To his students after they ask him to increase their faith.
Luke 17:8 And will not rather say unto him, Make ready wherewith I may sup, and gird thyself, and serve me, till I have eaten and drunken; and afterward thou shalt eat and drink?
Luke 17:8 Won’t he rather say, ‘Prepare my supper, get yourself ready and wait on me while I eat and drink; after that you may eat and drink’?
Instead won't you indeed say for yourself to him, "Get ready something. I might have a meal, and, preparing yourself, you serve me until I might eat and drink and after these things, you will eat and drink for yourself, you yourself."
This is a complicated verse but what is lost in translation is the focus on "yourself”. Since the "self" is often that adversary, the point is to make it clear that focusing on the "self”, is the enemy of trust in the Divine. Many verbs here use the middle voice, where the object is the person acting "on/for/by themselves". The puncline at the end has two verbs, "eat and drink" in the middle voice and ends with the subject pronoun punchline, "you yourself”.
There are also a number of verbs in the form of possibility, something that might or should happen. So, at the same time Jesus makes it clear what we plan for ourselves is uncertain.
That which we do for ourselves may happen, but it may also not happen.
ἀλλ᾽ οὐχὶ ἐρεῖ αὐτῷ Ἑτοίμασον τί δειπνήσω, καὶ περιζωσάμενος
Instead n't indeed wo you say for yourself to him, "Get ready something. I might have a meal, and, preparing yourself,
διακόνει μοι ἕως φάγω καὶ πίω, καὶ μετὰ ταῦτα φάγεσαι καὶ πίεσαι σύ;
you serve me until I might eat and drink and after these things, you will eat and drink for yourself, you yourself."
And(WW) will not rather say unto him, Make ready wherewith(WW,WF) I may sup, and gird(WF) thyself(IW), and serve me, till I have(WW) eaten and drunken; and afterward (MW) thou shalt(CW) eat(WV) and drink (MW)?
- WW --Wrong Word -- The word translated as "and" should be something more like "instead”.
- WW --Wrong Word -- The word translated as "wherewith" should be something more like "something”.
- WF -- Wrong Form -- This is not an adverb but an object of the verb "make ready”.
- WF -- Wrong Form - This is not an active verb but a participle, a verbal adjective, "girding”.
- IW - Inserted Word-- The "thyself" doesn't exist in the source.
- WW --Wrong Word -- The word translated as "have" should be something more like "might”.
- MW - Missing Word -- The word "these things" after "afterward" is not shown in the English translation.
- CW - Confusing Word - This "shall" does not indicate the future tense, but describes a possibility, the subjunctive voice.
- WV -- Wrong Voice -- This verb is a middle voice, which requires a "by/for yourself" or a "yourself" as an object.
- MW -- Missing Word -- This subject pronoun duplicates information in the verb so it needs a "you yourself" after "you" for emphasis.
(MW) Won’t he(WW) rather say (MW), ‘Prepare my(WF) supper(WF) (MW), [get yourself ready(IP)] (MP) and wait on me while I eat(WF,CW) and drink after that(WN) (MP) you may eat(WV) and drink’ (MW)?
- MW - Missing Word -- The word "instead" at the beginning of the sentence is not shown in the English translation.
- WW --Wrong Word -- The word translated as "he" should be something more like "you”.
- MW - Missing Word -- The word "to him" at the beginning of the sentence is not shown in the English translation.
- WF -- Wrong Form - This is not a possessive but a subject.
- WF -- Wrong Form - This is not a noun but a verb.
- MW - Missing Word -- The word "something" after "supper" is not shown in the English translation.
- IP - Inserted Phrase-- The "get yourself ready" doesn't exist in the source.
- MP - Missing Phrase - The phrase "and girding" exists in the source.
- WF -- Wrong Form -- This verb "eat" is in the form of possibility, a subjunctive, which requires a "should" or "might" before the verb.
- CW --Confusing Word -- This is not the common word usually translated as "eat”.
- WN --Wrong Number- The word "that" is translated as singular but the Greek word is plural.
- MP - Missing Phrase - The phrase "I might eat and might drink" exists in the source.
- WV -- Wrong Voice -- This verb is a middle voice, which requires a "by/for yourself" or a "yourself" as an object.
- MW -- Missing Word -- This subject pronoun duplicates information in the verb so it needs a "you yourself" after "you" for emphasis.
