After Sadducees do not answer his question about David's son being called his master.
Luke 20:46 Beware of the scribes, which desire to walk in long robes, and love greetings in the markets, and the highest seats in the synagogues, and the chief rooms at feasts;
Luke 20:46 “Beware of the teachers of the law. They like to walk around in flowing robes and love to be greeted with respect in the marketplaces and have the most important seats in the synagogues and the places of honor at banquets.
Guard against those writers, those wanting to walk around in outfits and liking salutations in the marketplaces and first seats in the meeting places and first couches in the meals.
This verse is primarily humorous, an exaggerated sentence using uncommon words, and stretched out with "and" conjunctions, using of participles, and in numerous clauses beginning with "in". Much of this is changed in translation.
The "long/flowing robes" here are described more like an official uniform or outfit, special clothes identifying them as writers or Pharisees. The "greetings" word is more like "salutations". The "highest/important seats" means "first seats". The "uppermost room/chief seats" means "first couches".
If we want to draw attention to ourselves it is only because we don't know how foolish we look.
Προσέχετε ἀπὸ τῶν γραμματέων τῶν θελόντων περιπατεῖν ἐν στολαῖς
Guard against those writers, those wanting to walk around in outfits
καὶ φιλούντων ἀσπασμοὺς ἐν ταῖς ἀγοραῖς καὶ πρωτοκαθεδρίας ἐν ταῖς συναγωγαῖς
and liking salutations in the marketplaces and front chairs in the meeting places
καὶ πρωτοκλισίας ἐν τοῖς δείπνοις,
and first couches in the meals.
Beware of(CW) the scribes, which(CW) desire(WF) to walk in long(IW) robes, and love(CW, WF) greetings in the markets, and the(IW) highest seats in the synagogues(UW), and the chief rooms at(CW) feasts;
- CW --Confusing Word -- This is not the common word form usually translated as "of".
- CW --Confusing Word -- This is not the common word usually translated as "which".
- WF -- Wrong Form - This is not an active verb but a participle, a verbal adjective, "desiring".
- IW - Inserted Word-- The "long" before "robe" doesn't exist in the source.
- CW -- Confusing Word -- The "love" is a Greek word that is more like "like" than "love" in English.
- WF -- Wrong Form - This is not an active verb but a participle, a verbal adjective, "liking".
- IW - Inserted Word-- The "the" before "highest seats" doesn't exist in the source.
- UW --Untranslated Word -- The word "synagogues" means "meeting". It is the untranslated Greek word adopted into English.
- CW --Confusing Word -- This "at" is the same Greek word translated earlier in the verse as "in".
- CW --Confusing Word -- This is not the common word form usually translated as "of".
- WW --Wrong Word -- The word translated as "teachers" should be something more like "scribes".
- IP - Inserted Phrase-- The "of the law" doesn't exist in the source.
- CW --Confusing Word -- This is not the common word form usually translated as "they".
- CW --Confusing Word -- This is not the common word usually translated as "they".
- CW --Confusing Word -- This is not the common word usually translated as "like".
- WF -- Wrong Form - This "like" is not an active verb but a participle, a verbal adjective, "wanting".
- IW - Inserted Word-- The "flowing" doesn't exist in the source.
- CW -- Confusing Word -- The "love" is a Greek word that is more like "like" than "love" in English.
- WF -- Wrong Form - This is not an active verb but a participle, a verbal adjective, "liking".
- WF -- Wrong Form - This is not a verb but a noun.
- IP - Inserted Phrase-- The "with respect" doesn't exist in the source.
- IW - Inserted Word-- The "have" doesn't exist in the source.
- MW - Missing Word -- The word "in" after "have" is not shown in the English translation.
- UW --Untranslated Word -- The word "synagogues" means "meeting." It is the untranslated Greek word adopted into English.
- CW --Confusing Word -- This "at" is the same Greek word translated earlier in the verse as "in".
