Luke 13:32 Go ye, and tell that fox, Behold, I cast out devils,

Spoken to: 

The Pharisees

The Pharisees come to warn Jesus that Herod wants to kill him.

KJV: 

Luke 13:32 Go ye, and tell that fox, Behold, I cast out devils, and I do cures to day and to morrow, and the third day I shall be perfected.

NIV : 

Luke 13:32 Go tell that fox, ‘I will keep on driving out demons and healing people today and tomorrow, and on the third day I will reach my goal.’

LISTENERS HEARD: 

Departing, tell that vixen there, "Look, I toss out daemons and I complete cures  today, and tomorrow, and on the third? I complete myself.

MY TAKE: 

We do what we must until our death says we are done.

GREEK (Each Word Explained Bottom of Page): 

LOST IN TRANSLATION: 

This statement is humorous to make light of the threat of death, but that is lost in translation. Unique words are used for the phrase "I complete cures." The "complete" is from the same root as the final verb, the punchline which means "I complete myself," which is Jesus's way of describing what happens to him at death.

# KJV TRANSLATION ISSUES: 

8

Go(WF) ye(IW), and(IW) tell that(CW) (MWthe) fox, Behold, I cast out devils, and I do(WW) cures to day and to morrow, and the third day(IW) I shall(WT) be perfected.

  • WF -- Wrong Form -  This is not an active verb but a participle, a verbal adjective, "departing."
  • IW - Inserted Word-- The "ye" doesn't exist in the source.
  • IW - Inserted Word -- The "and" doesn't exist in the source.
  • CW --Confusing Word -- This word doesn't mean "that" in this situation.
  • MW - Missing Word -- The word "the/this" before "fox" is not shown in the English translation.
  • WW --Wrong Word -- The word translated as "do" should be something more like "complete."
  • IW - Inserted Word-- The "day" doesn't exist in the source.
  • WT --Wrong Tense - The tense of this verb is not the future tense.

# NIV TRANSLATION ISSUES: 

11

Go(WF) tell that(CW) (MWthe) fox, (MWlook) ‘I will(WT)  [keep on(IW)] driving out demons and (MWcomplete) healing(WF) people(IW) today and tomorrow, and on the third  day(IW) I will(WT) [reach my goal.(PP3)]

  • WF -- Wrong Form -  This is not an active verb but a participle, a verbal adjective, "departing."
  • CW --Confusing Word -- This word doesn't mean "that" in this situation.
  • MW - Missing Word -- The word "the/this" before "fox" is not shown in the English translation.
  • MW - Missing Word -- The word "look"  after "fox" is not shown in the English translation.
  • WT - Wrong Tense - The verb "will" indicates the future tense, but that is not the tense here.
  • IW - Inserted Word-- The "keep on" doesn't exist in the source.
  • MW - Missing Word -- The word "complete"  after "and" is not shown in the English translation. 
  • WF -- Wrong Form -  This is not a participle, but a plural noun, "cures."
  • IW - Inserted Word-- The "people" doesn't exist in the source.
  • IW - Inserted Word-- The "day" doesn't exist in the source.
  • WT --Wrong Tense - The tense of this verb is not the future tense.
  • PP - Inserted Phrase-- These "reach my goal"  are a paraphrase of what is in the source. This is counted as 3 translation issues, not 1

EACH WORD of KJV : 

Go -- (WF) The word translated as "go," means, in the passive, used here, to "go," "march," "depart," and "proceed." It is almost always translated as "go" in the NT but Jesus uses it to mean "depart." This word uniquely means "to pursue a course" and "to depart from life." Jesus also uses it for a play on words referring to its "depart from life" meaning. This is not an active verb but a participle, a verbal adjective, "departing."

ye, -- (IW) This word is not in the Greek source. The verb above in not in the second person.

and -- (IW) This word is not in the Greek source. It was added because the preious verb was translated as active rather than as a participle.

tell - The word translated as "tell" 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.

that - (CW) The "these" is a pronoun that can mean "this" or "that," "here," or "there" the nearer or the further depending on usage. When the noun already has an article, as it does here, its meaning is "here." This word doesn't mean "that" in this situation. CW --Confusing Word -- This word doesn't mean "that" in this situation.

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.

fox, -- The word for "fox" is, in Greek as English, the metaphor for a sly, crafty man.

Behold, -- "Behold" is a verbal command meaning "See!" and "Look!" It is from the most common word meaning "to see" in Greek. In a humorous vein, it is also an adverbial exclamation like we use the phrase "ta-da" in a magic show, or "voila" in French which means "see there". "Look here!" or "See there!" comes closest in English. Jesus uses it both ways.

I -- This is from the first-person, singular form of the verb.

cast out  -- "Cast out" is a verb that means "throw out." Depending on the context, it can mean "toss out," "turn out," or "take out." The possessive object is a place tossed out of. The direct object is the thing tossed out. It is usually translated as "cast out" in the NT.  See this article for more detail.

devils, -- "Devil" is a word that means "belonging to a controlling spiritual power" so the sense is "an invisible controller." In Greek is used to refer to a controlling spiritual power, inferior to the gods. It was used to mean "knowing" and "skilled" in the sense that we might say, "He is a demon poker player." However, Jesus seems to always use it negatively as "an unseen controller" referring to   invisible causes of disease, especially mental disorders (see this article). In English, our word "daemon" retains these same meanings when it isn't used as an alternate spelling of "demon."

