The parable of the unjust judge.
Luke 18:5 Yet because this widow troubleth me, I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me.
Luke 18:5 yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will see that she gets justice, so that she won’t eventually come and attack me!
Indeed, because of this widow here supplying me a beating, I will avenge her, so that, coming, she, as far as performance, doesn't give me a black eye.
This story is clearly meant to be humorous. The last verb is one of the clearest punchlines in the Gospels. Because of this Biblical translations have to change it. The "striking" humor of it is purposely edited out in translation. There are so many errors in translation that I just gave up on NIV version, which doesn't even try to follow Jesus's words.
The opeing clause is a Greek form known as an infinitive clause where both the subject and objects of the infinitive are in the form of object, but the verb is a gerund, a verbal noun, which in English ends in "ing." In this case, the subject is "the widow," the verb "supplying" and the object, "a beating." The punchline connects to this saying literally, so "she doesn't give me a black eye."
Nagging people can give them a black eye.
Yet(CW) because this(CW) (MW) widow (MW) troubleth(WF) me, I will avenge her, lest by(CW) her(IW) continual(CW, WF) coming she weary(WW) me.
- CW --Confusing Word -- This is not the common word usually translated as "yet."
- CW --Confusing Word -- This word doesn't mean "this" in this situation.
- MW - Missing Word -- The word "the/this" before "widow" is not shown in the English translation.
- MW - Missing Word -- The word "the/this" before "trouble" is not shown in the English translation.
- WF -- Wrong Form - This "trouble" is not an active verb but an infinitive used as a noun.
- CW --Confusing Word -- This is not the common word usually translated as "by."
- IW - Inserted Word-- The "her" doesn't exist in the source.
- CW --Confusing Word -- The "continual" does not capture the word's specific meaning.
- WF -- Wrong Form - This is not an adjective but a noun.
- WW --Wrong Word -- The word translated as "weary" should be something more like "embarrass."
yet(CW) because this(CW) (MW) widow (MW) keeps(CW,WF) bothering me, I will [see that(IP)] she(WF) gets(WW) justice(IW), so that she won’t eventually(CW,WF), come(WF) and(IW) attack(WW) me!
- CW --Confusing Word -- This is not the common word usually translated as "yet."
- CW --Confusing Word -- This word doesn't mean "this" in this situation.
- MW - Missing Word -- The word "the/this" before "widow" is not shown in the English translation.
- IW - Inserted Word-- The "keeps " doesn't exist in the source.
- MW - Missing Word -- The word "the/this" before "bothering" is not shown in the English translation.
- CW --Confusing Word -- This is not the common word usually translated as "keeps."
- WF -- Wrong Form - This "keeps" is not an active verb but an infinitive used as a noun.
- IP - Inserted Phrase-- The "see that" doesn't exist in the source.
- WF -- Wrong Form - This "she" is not a subject but an object.
- WW --Wrong Word -- The word translated as "gets" should be something more like "vindicate."
- IW - Inserted Word-- The "justice" doesn't exist in the source.
- CW --Confusing Word -- The "eventually " does not capture the word's specific meaning.
- WF -- Wrong Form - This is not an adverb but a noun.
- WF -- Wrong Form - This "come" is not an active verb but a participle, a verbal adjective, "coming."
- IW - Inserted Word-- The "and" doesn't exist in the source.
- WW --Wrong Word -- The word translated as "attack" should be something more like "embarrass."
Yet - (CW) Yet" is from a word that means "at least" and "indeed." It emphasizes the word the before it. This is not the word usually translated as "word."
because -- The preposition translated as "for...reason" means with the accusative used here, means "thanks to," "because of," "by reasons of," and "for the sake of." The preposition means "through," "over," " "in the midst of," or "by (a cause)." It indicates movement through a place or time, but it also means "by" the sense of "by means of" a given method.
this .- (CW)The "these" is a pronoun that can mean "this" or "that," "here," or "there" the nearer or the further depending on usage. When the modified noun already has an article, it meaning is "here." This word doesn't mean "this" in this situation.
