Luke 10:42 But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part,

Spoken to: 

an individual

At Martha and Mary's house, Martha complains about doing the work.

KJV: 

Luke 10:42 But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her.

NIV : 

Luke 10:42 but few things are needed—or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.”

LISTENERS HEARD: 

Need, however, is dependent on few things or one thing as Mary chose for herself the useful contribution which will not be taken away from her.

MY TAKE: 

Listening is also a useful contribution.

GREEK (Each Word Explained Bottom of Page): 

GREEK ORDER: 

ὀλίγων             δέ            ἐστιν             χρεία   ἑνός:
on few things  however, is dependent Need, or one thing

Μαριὰμ γὰρ τὴν ἀγαθὴν μερίδα          ἐξελέξατο            ἥτις   οὐκ ἀφαιρεθήσεται             αὐτῆς.
Mary     as  the   useful   contribution chose for herself which not  will be taken away from her.

LOST IN TRANSLATION: 

The "needful/needed," though a poor translation, is the subject of the verb, not the "one thing/few things." We can tell it is not "few things" because the verb is singular, not plural. The "one thing/few things" is an object in the form of possessions, this changes the meaning of the verb "is" to  "is descended from," "is the type of," "belongs to," "is made of," "is a duty of," "is at the mercy of," or " is dependent on." The "is dependent on" fits best. See NOTE below for more about sources.

The "chose" here is not the past perfect tense as translated, and it is in the middle voice, meaning "chose for herself." This complements the "upset yourself" in the previous verse.

The words translated as "that good part" in the KJV and, more weirdly, "which is better" in the NIV makes more sense as "the useful contribution."

(NOTE: Our most complete and oldest Greek sources (Codex Sinaiticus and Codex Vaticanus) have the "few tings or one thing" source, but one (Codex Alexandrinus) has only the "one thing" like the KJV source. Most modern translations prefer the "one" because it seems to be the subject. However, it isn't, because its case makes it the object here, not the subject.)

# KJV TRANSLATION ISSUES: 

9
  • OS -- Outdated Source -- The Greek word translated as "one" existed in the KJV Greek source but not the source we use today.
  • WF -- Wrong Form -  This is not the subject of the verb but a possessive object, which changes the verb's meaning.
  • CW --Confusing Word -- The "is" does not capture the word's specific meaning in this situation.
  • WF -- Wrong Form -  This is not an adjective but the subject of the verb.
  • OS -- Outdated Source -- The Greek missing word "or one" is in the source we use today. 
  • WW --Wrong Word -- The word translated as "and" should be something more like "as."
  • WT - Wrong Tense - The verb "has" indicates the past perfect tense, but the tense is something that happens at a specific point in time (past, present, or future).
  • WV -- Wrong Voice -- This verb is a middle voice, which requires a a "yourself" as an object. 
  • CW --Confusing Word -- This is not the common word better translated as "good."

# NIV TRANSLATION ISSUES: 

14
  • WF -- Wrong Form -  This is not the subject of the verb but a possessive object, which changes the verb's meaning.
  • CW --Confusing Word -- The "are" does not capture the word's specific meaning in this situation.
  • WN  --Wrong Number- The word "are" is translated as plural but the Greek word is singular.
  • WF -- Wrong Form -  This is not a passive verb but the subject of the verb.
  • IP - Inserted Phrase-- The "indeed only" doesn't exist in the source.
  • MW - Missing Word -- The word "as" is not shown in the English translation.
  • WT - Wrong Tense - The verb "has" indicates the past perfect tense, but the tense is something that happens at a specific point in time (past, present, or future).
  • WV -- Wrong Voice -- This verb is a middle voice, which requires a "yourself" as an object. 
  • MW - Missing Word -- The word "the" before "useful" is not shown in the English translation.
  • WW --Wrong Word -- The word translated as "what" should be something more like "contribution."
  • IW - Inserted Word-- The "is" doesn't exist in the source.
  • CW --Confusing Word -- This is not the common word better translated as "good."
  • WF -- Wrong Form -  This "useful" is not a comparative form (better) but the regular adjective.
  • WW --Wrong Word -- The word translated as "and" should be something more like "which."

