Mark 14:37...Simon, sleepest thou? couldest not thou watch one hour?

Spoken to: 

an individual

After the Last Supper, at Gethsemane.

KJV: 

Mark 14:37...Simon, sleepest thou? couldest not thou watch one hour?

NIV : 

Mark 14:37 Simon, are you asleep? Couldn’t you keep watch for one hour?

3RD (NLT, if not otherwise identified): 

Mark 14:37 Simon, are you asleep? Couldn’t you watch with me even one hour?

LISTENERS HEARD: 

Simon, you sleep? Aren't you strong [enough] to watch one hour?

MY TAKE: 

Was Peter known for sleeping like a rock?

GREEK (Each Word Explained Bottom of Page): 

GREEK ORDER: 

Σίμωνκαθεύδεις; οὐκ    ἴσχυσας                     μίαν ὥραν   γρηγορῆσαι;
Simon, you sleep? Aren't you strong [enough] one  hour   to watch ?

LOST IN TRANSLATION: 

Notice how Jesus uses Simon's "formal" name rather than the casual "Peter" (Rocky). This give the verse the tone of a parent addressing a misbehaving child.

The word translated as "could" is not a helping or auxiliary verb. It is the active verb in its clause. It means "to be strong," but it is less common than the word usually translated as "can" which refers to "power" rather than strength. "Peter" meaning "Rocky" is a term of strength.

This verse combines the vocabulary of Matthew 26:40 and Luke 22:46, but here the verbs are singular while in the other Gospels, the verbs are plural. This is probably a difference in memory. This is most likely Peter's memory.

# KJV TRANSLATION ISSUES: 

2
  • CW --Confusing Word -- The "could" does not capture the word's specific meaning in this situation.
  • WF - Wrong Form -  The "watch" is not an active verb but an infinitive, "to watch."

# NIV TRANSLATION ISSUES: 

2
  • CW --Confusing Word -- The "could" does not capture the word's specific meaning in this situation.
  • WF - Wrong Form -  The "watch" is not an active verb but an infinitive, "to watch."

# 3RD TRANSLATION ISSUES: 

3
  • CW --Confusing Word -- The "could" does not capture the word's specific meaning in this situation.
  • WF - Wrong Form -  The "watch" is not an active verb but an infinitive, "to watch."
  • IP - Inserted phrase-- The phrase "with me even" doesn't exist in the source.

EACH WORD of KJV : 

Simon, -- "Simon" is be a Hebrew name that in Greek that means "flat nose" or "snub-nosed".

sleepest -- The "sleepest" here is a verb that means "to lie down to sleep" and, generally, "to sleep."  The form is an active statement, "you sleep" or "you are sleeping".

thou? -- This is from the second-person, plural form of the previous verb.

couldest - (CW) The word translated as "couldest" is a verb that means "to be strong", "to be worth" or "to be powerful." It is not the common Greek word translated as "can." It is also not a helping verb or an auxillary verb to "watch" but a verb that stands on its own.

not -- 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.

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

watch -- (WF) "Watch" is from a verb that means "to be or to become fully awake." It is in the form of an infinitive, "to be fully awake." In the last few chapters, the original Greek focuses on the idea being awake and ready. In English, this is lost because the term for awake is often translated as "watch." This is not an active verb, but an infinitive. "to watch."

one -- The Greek word translated as "one " means "one" (as opposed to other numbers), "single," and "one and the same."As in English, it can be used as a pronoun, meaning a single person.

hour? -- The word translated as "hour" means a period of time, generally, as we might say "moment."

EACH WORD of NIV : 

Simon, -- "Simon" is be a Hebrew name that in Greek that means "flat nose" or "snub-nosed".

are -- This is a helping verb indicating the present tense.

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

asleep? -- The "asleep" here is a verb that means "to lie down to sleep" and, generally, "to sleep."  The form is an active statement, "you sleep" or "you are sleeping".

Could -- (CW) The word translated as "could" is a verb that means "to be strong", "to be worth" or "to be powerful." It is not the common Greek word translated as "can." It is also not a helping verb or an auxillary verb to "watch" but a verb that stands on its own.

n’t -- 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.

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

keep watch - (WF) "Keep watch" is from a verb that means "to be or to become fully awake." It is in the form of an infinitive, "to be fully awake." In the last few chapters, the original Greek focuses on the idea being awake and ready. In English, this is lost because the term for awake is often translated as "watch." This is not an active verb, but an infinitive. "to watch."

for -- There is no "for" in the Greek  but it makes the English flow more smoothly.

one -- The Greek word translated as "one " means "one" (as opposed to other numbers), "single," and "one and the same."As in English, it can be used as a pronoun, meaning a single person.

hour? -- The word translated as "hour" means a period of time, generally, as we might say "moment."

EACH WORD 3RD (NLT or as noted): 

Simon, -- "Simon" is be a Hebrew name that in Greek that means "flat nose" or "snub-nosed".

are -- This is a helping verb indicating the present tense.

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

asleep? -- The "asleep" here is a verb that means "to lie down to sleep" and, generally, "to sleep."  The form is an active statement, "you sleep" or "you are sleeping".

Could -- (CW)  The word translated as "could" is a verb that means "to be strong", "to be worth" or "to be powerful." It is not the common Greek word translated as "can." It is also not a helping verb or an auxillary verb to "watch" but a verb that stands on its own.

n’t -- 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.

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

watch - (WF) "Watch" is from a verb that means "to be or to become fully awake." It is in the form of an infinitive, "to be fully awake." In the last few chapters, the original Greek focuses on the idea being awake and ready. In English, this is lost because the term for awake is often translated as "watch." This is not an active verb, but an infinitive. "to watch."

with me even -- (IP) There are no Greek words that can be translated as "with me even" in the Greek source.

one -- The Greek word translated as "one " means "one" (as opposed to other numbers), "single," and "one and the same."As in English, it can be used as a pronoun, meaning a single person.

hour? -- The word translated as "hour" means a period of time, generally, as we might say "moment."

COMPARISON: GREEK to KJV : 

Σίμων, [6 verses](proper noun) The Greek letters for the name Simon.  In Greek, it means (noun sg masc nom/voc) "a confederate in evil", (part sg pres act masc nom/voc) "turning up a nose", ( adj pl masc gen) "snub-nosed", and ( noun pl masc gen) "flat-nose." Its most commonly uses is as a verb. --

καθεύδεις; [12 verses].( verb 2nd sg pres ind act ) "Sleepest thou" is katheudo, which means "to lie down to sleep," "to sleep," and "to lie asleep."

οὐκ [269 verses](adv) "Not" is ou , the negative adverb for facts and statements, negating both single words and sentences.  The negative, οὐ, denies, is absolute, and objective.

ἴσχυσας [8 verses]( verb 2nd sg aor ind act ) "Couldest,,,thou" is ischyo, which means "to be strong", "to be powerful", "to prevail", "to be worth," and "to be equivalent to."

μίαν [85 verses]( adj sg fem acc ) "One" is heis, which means "one" (as opposed to other numbers), "single," and "one and the same." This noun/adjective is irregular, having a number of forms depending on gender and case. It is always singular.

ὥραν [37 verses]((noun sg fem acc) "Hour" is hora, which means "any period", "season," (especially springtime), "year' (generally), "climate" (as determined by seasons), "duration", "the twelve equal parts into which the period of daylight was divided", "the fitting time" (for a task).

γρηγορῆσαι[14 verses](verb aor inf act) "Watch" is from gregoreo, which means "to become fully awake," and "to watch."

Related Verses: 

Front Page Date: 

Oct 27 2023