And -- (WW) The Greek word translated as "and" denotes an exception or simple opposition. It is used to emphasize the contrast between things like we use "instead", "but instead" or "rather”. It is not the common word usually translated as "and". It is the Greek word "other" like we use "otherwise”. Jesus almost always uses this conjunction to connect a negative clause, "not this”, with a positive one, "instead this”.
will -- This helping verb "will" indicates the verb is in the future tense. Helping or auxiliary verbs are needed to translate the Greek verb forms into English.
not rather -- The word translated as "not rather" is a different form of the usual Greek negative of fact meaning "no truly”, "assuredly not”, "not however”, "nevertheless” and "notwithstanding”, This word can have a reversing effect, making a negative into a positive, with questions. Used in questions where an affirmative answer is expected. Used in answers where a "yes" must be supplied. Perhaps best translated as an "isn't it?" at the end of the sentence. The fact that ancient Greek has no clear verb form for questions makes interpreting it difficult.
say - The word translated as "said" 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 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.
him, -- The word translated as "him" is the Greek adjective that acts like our third-person, indirect object pronoun”Make ready - The verb translated as "make ready" means to "get ready”, "prepare”, "make ready" and "to cause to prepare”. It is in a form that indicates the action has been completed.
wherewith -- (WW, WF)The Greek word translated as "wherewith" in the singular means "anyone", "someone”, "something" and "anything”. The same forms are used both for the masculine and feminine, so "anyone" works best for a person. In the plural, it means "everyone", "some”, "they” and "those”. Jesus often uses it to start a question so it means "who”, "what”, "which” or even "why". This word doesn't mean "wherewith”. This is not an adverb but an object of the verb "make ready”.
and -- The Greek word translated as "and" is used as the conjunction "and”, but it also is used to add emphasis.
gird , -- - (WF)The Greek verb translated as "gird" means "to gird around", that is to say, "brace around". It also means "to put on a defense" so "to fortify”. This is not an active verb but a participle, a verbal adjective, "girding”.
thyself -- (IW) This word is not in the Greek source.
and -- The Greek word translated as "and" is used as the conjunction "and", but it also is used to add emphasis.
serve -- The Greek verb translated as "serve" means "to act as a servant”, "to minister” and "to perform services". It is usually translated as "minister" in the Bible. The noun from the same root is usually translated as "minister" and is the source of our word "deacon."
me, -- The "me" is in the indirect object form of the first-person pronoun, so usually "to me”, "for me” and "by me”.
till -- The word translated as "until" means "until" but it also means "till”, "while”, "as long as”, "as far as”, "up to the point”, "in order that”.
I -- This is from the first-person, singular form of the verb.
have -- (WW) 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. However, this word is in the form indicating that it is likely, so a "should" or "might" should appear here.
eaten -- The word translated as "eaten" is one of the two common words used to mean "eat”. "It means "to eat”. "to eat up” and "to devour”. It also means to "fret" as we say "to eat up”, “drunken”.
and -- The Greek word translated as "and" is used as the conjunction "and”, but it also is used to add emphasis.
drunken - -- The word "drunken" is the Greek for meaning to "drink." It also has a double meaning. "To drink" also means "to celebrate”.
afterward -- "Afterward " is the Greek word that usually means "with" or a related concept such as "among" or "by the means of”. It also refers to "after" or "behind" when referring to a place, time, or pursuit.
missing "these things" -- (MW) The untranslated word "these" is a pronoun that can mean "this" or "that”, "here” or "there", “the nearer” or “the further” depending on usage. When the modified noun already has an article, it meaning is "here”. It is often used in the neuter plural here without a noun to refer to "these things”.
thou -- This is from the second-person, singular form of the verb.
shalt -- (CW) This helping verb "shall" does not indicate the future tense, but that the verb describes a possibility, the subjunctive voice. A "might" or "should" in English is more appropriate, but is assumed in an "if/when/whoever/except" clause. Helping verbs are not needed in Greek since the main verb carries this information in its form.
eat -- The word translated as "eat" is one of the two common words used to mean "eat”. It means "to eat", "to eat up” and "to devour”. It also means to "fret" as we say "to eat up”.
missing "yourself"-- (WV) A phrase is necessary because the form of the previous verb is a middle voice, which means that the subject is to act on "yourself”, "for yourself" or "by yourself”.
and -- The Greek word translated as "and" is used as the conjunction "and”, but it also is used to add emphasis.
drink? -- The word "drink" is the Greek for meaning to "drink”. It also has a double meaning. "To drink" also means "to celebrate”.
missing "you yourself" -- (MW) The subjective pronoun repeats the information in the verb so it should be repeated in English like "you yourself”.
missing "instead" -- (MW) The untranslated word "instead" denotes an exception or simple opposition. It is used to emphasize the contrast between things like we use "instead”, "but instead” or "rather". I It is the Greek word "other" like we use "otherwise”.
wo- -- This helping verb "will" indicates the verb is in the future tense. Helping or auxiliary verbs are needed to translate the Greek verb forms into English.
n't -- The word translated as "not rather" is a different form of the usual Greek negative of fact meaning "no truly”, "assuredly not”, "not however”, "nevertheless” and "notwithstanding”. This word can have a reversing effect, making a negative into a positive, with questions. Used in questions where an affirmative answer is expected. Used in answers where a "yes" must be supplied. Perhaps best translated as an "isn't it?" at the end of the sentence. The fact that ancient Greek has no clear verb form for questions makes interpreting it difficult.
he -- This word doesn't mean "he”.
rather -- This completes the meaning of the negative.
say - The word translated as "said" 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.
missing "to him" -- (MW) The untranslated word "to him" is the Greek adjective that acts like our third-person, indirect object pronoun.
