John 8:32 And ye shall know the truth,

Spoken to
audience

In answering his challengers, Jesus gives the credit for his words to his father. He then starts talking to his followers.

KJV

John 8:32 And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.

NIV

John 8:32 Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.

 

LISTENERS HEARD

And you learn to know the true, and the true will free you.

LOST IN TRANSLATION

The Greek word "truth" is broader than the English word.  It means "what is real" or "reality" as well as "truth." It is the opposite of both "lies" and "appearances." It was used to describe "real" events and dreams that are realized, like our talking about "dreams coming true." The word translated as "know" also means "recognize," so the sense is recognizing what is real. The word "truth" means, literally, "not hidden." The adjective form, translated as "true" primarily means "unconcealed. Jesus only uses this word in nineteen verses, all but one verse are in John. Many of them are in this discussion.

Jesus only uses the verb for "make free" or "set free" twice, both times in John. Jesus uses the adjective from in Matthew 17:26  to specifically refer to freedom from taxes. In Jesus's era, being free or a slave was largely a matter of debt. Jesus's reference to debt in the Lord's prayer was the request to have it let go. So the freedom issue was usually monetary. In the other books of the NT, Paul's and the other writers' use of this term is mostly translated as "free from blame." However, that may be are an artifact of translation.

MY TAKE

Knowledge allows us to get out of debt.

GREEK ORDER

καὶ   γνώσεσθε              τὴν ἀλήθειαν, καὶ     ἀλήθεια ἐλευθερώσει ὑμᾶς.
And you learn to know the true,           and the true      will free         you .
 

# KJV TRANSLATION ISSUES
0
# NIV TRANSLATION ISSUES
1

WW - Wrong Word -- The word translated as "then" should be something more like "and."

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 can be translated as "not only...but also."

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

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.

know -- "Know" is a verb that means "to know," "to recognize," "make known," "to know carnally," and "to learn.

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. 

truth,-- The literal meaning of the Greek word for "truth" is "not hidden," and it means what is real as opposed to how things seem. Applied to people, it means "truthfulness" and "sincerity." The opposite of a lie or appearance. 

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 can be translated as "not only...but also."

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. 

truth,-- The literal meaning of the Greek word for "truth" is "not hidden," and it means what is real as opposed to how things seem. Applied to people, it means "truthfulness" and "sincerity." The opposite of a lie or appearance.

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.

make -- The word translated as "make...free" and "set free" means to "free" a slave or "release a debtor."  It also means  "to free from blame" or "to acquit at a trial." On the negative side, it also means to indulge in licentious (lewd) behavior.

you  -- The "you" here is the second-person, plural pronoun in the form of an object of the action.

free. -- This completes the idea of the verb.

EACH WORD of NIV

Then -- (WW)  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 can be translated as "not only...but also."

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.

know -- "Know" is a verb that means "to know," "to recognize," "make known," "to know carnally," and "to learn.

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. 

truth,-- The literal meaning of the Greek word for "truth" is "not hidden," and it means what is real as opposed to how things seem. Applied to people, it means "truthfulness" and "sincerity." The opposite of a lie or appearance. 

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 can be translated as "not only...but also."

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. 

truth,-- The literal meaning of the Greek word for "truth" is "not hidden," and it means what is real as opposed to how things seem. Applied to people, it means "truthfulness" and "sincerity." The opposite of a lie or appearance.

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.

set -- The word translated as "set...free" and "set free" means to "free" a slave or "release a debtor."  It also means  "to free from blame" or "to acquit at a trial." On the negative side, it also means to indulge in licentious (lewd) behavior.

you  -- The "you" here is the second-person, plural pronoun in the form of an object of the action.

free. -- This completes the idea of the verb.

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."

γνώσεσθε [62 verses] (2nd pl fut ind mid) "You shall know," is ginosko which means "to learn to know," "to know by reflection or observation," and "to perceive."

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

ἀλήθειαν, [19 verses] (noun sg fem acc) "Truth" is aletheia, which means literally "the state of not being hidden," "truth," and "reality." It was also applied to "real events" and "the realization of a dream." Applied to people, it means "truthfulness" and "sincerity." The opposite of a lie or appearance. 

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 fem nom)  "The" is the Greek definite article, hos, ("the").

ἀλήθεια [19 verses] (noun sg fem nom) "Truth" is aletheia, which means literally "the state of not being hidden," means "truth" and "reality" as opposed to appearances.

ἐλευθερώσει [2 verses] (3rd sg fut ind act) "Shall make...free" is from eleutheroo, which means "to set free", "to free from blame", "to indulge in license," and "to release from"

ὑμᾶς [210 verses](pron 2nd pl acc) "You" is humas which is the plural objective form of the second-person pronoun, "you."

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