those"). See this article for more.
kingdom -- The word translated as "kingdom" can be the region, the reign, the castle or the authority of a ruler. Christ does not seem to use it to mean a physical region, so its translation as "reign" or "realm" seems more appropriate. This is especially true because the "reign" of a king means the execution of his will.
of -- This word comes from the genitive case of the following word(s) that required the addition of a preposition in English. The most common is the "of" of possession, but it can also mean "belonging to," "part of", "which is", "than" (in comparisons), or "for", "concerning" or "about" with transitive verbs.
missing "the" -- (MW) The untranslated word is the Greek definite article, 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", "thatViews", "these", "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." Jesus often uses it this way perhaps to indicate the one God as opposed to the pagan gods.
COMPARISON: GREEK to KJV :
Ἄφες [73 verses] (2nd sg aor imperat act) "Let" is aphiemi, which means "to let fall," "to send away," "give up," "hand over," "to let loose," "set free," "to get rid of," "to leave alone," "to pass by," "to permit," and "to send forth from oneself." The dative is the person it is left to. The accusative object is what is left, given away, etc. It can also mean to "remit" a debt or "excuse" a fault. With an accusative person as an object and an infinite, it means "to permit one."
τοὺς [821 verses](article pl masc acc) "The" 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." Proper nouns do normally not take articles but they are needed when the noun ending cannot be changed to show the noun's role in the sentence as an object, indirect object, or genitive (possessive) form. However, the Greek article is very close to "this" so the purpose of an article like this can also be demonstrative.There is no vocative definite article, (despite being shown in Perseus). When the vocative is meant, no article is used or they used ω or ε. See this article.
νεκροὺς [21 verses](noun pl masc acc) "Dead" is nekros, which specifically means "a corpse" as well as a "dying person," "the dead as dwellers in the nether world," "the inanimate," and "the inorganic"
θάψαι [3 verses] (aor inf act or 2nd sg aor imperat) "Bury" is thapto, which also means "to pay the last dues to a corpse", "to honor with funeral rites." It does not mean digging and putting something in the earth because the Judeans did not put their dead in the ground. "Entomb" works better.
τοὺς [821 verses](article pl masc 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." Proper nouns do normally not take articles but they are needed when the noun ending cannot be changed to show the noun's role in the sentence as an object, indirect object, or genitive (possessive) form. However, the Greek article is very close to "this" so the purpose of an article like this can also be demonstrative. See this article. -
ἑαυτῶν [75 verses] (adj pl masc gen) "Their" is heautou, is a reflexive pronoun that means "himself," "herself," "itself" "themselves," and "ourselves." It is not the common pronoun meaning simply "he," "she," "them," etc. In the genitive form, it has the sense of "his own."
νεκρούς. [21 verses](noun pl masc acc) "Dead" is nekros, which specifically means "a corpse" as well as a "dying person," "the dead as dwellers in the nether world," "the inanimate," and "the inorganic" -- The word translated as "the dead" means "corpse," "a dying man," and "inanimate, non-organic matter." Christ uses it in all three senses, referring to the actual dead, the spiritually dead, and inanimate matter.
σὺ [36 verses](pron 2nd sg nom) "Thee/you" is su , which means "you" in the second-person pronoun in form of a singular subject.
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"). In an "if" (εἰ ) clause or temporal "when" (ὅταν) clause the sense is "if/when... then." In a series begun by men, its 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"). 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."
ἀπελθὼν [22 verses] (part sg aor act masc nom) "Go " is aperchomai, which means "to go away," "to depart from," "to spread abroad," and "to depart from life."
διάγγελλε [1 verse] (verb 3rd sg aor ind act) "Preach" is diaggello which means "give notice by messenger", "noise abroad", and "proclaim".
τὴν [821 verses](article sg fem acc) "The" 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." Proper nouns do normally not take articles but they are needed when the noun ending cannot be changed to show the noun's role in the sentence as an object, indirect object, or genitive (possessive) form. However, the Greek article is very close to "this" so the purpose of an article like this can also be demonstrative.There is no vocative definite article, (despite being shown in Perseus). When the vocative is meant, no article is used or they used ω or ε. See this article. -- The word translated as "the" 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.
βασιλείαν [98 verses] (noun sq fem acc) "Kingdom" is basileia, which means "kingdom," "dominion," "hereditary monarchy," "kingly office," (passive) "being ruled by a king," and "reign." -- The word translated as "kingdom" can be the region, the reign, the castle or the authority of a ruler. Christ does not seem to use it to mean a physical region, so its translation as "reign" or "realm" seems more appropriate. This is especially true because the "reign" of a king means the execution of his will.
τοῦ [821 verses] (article) Untranslated is the Greek definite article, hos, ("the"), which usually precedes a noun and, without a noun, takes the meaning of "the one" or, in the plural, "the ones."
θεοῦ. [144 verses]( noun sg masc gen ) "God" is theos, which means "God," "divine," and "Deity." -- The word translated as "God" means "God" and "deity." It is introduced with an article, so "the God." Jesus often uses it this way perhaps to indicate the one God as opposed to the pagan gods.