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.
widow -- "Widow" is an adjective that means "widowed" or more generally, "bereaved." Christ uses it as a noun.
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.
troubleth -- (WF) The "troubleth" is from two Greek words, a verb and a noun, both of them uncommon for Christ. The verb means "to hand over", "to supply", and "to cause" and a lot of specific terms. It is an infinitive, uses as a noun describing the action of the verb. Since it is introduced by an article, the sense is "this supplying" or "this causing". The noun means "beating", "work", and "suffering" plus a lot of specialized meanings. The meaning comes out as to "hand out a beating" or "supply suffering." In English, we would say "this gives me a beating". The feeling is humorous. This is not an active verb but an infinitive used as a noun..
me,-- The "me" is in the indirect object form of the first-person pronoun, so usually "to me,""for me," and "by me."
I -- This is from the first-person, singular form of the verb.
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. - However, the verb could also be in the form of possibility, "might."
avenge -- "Avenge" is a Greek verb that means to "avenge", "punish", "decide" (a case), and "vindicate". Jesus uses it only in this story.
her, -- The word translated as "her" is the Greek word commonly translated as third-person pronouns in English in the form of a singular object of a verb or preposition.
lest -- "Lest" is from two Greek words, a conjunction and a negative. The conjunction means "in order that." The negative used here is the Greek negative of a subjective opinion, commands, and requests. The sense is that "you don't want" to do something, not that it isn't done or don't think something that might be true. When the two are used together, the sense is "lest". The word translated as "in order" is a conjunction that starts a subordinate clause "that," "when," "in order that" "when," or "because." The negative used here is the Greek negative of a subjective opinion, commands, verbs of possibility, and requests. It applies to will, feeling, and thought.
by -- (CW) The word translated as "by" means "into" a place, "towards" as a direction, "in" (a position), "as much as (of measure or limit)," "in regards to" a subject, "up to" limits in measures, "until" in reference to time, "within" a time limit, and "for" a purpose or object. Used with the Greek "from" it means "from...to." This is not the word usually translated as "by."
her -- (IW) This word is not in the Greek source.
continual - (CW, WF) The word translated as "end" means "purpose," "outcome," "something done," or "goal." It is the term Jesus uses to describe the culmination or the purpose of an era or lifetime. It is more of an accomplishment than simply ending a task. In some contexts, it refers to "having the power of deciding," and so "decision" and even "doom." It can mean what is "due" to the gods or the state. See this article. This is not an adjective but a noun.
coming -- The word translated as "come" primarily means "to start out" but Jesus 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." Technically, it is in the middle voice meaning the subject acts on himself. In English, this is assumed in our words "come" and "go." Our English word "show up" captures both the "start" and "come" ideas. See this article for more. This is a participle modifying the previous noun.
she -- This is from the third-person, singular form of the verb.
weary - (WW) "Weary" is a verb that specifically means to "strike under the eye", "give a black eye", "bruise", and "mortify". The form is something that might happen, "might give a black eye." "Giving someone a black eye" also had the sense of embarrassing them or damaging their reputation as it does today. This word doesn't mean "weary."
me. -- "Me" is the regular first-person pronoun in Greek as the object of the verb or preposition.
Yet - (CW) Yet" is from a word that means "at least" and "indeed." It emphasizes the word the before it. This is not the word usually translated as "word." CW --Confusing Word -- This is not the common word usually translated as "yet."
because -- The preposition translated as "for...reason" means with the accusative used here, means "thanks to," "because of," "by reasons of," and "for the sake of." The preposition means "through," "over," " "in the midst of," or "by (a cause)." It indicates movement through a place or time, but it also means "by" the sense of "by means of" a given method.
this .- (CW)The "these" is a pronoun that can mean "this" or "that," "here," or "there" the nearer or the further depending on usage. When the modified noun already has an article, it meaning is "here." This word doesn't mean "this" in this situation.
