John 9:37 Thou hast both seen him,

Spoken to: 

an individual

The man cured of blindness goes to Jesus who says or asks him about relying on "the son of the man." The man asks, "And who is he that I might rely on him?"

KJV: 

John 9:37 Thou hast both seen him, and it is he that talketh with thee.

NIV : 

John 9:37  You have now seen him; in fact, he is the one speaking with you.”

LISTENERS HEARD: 

Not only have you watched him, but also the one chatting with you is that person.

MY TAKE: 

We never really know the people we watch and talk to unless they reveal themselves.

GREEK (Each Word Explained Bottom of Page): 

LOST IN TRANSLATION: 

The tone here is very casual and light-hearted. The words used for both "seeing" and "talking" are very common, casual words with more the sense of "watched" and "chatting."  The idea that the man has "watched" him is funny because the man was blind. He hasn't watched many people yet.

English translations ignore the initial "and" that begins what Jesus says, but he is echoing the question asked of him that also begins with an "and" that is lost in translation. However, Jesus changes this words meaning, using it in a series with another "and" (also missing in translations such as NIV) making the phrase have the sense of the English "not only...but also."

Translations also ignore the special pronoun used with the "is" translating it as "it" or "he." But it has the sense of "this/that person here/there." So, literally, "the one chatting with you that person here he is." Jesus has been using this pronoun to refer to his father and the slanderer in the conversation with his challengers.

# KJV TRANSLATION ISSUES: 

6
  • WW - Wrong Word -- The word translated as "both" should be something more like "and."
  • CW - Confusing Word -- The "seen" is not the common word usually translated as "seen."
  • WW - Wrong Word -- The word translated as "it" should be something more like "this one here."
  • IW - Inserted Word -- The word "that" doesn't exist in the source.
  • CW - Confusing Word -- The "talks" is not the common word usually translated as "talks."
  • WF - Wrong Form -  The "talks" is not an active verb but a participle, "chatting."

# NIV TRANSLATION ISSUES: 

6
  • MW - Missing Word -- The word "and" is not shown in the English translation.
  • IW - Inserted Word -- The word "now" doesn't exist in the source.
  • CW - Confusing Word -- The "seen" is not the common word usually translated as "seen."
  • WW - Wrong Word -- The word translated as "in fact" should be something more like "but also."
  • WW - Wrong Word -- The word translated as "he" should be something more like "this one here."
  • CW - Confusing Word -- The "speaking" is not the common word usually translated as "speak."

EACH WORD of KJV : 

Thou -- This is from the second-person, singular form of the verb.

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

both --  (WW) The Greek word translated as "both" 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."

seen -- (CW) "See" is from a Greek verb, which means "to see with the eyes," "to look," and "to observe." It has the sense sighting something. Jesus uses this word often to mean "watch out" or "look out" as a warning so "watch" works more consistently.

him, -- The word translated as "him" is the Greek word commonly translated as third-person pronouns in English.

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."

it ---- (WW) The word translated as "it" 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 "this/that one here/there."  

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.

he -- The word translated as "he" 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.

that -- (IW) There is nothing that can be translated as "that" in the Greek source. It was added because the next verb was translated as active rather than as a participle.

talketh -- (CW,WF) The Greek word translated as "talk" is not the ordinary "to talk" or "to speak" in Greek. This word means "idle chatter," "gossip," and "the proclamations of an oracle." Jesus uses it to capture the idea of "passing on." "conveying,"  or "relaying" information because that captures both what someone gossiping and an oracle does. The word is somewhat self-effacing. In this context, "chats" probably works better, but it is not an active verb but a participle, "chatting."

with -- "With" is the Greek word that usually means "with" or a related concept such as "among" or "by the means of."

thee. -- The word translated as "thee" is the genitive form of the singular, second-person pronoun, which is most commonly the possessive form. This pronoun follows the noun so "of yours."

EACH WORD of NIV : 

missing "not only"  -- (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." Here, the "not only...but also" works extremely well.

You -- This is from the second-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.

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

seen -- (CW) "See" is from a Greek verb, which means "to see with the eyes," "to look," and "to observe." It has the sense sighting something. Jesus uses this word often to mean "watch out" or "look out" as a warning so "watch" works more consistently.

him, -- The word translated as "him" is the Greek word commonly translated as third-person pronouns in English.

in fact, --  (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 is can be translated as "not only...but also." This works best as "but also."

he ---- (WW) 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 "this/that one here/there." 

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 one-- The word translated as "the one" 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.

speaking-- (CW) The Greek word translated as "speaking" is not the ordinary "to talk" or "to speak" in Greek. This word means "idle chatter," "gossip," and "the proclamations of an oracle." Jesus uses it to capture the idea of "passing on." "conveying,"  or "relaying" information because that captures both what someone gossiping and an oracle does. The word is somewhat self-effacing. In this context, "chatting" probably works better.

with -- "With" is the Greek word that usually means "with" or a related concept such as "among" or "by the means of."

you. -- The word translated as "you" is the genitive form of the singular, second-person pronoun, which is most commonly the possessive form. This pronoun follows the noun so "of yours."

COMPARISON: GREEK to KJV : 

Καὶ [1089 verses](conj/adv) "Both" 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."

ἑώρακας [20 verses](2nd sg perf ind act) "Though hast...seen" is from horao, which means "to see with the eyes," "to look," "to observe," "see," "aim," "have sight," "behold," "keep in sight," and as a metaphor of mental sight, "discern," and "perceive." Jesus often uses it as a warning as we would use "watch out" or "look out."

αὐτὸν [720 verses](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."

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)  "He" is the Greek definite article, hos, ("the").   

λαλῶν [49 verses] (part sg pres act masc nom) "That talketh" is laleo, which means "to talk," "to speak" "to prattle," "to chat," and [for oracles] "to proclaim." It also means "chatter" as the opposite of articulate speech. However, Jesus seems to use in in the sense of "relaying" information gained from another. 

μετὰ [103 verses](prep) "With" is meta, which means "with," "in the midst of," "among," "between," "in common," "along with," "by the aid of," "in one's dealings with," "into the middle of," "coming into," "in pursuit of," "after," "behind," "according to,"  "after," "behind,"  and "next afterward." With genitive,  it means generally, "with," "together with," "in the midst of," "among," "between." "in common," "along with," "by the aid of," and "in conjunction with." With dative, "between," "among," "in company with," with a number "complete," and "over and above." With accusative, generally, "among" and "between" as with dative, of motion, "into the middle of," "coming into or among," "in pursuit or quest of," of place, "after," "behind," of time, "after," "next to,"  of worth/rank, "next after," of ideas, "after," "according to." 

σου” [144 verses](pron 2nd sg gen) "Thee" is sou is the genitive form of the second-person, singular pronoun that means "of you" and "your." 

ἐκεῖνος [107 verses](adj sg masc nom) "It" 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."

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.

Front Page Date: 

Jun 23 2022