For those who want to know what Jesus really said, how he said it, why crowds came to hear him, and shades of meaning lost or hidden in translation.

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Today's Verse Analysis

In Jerusalem before the Passover, spoken to Peter and John about setting up the meal. 

Spoken to
Apostles
KJV Verse

Luke 22:12 And he shall shew you a large upper room furnished: there make ready.

NIV Verse:

Luke 22:12 He will show you a large room upstairs, all furnished. Make preparations there.”

What His Listeners Heard:

That one there will you show a big, spread-out higher floor. There make ready. 

Lost In Translation:

The word translated as "upper room" means "higher floor" literally, "high ground". 

The word translated as "furnished" means "spread-out". The word, however, doesn't appear in the Perseus Greek in this form but in a version with a prefix. However, all other Biblical uses of this word, both Old and New Testament translate it as some form of "spread." It may have been used like we use a big "spread" to describe a dinner table with lots of food, but this seems unlikely. It probably just described a room taking up the entire floor. 

KJV w/Translation Issues :

And(IW) he(WW) shall shew you a large upper room furnished(CW): there make ready.

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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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.