Jesus is asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God shall come.
Luke 17:21 Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you.
Luke 17:21 nor will people say, ‘Here it is,’ or ‘There it is,’ because the kingdom of God is in your midst.
Nether will they say, "Look here or there Look!" Because this realm of this Divine is inside of you.
The "lo" in the KJV is short for a word that means "look!". It is mistranslated in more modern Bibles as "it is". The word used here for "within/in" specifically means "inside". It is an uncommon word for Jesus but one that clarifies what he is saying. The NIV completely obscures it by translating it as "in your midst". Jesus does really mean "inside".
We cannot do without what we need within.
Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold(IW) , the kingdom of (MW) God is within you.
- IW - Inserted Word-- The "behold" doesn't exist in the source.
- MW - Missing Word -- The word "the/this" before "God" is not shown in the English translation.
nor will people(IW) say, ‘Here it is(WW),’ or ‘There it is(WW),’ because the kingdom of (MW) God is in(CW) your midst(IW).
- IW - Inserted Word-- The "people" doesn't exist in the source.
- WW --Wrong Word -- The word translated as "it is" should be something more like "look!".
- WW --Wrong Word -- The word translated as "it is" should be something more like "look!".
- MW - Missing Word -- The word "the/this" before "God" is not shown in the English translation.
- CW --Confusing Word -- This is not the common word usually translated as "in".
- IW - Inserted Word-- The "midst" doesn't exist in the source.
Neither -- The Greek word for "neither" is is an adverb that means "not at all" or "no even" and, literally, "not, however". As a conjunction, it works as both parts of the "neither/nor" constructions.
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.
they -- This is from the third-person, plural form of the verb.
say, - The word translated as "say" means "to say" and "to speak". It is one of the two most common words translated "speak", "say" and "tell", but it has more a sense of addressing and proclaiming.
Lo -- "Lo" is a verbal command meaning "See!" and "Look!" It is from the most common word meaning "to see" in Greek. In a humorous vein, it is also an adverbial exclamation like we use the phrase "ta-da" in a magic show, or "voila" in French which means "see there". "Look here!" or "See there!" comes closest in English. Jesus uses it both ways.
here! -- The word translated as "here" means in manner, "in this way", referring to the manner, or "here", referring to place.
or, -- "Or" is translated from a Greek word that means primarily "or" but serves as "than" in a comparison. The same word could also be the exclamation "hi" or the adverb meaning "in truth".
lo - "Lo" is a verbal command meaning "See!" and "Look!" It is from the most common word meaning "to see" in Greek. In a humorous vein, it is also an adverbial exclamation like we use the phrase "ta-da" in a magic show, or "voila" in French which means "see there". "Look here!" or "See there!" comes closest in English. Jesus uses it both ways.
there! --The word translated as "there" means "there" or "in that place" but it also means "the intelligible world", that is, the world we understand. It refers to a place much more strongly than our word "there" which can be a simple helper to introduce a verb of being. In Greek, the verb used alone has the sense of "there is" or "there are".
for, --The word translated as "for" introduces a reason or explanation so "because" and, in questions, "why", "For" is better because another common word is also used for "because".
behold, -- (IW) This word is not in the Greek source.
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.
kingdom -- The word translated as "kingdom" can be the region, the reign, the castle or the authority of a ruler. Christ does not seem to use it to mean a physical region, so its translation as "reign" or "realm" seems more appropriate. This is especially true because the "reign" of a king means the execution of his will.
of -- This word "of" comes from the possessive form (genitive case) of the following word that requires the addition of a preposition in English. The most common is the "of" of possession.
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.
God -- The word translated as "God" means "God" and "deity". When used by Jesus and in the Septuagint to mean "God, it is introduced with an article, so "the God", "the Divine" or "the divine one". The definite article identifies it as specific. When a definite article does not introduce it, it refers more generally to "divinity", the nature of God.
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 word also means "to exist" where it doesn't connect to characteristics or conditions.
within -- "Within" is a conjunction that means "within", "inside", "on this side", "acquainted with", of time "within", "short of", i.e. "before".
you. -- The word translated as "you/your" is a plural, second-person pronoun in the possessive (genitive) case. 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.
nor -- The Greek word for "nor" is is an adverb that means "not at all" or "no even" and, literally, "not, however". As a conjunction, it works as both parts of the "neither/nor" constructions.
will -- This helping verb "will" indicates the verb is in the future tense. Helping or auxiliary verbs are needed to translate the Greek verb forms into English.
people -- (IW) This word is not in the Greek source.
say, - The word translated as "say" means "to say" and "to speak". It is one of the two most common words translated "speak", "say" and "tell", but it has more a sense of addressing and proclaiming.
