John 4:13 Whosoever drinketh of this water

Spoken to
an individual

To the Samaritan woman after she asks him why he, a Judean, asked her for a drink of water. She then asks if he is greater than Jacob who dug her well.

KJV

John 4:13 Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again:

NIV

John 4:13 Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again

LISTENERS HEARD

Anyone, the one drinking from this water here, will thirst once more.

LOST IN TRANSLATION

Notice that Christ refers to the well of Jacob as "the water here," which indicates that the water that he is offering comes from elsewhere.

"Thirst" is in the future tense, which Christ rarely uses. What usually looks like the future tense in English translation is usually the subjunctive voice, indicate that something "might" happen in the future. The use of the future gives this statement a sense of certainly.

The word translated as "again" is the Greek word that is palin. This word is always translated as "again" in the NT, but it is worth noting here because palin is not the word translated as "again" in the recent verse, John 3:3, about being "born again." The word's use here indicates that it is the word that John would have used if "again" was what Christ said about being born. In Greek, the primary meaning of palin is "back" and there is a sense that to repeat something was backward. The fact that we have to drink again is a "backward" aspect of being human.

MY TAKE

The temporary nature of something defines it as part of the physical world.

# KJV TRANSLATION ISSUES
4
  • MW - Missing Word -- The word "everyone" is not shown in the English translation.
  • WF - Wrong Form -  The "drinketh" is not an active verb but a participle, "drinking."
  • CW - Confusing Word -- The "of" is not the common word usually translated as "of."
  • MW - Missing Word -- The word "the" before "water" is not shown in the English translation.
# NIV TRANSLATION ISSUES
4
  • WF - Wrong Form -  The "drinks" is not an active verb but a participle, "drinking."
  • MW - Missing Word -- The word "out of" is not shown in the English translation.
  • CW - Confusing Word -- The "of" is not the common word usually translated as "of."
  • MW - Missing Word -- The word "the" before "water" is not shown in the English translation.
EACH WORD of KJV

missing "everyone"  -- (MW) The untranslated word "everyone" is the Greek adjective meaning "all," "the whole," "every," and similar ideas. When it is used as a noun, we would say "everything." As an adverb, it means "in every way," "on every side," and "altogether."

Whosoever -- The word translated as "whosoever" is a demonstrative pronoun ("this" "that"), but it often acts as a pronoun ("the one that), especially a connective pronoun ("the one that") introducing a dependent clause. However, this pronoun does work with the following participle. More likely, this is the Greek definite article. When not preceding a noun, takes the meaning of "the one" or, in the plural, "the ones." The Greek article is much closer to our demonstrative pronouns ("this," "that," "these," "those") than the English "the." See this article for more.

drinketh -- (WF) The word "drinketh" is the Greek for meaning to "drink." It also has a double meaning. "To drink" also means "to celebrate." However, it is not an active verb, but a participle, "drinking." With the article, it means "the one drinking."

of -- (CW) The Greek preposition translated as "of" means "out of" or "from." In Greek, they use the genitive case instead of a preposition for the types of phrases the "of" phrases.

this -- "This" is a demonstrative pronoun that means "this," "here," "the nearer," and "the familiar." This word follows water.

missing "the"  -- (MW) The untranslated word is the Greek definite article, 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," "those"). See this article for more. 

water -- "Water" is the noun that means "water," "spring water," "drinking water," "rain water," "rain," "time running out" (from the water clocks used in courts),  "liquid," the constellation Aquarius, the winter solstice, and a place with mineral waters..

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

thirst - "Thirst" is another common verb that means "to thirst," "to be thirsty," and "to thirst after" a thing. Again, it is the same verb used in the fourth beatitude.

again: -- The Greek word translated as "again" means "back," "again," and "contradiction."

EACH WORD of NIV

Everyone - The word "everyone" is the Greek adjective meaning "all," "the whole," "every," and similar ideas. When it is used as a noun, we would say "everything." As an adverb, it means "in every way," "on every side," and "altogether."

who - The word translated as "whosoever" is a demonstrative pronoun ("this" "that"), but it often acts as a pronoun ("the one that), especially a connective pronoun ("the one that") introducing a dependent clause. However, this pronoun does work with the following participle. More likely, this is the Greek definite article. When not preceding a noun, takes the meaning of "the one" or, in the plural, "the ones." The Greek article is much closer to our demonstrative pronouns ("this," "that," "these," "those") than the English "the." See this article for more.

drinks -- (WF) The word "drinks" is the Greek for meaning to "drink." It also has a double meaning. "To drink" also means "to celebrate." However, it is not an active verb, but a participle, "drinking." With the article, it means "the one drinking."

missing "out of"  -- (MW) The untranslated word means "out of" or "from." In Greek, they use the genitive case instead of a preposition for the types of phrases the "of" phrases.

this -- "This" is a demonstrative pronoun that means "this," "here," "the nearer," and "the familiar." This word follows water.

missing "the"  -- (MW) The untranslated word is the Greek definite article, 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," "those"). See this article for more. 

water -- "Water" is the noun that means "water," "spring water," "drinking water," "rain water," "rain," "time running out" (from the water clocks used in courts),  "liquid," the constellation Aquarius, the winter solstice, and a place with mineral waters..

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

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

thirsty - "Thirsty" is another common verb that means "to thirst," "to be thirsty," and "to thirst after" a thing. Again, it is the same verb used in the fourth beatitude.

again: -- The Greek word translated as "again" means "back," "again," and "contradiction."

COMPARISON: GREEK to KJV

Πᾶς [212 verses](adj sg masc nom) Untranslated  is pas, which means "all," "the whole," "every," "anyone," "all kinds," and "anything." In the adverbial form, it means "every way," "on every side," "in every way," and "altogether."

[821 verses](article sg masc nom) "Whosoever" is the Greek definite article, hos, ("the"). When not preceding a noun, takes the meaning of "the one" or, in the plural, "the ones."

OR [294 verses](pron sg neut gen )  "Whosoever" is hos, which means "this," "that," "he," "she," "which," "what," "who," "whosoever," "where," "for which reason," and many similar meanings.

πίνων [36 verses](part sg pres act masc nom) "Drinketh" is  pino, which means "to drink," "to celebrate," and "soak up."

ἐκ [121 verses] (prep) "From" is ek, which means 1) [of motion] "out of," "from," "by," "away from;" 2) [of place] "beyond," "outside of," "beyond;" 3) [of succession] "after," "from;" 4) [of rest] "on," "in," 5) [of time] "since," "from," "at," "in;" 5) [of materials] "out of," "made from;" 6) cause, instrument, or means "by."

τοῦ  [821 verses](article sg neut gen)  "The" is the Greek definite article, hos, ("the"). 

ὕδατος [12 verses](noun sg neut gen)  "The water" is hydor, which means "water," "spring water," "drinking water," "rain water," "rain," "time running out" (from the water clocks used in courts), "liquid," the constellation Aquarius, the winter solstice, and a place with mineral waters.

τούτου, [51 verses](adj sg masc gen) "This" is toutos, which is a demonstrative pronoun that means "this," "here," "the nearer," and "the familiar."

διψήσει[10 verses] (3rd sg fut ind act) "Thirst" is dipsao, which means "to thirst," "to be thirsty," "to be parched," "to be in want of," "to lack," and "to thirst after" a thing. 

πάλιν: [23 verses](adv) "Again" is palin, which means "back," "backward," "contradiction," "again," "once more," and "in turn."

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