Luke 12:37 Blessed are those servants, whom the lord when he cometh

Spoken to: 

group

A story about servants waiting for their Master.

KJV: 

Luke 12:37 Blessed are those servants, whom the lord when he cometh shall find watching: verily I say unto you, that he shall gird himself, and make them to sit down to meat, and will come forth and serve them.

NIV : 

Luke 12:37 It will be good for those servants whose master finds them watching when he comes. Truly I tell you, he will dress himself to serve, will have them recline at the table and will come and wait on them.

LISTENERS HEARD: 

Fortunate: those servants there, whom the master, showing up, will discover watching. Amen, I tell you! Because he might fortify himself and make them recline and, being superior, serve them. 

MY TAKE: 

If we want those who are superior to reward us, we have to be watchful for their interests.

GREEK (Each Word Explained Bottom of Page): 

GREEK ORDER: 

μακάριοι   οἱ      δοῦλοι   ἐκεῖνοι, οὓς    ἐλθὼν               κύριος  εὑρήσει        γρηγοροῦντας:
Fortunate, those servants there  , whom showing up the  master  will discover watching.

ἀμὴν   λέγω ὑμῖν ὅτι         περιζώσεται                    καὶ ἀνακλινεῖ      αὐτοὺς  καὶ  παρελθὼν        
Amen, I tell you! Because he might fortify himself and make recline them    and, being superior,

διακονήσει αὐτοῖς.
serve them. 

LOST IN TRANSLATION: 

This verse misses the point in a spectacular way. Too many errors to mention, but you are see them in their markup and issues listing.

The humor at the end is completely lost, along with Jesus's point. The verse says that the servants are fortunate if their master finds them awake. Why? Because "he might fortify himself, and make them recline, and, being superior, serve them." The "fortify" himself sets up the joke because Jesus makes it clear the master will do something difficult. What is it? To "serve them" despite "being superior."

All the English translations get the "being superior," which is the whole point of this verse wrong. They translated it as "come" or some form of "come." The verb has a root usually translated as "come," that root also means "to go," and this word means "to go by," "to pass," "to surpass" and "to be superior." The form is a participle, so "being superior."

This doesn't seem hard, but for biblical translators, it is apparently impossible. But what frustrates me is all the other errors they make because I try to note them all. It is a dirty job, but it is about time someone does it.

# KJV TRANSLATION ISSUES: 

9

Blessed(CW) are those(CW) (MW) servants, whom the lord when(IW) he cometh(WF) shall find watching: verily I say unto you, that he shall(CW) gird himself, and (MW) make them to sit down [to meat(IW), and will(WT) come forth and serve them.

  • CW - Confusing Word -- The "blessed" means "blessed" primarily in the sense of "lucky" or "fortunate" without a sense of a "blessing."
  • CW --Confusing Word -- The "those" is the common word that should be translated as "here" or "there."
  •  MW - Missing Word -- The word "these/those/the" before "servant" is not shown in the English translation.
  • IW - Inserted Word -- The "when" doesn't exist in the source.
  • WF -- Wrong Form -  This is not an active verb but a participle, a verbal adjective, "coming."
  • CW - Confusing Word - This "shall" does not indicate the future tense, but describes a possibility, the subjunctive voice.
  • WF -- Wrong Form  -- This verb is in the form of possibility, a subjunctive, which requires a "should" or "might."
  • IW - Inserted Word-- The "to meat" doesn't exist in the source.
  • WT - Wrong Tense - The verb "will" indicates the future tense, but that is not the tense here.
  • WW --Wrong Word -- The word translated as "come forth" should be something more like "be superior."
  • WF -- Wrong Form -  This is not an active verb but a participle, a verbal adjective, "being superior."
  • IW - Inserted Word-- The "and" doesn't exist in the source.

# NIV TRANSLATION ISSUES: 

21
[It will(WT) be good(CW)] for(IW) those(CW) (MW) servants, whose(WF) (MW) master (WT) finds them watching when(IW) he comes(WF). Truly I tell you, he will(WW)  dress(WW) himself [to serve(IW)], (MW) will(WW) have them recline [at the table(IW)] and will(WT) come(WW.WF) and(IW) wait on them.
 