Here ! -- The word translated as "here" means in manner, "in this way", referring to the manner, or "here", referring to place.
it is,’ -- (WW) "It is" is a verbal command meaning "See!" and "Look!" It is from the most common word meaning "to see" in Greek. In a humorous vein, it is also an adverbial exclamation like we use the phrase "ta-da" in a magic show, or "voila" in French which means "see there". "Look here!" or "See there!" comes closest in English. Jesus uses it both ways. This word doesn't mean "it is".
or, -- "Or" is translated from a Greek word that means primarily "or" but serves as "than" in a comparison. The same word could also be the exclamation "hi" or the adverb meaning "in truth."
There! --The word translated as "there" means "there" or "in that place" but it also means "the intelligible world", that is, the world we understand. It refers to a place much more strongly than our word "there" which can be a simple helper to introduce a verb of being. In Greek, the verb used alone has the sense of "there is" or "there are".
it is,’ -- (WW) "It is" is a verbal command meaning "See!" and "Look!" It is from the most common word meaning "to see" in Greek. In a humorous vein, it is also an adverbial exclamation like we use the phrase "ta-da" in a magic show, or "voila" in French which means "see there". "Look here!" or "See there!" comes closest in English. Jesus uses it both ways. This word doesn't mean "it is".
because , --The word translated as "for" introduces a reason or explanation so "because" and, in questions, "why". "For" is better because another common word is also used for "because".
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.
kingdom -- The word translated as "kingdom" can be the region, the reign, the castle or the authority of a ruler. Christ does not seem to use it to mean a physical region, so its translation as "reign" or "realm" seems more appropriate. This is especially true because the "reign" of a king means the execution of his will.
of -- This word "of" comes from the possessive form (genitive case) of the following word that requires the addition of a preposition in English. The most common is the "of" of possession.
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.
God -- The word translated as "God" means "God" and "deity". When used by Jesus and in the Septuagint to mean "God", it is introduced with an article, so "the God", "the Divine" or "the divine one". The definite article identifies it as specific. When a definite article does not introduce it, it refers more generally to "divinity," the nature of God.
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 word also means "to exist" and where it doesn't connect to characteristics or conditions.
in -- (CW) "In" is a conjunction that means "within", "inside", "on this side", "acquainted with", of time "within", "short of", i.e. "before". This is not the word usually translated as "in".
your . -- The word translated as "you/your" is a plural, second-person pronoun in the possessive (genitive) case. 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.
midst -- (IW) This word is not in the Greek source.
οὐδὲ [51 verses](partic) "Neither" is oude, which, as a conjunction, means "but not", "neither" and "nor". As an adverb it means "not at all" or "no even" and, literally, "not, howeve"."
ἐροῦσιν[162 verses] ( verb 3rd pl fut ind act ) "Shall they say" is eipon, which means "to speak", "to say", "to recite", "to address", "to mention", "to name", "to proclaim", "to plead", "to promise" and "to offer". This is the second most common word Jesus uses for this idea. The other word is used more for discussion. Perhaps translating it consistently as "tell" would work.
Ἰδοὺ [52 verses](adv, verb 2nd sg aor imperat mid) "Lo" is idou, which means "to behold", "to see" and "to perceive". It acts as an adverbial phrase in this form meaning "Lo! Behold!" and "See there!' It is a form of the verb eido, which means "to see". This Greek word was translated into the Latin ecce, "behold".
ὧδε [29 verses] (adv) "Here" is hode, the demonstrative adverb that means in manner, "in this wise", "thus", "so very", "so exceedingly", of Place, "hither" and "here".
ἢ [92 verses](conj/adv) "Or" 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.
ἐκεῖ: [33 verses](adv) "There" is ekei, which means "there", "in that place" and in philosophy means "the intelligible world".
ἰδοὺ [52 verses](adv, verb 2nd sg aor imperat mid) "Lo" is idou, which means "to behold", "to see" and "to perceive". It acts as an adverbial phrase in this form meaning "Lo! Behold!" and "See there!' It is a form of the verb eido, which means "to see". This Greek word was translated into the Latin ecce, "behold".
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".
ἡ [821 verses](article sg fem 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 word that can become a noun, takes the meaning of "the one" or, in the plural, "the ones".
βασιλεία [98 verses](adj sg fem nom) "Kingdom" is basileia, which means "kingdom", "dominion", "hereditary monarchy", "kingly office", (passive) "being ruled by a king" and "reign".
τοῦ [821 verses](article sg masc gen) 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 word that can become a noun, takes the meaning of "the one" or, in the plural, "the ones".
θεοῦ [144 verses](noun sg masc gen) "God" is theos, which means "God", "divine" and "Deity".
ἔντος [2 verses] (adverb) "Within" is entos, which means "within", "inside", "on this side", "acquainted with", of time "within", "short of", i.e. "before".
ὑμῶν [168 verses](pron 2nd pl gen) "Your/you" is humon, the plural possessive form of su the pronoun of the second person, "you". It is either a possessive pronoun or the object of a preposition. As an object of a preposition, the genitive indicates movement away or a position away from something.
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".