John 5:38 And ye have not his word abiding in you

Spoken to
audience

Jesus is accused of breaking the Sabbath and making himself a god by calling God his Father. The current topic is who or what testifies for him.

KJV

John 5:38 And ye have not his word abiding in you: for whom he hath sent, him ye believe not.

NIV

John 5:38 nor does his word dwell in you, for you do not believe the one he sent.

 

LISTENERS HEARD

And this word of his? You do not have [it] staying within you. Because whom that one there sent, you yourselves do trust.

LOST IN TRANSLATION

This verse must be read in the context of the previous verse, where Jesus refers to "a father, that one there" who sent him. Jesus doesn't mention "father" here, but the adjective meaning  "that one there" is used in both verses to identify him. However, he "that one there" is translated simply as "he" or "the one" and in the previous verse as "which" and "who." This inconsistency makes it impossible to connect what Jesus is saying.

The word translated as "abide" and "dwell" has more the sense of "staying," at least in the way that Jesus uses it. However, I like the image of the idea of Jesus finding a home within us or failing to do so.

MY TAKE

The ideas of Jesus must find a home within us.

# KJV TRANSLATION ISSUES
5
  • MW - Missing Word -- The word "the" before "word" is not shown in the English translation.
  • CW - Confusing Word -- The "word" does not capture the specific meaning of the word.
  • CW - Confusing Word -- The "he" does not capture the specific meaning of the word.
  • WT - Wrong Tense - The verb "hath" indicates the past perfect tense, but the tense is something that happens at a specific point in time (past, present, or future).
  • CW - Confusing Word -- The "him" does not capture the specific meaning of the word.
  • MW - Missing Word -- The word "yourselves" is not shown in the English translation, but it is needed to capture the pronoun as well as the form of the verb.
# NIV TRANSLATION ISSUES
9
  • MW - Missing Word -- The word "and" is not shown in the English translation.
  • MW - Missing Word -- The word "you have" is not shown in the English translation.
  • WW - Wrong Word -- The word translated as "nor" should be something more like "not."
  • MW - Missing Word -- The word "the" before "word" is not shown in the English translation.
  • CW - Confusing Word -- The "word" does not capture the specific meaning of the word.
  • WF - Wrong Form -  The "dwell" is not an active verb but a participle, "dwelling."
  • MW - Missing Word -- The word "yourselves" is not shown in the English translation, but it is needed to capture the pronoun as well as the form of the verb.
  • CW - Confusing Word -- The "he" does not capture the specific meaning of the word.
  • CW - Confusing Word -- The "this one" does not capture the specific meaning of the word.
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."

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

have -- The word translated as "have" means to "have," "possess," "bear," "keep close," "have means to do,"  "to have due to one," or "keep" and many specific uses. This verb isn't used to form past tenses as it is in English. 

not -- The Greek word translated as "not" is the Greek negative used to deny objective facts, not opinions. It means "no," "not," or"no truly." It makes a negative statement of fact. Adding "really" to the sentence captures the same idea. When a negative precedes the verb, it affects the whole clause. When it precedes other words, its force is limited to those words.

his -- The word translated as "his" is the Greek word commonly translated as third-person pronouns in English. This pronoun follows the noun so "of his."

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.

word --  (CW) "Word" is translated from a Greek word that means "calculation," or "reasoning," but it has many, many specific meanings from "deliberation" to "narrative."  It is the source of our word "logic" and is the root word for all the English words that end in "-ology." Most biblical translations translated it as "word" for somewhat poetic reasons. However, when applied to people, it means "repute" or "reputation." More about this word in this article. In English, we would say "idea" to describe it but it also means the communication of various types, so "message" often works better.

abiding -- -- The word translated as "abiding" has more of a sense of to "stay" or "remain," not necessarily dwelling in a place, though the KJV often treats it that way.

in   -- The word translated as "in" means "in," "within," "with" (an instrument), "during" (time),  or "among"  with a dative object as the one here. 

you: -- The Greek pronoun "you" here is plural and in the form of an indirect object, "to you," "for you," etc.