  • CW - Confusing Word -- The "it will be good" means "lucky" or "fortunate."
  • WT -- Wrong Tense -- There is no future tense verb here.
  • IW - Inserted Word-- The "for" doesn't exist in the source.
  • CW --Confusing Word -- The "those" is the common word that should be translated as "here" or "there."
  • MW - Missing Word -- The word "these/those/the" before "servant" is not shown in the English translation.
  • WF -- Wrong Form -  This "whose" is not a possessive but an object.
  • MW - Missing Word -- The word "the/this" before "master" is not shown in the English translation.
  • WT -- Wrong Tense -- This verb "finds" is the future tense, which requires a "will" before the verb.
  • IW - Inserted Word -- The "when" doesn't exist in the source.
  • WW  - Wrong Word -- The word translated as "will" should be something more like "should."
  • WW --Wrong Word -- The word translated as "dress" should be something more like "fortify."
  • IW - Inserted Word-- The "to serve" doesn't exist in the source.
  • MW - Missing Word -- The word "and" is not shown in the English translation. 
  • WW  - Wrong Word -- The word translated as "will" should be something more like "should."
  • IW - Inserted Word-- The "at the table " doesn't exist in the source.
  • WT - Wrong Tense - The verb "will" indicates the future tense, but that is not the tense here.
  • WF -- Wrong Form -  This is not an active verb but a participle, a verbal adjective, "coming."
  • CW --Confusing Word -- This is not the common word usually translated as "come."
  • WW --Wrong Word -- The word translated as "come forth" should be something more like "be superior."
  • WF -- Wrong Form -  This is not an active verb but a participle, a verbal adjective, "being superior."
  • IW - Inserted Word-- The "and" doesn't exist in the source.

EACH WORD of KJV : 

Blessed - (CW) The word "blessed" in Greek is an adjective a noun meaning "happy" or "fortunate" but with the sense of being favored by God. However, it does not refer to a religious blessing. It can also mean "wealthy" with in the sense of "the wealthy" (men with a fortune).

are -- There is no verb "are" here in the Greek source but it is implied by the noun in the form of a subject having no verb associated with it.

those -- (CW) The word translated as "those" is an adjective that highlights its noun as being in a specific place or time from a word that means "there." So it means "there," "here," or "then." Used a pronoun, the sense is "that one there" or "this one here."

missing "these/those/the"   -- (MW) The untranslated word 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.

servants, -- The noun translated as "servants" means "slave." It is translated as "servant" to update the Bible.

whom - The word translated as "whom" is a demonstrative pronoun ("this" "that"), but it often acts as a pronoun, "he," "she," "it," "which," "what," "who," "whosoever," "where," "when," "for which reason," and many similar meanings. In the neuter, plural, its sense is "these things."

the - 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. 

lord -- The word translated as "lord" is the same word that is often translated as "Lord" or "the Lord" in the NT. It also means "lord," "master of the house," and "head of the family." It is the specific terms for the master of slaves or servants, but it was a common term of respect both for those in authority and who were honored. It was the term people used to address Christ, even though he had no formal authority. Today, we would say "boss" or "chief." For the sake of consistency, this should be the Greek word translated as "master."

when -- (IW) This word is not in the Greek source. It was added because the next verb was translated as active rather than as a participle.

he -- This is from the third-person, singular form of the verb.

cometh  -- (WF) he word translated as "come" primarily means "to start out" but Christ usually uses it to mean "come" but not always. It indicates movement, especially its beginning, without indicating a direction toward or away from anything, so it works either as "start," "come," or "go," but it is more like our phrase "being underway." Our English word "show up" captures both the "start" and "come" ideas. See this article for more. This is not an active verb but a participle, a verbal adjective, "coming."

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

find -- The term used for "find" is the source of our word, "heuristic," meaning enabling a person to find out something for themselves. It means "find out" and "discover."

watching: -- "Watching" is from a verb that means "to be or to become fully awake." In English, we would say "wake up" to someone sleeping and "stay awake" to someone already awake. It comes from a common Greek word that means "awaken" but is usually confusingly translated as "arise." The form is a participle, "watching."

verily -- The word translated as "verily" is from the Hebrew word that means "truly" or "certainly," but it sounds like the Greek word with the same meaning. In Greek, the word also means "to reap." See this article discussing this "amen phrase."