Beware -- The word translated as "beware" means"hold to", "offer", "turn toward", "attend to", "pay attention", and "be on your guard against". Its root is the Greek word meaning "have" and "hold". It works somewhat like our phrase "hold fast" but with the sense of guarding.
of -- (CW) The word translated as "of" means "from" in both location and when referring to a source. It sometimes has the sense of "against" when used with verbs like this one. This is not the word form usually translated as "of".
scribes -- "Scribes" is translated from a Greek word describing anyone who used written records in their job, "secretary", "registrar' and "scholar". However, Christ used it to name those scholars who specifically studied the Bible and wrote about its meanings. A modern equivalent would be "academics".
which -- (CW) The word translated as "which" is the Greek definite article, which usually precedes a noun and, without a noun, takes the meaning of "the one". The Greek article is much closer to our demonstrative pronouns ("this", "that", "these", "those"). See this article for more. This is not the word usually translated as "which".
desire -- (WF) The Greek word translated as "desire" expresses consent and even a delight in doing something. It means "to consent" and "to be resolved to a purpose". It is not an active verb here, but an adjective, "desiring", which becomes a noun with the introductory article, "the desiring" or "those desiring". This is not an active verb but a participle, a verbal adjective, "desiring".
to -- This "to" is added to create the infinitive form of the following verb.
walk -- "Walk" is a Greek verb that means "to walk up and down", "to walk about" and "to walk about while teaching". The English word "strut" or "parade" captures the way Jesus uses it.
in -- The word translated as "in" also means "within", "with" or "among".
long -- (IW) This word is not in the Greek source.
robes,-- "Long robes" is a Greek word that means "equipment", "fitting out", "armament", "equipment in dress", "raiment", "garment", "robe" and "the act of dressing". Jesus uses it only three times, always to mean a piece of clothing. This word is the source of our word "stole".
and -- The Greek word translated as "and" is used as the conjunction "and", but it also is used to add emphasis ("also").
love-- (CW, WF)) "They love" is one of two Greek words that are translated as "love" but mean different things. The verb expresses a preference or a liking for something or someone. Its meaning is more like "enjoy" than "love" in English. More on the two types of "love" in this article. This is not an active verb but a participle, a verbal adjective, "liking".
greetings -- "Greetings" is a Greek word that Jesus only uses here and in parallel verses that means "greeting", "embrace" and "affection". It is translated as "salutations" in Mark.
in -- The word translated as "in" also means "within", "with" or "among".
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.
markets -- "Markets" is a common noun that means "an assembly", "place of assembly" and "marketplace". "Public speaking" meant speaking in the marketplace.
and -- The Greek word translated as "and" is used as the conjunction "and", but it also is used to add emphasis ("also").
the -- There is no Greek article "the" here in the source, but the adjective is a superlative and in English, a definite article "the/this/that/these/those" is used before superlative adjective is like this.
highest seats-- "Highest seats" comes as another uncommon verb only found in parallel verse that literally means "first seats". It is "chief seats" in Matthew.
in -- The word translated as "in" also means "within", "with" or "among".
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.
synagogues -- (UW) The Greek word translated as "synagogues" is the source of our English word. It simply means an assembly or place of assembly. It comes from a Greek word Christ uses commonly, sunagô, to mean "gather" or "bring together".
and -- The Greek word translated as "and" is used as the conjunction "and", but it also is used to add emphasis ("also").
chief rooms -- "Chief rooms" is from protoklisia, which means "first seat at table", literally "foremost couches". It is translated as "uppermost rooms" in Matthew. The prefix in this word means "first" and "highest". In place, this means "the foremost". In order, it means "the first". Of rank or degree, it means "the highest" or "the best". It's root noun means a place for lying down or reclining", "anything for lying or sitting upon," a "couch for reclining at a table", "nuptial bed" and a "company" of people reclining at meals.
at -- (CW) The "at" here is the same word translated as "in" earlier in this verse. It means "in", "within", "with," or "among."
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.
feasts -- "Feasts" is from a word that means "a meal", "noonday meal" and, generally, "food".
Beware -- The word translated as "beware" means"hold to", "offer", "turn toward", "attend to", "pay attention", and "be on your guard against". Its root is the Greek word meaning "have" and "hold". It works somewhat like our phrase "hold fast" but with the sense of guarding.
of -- (CW) The word translated as "of" means "from" in both location and when referring to a source. It sometimes has the sense of "against" when used with verbs like this one. This is not the word form usually translated as "of"
teachers -- (WW) "Teachers" is translated from a Greek word describing anyone who used written records in their job, "secretary", "registrar" and "scholar". However, Christ used it to name those scholars who specifically studied the Bible and wrote about its meanings. A modern equivalent would be "academics". This word doesn't mean "teachers".
of the law -- (IP) There is nothing that can be translated as this phrase in the Greek source.