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.
widow -- "Widow" is an adjective that means "widowed" or more generally, "bereaved." Christ uses it as a noun.
keeps -- (CW,WF ) The verb "keeps" means "to hand over", "to supply", and "to cause" and a lot of specific terms. It is an infinitive, uses as a noun describing the action of the verb. Since it is introduced by an article, the sense is "this supplying" or "this causing". This is not an active verb but an infinitive used as a noun. This is not the word usually translated as "keeps."
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.
bothering -- The "bothering" means "beating", "work", and "suffering" plus a lot of specialized meanings.
me,-- The "me" is in the indirect object form of the first-person pronoun, so usually "to me,""for me," and "by me."
I -- This is from the first-person, singular form of the verb.
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. - However, the verb could also be in the form of possibility, "might."
see that -- (IP) There is nothing that can be translated as this phrase in the Greek source.
-- "Avenge" is a Greek verb that means to "avenge", "punish", "decide" (a case), and "vindicate". Jesus uses it only in this story.
she - -- (WF) The word translated as "she" is the Greek word commonly translated as third-person pronouns in English in the form of a singular object of a verb or preposition. This is not a subject but an object.
gets -- (WW)"Gets" is a Greek verb that means to "avenge", "punish", "decide" (a case), and "vindicate". Jesus uses it only in this story. This word doesn't mean "gets."
justice, -- (IW) This word is not in the Greek source.
so that --The conjunction means "in order that."
she -- This is from the third-person, singular form of the verb.
won’t -- The negative used here is the Greek negative of a subjective opinion, commands, and requests. The sense is that "you don't want" to do something, not that it isn't done or don't think something that might be true.
eventually - (CW, WF) The word translated as "end" means "purpose," "outcome," "something done," or "goal." It is the term Jesus uses to describe the culmination or the purpose of an era or lifetime. It is more of an accomplishment than simply ending a task. In some contexts, it refers to "having the power of deciding," and so "decision" and even "doom." It can mean what is "due" to the gods or the state. See this article. This is not an adverb but a noun.
come -- (WF) The word translated as "come" primarily means "to start out" but Jesus 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." Technically, it is in the middle voice meaning the subject acts on himself. In English, this is assumed in our words "come" and "go." 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."
and -- (IW) This word is not in the Greek source.
attack - (WW) "Attack " is a verb that specifically means to "strike under the eye", "give a black eye", "bruise", and "mortify". The form is something that might happen, "might give a black eye." "Giving someone a black eye" also had the sense of embarrassing them or damaging their reputation as it does today. This word doesn't mean "weary."
me. -- "Me" is the regular first-person pronoun in Greek as the object of the verb or preposition.
διὰ [88 verses](prep) "Because" is dia, which means with the genitive "through," "over," " "in the midst of," "in a line (movement)," "throughout (time)," "by (causal)," "for (causal)," "among,
" and "between." With the accusative, it can also be "thanks to," "because of," "by reasons of," and "for the sake of."
γε [2 verses](partic) "Yet" is ge, which means "at least", "indeed," "at any rate", "namely", "that is", and "that is to say". The ge is an emphatic particle emphasizing the word with which it is associated. It is usually part of an emphatic compound. -
τὸ [821 verses]( (article sg neut acc) 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." --
παρέχειν [5 verses] ( verb pres inf act ) "Troubleth" (with kopos below) is from parecho, which means "to hand over", "to furnish", "to supply", "to yield", "to produce", "to cause", "to present", "to offer", "to allow", "to grant", "to render," and "to promise." -- The verb means "to hand over", "to supply", and "to cause" and a lot of specific terms. Jesus often uses it with a noun meaning "trouble" and "work" to make the phrase "cause trouble" or "supply work" that is translated as the verb "trouble."
μοί, [96 verses](pron 1st sg masc/fem dat) "Me" is moi (emoi) , which can be the object of some prepositions and as the object of a verb means "to me" "for me," and "by me." An indirect object of a preposition, itn implies no movement, but in a fixed position.
