The Parable of Money Usage
Luke 19:23 Wherefore then gavest not thou my money into the bank, that at my coming I might have required mine own with usury?
Luke 19:23 Why then didn’t you put my money on deposit, so that when I came back, I could have collected it with interest?’
And so, why didn't you give mine, that cash, over a counter [of a broker]? And I myself, showing up, might possibly obtain it along with interest?
The word translated as "the bank" is uncommon for Jesus and a bit of a pun. It has the primary meaning of "table" or "counter" referring to the "tables" or "counters" of money-brokers. This is precisely how we use the terms "over the counter" to refer to trading stocks through a broker network rather than a stock exchange. It is not the Greek word used elsewhere in the NT translated as "money-changers." This word is used because it is a pun, since the word also means the grinding surface of teeth and the lower mill stone which grinds grain. So in a sense the money brokers are "grinders."
However, the particle word translated as "might" and "could" is important here. There is no exact equivalent in English, but it is used to indicate the possibility of something rather than its certainty. So the master is indicating that the interests was not guaranteed, just a possibility. The chance of gain is worth the risk of loss.
The chance of gain is worth the risk of loss.
Wherefore then(WW) gavest not thou my (MW) money into the(IW) bank(CW), [that at my(WW)] coming I might have(WT] required(WW) [mine own(WW)] with usury?
- WW --Wrong Word -- The word translated as "then" should be something more like "but."
- MW - Missing Word -- The word "the/this" before "money" is not shown in the English translation.
- IW - Inserted Word-- The "the" doesn't exist in the source.
- CW --Confusing Word -- The "bank" doesn't precisely mean "bank."
- WW --Wrong Word -- The word translated as "that at my" should be something more like "and I." This word doesn't mean "that at my."
- MW -- Missing Word -- The pronoun repeats the information in the verb so it should be repeated in English like "I myself."
- WT - Wrong Tense - The verb "have" indicates the past perfect tense, but the tense is something that happens at a specific point in time (past, present, or future).
- WW --Wrong Word -- The word translated as "required" should be something more like "achieved."
- WW --Wrong Word -- The word translated as "mine own" should be something more like "it."
Wherefore then(WW) gavest not thou my (MW) money into the(IW) bank(CW), [that at my(WW)] coming I might have(WT] required(WW) [mine own(WW)] with usury?
- WW --Wrong Word -- The word translated as "then" should be something more like "but."
- MW - Missing Word -- The word "the/this" before "money" is not shown in the English translation.
- IW - Inserted Word-- The "the" doesn't exist in the source.
- CW --Confusing Word -- The "bank" doesn't precisely mean "bank."
- WW --Wrong Word -- The word translated as "that at my" should be something more like "and I." This word doesn't mean "that at my."
- MW -- Missing Word -- The pronoun repeats the information in the verb so it should be repeated in English like "I myself."
- WT - Wrong Tense - The verb "have" indicates the past perfect tense, but the tense is something that happens at a specific point in time (past, present, or future).
- WW --Wrong Word -- The word translated as "required" should be something more like "achieved."
- WW --Wrong Word -- The word translated as "mine own" should be something more like "it."
Where-- The word translated as "Where-" means primarily means primarily "anything" or "anyone," but Jesus often uses it to start a question so it means "who", "what","where", or even "why".
fore -- The word translated as "-fore " means "through," in the midst of," or "by (a cause)."
then -- (WW) The Greek word translated as "then" is used as the conjunction "and", but it also is used to add emphasis ("also"). This word doesn't mean "then."
gavest -- The verb translated as "gavest ...though" means "to give", "to grant", "to hand over", "appoint", "establish," and "to describe." It is almost always translated as some form of "give."
not -- The Greek word translated as "not" is the Greek negative used to deny objective facts, not opinions. It makes a negative statement of fact. Adding "really" to the sentence captures the same idea.
thou -- This is from the second-person, singular form of the verb.
my -- "My" is the first-person possessive singular pronoun.