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

I -- This is from the first-person, singular form of the verb.

do -- (WW) The Greek verb translated as  "I do" is used by Jesus only here. It doesn't mean "do," but it means "bring to an end," "complete," "produce," "accomplish," "perform," "render," "fill up," and "satiate." This is from the same root as the word translated as "perfected" at the end.

cures -- "Cures" is another unique word. It means "healing," "mode of healing," "remedy" , "mending," and "repairs."  

to day -- The Greek word translated as "to day" is an adverb that means "for today" and "on this day." Jesus sometimes uses it as a noun by adding an article before it.

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

to morrow, -- The term translated as "to morrow," may be the closest Greek comes to "tomorrow," but the form is an adverb. However, it is introduced by an article ("the") which allows it to act like a noun. The word is an adverb meaning something more like "until tomorrow", "until the morning" meaning "shortly" or "presently." Unlike the noun "tomorrow" in English, this adverb doesn't take in the entire future like we use "tomorrow" to mean "the future". This Greek word always communicates the idea of "in a short time." The term indicates not now but the immediate future.

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

the -- 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. 

third -- The "the third" means both the third in an order and the fraction one third.

day  -- (IW) This word is not in the Greek source.

I -- This is from the first-person, singular form of the verb.

shall -- (WT) This "shall" indicates the future tense, but this tense of this verb is the present.

be -- This helping verb "be" indicates that the verb is passive, but it could also be the middle voice, I shall complete myself." Helping or auxiliary verbs are needed to translate the Greek verb forms into English.

perfected. - - As a verb, it means "perfected", "to make complete", "make perfect", "to bring to consummation," and "to bring fruit to maturity."

EACH WORD of NIV : 

Go -- (WF) The word translated as "go," means, in the passive, used here, to "go," "march," "depart," and "proceed." It is almost always translated as "go" in the NT but Jesus uses it to mean "depart." This word uniquely means "to pursue a course" and "to depart from life." Jesus also uses it for a play on words referring to its "depart from life" meaning. This is not an active verb but a participle, a verbal adjective, "departing."

tell - The word translated as "tell" 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.

that - (CW) The "these" is a pronoun that can mean "this" or "that," "here," or "there" the nearer or the further depending on usage. When the noun already has an article, as it does here, its meaning is "here." This word doesn't mean "that" in this situation. CW --Confusing Word -- This word doesn't mean "that" in this situation.

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.

fox, -- The word for "fox" is, in Greek as English, the metaphor for a sly, crafty man.

missing "Look"  -- (MW) The untranslated word   -- "See!" and "Look!" It is from the most common word meaning "to see" in Greek. In a humorous vein, it is also an adverbial exclamation like we use the phrase "ta-da" in a magic show, or "voila" in French which means "see there". "Look here!" or "See there!" comes closest in English.

I -- This is from the first-person, singular form of the verb.

will  -- (WT) This helping verb "will" indicates the future tense, but the verb is not the future.

keep on -- (IW) This word is not in the Greek source.

driving out   -- "Driving out" is a verb that means "throw out." Depending on the context, it can mean "toss out," "turn out," or "take out." The possessive object is a place tossed out of. The direct object is the thing tossed out. It is usually translated as "cast out" in the NT.  See this article for more detail.

demons , -- "Demons" is a word that means "belonging to a controlling spiritual power" so the sense is "an invisible controller." In Greek is used to refer to a controlling spiritual power, inferior to the gods. It was used to mean "knowing" and "skilled" in the sense that we might say, "He is a demon poker player." However, Jesus seems to always use it negatively as "an unseen controller" referring to   invisible causes of disease, especially mental disorders (see this article). In English, our word "daemon" retains these same meanings when it isn't used as an alternate spelling of "demon."

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

missing "complete"  -- (MW) The untranslated word "bring to an end," "complete," "produce," "accomplish," "perform," "render," "fill up," and "satiate." This is from the same root as the word translated as "perfected"

healing -- (WF) "Healing " is another unique word. It means "healing," "mode of healing," "remedy" , "mending," and "repairs."   This is not a participle, but a plural noun, "cures."

people -- (IW) This word is not in the Greek source.

today -- The Greek word translated as "today" is an adverb that means "for today" and "on this day." Jesus sometimes uses it as a noun by adding an article before it.

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

tomorrow, -- The term translated as "tomorrow," may be the closest Greek comes to "tomorrow," but the form is an adverb. However, it is introduced by an article ("the") which allows it to act like a noun. The word is an adverb meaning something more like "until tomorrow", "until the morning" meaning "shortly" or "presently." Unlike the noun "tomorrow" in English, this adverb doesn't take in the entire future like we use "tomorrow" to mean "the future". This Greek word always communicates the idea of "in a short time." The term indicates not now but the immediate future.

