Luke 21:10 Nation shall rise against nation,

KJV: 

Luke 21:10 Nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom:

LISTENERS HEARD: 

It is going to be awakened: people by people, and nations by nations

GREEK (Each Word Explained Bottom of Page): 

LOST IN TRANSLATION: 

This verse is translated to be about war from the context, but the words say something much more positive: that somethings is awakening all over the world. It the topic had been people arising against one another, the tense of the verb is wrong (singular instead of plural). The word translated as "arise" is must more positive the way Jesus uses it.

The word for "shall arise" means "awaken" or "stir up" and it is the same word Christ uses to describe God raising the dead and false prophets arising. At the beginning of a sentence, a verb acts commonly as a question or as an "it is" type statement. It is a future, passive, singular verb, so "it is going to be awakened" or "it is going to be stirred up." The "it" referred to seems to be "end" in the previous verse, but this "end" means "end" in the sense of "purpose" or "goal."

The word translated as "nation" but it is usually translated as "gentiles." The use here is more correct, but not quite Its primary meaning is "a group of people living together," a nation, a tribe, or a cast of people. Later it came to mean "barbarous nations" similar to our idea of ethnic people. It is singular in both occurrences.

The word translated as "against" twice in this verse means "to", "in," "before", "by" or "on." It can mean "against," but Christ doesn't use it that way. Interestingly, the Greek word that Christ typically uses that is translated as "against" appears later in the verse, but it is not translated as it normally is either.

The Greek word translated as "and" is used as the conjunction "and", but, in a series, is often best translated as "not only...but also." When used in writing, it creates complex sentences, but when spoken, it makes a good pausing point so that an important or humorous word can follow.

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" is often more appropriate. Both of its uses are plural.

COMPARISON: GREEK to KJV : 

Ἐγερθήσεται ἔθνος ἐπ᾽ ἔθνος καὶ βασιλεία ἐπὶ” “βασιλείαν,”

ἐγερθήσεται” (verb 3rd sg fut ind pass) "Shall arise" is from egeiro, which means "to awaken", "to stir up," and "to rouse."

ἔθνος (noun sg neut nom/acc) "Nation" is from ethnos, which means "a number of people living together", "company", "body of men," "tribe", "a people", "nation," and (later) "foreign, barbarous nations."

ἐπὶ (prep) "Against" is from epi. which means "on", "upon", "at", "by", "before", "across," and "against."

ἔθνος (noun sg neut nom/acc) "Nation" is from ethnos, which means "a number of people living together", "company", "body of men," "tribe", "a people", "nation," and (later) "foreign, barbarous nations." -- The word translated as "Gentiles" means "a group of people living together," a nation, a tribe, or a cast of people. Later it came to mean "barbarous nations" similar to our idea of ethnic people. It is in the same form as the "them" above, so "to them" or "for them."

καὶ (conj/adv) "And" is from 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."

βασιλεία (noun pl neut nom/acc) "Kingdom" is from basileia, which means "kingdom", "dominion", "hereditary monarchy", "kingly office," (passive) "being ruled by a king," and "reign." --

ἐπὶ (prep) "Against" is from epi. which means "on", "upon", "at", "by", "before", "across," and "against."

βασιλείαν,” (noun pl neut nom/acc) "Kingdom" is from basileia, which means "kingdom", "dominion", "hereditary monarchy", "kingly office," (passive) "being ruled by a king," and "reign." --

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Front Page Date: 

Dec 29 2018