I -- This is from the first-person, singular form of the following verb.

say -- The word translated as "say" is the most common word that means "to say," and "to speak," but it also means "to teach," which seems to be the way Christ uses it more frequently. It also has many ancillary meanings such as "to count" ("to number" or like we might say, "to recount" a story) or "to choose for yourself." Christ usually uses this word to refer to his own speaking or teaching. The form of the verb could also be a possible action, "might say" or "should say."

unto -- This word "unto" comes from the dative case of the following word that requires the addition of a preposition in English, but the translator must decide which preposition to use: a "to" as an indirect object.

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

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

he -- This is from the third-person, singular form of the verb.

shall -- (CW) This helping verb "shall" does not indicate the future tense, but that the verb describes a possibility, the subjunctive voice. A "might" or "should" in English is more appropriate, but is assumed in an "if/when/whoever/except" clause. Helping verbs are not needed in Greek since the main verb carries this information in its form.

gird -- - The Greek verb translated as "gird"  means "to gird around ", that is to say, "brace around".  It also means "to put on a defense" so "to fortify." 

himself, This verb is a middle voice, which requires a "by/for himself" or a "himself" as an object. 

and -- The Greek word translated as "and" is used as the conjunction "and," but it also is used to add emphasis, "even," "also," and "just."

missing "should" or "might"-- (WF) A helping verb is necessary because the following verb is a verb of possibility, a subjunctive, something that "should" or "might" occur. The helping verb is not needed in a clause beginning with an "if," "when," "whoever" and other conditional clauses.

make - This completes the meaning of the following verb.

them -- The word translated as "them" is the Greek word commonly translated as third-person pronouns in English in the form of a plural object of a verb or preposition.

to sit down --  The word translated as "sit down" means to "lean against" or "to be made to recline" by someone else. In that form, it means "to recline" and "to sink" by oneself. Of course, at the time, people reclined to eat, but the sense of sinking below the patriarchs is part of its meaning.

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

and -- The Greek word translated as "and" is used as the conjunction "and," but it also is used to add emphasis, "even," "also," and "just."

will -- (WT) This helping verb "will" indicates the future tense, but the verb is not the future.

come forth -- (WW, WF) The word "came forth" is from a verb that means one thing going by another, one thing surpassing by another, so "to be superior," The form is a participle, "being superior."

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

serve -- The Greek verb translated as "serve" means "to act as a servant," "to minister," and "to perform services." It is usually translated as "minister" in the Bible. It is from the same root as the Greek word usually translated as "minister" and is the source of our word "deacon," but his is not the noun usually translated as "servant" that actually means "slave."

them. -- The word translated as "them" or "to them" is the Greek adjective that acts like our third-person pronoun. The form is the third person, plural as an indirect object of the verb or the object of a preposition.

EACH WORD of NIV : 

It will be good- (CW,WT) The word "it will be good-" in Greek is an adjective a noun meaning "happy" or "fortunate" but with the sense of being favored by God. However, it does not refer to a religious blessing. It can also mean "wealthy" with in the sense of "the wealthy" (men with a fortune). There is no future tense verb here.

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

those -- (CW) The word translated as "those" is an adjective that highlights its noun as being in a specific place or time from a word that means "there." So it means "there," "here," or "then." Used a pronoun, the sense is "that one there" or "this one here."

missing "these/those/the"   -- (MW) The untranslated word 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.

servants, -- The noun translated as "servants" means "slave." It is translated as "servant" to update the Bible.

whose - (WF) The word translated as "whose" is a demonstrative pronoun ("this" "that"), but it often acts as a pronoun, "he," "she," "it," "which," "what," "who," "whosoever," "where," "when," "for which reason," and many similar meanings. In the neuter, plural, its sense is "these things." This is not a possessive but an object.

missing "the/this"  -- (MW) The untranslated word 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.

master -- The word translated as "master" is the same word that is often translated as "Lord" or "the Lord" in the NT. It also means "lord," "master of the house," and "head of the family." It is the specific terms for the master of slaves or servants, but it was a common term of respect both for those in authority and who were honored. It was the term people used to address Christ, even though he had no formal authority. Today, we would say "boss" or "chief." For the sake of consistency, this should be the Greek word translated as "master."

missing "will"  -- (WT) The helping vcrb, "will," is needed to show the future tense of the verb.

finds -- The term used for "find" is the source of our word, "heuristic," meaning enabling a person to find out something for themselves. It means "find out" and "discover."

them -- There is no Greek pronoun here, but Greek does not need pronouns when the object can be assumed from the context. In English, they are added for the subject-verb-object form of our sentences.