EACH WORD of KJV : 

 But -- The Greek word translated as "but" means "but," "however," and "on the other hand." It joins phrases in an adversarial way. Since it always falls in the second position, translating it as "however" often captures its feeling better.

one   -  -- (OS) There is nothing in the Greek that can be translated as "one" in the source we use today but it does exist in the source that the KJV translators used. In today's source, the Greek word means "little," "small," "slight," "few," and "weak."

thing-  (WF) There is no word, "thing," in the Greek source, but this word comes from the neuter, singular form of the "one." In today's source, the adjective is plural. This is not the subject of the verb but a possessive object, which changes the verb's meaning.

is -- (CW) The verb "is" here is the common form of "to be" in Greek. Normally, it means to have a certain characteristic or remain in a certain condition. However, here, it has a possessive (genitive) object, so it means "is descended from," "is the type of," "belongs to," "is made of," "is a duty of," "is at the mercy of," or " is dependent on." CW --Confusing Word -- The "is" does not capture the word's specific meaning in this situation.

needful:-- (WF)  The word translated as "needful" means "need" and "poverty," but it also means "familiarity" and "intimacy." This is not an adjective but the subject of the verb.

missing "or one"  -- (OS) The untranslated words mean "or one." "Or" is translated from a Greek word that primarily means "or."   -- The Greek word meaning "one " means "one" (as opposed to other numbers), "single," and "one and the same." The form would mean "one thing."

and --  (WW) The word translated as "and" introduces a reason or explanation so "as," "because," or "since," and, in questions, "why." However, since this word always appears in the second position, it is more like an aside remark like, "consequently" or "as a cause." The KJV source had a different word, meaning "but," and the conjunction is also mistranslated.

Mary   -- "Mary" is the Hebrew  name, "Miriam," which we translated as "Mary."

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

chosen - The verb "chosen" means "to pick out" and "to single out." It is in the middle voice, so the sense is "for myself," or "by myself."

missing "yourself"-- (WV) The form of the previous verb is a middle voice, which means that the subject acts on herself.

that -- The word translated as "the" is the Greek definite article, "the," which usually precedes a noun or changes the word it precedes (adjective, infinitive, participle, etc.) to act like a noun. The Greek article is much closer to our demonstrative pronouns ("this," "that," "these," "those") than the English "the." See this article for more. 

good - (CW) The adjective translated as "good" means "useful," "worthwhile," and "of high quality. As a noun, the word "valuable" makes the idea clearer than "good." See this article on "good" and this one on "evil."  This is not the word most often and less ambiguously translated as "good."

part, -- A word, used by Jesus only here,  translated as "part" means "part", "portion", "share", "contribution", "quota", "region", "district", "class", and "division".  The word "contribution" works extremely well here.

which -- "Which" is a pronoun that means "that," "anyone who," "anything which," "whosoever," "whichsoever" and "anybody whatsoever."

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.

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. When a negative precedes the verb, it affects the whole clause. When it precedes other words, its force is limited to those words. 

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

taken away -- "Shall...be taken away" is another uncommon Greek word, which means to "take away from", "set aside", "exclude", and "to be robbed or deprived of a thing.

from -- This word "from"  comes from the genitive case of the following word that requires the addition of a preposition in English.  The most common is the "of" of possession. However, with this verb, it specifically means "from."

her. -- The word translated as "her" is the Greek word commonly translated as third-person pronouns in English. The word appears after the noun so the sense is "of hers."  