for -- The word translated as "for" introduces a statement of fact or cause, "for what," "because," "since," and "wherefore."

whom -- The word translated as "whom" is a demonstrative pronoun ("this" "that"), but it often acts as a pronoun "who," "which" and so on.

he -- (CW) The word translated as "he" is an adjective that highlights its noun as being in a specific place or time from a word that means "there." Used a pronoun, the sense is "that one there." Used in the form of an adverb,  it means "in that case," "in that way," "at that place," and "in that manner."

hath -- (WT) This helping verb "hath" indicates that the verb is the tense indicating an action completed in the past. This is not the tense of the verb here.

sent, -- The "sent" here is a word that means "to send off" and "dispatch." It is the source of our word "apostle."

him -- (CW) The word translated as "him" means  "this/that thing" or "this/that person." It is in the form of an indirect object, which often requires a preposition in English.

ye -- The pronoun "you" is used explicitly as the subject of the sentence. Since it is already part of the verb, its use here creates emphasis on the "you" as we might say "you yourselves." It is plural.

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

believe -- The Greek word translated as "believe" does not apply to religious belief as much as it does trusting in other people, especially their word. Christ usually uses it in contexts, as the one here, that apply to trusting words. The negation of "belief" with the objective, instead of subjective, negative, equates trust with a fact.

not. -- The Greek word translated as "not" is the Greek negative used to deny objective facts, not opinions. It means "no," "not," or"no truly." It makes a negative statement of fact. Adding "really" to the sentence captures the same idea. When a negative precedes the verb, it affects the whole clause. When it precedes other words, its force is limited to those words.

EACH WORD of NIV

missing "and"  -- (MW) The untranslated word i"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."

missing "ye have"  -- (MW) The untranslated word i"have" means to "have," "possess," "bear," "keep close," "have means to do,"  "to have due to one," or "keep" and many specific uses. This verb isn't used to form past tenses as it is in English. 

nor -- (WW) The Greek word translated as "nor" is the Greek negative used to deny objective facts, not opinions. It means "no," "not," or"no truly." It makes a negative statement of fact. Adding "really" to the sentence captures the same idea. When a negative precedes the verb, it affects the whole clause. When it precedes other words, its force is limited to those words. This is not the conjunction "nor."

his -- The word translated as "his" is the Greek word commonly translated as third-person pronouns in English. This pronoun follows the noun so "of his."

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.

word -- (CW) "Word" is translated from a Greek word that means "calculation," or "reasoning," but it has many, many specific meanings from "deliberation" to "narrative."  It is the source of our word "logic" and is the root word for all the English words that end in "-ology." Most biblical translations translated it as "word" for somewhat poetic reasons. However, when applied to people, it means "repute" or "reputation." More about this word in this article. In English, we would say "idea" to describe it but it also means the communication of various types, so "message" often works better.

dwell -- -- (WF) The word translated as "abiding" has more of a sense of to "stay" or "remain," not necessarily dwelling in a place, though the KJV often treats it that way. This is an adjective participle, "dwelling," that modifies the word translated as "words."

in   -- The word translated as "in" means "in," "within," "with" (an instrument), "during" (time),  or "among"  with a dative object as the one here. 

you: -- The Greek pronoun "you" here is plural and in the form of an indirect object, "to you," "for you," etc.

for -- The word translated as "for" introduces a statement of fact or cause, "for what," "because," "since," and "wherefore."

you -- The pronoun "you" is used explicitly as the subject of the sentence. Since it is already part of the verb, its use here creates emphasis on the "you" as we might say "you yourselves." It is plural.

do -- This helping verb is used to create questions, commands, negative statements, and smooth word flow in English, but the Greek could be either a question or a statement.