watching: -- "Watching" is from a verb that means "to be or to become fully awake." In English, we would say "wake up" to someone sleeping and "stay awake" to someone already awake. It comes from a common Greek word that means "awaken" but is usually confusingly translated as "arise." The form is a participle, "watching."

when -- (IW) This word is not in the Greek source. It was added because the next verb was translated as active rather than as a participle.

he -- This is from the third-person, singular form of the verb.

comes-- (WF) he word translated as "come" primarily means "to start out" but Christ usually uses it to mean "come" but not always. It indicates movement, especially its beginning, without indicating a direction toward or away from anything, so it works either as "start," "come," or "go," but it is more like our phrase "being underway." Our English word "show up" captures both the "start" and "come" ideas. See this article for more. This is not an active verb but a participle, a verbal adjective, "coming."

Truly -- The word translated as "truly " is from the Hebrew word that means "truly" or "certainly," but it sounds like the Greek word with the same meaning. In Greek, the word also means "to reap." See this article discussing this "amen phrase."

I -- This is from the first-person, singular form of the following verb.

tell -- The word translated as "say" is the most common word that means "to say," and "to speak," but it also means "to teach," which seems to be the way Christ uses it more frequently. It also has many ancillary meanings such as "to count" ("to number" or like we might say, "to recount" a story) or "to choose for yourself." Christ usually uses this word to refer to his own speaking or teaching. The form of the verb could also be a possible action, "might tell" or "should tell."

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

missing "that-- (MW) The untranslated word    "that" introduces a statement of fact or cause, "for what," "because," "since," "seeing that," "that," and "wherefore."

he -- This is from the third-person, singular form of the verb.

will -- (WW) This helping verb indicates that the verb is the future tense, but it isn't. It is in the form of possibility so it needs a "should" or "might."

dress -- -  (WW) The Greek verb translated as "dress "  means "to gird around ", that is to say, "brace around".  It also means "to put on a defense" so "to fortify." This word doesn't mean "and." 

himself, This verb is a middle voice, which requires a "by/for himself" or a "himself" as an object. 

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

missing "and"  -- (MW) The untranslated word  "and" is used as the conjunction "and," but it also is used to add emphasis, "even," "also," and "just."

will -- (WW) This helping verb indicates that the verb is the future tense, but it isn't. It is in the form of possibility so it needs a "should" or "might."

have - This completes the meaning of the following verb.

them -- The word translated as "them" is the Greek word commonly translated as third-person pronouns in English in the form of a plural object of a verb or preposition.

recline --  The word translated as "recline " means to "lean against" or "to be made to recline" by someone else. In that form, it means "to recline" and "to sink" by oneself. Of course, at the time, people reclined to eat, but the sense of sinking below the patriarchs is part of its meaning.

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

and -- The Greek word translated as "and" is used as the conjunction "and," but it also is used to add emphasis, "even," "also," and "just."

will -- (WT) This helping verb "will" indicates the future tense, but the verb is not the future.

come -- (WW, WF) The word "came forth" is from a verb that means one thing going by another, one thing surpassing by another, so "to be superior," The form is a participle, "being superior."

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

wait on -- The Greek verb translated as "serve" means "to act as a servant," "to minister," and "to perform services." It is usually translated as "minister" in the Bible. It is from the same root as the Greek word usually translated as "minister" and is the source of our word "deacon," but his is not the noun usually translated as "servant" that actually means "slave."

them. -- The word translated as "them" or "to them" is the Greek adjective that acts like our third-person pronoun. The form is the third person, plural as an indirect object of the verb or the object of a preposition.

COMPARISON: GREEK to KJV : 

μακάριός [25 verses](adj sg masc nom ) "Blessed" is makarios which means "blessed," "prosperous," "happy," "fortunate," and "blissful." -

οἱ [821 verses](article pl masc nom)  Untranslated 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."  --

δοῦλοι [56 verses] (noun pl masc nom) "Servants" is doulos, which means a "slave," a "born bondsman," or "one made a slave."