EACH WORD of NIV : 

 But -- The Greek word translated as "but" means "but," "however," and "on the other hand." It joins phrases in an adversarial way. Since it always falls in the second position, translating it as "however" often captures its feeling better.

few -- The Greek word means "little," "small," "slight," "few," and "weak."

things-  There is no word, "things," in the Greek source, but this word comes from the neuter, plural form of the "few."

are -- (CW, WN) The verb "is" here is the common form of "to be" in Greek. Normally, it means to have a certain characteristic or remain in a certain condition. However, here, it has a possessive (genitive) object, so it means "is descended from," "is the type of," "belongs to," "is made of," "is a duty of," "is at the mercy of," or " is dependent on." This word is not plural but singular.

needed:-- (WF)  The word translated as "needed" means "need" and "poverty," but it also means "familiarity" and "intimacy." This is not a passive verb but the subject of the verb.

or  - "Or" is translated from a Greek word that primarily means "or."  

indeed only  -There is nothing that can be translated as this phrase in the Greek source.

one. - The Greek word meaning "one " means "one" (as opposed to other numbers), "single," and "one and the same." The form would mean "one thing."

missing "as"  -- (MW) The untranslated word  "as" introduces a reason or explanation so "as," "because" or "since," and, in questions, "why." However, since this word always appears in the second position, it is more like an aside remark like, "consequently" or "as a cause." The KJV source had a different word, meaning "but," and it is also mistranslated.

Mary   -- "Mary" is the Hebrew  name, "Miriam," which we translated as "Mary."

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

chosen - The verb "chosen" means "to pick out" and "to single out." It is in the middle voice, so the sense is "for myself," or "by myself."

missing "yourself"-- (WV) The form of the previous verb is a middle voice, which means that the subject acts on herself.

missing "the"  -- (MW) The untranslated word "the" is the Greek definite article," the," which usually precedes a noun or changes the word it precedes (adjective, infinitive, participle, etc.) to act like a noun. The Greek article is much closer to our demonstrative pronouns ("this," "that," "these," and "those"). See this article for more. 

what , -- (WW) A word, used by Jesus only here,  translated as "what" means "part", "portion", "share", "contribution", "quota", "region", "district", "class", and "division". The word "contribution" works extremely well here. This word doesn't mean "what." 

is -- (IW) This word is not in the Greek source.

better- (CW, WF) The adjective translated as "good" means "useful," "worthwhile," and "of high quality. As a noun, the word "valuable" makes the idea clearer than "good." See this article on "good" and this one on "evil."  This is not the word most often and less ambiguously translated as "good." This "useful" is not a comparative form (better) but the regular adjective.

and -- (WW) "And" is a pronoun that means "that," "anyone who," "anything which," "whosoever," "whichsoever" and "anybody whatsoever."

it -- This is from the third-person, singular 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.

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. When a negative precedes the verb, it affects the whole clause. When it precedes other words, its force is limited to those words. 

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

taken away -- "Shall...be taken away" is another uncommon Greek word, which means to "take away from", "set

from -- This word "from"  comes from the genitive case of the following word that requires the addition of a preposition in English.  The most common is the "of" of possession. However, with this verb, it specifically means "from."

her. -- The word translated as "her" is the Greek word commonly translated as third-person pronouns in English. The word appears after the noun so the sense is "of hers."  

COMPARISON: GREEK to KJV : 

ὀλίγων  [19 verses](adj pl neut gen) "One" is oligos, which means "little," "small," "slight," "few," and "weak." As an adverb it means "a little," "slightly," and "little."

δὲ [446 verses](conj) "But" is de which means "but" and "on the other hand." It is the particle that joins sentences in an adversarial way but can also be an explanation of an indirect cause ("so"). In an  "if" (εἰ) clause or temporal "when" (ὅταν) clause the sense is "if/when... then." In a series begun by men, it means "on the other hand." In a listing, the sense is "then" or "yet." After an interruption, "so then." It can also be an explanation of cause ("so").  When used with a conditional starting a clause, the sense is "if/when...then." When used with a particle meaning "indeed" the sense is "on one hand...on the other hand." In a listing, the sense is "then" or "yet." After an interruption, "so then."