They -- (CW) The word translated as "which" is the Greek definite article, which usually precedes a noun and, without a noun, takes the meaning of "the one". The Greek article is much closer to our demonstrative pronouns ("this", "that", "these", "those"). See this article for more. This is not the word usually translated as "they".
like -- (CW, WF) The Greek word translated as "like" expresses consent and even a delight in doing something. It means "to consent", "to want" and "to be resolved to a purpose". It is not an active verb here, but an adjective, "desiring" which becomes a noun with the introductory article, "those wanting". This word is not usually translated as "like".
to -- This "to" is added to create the infinitive form of the following verb.
walk -- "Walk" is a Greek verb that means "to walk up and down", "to walk about" and "to walk about while teaching". The English word "strut" or "parade" captures the way Jesus uses it.
around - This completes the meaning of the verb. It is from the prefix.
in -- The word translated as "in" also means "within", "with" or "among".
flowing -- (IW) This word is not in the Greek source.
robes,-- "Long robes" is a Greek word that means "equipment", "fitting out", "armament", "equipment in dress", "raiment", "garment", "robe" and "the act of dressing". Jesus uses it only three times, always to mean a piece of clothing. This word is the source of our word "stole".
and -- The Greek word translated as "and" is used as the conjunction "and", but it also is used to add emphasis ("also").
love-- (CW) "They love" is one of two Greek words that are translated as "love" but mean different things. The verb expresses a preference or a liking for something or someone. Its meaning is more like "enjoy" than "love" in English. More on the two types of "love" in this article.
to be greeted -- (WF)"Greeted" is a Greek word that Jesus only uses here and in parallel verses that means "greeting", "embrace" and "affection". This is not a verb but a noun.
with respect -- (IP) There is nothing that can be translated as this phrase in the Greek source.
in -- The word translated as "in" also means "within", "with" or "among".
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.
marketplaces -- "Marketplaces" is a common noun that means "an assembly", "place of assembly" and "marketplace". "Public speaking" meant speaking in the marketplace.
and -- The Greek word translated as "and" is used as the conjunction "and", but it also is used to add emphasis ("also").
have -- (IW) This word is not in the Greek source.
missing "in " -- (MW) The untranslated word "in" also means "within", "with" or "among".
the -- There is no Greek article "the" here in the source, but the adjective is a superlative and in English, a definite article "the/this/that/these/those" is used before superlative adjective is like this.
most important seats -- "Most important seats " comes is another uncommon verb only found in parallel verse that literally means "first seats". It is "chief seats" in Matthew.
in -- The word translated as "in" also means "within", "with" or "among".
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.
synagogues -- (UW) The Greek word translated as "synagogues" is the source of our English word. It simply means an assembly or place of assembly. It comes from a Greek word Christ uses commonly, sunagô, to mean "gather" or "bring together".
and -- The Greek word translated as "and" is used as the conjunction "and", but it also is used to add emphasis ("also").
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.
places of honor -- "Places of honor" is from protoklisia, which means "first seat at table", literally "foremost couches". It is translated as "uppermost rooms" in Matthew. The prefix in this word means "first" and "highest". In place, this means "the foremost". In order, it means "the first". Of rank or degree, it means "the highest" or "the best". It's root noun means a place for lying down or reclining", "anything for lying or sitting upon", a "couch for reclining at a table", "nuptial bed" and a "company" of people reclining at meals.
at -- (CW) The "at" hear is the same word translated as "in" earlier in this verse. It means "in", "within", "with" or "among".
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.
banquets -- "Banquets" is from a word that means "a meal," "noonday meal" and, generally, "food".
Προσέχετε ( verb 2nd pl pres imperat act ) "Beware" is the Greek prosecho, which means "hold to", "to offer", "turn to or toward", "to turn your mind toward", "to be on one's guard against", "to take heed", "to pay attention", "to devote oneself to", "to attach oneself", "to continue", "to hold fast to" [a thing], "to have in addition" or "pay court to".