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

on -- This word "on" comes from the indirect object form of the following word that requires the addition of a preposition in English. The most common is a "to" for the English indirect object. However, the translator can choose other prepositions: "with,"  "in,"   "of,"  "as," "by," "for," "at," or "on" depending on the context.

the -- 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. 

third -- The "the third" means both the third in an order and the fraction one third.

day  -- (IW) This word is not in the Greek source.

I -- This is from the first-person, singular form of the verb.

will -- (WT) This "will" indicates the future tense, but this tense of this verb is the present.

reach my goal - -- (PP) These words are a paraphrase and a misleading one of "complete myself" in the Greek source. The voices of the Greek is either passive or the middle voices.. The Greek verb means "perfected", "to make complete", "make perfect", "to bring to consummation," and "to bring fruit to maturity."

COMPARISON: GREEK to KJV : 

Πορευθέντες [54 verses](part pl aor pass masc nom) "Go" is poreuomai (poreuo) which means , in the active voice, "make to go," "carry," "convey," and "bring." In the passive, it means to "go," "march," "depart," and "proceed." It is almost always translated as "go" in the NT. Jesus uses it to mean "depart." He sometimes uses it in situations where it "depart from life" meaning comes into play.

εἴπατε [162 verses]  (verb 2nd pl aor imperat act ) "Tell" 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."  This is the second most common word Jesus uses for this idea. The other word is used more for discussion. Perhaps translating it consistently as "tell" would work.

τῇ [821 verses](article sg fem dat)  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."  

ἀλώπεκι [3 verses](noun sg fem dat) "Foxes" is alopex, which means "fox", "Canis vulpes", "a large bat", "muscles of the loins", "mange," and "a type of dance."

ταύτῃ  [96 verses](adj sg fem dat) "That" is tauta, which is a referring pronoun meaning "these," "this," "that," and "here." It can mean the nearer or the further depending on usage. When ταῦτα and ἐκεῖνος refer to two things ἐκεῖνος, which normally means "the nearer" as well belongs to the more remote, "the latter" in time, place, or thought, οὗτος to "the nearer".

Ἰδοὺ [52 verses](adv, verb 2nd sg aor imperat mid) "Behold" is idou, which means "to behold," "to see," and "to perceive." It acts as an adverbial phrase in this form meaning "Lo! Behold!" and "See there!' It is a form of the verb eido, which means "to see." This Greek word was translated into the Latin ecce, "behold."

ἐκβάλλω [33 verses](verb 1st sg pres ind act) "Cast out" is ekballo and means "toss out," "through out of a place,"and "expose." Ek means "out of," "from," and "away from." Ballo is "to throw" or "to scatter." While the sense is usually "to toss outside," it can also mean "to turn out" into a place. It can also means "produce" in the sense of a woman giving birth.

δαιμόνια [13 verses](noun pl neut acc) "Devils" is daimonion, which means "divinity," "divine power," "a lower divine being," and "evil spirit." Technically, this word means "belonging to a controlling spiritual power." It is from daimôn, which actually is the noun that is translated as "demon." "Evil spirit" is a New Testament usage or interpretation. However, in the Greek Septuagint, the Greek word was used both for the different Hebrew words for "idols" and for "disease,"  but  Greek used it to refer to a controlling spiritual power, inferior to the gods. It was used to mean "knowing" and "skilled" in the sense that we might say, "He is a demon poker player."  In the Stoic philosophy, it was the voice of reason inside of us. Plato described his inner voice of conscience as a daimon.

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." In a series, it can be translated as "not only...but also." After words implying sameness "as."

ἰάσεις [1 verse](noun pl fem acc ) "Cures" is iasis, which means "healing," "mode of healing," "remedy" , "mending," and "repairs."

ἀποτελῶ [1 verse](verb 1st sg pres ind act) "I do" is epiteleo (apoteleo) which means to "bring to an end," "complete," "produce," "accomplish," "perform," "render," "fill up," and "satiate."

σήμερον. [14 verses](adv) "To day" is semeron, which is an adverb that means "for today" and "on this day."

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." In a series, it can be translated as "not only...but also." After words implying sameness "as."

αὔριον [6 verses](adv) "To morrow" is from aurion, which means "tomorrow," "tomorrow at this time", and, as an adverb, "on the morrow", "till morning", "presently," and "shortly."

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." In a series, it can be translated as "not only...but also." After words implying sameness "as."

τῇ  [821 verses](article sg fem dat)  "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." 

τρίτῃ [9 verses](adj sg fem dat) "Third" is from tritoswhich is the Greek word for "third" meaning both the third in an order and the fraction one third.

τελειοῦμαι [5 verses](verb 1st sg pres ind mp contr) "I shall be perfected" is  teleioo, which is a verb that means "to make perfect", "to complete", "to bring to consummation," and "to bring fruit to maturity."

Wordplay: 

The word translated as "go ye" means "convey" both in the sense of conveying yourself and conveying a message.

Related Verses: 

Luke 13:33 Nevertheless I must walk to day, and to morrow,

Front Page Date: 

Aug 27 2024