ἐκεῖνος [107 verses](adj sg masc nom) "That" is ekeinos, which refers to that which has gone immediately before and  means "the person there," "that person," "that thing," and "the nearer." However, when οὗτος and ἐκεῖνος refer to two things ἐκεῖνος, prop. belongs to the more remote, "the latter" in time, place, or thought, οὗτος belongs to the more remote, "the latter" in time, "further" in place, or thought, οὗτος to "the nearer" and "sooner. " With certain preposition, it has a specific meaning:ἐξ ἐκείνου from that time, κατ᾽ ἐκεῖνα in that place, there, μετ᾽ ἐκεῖνα afterwards.

οὓς [294 verses] (pron pl masc acc) "Whom" is hos, which means "this," "that," "he," "she," "it," "which," "what," "who," "whosoever," "where," "when," " "for which reason," and many similar meanings. In the neuter, plural, its sense is "these things."-

ἐλθὼν [198 verses] (part sg aor act masc nom) "He cometh" is  erchomai, which means "to start," "to set out," "to come," "to go," and any kind of motion. It means both "to go" on a journey and "to arrive" at a place.

 [821 verses](article sg masc nom)  "The" 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."  -

κύριος [92 verses](noun sg masc nom) "The lord" is kyrios, which means "having power," "being in authority" and "being in possession of." It also means "lord," "master of the house," and "head of the family."

εὑρήσει [43 verses](3rd sg fut ind act) "Shall find" is heurisko, which means "to find," "to find out," "to discover," "to devise," "to invent," "to get," and "to gain."

γρηγοροῦντας:[14 verses]   (part pl pres act masc acc) "Watching" is from gregoreo, which means "to become fully awake," and "to watch." It is from the root word, egeiro- which is usually translated as "arise" be makes "awaken."

ἀμὴν [91 verses](exclaim)"Verily" is amen, which is the Hebrew, meaning "truly," "of a truth," and "so be it." It has no history in Greek of this meaning before the NT. However, this is also the infinitive form of the Greek verb amao, which means "to reap" or "to cut." -- The word translated as "verily" is the Hebrew word that means "truly" or "certainly," but it sounds like the Greek word with the same meaning. In Greek, the word also means "to reap."

λέγω [264 verses](1st sg pres ind act/subj) "I say" is lego, which means "to recount," "to tell over," "to say," "to speak," "to teach," "to mean," "boast of," "tell of," "recite," nominate," and "command." It has a secondary meaning "pick out," "choose for oneself," "pick up," "gather," "count," and "recount." A less common word that is spelled the same means "to lay," "to lay asleep" and "to lull asleep."

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

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." This is the same word can be translated as both "because" and "that" in the same verse when answering two different types of questions.

περιζώσεται   [3 verses] (verb 3rd sg aor subj ind mid) "He shall gird himself"" is perizōnnymi, which means "to gird round oneself", "to gird oneself with" and "to put on a defence."

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." In a series, it can be translated as "not only...but also." After words implying sameness "as."

ἀνακλινεῖ [3 verses](verb 3rd sg aor subj ind ac "Make them sit down,"  is anaklino, which means "to lean one thing upon another", "to cause to recline at a table", "to push", "to put back", "to open," and, in the passive, "to lie", "to sink", "to lean back", "to recline," and "to slope upwards (of ground)."

αὐτοὺς [62 verses](pron pl masc acc) "Them"  is autous, in the form of the plural, masculine pronoun "them" in the form of a direct object.  An accusative object indicates movement towards something or a position reached as a result of that movement. Event may show the amount of time. As the object of a preposition, an accusative object indicates movement towards something or a position reached as a result of that movement.

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." In a series, it can be translated as "not only...but also." After words implying sameness "as."

παρελθὼν [5 verses] (part sg aor act masc nom) "Will come forth" is parerchomai, which means "go by," "pass by," "outstrip" (in speed), "to be superior," "pass away," "outwit," "past events" (in time), "disregard," "pass unnoticed," and "pass without heeding."

διακονήσει  [12 verses] (verb 3rd sg aor subj act ) "Serve" is from diakoneo, which "to act as a servant," "to serve," and "to perform services." It is from the same root as a word that means "servant" and is the source of our word "deacon." This is not the word usually translated as "servant" that actually means slave.

αὐτοῖς, [55 verses](pron/adj pl masc dat) "Them" is the dative case of the third-person, plural adjective that is used as a pronoun. The word also means "the same,""one's true self," and "the soul" as opposed to the body. It also means "of one's own accord." A dative object of a preposition implies no movement but in a fixed position.

Related Verses: 

Front Page Date: 

Jul 14 2024