κόπον [5 verses]( noun sg fem acc ) "Troubleth" (with parecho above) is from kopos, which means "striking", "beating", "toil and trouble", "work", "suffering", "pain of disease," and "fatigue.""
τὴν [821 verses](article sg fem acc) 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." --
χήραν [9 verses]( noun sg fem acc ) "Widow" is from chera, which means "widow" and "bereaved."
ταύτην [96 verses]( adj sg fem acc ) "This" is tauta, which is a referring pronoun meaning "these," "this," "that," and "here." It can mean the nearer or the further depending on usage. When ταῦτα and ἐκεῖνος refer to two things ἐκεῖνος, which normally means "the nearer" as well belongs to the more remote, "the latter" in time, place, or thought, οὗτος to "the nearer"
ἐκδικήσω [2 verses](verb 1st sg fut ind act) "Avenge" is ekdikeo, which means to "avenge", "punish", "decide" (a case), and "vindicate".
αὐτὴν [39 verses](adj sg fem acc) "It" is auten, in the form of the singular, object, feminine pronoun "her/it." It refers to feminine nouns not just female people, so it is translated as both "she" or "it" depending on the context. When used as a noun, it is preceded by a definite article, and it means "the same." As the object of a preposition, an accusative object indicates movement towards something or a position reached as a result of that movement.
ἵνα [134 verses](adv/conj) "That" is hina, which means "in that place," "there," "where," "when," but when beginning a phrase "so that," "in order that," "when," and "because." It is used as an introduction to a command, where it isn't translated. Often is is better to translate it as "so that" instead of "because" to avoid confusion with another conjunction.
μὴ [447 verses](conj) "Not" is me , which is the negative used in prohibitions and expressions of doubt meaning "not" and "no." The negative, μή, rejects, is relative, and subjective. It is used with verbs of subjective action: thinking, feeling, seeing, etc. It is used in imperative and subjunctive clauses because both express opinions. With pres. or aor. subjunctive, it is used in a warning or statement of fear, "take care." The combination of ἵνα μή means "lest." The combination of ὅτι μή, means "except." Used before tis with an imperative to express a will or wish for something in independent sentences and, with subjunctives, to express prohibitions. It is used with infinitives that express a purpose. When used with verbs of physical action, its sense is that "not wanting" or "thinking" something, not that it isn't done or thought. With these verbs, the sense is rejecting the action, rather than simply not doing it. With the verb "to be," the sense is "doesn't seem." When a negative precedes the verb, it affects the whole clause. When it precedes other words, its force is limited to those words. Used with an imperative to express a will or wish. Used in negative conditional "when/if/whoever" clauses. With "have," the sense is "lacks" or "wants."
εἰς [325 verses](prep) "Into" is eis, which means "into (of place)," "up to (of time)," "until (of time)," "in" (a position), "as much as (of measure or limit)," "as far as (of measure or limit)," "towards (to express relation)," "in regard to (to express relation)," "of an end or limit," and "for (of purpose or object)."With verbs of speaking, it is the person spoken "to." With time, a limit "until," or a duration "for," "throughout," or a date, "on," "at." Used with ek, it means "from...to."
τέλος [11 verses](noun sg neut acc) "Continual" is telos, which means "fulfillment," "performance," "consummation," "result," "product," "outcome," "end," "achievement," "attainment," "goal," "state of completion," "maturity," "services rendered," "something done," "task," "duty," "toll," and "custom."
ἐρχομένη [198 verses]( part sg pres mp fem nom ) "Coming" 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.
ὑπωπιάζῃ [1 verse](verb 3rd sg pres subj act) "She weary" is hypōpiazō, which means to "strike under the eye", "give a black eye", "bruise", and "mortify".
με.[49 verses](pron 1st sg masc acc) "Me" is eme, which is the objective first-person, objective, singular pronoun that means "me." As the object of a preposition, an accusative object indicates movement towards something or a position reached as a result of that movement.
"Giving someone a black eye" also had the sense of embarrassing them or damaging their reputation as it does today.