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Today's Verse Analysis

Matthew 10:9 Provide neither gold, nor silver,

The sending of the Apostles when topic changes to money

Spoken to
Apostles

Matthew 10:9 Μὴ κτήσησθε χρυσὸν μηδὲ ἄργυρον μηδὲ χαλκὸν εἰς τὰς ζώνας ὑμῶν,

KJV Verse

Matthew 10:9 Provide neither gold, nor silver, nor brass in your purses,

NIV Verse:

Matthew 10:9  Do not get any gold or silver or copper to take with you in your belts—

What His Listeners Heard:

You should not acquire for yourselves gold, nor silver, nor copper into that belt of yours.

Lost In Translation:

Again the verb here is not a command, though it appears that way in all English translations. It is a statement about what "should" or "might" happen. Since the negative is one of opinion, the "should" seems most appropriate. the future. This doesn't mean that they shouldn't bring money, but that they shouldn't make money. It is a followup to the "freely given" line. 

The words for "gold," "silver," and "brass/copper" have double meanings. The first covers everything precious, the second covers all money, and the third also means military arms.  The words for silver, brass, and purse are only used by Jesus here. People in Jesus's time didn't use "purses." They rolled up their money in their belts. -

KJV w/Translation Issues :

(MW) Provide(WW, WF) (WV)  neither gold, nor silver, nor brass in your (MW) purses(WW),

KJV List (See full page for word-by-word analysis):
  • WF - Wrong Form -  The "take" is not a command, but a statement about what "should" happen.
  • WV  - Wrong Voice - The verb is in the middle voice requiring the concept of "yourselves" as its object.
  • IP - Inserted Phrase -- The words "any money" doesn't exist in the source.
  • IW - Inserted Word-- The "money" doesn't exist in the source.
  • MW - Missing Word -- The word "the" is not shown in the English translation.
  • IW - Inserted Word-- The "no" doesn't exist in the source.
  • MW - Missing Word -- The word "nor" is not shown in the English translation.
  • WW - Wrong Word -- The word translated as "or" means "nor."
  • IW - Inserted Word -- The word "even" doesn't exist in the source.
  • IW - Inserted Word -- The word "coins" doesn't exist in the source.
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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