John 15:1 I am the true vine,

Spoken to
Apostles

At the Last Supper, Jesus gives his final message to the apostles. He has just  warned the powerful are coming for him.

KJV

John 15:1 I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman.

NIV

John 15:1 I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener.

LISTENERS HEARD

I myself am the vine, the true one, and that Father of mine is the vine-dresser.

LOST IN TRANSLATION

The word translated as "true" is the adjective that means "true", "real," or "genuine," when applied to things. However, it appears after "vine" with an article in front of it, so the sense is "the true one." The literal meaning of the word it is taken from "truth" is "not secret." See John 14:17 [Even] the Spirit of truth.

The word used for husbandman is an adjective as well. In ancient Greek, adjectives are commonly substituted for nouns in Greek. The literal meaning of the word is "ground working", indicating a farmer or a peasant. However, one of its meanings is "vine-dresser," which is the specific meaning here. The idea of a vine trimmer is essential.

MY TAKE

A vine only grows as well as it is pruned.

# KJV TRANSLATION ISSUES
4
  • MW -- Missing Word  -- The pronoun repeats the information in the verb so it should be repeated in English like "I myself."
  • MW - Missing Word -- The word "the/the one" before "true" is not shown in the English translation.
  • MW - Missing Word -- The word "the/this" before "true" is not shown in the English translation.
  • CW - Confusing Word -- The "husbandman" does not capture the word's specific meaning.
# NIV TRANSLATION ISSUES
3
  • MW -- Missing Word  -- The pronoun repeats the information in the verb so it should be repeated in English like "I myself."
  • MW - Missing Word -- The word "the/the one" before "true" is not shown in the English translation.
  • MW - Missing Word -- The word "the/this" before "true" is not shown in the English translation.
  • CW - Confusing Word -- The "gardener" does not capture the word's specific meaning.
EACH WORD of KJV

I -- The pronoun "I" is used here. Since the subject of the sentence is part of the verb, its explicit use accentuates who is speaking "I." Saying "I myself" captures this feeling in English.

missing "myself" -- (MW)  The subjective pronoun repeats the information in the verb so it should be repeated in English like "I myself."

am -- The verb "am" here is the common form of "to be" in Greek. It means to have a certain characteristic or remain in a certain condition. It also equates terms or assigns characteristics.

the  -- The word translated as "the" before "vine" is the Greek definite article; without a noun, it has the sense of "the one." The Greek article is much closer to our demonstrative pronouns ("this," "that," "these," "those") than the English "the." See this article for more. 

missing "the/the one" before "true"  -- (MW) The untranslated word is the Greek definite article," the," which usually precedes a noun and, without a noun, takes the meaning of "the one." The Greek article is much closer to our demonstrative pronouns ("this," "that," "these," and "those"). See this article for more. 

true - - "True" is an adjective that means "truthful" and "trustworthy" when applied to a person, "true" and "genuine" when applied to objects. It has an article before it, so "the trustworthy one."

vine, - - The term translated as "vine" is means "vine" and specifically "grape vine." This word only appears in the Last Supper when  Jesus says he might never drink the fruit of the "vine" again and in John where he describes himself as the vine.

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."

my .-- "My" is the first-person possessive singular pronoun. This pronoun follows the noun so "of mine."

missing "the/this before true"  -- (MW) The untranslated word is the Greek definite article," the," which usually precedes a noun and, without a noun, takes the meaning of "the one." The Greek article is much closer to our demonstrative pronouns ("this," "that," "these," and "those"). See this article for more. 

Father -- "Father" is the Greek noun that means "father" or any male ancestor so "forefathers." It is the word that Christ uses to address his own Father.

is -- The verb "is" here is the common form of "to be" in Greek. It means to have a certain characteristic or remain in a certain condition. It also equates terms or assigns characteristics.

the  -- The word translated as "the" is the Greek definite article; without a noun, it has the sense of "the one." The Greek article is much closer to our demonstrative pronouns ("this," "that," "these," "those") than the English "the." See this article for more. 

husbandman.   - (CW) The word translated as "husbandmen" means to those "tilling the ground," and from that, "vine dresser," "gardener," and "peasant." In this context, the specific meaning is "vine dresser," which it the topic of the next verse.