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.
money -- The word translated as "money" is an uncommon word for Jesus. It means "money" in the sense we use the term "cash," referring to the actual metal "silver."
into -- The word translated as "into " means "on", "over", "upon", "against", "before", "after", "during", "by" or "on." The sense is "on", which makes sense because of the meaning of the next word.
the -- (IW) This word is not in the Greek source.
bank -- (CW) The word translated as "bank" is uncommon and has the primary meaning of "table" or "counter". which originally meant "table" from the "tables" or "counters" of money-changers. However, it is not the Greek word used elsewhere in the NT translated as "money-changers." This word is used because it is a pun, since the word for "bank" also means the grinding surface of teeth and the lower mill stone which grinds grain. So in a sense the "grinders" are "bankers". This word doesn't precisely mean "bank."
that at my --- (WW) This is from "and I" a contraction of the conjunction "and" and the first person pronoun, "I/me." The "me" is an indirect object, usually translated as "to me. It appears below. The "me" is an direct object. It appears below. This "I" is a subject.When it has no verb, the verb "is" or the previous verb is assumed. When the subject of the sentence is part of the verb, this pronoun's accentuates who is speaking "I." Saying "I myself" captures this feeling in English. This word doesn't mean "that at my."
missing "myself" -- (MW) The subject pronoun repeats the information in the verb so it should be repeated in English like "I myself."
coming -- The word translated as "coming" 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. The form is a participle.
might -- "Might" is a particle used with verbs to indicate that the action is limited by circumstances or defined by conditions. There is no exact equivalent in English, but it is translated as "possibly," "would have", "might", "should," and "could."
have -- (WT) This helping verb "have" indicates that the verb is the tense indicating an action completed in the past. This is not the tense of the verb here.
required -- (WW) The word translated here as "required" is another rare word. This word means "passed over" and has more of a sense of "accomplish" or "achieve" something. However, it also can be "obtain". This word doesn't mean "required."
mine own -- (WW) The word translated as "mine own" is the Greek word commonly translated as third-person pronouns in English. This form would normally be translated as "it" since the form refers to the "money". This word doesn't mean "mine own."
with -- The word translated as "with" is also not from the word Christ uses to say "with." It is from a preposition that Christ rarely uses that means "along with" and, when referring to things "attached to" and "by means of." The last meaning makes sense here.
usury -- The word translated as "usury" primarily means "childbirth" but specifically to the gestation period in the womb. You can see how the ide of bank interest arose from growth in the womb as a kind of slang. Money gives birth to more money. The word itself is a good summary of this verse.
Why then didn’t you put my money on deposit, so that when I came back, I could have collected it with interest?’
Why -- The word translated as "Where-" means primarily means primarily "anything" or "anyone," but Jesus often uses it to start a question so it means "who", "what","where", or even "why".
fore -- missing "by" -- (MW) The untranslated word The word translated as "-fore " means "through," in the midst of," or "by (a cause)."
then -- (WW) The Greek word translated as "then" is used as the conjunction "and", but it also is used to add emphasis ("also"). This word doesn't mean "then."
gavest -- The verb translated as "gavest ...though" means "to give", "to grant", "to hand over", "appoint", "establish," and "to describe." It is almost always translated as some form of "give."
not -- The Greek word translated as "not" is the Greek negative used to deny objective facts, not opinions. It makes a negative statement of fact. Adding "really" to the sentence captures the same idea.
thou -- This is from the second-person, singular form of the verb.
my -- "My" is the first-person possessive singular pronoun.
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.
money -- The word translated as "money" is an uncommon word for Jesus. It means "money" in the sense we use the term "cash," referring to the actual metal "silver."
into -- The word translated as "into " means "on", "over", "upon", "against", "before", "after", "during", "by" or "on." The sense is "on", which makes sense because of the meaning of the next word.
the -- (IW) This word is not in the Greek source.
bank -- (CW) The word translated as "bank" is uncommon and has the primary meaning of "table" or "counter". which originally meant "table" from the "tables" or "counters" of money-changers. However, it is not the Greek word used elsewhere in the NT translated as "money-changers." This word is used because it is a pun, since the word for "bank" also means the grinding surface of teeth and the lower mill stone which grinds grain. So in a sense the "grinders" are "bankers". This word doesn't precisely mean "bank."
that at my --- (WW) This is from "and I" a contraction of the conjunction "and" and the first person pronoun, "I/me." The "me" is an indirect object, usually translated as "to me. It appears below. The "me" is an direct object. It appears below. This "I" is a subject.When it has no verb, the verb "is" or the previous verb is assumed. When the subject of the sentence is part of the verb, this pronoun's accentuates who is speaking "I." Saying "I myself" captures this feeling in English. This word doesn't mean "that at my."
missing "myself" -- (MW) The subject pronoun repeats the information in the verb so it should be repeated in English like "I myself."