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

not. -- The Greek word translated as "not" is the Greek negative used to deny objective facts, not opinions. It means "no," "not," or"no truly." It makes a negative statement of fact. Adding "really" to the sentence captures the same idea. When a negative precedes the verb, it affects the whole clause. When it precedes other words, its force is limited to those words.

believe -- The Greek word translated as "believe" does not apply to religious belief as much as it does trusting in other people, especially their word. Christ usually uses it in contexts, as the one here, that apply to trusting words. The negation of "belief" with the objective, instead of subjective, negative, equates trust with a fact.

the one -- The word translated as "whom" is a demonstrative pronoun ("this" "that"), but it often acts as a pronoun "who," "which" and so on.

he -- (CW) The word translated as "he" is an adjective that highlights its noun as being in a specific place or time from a word that means "there." Used a pronoun, the sense is "that one there." Used in the form of an adverb,  it means "in that case," "in that way," "at that place," and "in that manner."

sent, -- The "sent" here is a word that means "to send off" and "dispatch." It is the source of our word "apostle."

missing "this one"  -- (MW) The untranslated word "this one" means  "this/that thing" or "this/that person." It is in the form of an indirect object, which often requires a preposition in English.

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."

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

λόγον [80 verses](noun sg masc acc) "Word" is logos, which means "word," "computation," "relation," "explanation," "law," "rule of conduct," "continuous statement," "tradition," "discussion," "reckoning," "reputation" (when applied to people), and "value."

αὐτοῦ [720 verses](adj sg masc gen) "His" (adj sg masc acc) "Him" is autos, which means "the same," and the reflexive pronouns, "myself," "yourself," "himself," "herself," "itself," or the oblique case of the pronouns, "him," "her," and "it." It also means "one's true self," that is, "the soul" as opposed to the body and "of one's own accord." In the adverbial form, it  means "just here" or "exactly there."

οὐκ [269 verses](partic) "Not" is ou , the negative adverb for facts and statements, negating both single words and sentences.  The other negative adverb, μή applies to will and thought; οὐ denies, μή rejects; οὐ is absolute, μή relative; οὐ objective, μή subjective.

ἔχετε [181 verses](2nd pl pres ind act) "Have" is echo, which means "to have," "to hold," "to possess," "to keep," "to have charge of," "to have due to one," "to maintain," "to hold fast," "to bear," "to carry," "to keep close," "to keep safe," and "to have means to do." In aorist, "acquire," "get,"

ἐν [413 verses](prep) "In" is en, which means, with a dative object, "in," "on," "at," "by," "among," "within," "surrounded by," "in one's hands," "in one's power," "during,"  and "with." With the accusative, it means "into," "on," and "for." Referring to time, it means. "in the course of" or "during."

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

μένοντα [27 verses](part sg pres act masc acc) "Abiding" is meno, which, as a verb, it means "stand fast" (in battle), "stay at home," "stay," "tarry," "remain as one was," "abide," and (transitive) "await."

ὅτι [332 verses](adv/conj) "For" is hoti, which introduces a statement of fact "with regard to the fact that," "seeing that," and acts as a causal adverb meaning "for what," "because," "since," and "wherefore."

ὃν [294 verses](pron sg masc acc) "Whom" is hos, which means "this," "that," "he," "she," "which," "what," "who," "whosoever," "where," "for which reason," and many similar meanings.

ἀπέστειλεν[60 verses] (3rd sg aor ind act) "Hath sent" is apostello, which means "to send off," "to send away," or "to dispatch."

ἐκεῖνος [107 verses](adj sg masc nom) "He" is ekeinos, which means "the person there," "that person," "that thing," and, in the form of an adverb, "in that case," "in that way," "at that place," and "in that manner."

τούτῳ [93 verses](adj sg neut dat) "Him" is touto, which means "from here," "from there," "this [thing/person]," or "that [thing/person]."

ὑμεῖς [92 verses](pron 2nd pl nom) "You" is hymeis (humeis), which is the plural nominative form of the second person, "you."

οὐ 269 verses](partic) "Not" is ou , the negative adverb for facts and statements, negating both single words and sentences.  The other negative adverb, μή applies to will and thought; οὐ denies, μή rejects; οὐ is absolute, μή relative; οὐ objective, μή subjective.

πιστεύετε (2nd pl pres ind act) "Believe"[69 verses](verb 2nd pl pres ind act) "Do you...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."

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