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Today's Verse Analysis

Matthew 20:21 What do you want?...

Salome, James and John's mother, asks Jesus for a place of honor for her sons.

Spoken to
an individual

Matthew 20:21 Τί θέλεις;

KJV Verse

Matthew 20:21 What wilt thou?

NIV Verse:

Matthew 20:21What is it you want?

What His Listeners Heard:

What do you desire?

Lost In Translation:

This is a short phrase, addressed to the mother of two of his apostles, requesting a favor. As with most of Jesus's casual conversations, it is straightforward language. However, it is the most basic question in life.

 

KJV w/Translation Issues :

What wilt thou?

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.

About this Site

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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Do Your Own Research

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.