EACH WORD of NIV

I -- The pronoun "I" is used here. Since the subject of the sentence is part of the verb, its explicit use accentuates who is speaking "I." Saying "I myself" captures this feeling in English.

missing "myself" -- (MW)  The subjective pronoun repeats the information in the verb so it should be repeated in English like "I myself."

am -- The verb "am" here is the common form of "to be" in Greek. It means to have a certain characteristic or remain in a certain condition. It also equates terms or assigns characteristics.

the  -- The word translated as "the" before "vine" is the Greek definite article; without a noun, it has the sense of "the one." The Greek article is much closer to our demonstrative pronouns ("this," "that," "these," "those") than the English "the." See this article for more. 

missing "the/the one" before "true"  -- (MW) The untranslated word is the Greek definite article," the," which usually precedes a noun and, without a noun, takes the meaning of "the one." The Greek article is much closer to our demonstrative pronouns ("this," "that," "these," and "those"). See this article for more. 

true - - "True" is an adjective that means "truthful" and "trustworthy" when applied to a person, "true" and "genuine" when applied to objects. It has an article before it, so "the trustworthy one."

vine, - - The term translated as "vine" is means "vine" and specifically "grape vine." This word only appears in the Last Supper when  Jesus says he might never drink the fruit of the "vine" again and in John where he describes himself as the vine.

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."

my .-- "My" is the first-person possessive singular pronoun. This pronoun follows the noun so "of mine."

missing "the/this before true"  -- (MW) The untranslated word is the Greek definite article," the," which usually precedes a noun and, without a noun, takes the meaning of "the one." The Greek article is much closer to our demonstrative pronouns ("this," "that," "these," and "those"). See this article for more. 

Father -- "Father" is the Greek noun that means "father" or any male ancestor so "forefathers." It is the word that Christ uses to address his own Father.

is -- The verb "is" here is the common form of "to be" in Greek. It means to have a certain characteristic or remain in a certain condition. It also equates terms or assigns characteristics.

the  -- The word translated as "the" is the Greek definite article; without a noun, it has the sense of "the one." The Greek article is much closer to our demonstrative pronouns ("this," "that," "these," "those") than the English "the." See this article for more. 

gardener.   -(CW) The word translated as "gardener" means to those "tilling the ground," and from that, "vine dresser," "gardener," and "peasant." In this context, the specific meaning is "vine dresser," which it the topic of the next verse.

COMPARISON: GREEK to KJV

Ἐγώ [162 verses](pron 1st sg masc nom) "I" is ego, which is the first-person singular pronoun meaning "I." It also means "I at least," "for my part," "indeed," and for myself.

εἰμι [614 verses](verb 1st sg pres ind act) "Am" is eimi, which means "to be," "to exist," "to be the case," of circumstance and events "to happen,"  and "is possible." With the genitive object, the sense is "belongs to." It can also mean "must" with a dative.

['821 verses](article sg fem nom)  "The" is the Greek definite article, hos, ("the"). 

ἄμπελος [6 verses](noun sg fem nom) "Vine" is from ampelos, which means "any climbing plant with tendrils", "grape vine", "wild vine," and "vineyard." 

['821 verses](article sg fem nom)  Untranslated is the Greek definite article, hos, ("the").  -

ἀληθινή, [8 verses](adj sg fem nom) "True" is from alethinos, which is an adjective that means "truthful" and "trustworthy" when applied to a person, "true" and "genuine" when applied to objects and as an adverb "really" and "honestly." 

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."

[821 verses](article sg masc nom)  ['821 verses](article sg fem nom)  Untranslated is the Greek definite article, hos, ("the"). 

πατὴρ [191 verses](noun sg masc nom) "The Father" is pater, which means "father," "grandfather," "author," "parent," and "forefathers."

μου [239 verses](adj sg masc gen) "Me" is from mou (emou), which means "me," and "mine." As a genitive object means movement away from something or a position away from something else

[821 verses](article sg masc nom)  "The" is the Greek definite article, hos, ("the"). 

γεωργός [13 verses](adj pl masc acc) "The husbandmen" is georgos, which means "tilling the ground," and from that, "husbandman," "vine dresser," "gardener," and "peasant."

ἐστίν.[614 verses](3rd sg pres ind act) "Is" is eimi, which means "to be," "to exist," "to be the case," of circumstance and events "to happen,"  and "is possible." With the genitive object, the sense is "belongs to." It can also mean "must" with a dative.

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