coming -- The word translated as "coming" 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. The form is a participle.
might -- "Might" is a particle used with verbs to indicate that the action is limited by circumstances or defined by conditions. There is no exact equivalent in English, but it is translated as "possibly," "would have", "might", "should," and "could."
have -- (WT) This helping verb "have" indicates that the verb is the tense indicating an action completed in the past. This is not the tense of the verb here.
required -- (WW) The word translated here as "required" is another rare word. This word means "passed over" and has more of a sense of "accomplish" or "achieve" something. However, it also can be "obtain". This word doesn't mean "required."
mine own -- (WW) The word translated as "mine own" is the Greek word commonly translated as third-person pronouns in English. This form would normally be translated as "it" since the form refers to the "money". This word doesn't mean "mine own."
with -- The word translated as "with" is also not from the word Christ uses to say "with." It is from a preposition that Christ rarely uses that means "along with" and, when referring to things "attached to" and "by means of." The last meaning makes sense here.
usury -- The word translated as "usury" primarily means "childbirth" but specifically to the gestation period in the womb. You can see how the ide of bank interest arose from growth in the womb as a kind of slang. Money gives birth to more money. The word itself is a good summary of this verse.
καὶ (conj/adv) Untranslated is kai, which is the conjunction joining phrases and clauses, "and," or "but." 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."
διὰ [88 verses](prep) "-fore" is dia, which means with the genitive "through," "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."
τί ( pron sg neut acc) "Where" is tis which can mean "someone", "any one", "everyone", "they [indefinite]", "many a one", "whoever", "anyone", "anything", "some sort", "some sort of", "each", "any", "the individual", "such," and so on. In a question, it can mean "who", "why," or "what."
οὐκ (partic) "Not" is ou which is the negative adverb for facts and statements, negating both single words and sentences. The other negative adverb, μή applies to will and thought; οὐ denies, μή rejects; οὐ is absolute, μή relative; οὐ objective, μή subjective.
ἔδωκάς ( verb 2nd sg aor ind act ) "Gavest thou" is didomi, which means "to give", "to grant", "to hand over", "appoint", "establish," and "to describe."
μου (pro sg masc gen) "My" is mou, which mean "my," or "mine."
τὸ [821 verses](article sg neut acc) "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."
ἀργύριον [5 verses] (noun sg neut acc) "Money" is from argyrion, which means "small coin," "piece of money," "money," "cash," and "silver." -- The word translated as "money" is very uncommon for Christ. It means "money" in the sense we use the term "cash," referring to the actual metal "silver."
ἐπὶ (prep) "Into" is epi, which means "on", "over", "upon", "at", "by", "before", "across," "after" in position, "during", and "against."
τράπεζαν; [5 verses](noun sg fem acc) "Bank" is trapeza, which means "table", "dining-table", "eating-table", "money changer's table", and "grinding stone".
κἀγὼ (conj pron) "That at my" is kago, a contraction of kai ego. "And" is kai, which is the conjunction joining phrases and clauses, "and," or "but." Also used to give emphasis, "even", "also," and "just." "I" is ego, which is the first-person singular pronoun meaning "I". It also means "I at least", "for my part", "indeed," and "for myself."
ἐλθὼν ( part sg aor act masc nom ) "Come" 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.
σὺν [4 verses](prep) "With" is syn, which means "along with," "in company with," "together with," "together," of things "attached to," as an instrument "by means of"
τόκῳ [2 verses](noun sg masc dat) "Usury" is tokos, which means "childbirth," "the time of childbirth," "period of gestation," "offspring," "produce of money," and "interest."
ἂν [60 verses](particle) "Might" is an, which is a particle used with verbs to indicate that the action is limited by circumstances or defined by conditions. There is no exact equivalent in English, but it is translated as "possibly," "would have," "might," "should," and "could."
αὐτὸ (adj sg neut acc) "Mine own" 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."
ἔπραξα [2 verses](verb 1st sg aor ind act ) "I have required"is from prasso, which means "pass through", "pass over", "experience", "achieve", "effect", "accomplish", "attempt", "plot", "effect [an object]", "be successful", "manage [affairs]", "do [business]", "act", "transact", "negotiate", "practice", "obtain", "deal with," and "finish off." - - The word translated as "doeth" has the sent of "accomplishing" or "achieving" something.
Many uncommon words here, but most are also used in Matthew 25:27, the similar verse in the earlier Gospel.