Luke 21:10 Nation shall rise against nation,

Spoken to
Apostles

Apostles ask when temple will fall.  

KJV

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

NIV

Luke 21:10 Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom.

LISTENERS HEARD

People will be roused against people, and nations against nations

LOST IN TRANSLATION

The noun translated as "nation" means an ethnic people. The "rise" is actually a passive verb. In the context of war, the sense is "people will be roused." This implies that people are being pitted against each other. 

MY TAKE

We can rise to the occasion or be aroused against people. 

# KJV TRANSLATION ISSUES
1

Nation shall rise(WV) against nation, and kingdom against kingdom:

  • WV --Wrong Voice - The "verb" here is translated as active but it is passive.
# NIV TRANSLATION ISSUES
1

Nation will rise(WV) against nation, and kingdom against kingdom.

WV --Wrong Voice - The "verb" here is translated as active but it is passive.

EACH WORD of KJV

Nation -- 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.

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.

rise -- (WV) The word for "rise" 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 verb here is translated as active but it is passive. 

against -- 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.

nation -- 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.

and -- 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 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."

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

against -- 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.

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

EACH WORD of NIV

Nation --  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.

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.

rise -- The word for "rise" 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."

against -- 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.

nation -- 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.

and -- 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 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."

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

against -- 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.

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

COMPARISON: GREEK to KJV

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." 

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." --

Front Page Date