ἀπὸ (prep) "Of" is apo, a preposition of separation which means "from" or "away from" from when referring to place or motion, "from" or "after" when referring to time, "from" as an origin or cause.
τῶν [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 word that can become a noun, takes the meaning of "the one" or, in the plural, "the ones".
γραμματέων ( noun pl masc gen ) "Scribes" is grammateus, which is generally a "secretary", "registrar", "recorder" and "scholar", but specifically means someone who uses gramma which is Greek for "drawings", "a letter" (as in an alphabet), "diagrams" and "letters" (as in correspondence).
τῶν (article pl masc gen) "Which" is the Greek definite article, which usually precedes a noun and, without a noun, takes the meaning of "the one" or, in the plural, "the ones".
θελόντων ( part pl pres act masc gen ) "Want" is thelo, which as a verb means "to be willing" (of consent rather than desire), "to wish", "to ordain", "to decree", "to be resolved to a purpose", "to maintain", "to hold", "to delight in and "will" (too express a future event with inanimate objects). As a participle, it means "being willing" or, adverbially, "willingly" and "gladly".
περιπατεῖν ( verb pres inf act ) "To walk" is peripateo, which means "to walk up and down", "to walk about" and "to walk about while teaching".
ἐν (prep) "In" is en, which means "in", "on", "at", "by", "among", "within", "surrounded by", "in one's hands", "in one's power" and "with".
στολαῖς [5 verses](noun pl fem dat ) "Long clothing" is stole, which means "equipment", "fitting out", "armament", "equipment in dress", "raiment", "garment", "robe" and "the act of dressing".
καὶ (conj/adv) "And" 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".
φιλούντων ( part pl pres act masc gen ) "Love" is phileo, which means "to love", "to regard with affection", "to kiss" and "to approve of".
ἀσπασμοὺς [4 verses](noun pl masc acc) "Greetings" is aspasmos, which means "greeting", "embrace" and "affection".
ἐν (prep) "In" is en, which means "in", "on", "at", "by", "among", "within", "surrounded by", "in one's hands", "in one's power" and "with".
ταῖς [821 verses](article pl fem dat) "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".
ἀγοραῖς ( noun pl fem dat) "Markets" is from agora, which means "an assembly", "place of assembly" and "marketplace". "Public speaking" meant speaking in the marketplace.
καὶ (conj/adv) "And" is kai, which is the conjunction joining phrases and clauses, "and" or "but". After words implying sameness, "as" (the same opinion as you).
πρωτοκαθεδρίας [3 verses] (noun pl fem acc) "Highest seats" comes protokathedria which literally means "first seats". The prefix in this word means "first" and "highest" from protos. In place, this means "the foremost". In order, it means "the first". Of rank or degree, it means "the highest" or "the best". It's root is kathedra, which means a "seat" to sit on, the "posterior", the "sitting posture", "sitting idle", "inaction", the "chair of a teacher", and "a throne".
ἐν (prep) "In" is en, which means "in", "on", "at", "by", "among", "within", "surrounded by", "in one's hands", "in one's power" and "with".
ταῖς [821 verses](article pl fem dat) "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".
συναγωγαῖς ( noun pl fem dat ) "Synagogue" is synagoge, which means a "bringing together", "assembly", "place of assembly", "contracting", "collection", "combination", "conclusion" and "demonstration". It comes from a Greek word Christ uses commonly, sunagô, to mean "gather" or "bring together".
καὶ (conj/adv) "And" 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".
πρωτοκλισίας [5 verses] (noun pl fem acc) "Uppermost rooms" is protoklisia, which means "first seat at table", literally "foremost couches". The prefix in this word means "first" and "highest" from protos. In place, this means "the foremost." In order, it means "the first". Of rank or degree, it means "the highest" or "the best". It's root is klisia, which means "a place for lying down or reclining", "anything for lying or sitting upon", a "couch for reclining at a table", "nuptial bed" and a "company" of people reclining at meals.
ἐν "In" is from en, which means "in", "on", "at", "by", "among", "within", "surrounded by", "in one's hands", "in one's power" and "with".
τοῖς [821 verses](article pl masc dat) "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".
δείπνοις [7 verses] (noun pl masc dat) "Feasts" is from deipnon, which means "a meal", "noonday meal" and, generally, "food".