‘Prepare - The verb translated as "get ready" means to "get ready”, "prepare”, "make ready" and "to cause to prepare”. It is in a form that indicates the action has been completed.
my -- (WF) This is from the first-person, singular form of the verb. This is not a possessive but a subject.
supper, -- (WF) This "supper" is from a Greek verb that Jesus only uses here that means to "have a meal" and "entertain”. This is not a noun but a verb.
missing "something" -- (MW, WF) The untranslated word "something" in the singular means "anyone”, "someone”, "something" and "anything”. The same forms are used both for the masculine and feminine, so "anyone" works best for a person. In the plural, it means "everyone”, "some”, "they” and "those”. Jesus often uses it to start a question so it means "who”, "what”, "which” or even "why”. This is not an adverb but an object of the verb "make ready”.
get yourself ready -- (IP) There is nothing that can be translated as this phrase in the Greek source. There is a verb that can be translated as "get ready" but it is translated as "prepare" above.
missing "and girding" -- -- (MP) The words here aren't translated with their correct meanings and forms.
and -- The Greek word translated as "and" is used as the conjunction "and”, but it also is used to add emphasis.
wait on -- The Greek verb translated as "wait on" means "to act as a servant”, "to minister” and "to perform services”. It is usually translated as "minister" in the Bible. The noun from the same root is usually translated as "minister" and is the source of our word "deacon”.
me, -- The "me" is in the indirect object form of the first-person pronoun, so usually "to me", "for me” and "by me”.
while -- The word translated as "while" means "until" but it also means "till”, "while”, "as long as”, "as far as”, "up to the point”, "in order that”.
I -- This is from the first-person, singular form of the verb.
missing "should" or "might"-- (WF) A helping verb is necessary because the following verb is a verb of possibility, a subjunctive, something that "should" or "might" occur.
eat -- (CW) "Sup" is from a Greek verb that Jesus only uses here that means to "have a meal" and "entertain”. This is not the word usually translated as "eat”.
missing "I might eat and might drink" -- (MP) The words here aren't translated with their correct meanings and forms.
after -- "After " is the Greek word that usually means "with" or a related concept such as "among" or "by the means of”. It also refers to "after" or "behind" when referring to a place, time, or pursuit.
that -- (WN) The word "that" is a pronoun that can mean "this" or "that”, "here” or "there", “the nearer” or “the further”, depending on usage. When the modified noun already has an article, it meaning is "here”. It is often used in the neuter plural here without a noun to refer to "these things”. This word is not singular but plural.
you -- This is from the second-person, singular form of the verb.
may -- This helping verb "may” describes a possibility, the subjunctive voice.
eat -- The word translated as "eat" is one of the two common words used to mean "eat”. "It means "to eat”, "to eat up” and "to devour”. It also means to "fret" as we say "to eat up”.
missing "yourself"-- (WV) A phrase is necessary because the form of the previous verb is a middle voice, which means that the subject is to act on "yourself”, "for yourself" or "by yourself” .
and -- The Greek word translated as "and" is used as the conjunction "and", but it also is used to add emphasis.
drink? -- The word "drink" is the Greek for meaning to "drink”. It also has a double meaning. "To drink" also means "to celebrate”.
missing "you yourself" -- (MW) The subjective pronoun repeats the information in the verb so it should be repeated in English like "you yourself”.
ἀλλὰ [154 verses](conj) "And" is alla, which means "instead”, "otherwise”, "but”, "still”, "at least”, "except”, "yet”, “nevertheless”, "rather”, "moreover” and "nay". Followed by οὐ, the sense is "still” and "at least”, Followed by γὰρ. the sense is "but really" and "certainly”. Following an εἰ μὴ, clause the sense is "if not" some word , related to time, "at least still", and without the reference time, "at least".
οὐχὶ [23 verses](adv) "Not rather" is ouchi, an adverb which means "no”, "no truly”, "assuredly not”, "not however”, "nevertheless”, "notwithstanding”, "yet”, "still”, "never yet”, "for not”, "indeed”, "for surely not”, "no,—certainly not”, "for I don't suppose” and "for in no manner”. Sometimes it is used to create negative questions where a positive answer is expected.