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 possessive (genitive) object, it means "is descended from," "is the type of," "belongs to," "is made of," "is a duty of," "is at the mercy of," or " is dependent on." With an indirect (dative) object, it means "have" where the subject and object are reversed.  "It is to him" becomes "it is his" or "he has it."  With the preposition,"into" (εἰς), the sense is "consist of." When the verb "to be" appears early in the clause before the subject, the sense is more like "it is" or, in the plural, "there are."

χρεία [13 verses](noun sg fem nom) "Needful" is  chreia, which means "need," "want," "poverty," "a request of a necessity," "business," "military service," "a business affair," "employment," "familiarity," "intimacy," and "maxim."

[92 verses](conj/adv)  Untranslated  is e, which is a particle used as a disjunctive, "either," "or," , or as a comparative, "than" or "rather than." It is (explam) also an exclamation, "hi!" and an adverb,(adv)  meaning "in truth" and "of a surety." It is used with comparative forms of adjective or with positive adjective implying a comparison.

ἑνός: [85 verses](noun sg neut gen) "One" is heis, which means "one" (as opposed to other numbers), "single," and "one and the same." This noun/adjective is irregular, having a number of forms depending on gender and case. It is always singular.

Μαριάμ.  [2 verses](noun sg fem voc) "Mary" is from Maria, which is the proper name.

γὰρ [205 verses](partic) "For" comes from gar which is the introduction of a clause explaining a reason or explanation: "for," "since," and "as." In an abrupt question, it means "why" and "what."

τὴν [821 verses](article sg masc nom)  "That" is the Greek definite article, hos, ("the").   It usually precedes a noun or changes the word it precedes (adjective, infinitive, participle, etc.) to act like a noun. When not preceding a a word that can become a noun, takes the meaning of "the one" or, in the plural, "the ones." Proper nouns do normally not take articles but they are needed when the noun ending cannot be changed to show the noun's role in the sentence as an object, indirect object, or genitive (possessive) form. However, the Greek article is very close to "this" so the purpose of an article like this can also be demonstrative.There is no vocative definite article, (despite being shown in Perseus). When the vocative is meant, no article is used or they used ω or εSee this article.  

ἀγαθὴν [23 verses](adj sg fem acc) "Good"is agathos which means "good" and, when applied to people, "well-born," "gentle," "brave," and "capable." When applied to things, it means "serviceable," "morally good," and "beneficial."

μερίδα [1 verse](noun sg fem acc) "Part" is from meris, which means "part", "portion", "share", "contribution", "quota", "region", "district", "class", and "division".

ἐξελέξατο  [6 verses](verb 3rd sg aor ind mid) "Hath chosen" is eklegomai, which means "to pick out" "to single out," and "to choose for oneself."

ἥτις [90 verses](pron sg fem nom) "Which" is hostis, which means "that," "anyone who," "anything which," "whosoever," "whichsoever" and "anybody whatsoever."

οὐκ [269 verses](adv) "Not" is ou , the negative adverb for facts and statements, negating both single words and sentences.  The negative, οὐ, denies, is absolute, and objective.

ἀφαιρεθήσεται [2 verses](verb 3rd sg fut ind pass) "Shall...be taken away" is from aphaireo which means to "take away from", "set aside", "exclude", "separate",   "prevent", "hinder from" doing, and, in the passive,  "to be robbed or deprived of a thing.

αὐτῆς [29 verses](pro/adj sg fem gen) "Her" is autes, which means is the singular adjective used as the genitive pronoun, which is used as a possessive form or the object of prepositions and sometimes verbs.  Though the form is feminine, it refers to feminine words, not people. When used as a noun, it is preceded by a definite article, and it means "the same."This form is often used as the object of a preposition. A genitive object means a movement away from something or a position away from something else. The time sense of a genitive object is that the event occurred within a specified time.

Wordplay: 

The last part of this verse is a play on words. It could either means that the "good part" shall not be taken from Mary or that the good part is not excluded from Martha.

Related Verses: 

Front Page Date: 

Apr 26 2024