John 14:29 And now I have told you before it comes to pass,

Spoken to: 

Apostles

At the Last Supper, Jesus gives his final message to the apostles. He has just told them that he is going to the Father from them.

KJV: 

John 14:29 And now I have told you before it comes to pass, that, when it is comes to pass, you might believe.

NIV : 

John 14:29 I have told you now before it happens, so that when it does happen you will believe.

LISTENERS HEARD: 

And now, I have told you before happening so that. when it happens, you will trust.

MY TAKE: 

Knowing the truth means predicting the future.

GREEK (Each Word Explained Bottom of Page): 

LOST IN TRANSLATION: 

The verb translated in the KJV as "comes to pass" and "happens" is interesting because it is used initially as an infinitive noun, "happening," which sets the meaning of the adverb as "before." Jesus  uses this verb to refer to the unfolding of time, which is indicated here both by the "now" and the "before." The tense of these verbs here is the Greek tense that means "a specific moment of time" in the past, present, or future. This is interesting because the last verb refers to the future, "will believe." This is not the form of possibility but a certainty.

# KJV TRANSLATION ISSUES: 

2
  • IP - Inserted Phrase-- The phrase "it comes" doesn't exist in the source.
  • WW - Wrong Word -- The word translated as "might" should be something more like "will."

# NIV TRANSLATION ISSUES: 

3
  • MW - Missing Word -- The word "and" is not shown in the English translation.
  • IW - Inserted Word -- The word "it" doesn't exist in the source.
  • WF - Wrong Form -  The "left" is not an active verb but an infiWnitive, "happening."

EACH WORD of KJV : 

And -- The Greek word translated as "and" is used as the conjunction "and," but it also is used to add emphasis ("also"). In a series, it is can be translated as "not only...but also." After words implying sameness "as."

now - The Greek word translated as "now" means "now," "at the present moment,""presently," and "as it is."

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

have -- This helping verb "have" indicates that the verb is the tense indicating an action completed in the past.

told - The word translated as "speak" 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.

you -- The Greek pronoun "you" here is plural and in the form of an indirect object, "to you," "for you," etc. As the object of a preposition, this form implies no movement, but in a fixed position or events occur at a specified time or while the action was being performed.

before  - "Before" is an uncommon Greek adverb that means "before", "sooner", "formerly," and "hitherto." Jesus only used it four times. This verb means "until" with a finite verb and "before" with an infinitive. Here it is used with the infinitive.

it comes  -- (IP) There is nothing that can be translated as "it comes" in the Greek source.

to -- This "to" is added because the infinitive form of the verb requires a "to" in English.

pass, -- The word translated as "to pass" means "to become," that is, to enter into a new state. In Greek, especially as used by Jesus, it is the opposite of "being," which is existence in the current state. When applied to events, this word means "to happen," "to occur," or "take place." The form is an infinitive, but after the "before" it acts more like a gerund, "happening."

that, -- The word translated as "that" is a conjunction that starts a subordinate clause  "that," "when," "in order that" or "because." -- The word translated as "there" is an adverb "in that place," "there," "where," or "when."

when -- The Greek word translated as "when" introduces a phrase that explains a certain condition so "whenever" or "since."

it -- This is from the third-person, singular form of the verb.

is -- This helping verb indicates the present tense of the verb.

comes to pass, -- The word translated as "comes to pass" means "to become," that is, to enter into a new state. In Greek, especially as used by Jesus, it is the opposite of "being," which is existence in the current state. When applied to events, this word means "to happen," "to occur," or "take place." The form is something that "might" happen, which is assumed in a "when" clause.

you -- This is from the second-person, plural form of the verb.

might -- (WW) The helping verb here should be either "will" or "shall" because it comes from the future tensee form of the verb.

believe. -- The Greek word translated as "believe" does not apply to religious belief as much but trusting or relying upon other people, especially their words. Jesus usually uses it in contexts, such as the one here, that apply to trusting words.

EACH WORD of NIV : 

missing "and"  -- (MW) The untranslated word "and" is used as the conjunction "and," but it also is used to add emphasis ("also"). In a series, it is can be translated as "not only...but also." After words implying sameness "as."

now - The Greek word translated as "now" means "now," "at the present moment,""presently," and "as it is."

