The verb translated as "see" is often used by Jesus to mean "know" when it is the past, perfect form. As you might expect about a phrase describing a vision, the tenses are odd here. All the verb tenses indicate something happening at a point in time, except for the verb "was/were," of being under a tree, which is in the present tense. This "before" phrase has both an object "anything" and it introduces an infinitive phrase. In English, we would repeat the preposition, but its repetition is assumed in Greek. This is the only time Jesus uses the name of the apostle, Philip, but note that the word is Greek, from the father of Alexander the Great.
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Today's Verse Analysis
Upon meeting Nathaniel Batholomew
Spoken to
an individual
KJV Verse
John 1:48 Before that Philip called thee, when thou wast under the fig tree, I saw thee.
NIV Verse:
John 1:48 I saw you while you were still under the fig tree before Philip called you.
What His Listeners Heard:
Before anything Philip spoke of you, I saw you being under the fig tree, ;
Lost In Translation:
KJV w/Translation Issues :
Before that(CW) Philip called(CW) thee, [when thou(IP)] wast(WF,WT)) under the fig tree, I saw thee.
KJV List (See full page for word-by-word analysis):
For analysis of each word of original Greek and biblical verses, click here.
Constantly Updated
My analysis standards and methods are constantly improving. New information on each verse is provided as articles are updated. It requires approximately two years for me to work through updating each of Jesus's verses.
What Jesus's Listeners Heard
The everyday meanings of the Greek words Jesus used were different than the definitions they have been given over time in biblical translation. The word translations here are based upon documents of his time such as the Greek Septuagint, not ideas unknown in his time.
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See what Jesus said in Greek and see how his words are changed in English translation. My goal is to translate Jesus's words as they were heard when he taught, not the way they are interpreted today. The work here resurrects the humor and cleverness of Jesus's words lost in translation.
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Each article provides detailed information on all the Greek words in each verse with links simplifying your own research. It compares the Greek to popular translations to show where words are confused, changed, left out, and added. This site offers research available nowhere else, such as how often Jesus uses a specific Greek word and links to a list of every verse in which he uses a given word.
Christ's Words in Matthew as a Guide to 40 Days of Prayer.