ἐρεῖ [162 verses](verb 2nd sg fut ind mid) "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”. 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.
αὐτῷ [106 verses](pron/adj sg masc/neut dat) "Him" is auto, the dative case of the third-person, singular adjective that is used as a pronoun. The word also means "the same", "one's true self” and "the soul" as opposed to the body. It also means "of one's own accord”. The form is the third person, plural as an indirect object of the verb or the object of a preposition. When used as a noun, it is preceded by a definite article, and it means "the same”. A dative object of a preposition implies no movement but in a fixed position. With the "to be", it acts as a possessive, "his”.
Ἑτοίμασον [13 verses] ( verb 2nd sg aor imperat act) "Make ready"is from hetoimazo, which means to "get ready”, "prepare”, "make ready” and "to cause to prepare”.
τί [252 verses](pron sg neut acc) "Wherewith" is tis, which can mean "someone”, "something’, "any one”, "everyone”, "they” [indefinite], "many a one”, "whoever”, "anyone”, "anything”, "some sort”, "some sort of", "each”, "any”, "the individual”, "such” and so on. In a question, it can mean "who”, "why”, or "what”. Plural, "who are" is τίνες ἐόντες. It has specific meanings with certain prepositions, διὰ τί; “for what reason?” ἐκ τίνος; “from what cause?” ἐς τί; "to what point?" “to what end? τί ὅτι "why it is that?".
δειπνήσω, [1 verse](verb 1st sg aor subj act) "I may sup" is deipneō , which means to "make a meal" and "entertain”.
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".
περιζωσάμενος [3 verses](part sg aor mid masc nom ) "Gird" is perizōnnymi, which means "to gird round oneself", "to gird oneself with" and "to put on a defence”.
διακόνει [12 verses](verb 2nd sg pres imperat act) "Serve" is from diakoneo, which "to act as a servant”. "to serve” and "to perform services”. It is from the same root as a word that means "servant" and is the source of our word "deacon”. This is not the word usually translated as "servant" that actually means slave.
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”. An indirect object of a preposition, itn implies no movement, but in a fixed position.
ἕως [63 verses](conj) "Till" is heos which means "until”, "till”, "while”, "as long as”, "up to the point” and "in order that", "as far as” and "up to the point that”. Takes a genitive object when referring to time "until something”. With the particle of possibility and the subjunctive form of the verb, the sense is until some unknown time.
φάγω [20 verses](verb 1st sg aor subj act ) "I have eaten" is phago which is a form of the word, phagein, which means to eat”, "to eat up” and "to devour”.
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”.
πίω, [36 verses] ( verb 1st sg aor subj act ) "drunken is pino, which means "to drink", "to celebrate” and "soak up”.
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”.
μετὰ [103 verses](prep) "Afterward" is meta, which means "with”, "in the midst of”, "among", "between”, "in common”, "along with”, "by the aid of”, "in one's dealings with”, "into the middle of”, "coming into”, "in pursuit of”, "after”, "behind”, "according to”, "after”, "behind” and "next afterward”. With genitive, it means generally, "with”, "together with”l "in the midst of”, "among”, "between”, "in common”, "along with”, "by the aid of” and "in conjunction with”. With genitive, with pl. Nouns "in the midst of”, "among”, "between”, " in common”, "along with", of things, "in conjunction with," rarely of Time, "during”. "With dative, "between", "among”, "in company with”, with a number "complete" and "over and above”, generally, "among”, "between”, with both indirect (dative) and direct (accusative) object. With direct objects: of motion, "into the middle of”, "coming into or among”, esp. where a number of persons is implied, in pursuit or quest of, of persons, "to go after”, "in quest of”, of sequence or succession, of Place, "after”, "behind”, "on the far side of”, of Time, "after”, "next to”, in order of Worth, Rank, etc., "next after”, "following”, "to be inferior to”, As a prefix, it means "of community”, "in common with another”, "in the midst of”, "succession of time”, "pursuit”, "letting go”, "after, behind” and "reversely”.
ταῦτα [96 verses](adj pl neut acc) "Untranslated" 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".
φάγεσαι [20 verses]( verb 2nd sg fut ind mid ) "Shall eat" is phago which is a form of the word, phagein, which means to eat”, “to eat up” and "to devour”.
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”.
πίεσαι, [36 verses] (verb 2nd sg aor imperat mid) "Drink" is pino, which means "to drink", "to celebrate" and "soak up”.
σὺ [36 verses](pron 2nd sg nom) "Thou" is su, which means "you" in the second-person pronoun in form of a singular subject. -- 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.