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

have -- This helping verb "have" indicates that the verb is the tense indicating an action completed in the past.

told - The word translated as "speak" 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.

you -- The Greek pronoun "you" here is plural and in the form of an indirect object, "to you," "for you," etc. As the object of a preposition, this form implies no movement, but in a fixed position or events occur at a specified time or while the action was being performed.

before  - "Before" is an uncommon Greek adverb that means "before", "sooner", "formerly," and "hitherto." Jesus only used it four times. This verb means "until" with a finite verb and "before" with an infinitive. Here it is used with the infinitive.

it -- (IW) There is nothing that can be translated as "it comes" in the Greek source.

happens, --  (WF) The word translated as "happens" means "to become," that is, to enter into a new state. In Greek, especially as used by Jesus, it is the opposite of "being," which is existence in the current state. When applied to events, this word means "to happen," "to occur," or "take place." The form is an infinitive, not an active verb, but after the "before" it acts more like a gerund, "happening."

so that -- The word translated as "so that" is a conjunction that starts a subordinate clause  "that," "when," "in order that" or "because." -- The word translated as "there" is an adverb "in that place," "there," "where," or "when."

when -- The Greek word translated as "when" introduces a phrase that explains a certain condition so "whenever" or "since."

it -- This is from the third-person, singular form of the verb.

does -- This English helping verb is used to create questions, commands, negative statements, and smooth word flow in translation from Greek

happen , -- The word translated as "comes to pass" means "to become," that is, to enter into a new state. In Greek, especially as used by Jesus, it is the opposite of "being," which is existence in the current state. When applied to events, this word means "to happen," "to occur," or "take place." The form is something that "might" happen, which is assumed in a "when" clause.

you -- This is from the second-person, plural form of the verb.

will -- This helping verb "will" indicates that the verb is the future tense. Helping or auxiliary verbs are needed to translate the Greek verb forms into English.

believe. -- The Greek word translated as "believe" does not apply to religious belief as much but trusting or relying upon other people, especially their words. Jesus usually uses it in contexts, such as the one here, that apply to trusting words.

COMPARISON: GREEK to KJV : 

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."

νῦν [31 verses](adv) "Now" is nyn (nun), which means "now," "at the present moment," "at the present time," "just now," "presently," and "as it is." -

εἴρηκα [162 verses](1st sg perf ind act) "I have told" 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. Perhaps translating it consistently as "tell" would work.

ὑμῖν [289 verses](pron 2nd pl dat) "To you" is humin the plural form of su the pronoun of the second person, "you." 

πρὶν [4 verses](adv/conj)"Before" is from prin, which means "before", "sooner", "formerly," and "hitherto." This verb means "until" with a finite verb and "before" with an infinitive.

γενέσθαι,[117 verses] (verb aor inf mid) "Comes to pass" is ginomai, which means "to become," "to come into being," "to happen," of things "to be produced," of events "happen," "take place," "come to pass," "to be engaged in," math "to be multiplied into," "become one of," "turn into."and "to be." It means changing into a new state of being. When the participle takes a predicate, the sense is "coming into" something. It is the complementary opposite of the verb "to be" (eimi) which indicates existence in the same state.

ἵνα [134 verses](adv/conj) "That" is hina, which means "in that place," "there," "where," "when,"  but when beginning a phrase "that," "in order that," "when," and "because."

ὅταν [70 verses](adv/conj) "When" is from hotan, which means "whenever (as a condition)," and "since (as a cause)."

γένηται ,[117 verses] (verb 3rd sg aor subj mid) "Comes to pass" is ginomai, which means "to become," "to come into being," "to happen," of things "to be produced," of events "happen," "take place," "come to pass," "to be engaged in," math "to be multiplied into," "become one of," "turn into."and "to be." It means changing into a new state of being. When the participle takes a predicate, the sense is "coming into" something. It is the complementary opposite of the verb "to be" (eimi) which indicates existence in the same state.

πιστεύσητε. [69 verses](verb 2nd pl fut ind act) "You might believe" is pisteuo, which means "to trust, put faith in, or rely on a person," "to believe in someone's words," "to comply," "to feel confident in a thing," and "to entrust in a thing."

Related Verses: 

Front Page Date: 

Oct 16 2022