Luke 22:16 For I say unto you, I will not any more eat thereof,

KJV: 

Luke 22:16 For I say unto you, I will not any more eat thereof, until it be fulfilled in the kingdom of God.

LISTENERS HEARD: 

I say consequently to you that never might I eat the same until this here: it might be paid in full  in the realm of the Divine.

GREEK (Each Word Explained Bottom of Page): 

LOST IN TRANSLATION: 

All the verbs in this verse are verbs of possibility. In other words, Jesus was saying that he might not eat again until everything might be fulfilled. When making certain predictions, Jesus uses the future tense. We see the same thing in Matthew 26:29 when Jesus makes a similar statement about drinking wine. This was also a verb of possibility, not the future tense. Also, a couple of Greek words are left untranslated in the KJV and a word added.

The word translated as "for" introduces a reason or explanation so "because" and, in questions, "why." However, since this word always appears in the second position, it is more like an aside remark like, "consequently" or "as a cause". 

The word translated as "I say" is the most common word that means "to say," and "to speak," but it also means "to teach," which seems to be the way Christ uses it more frequently. It also has many ancillary meanings such as "to count" ("to number" or like we might say, "to recount" a story) or "to choose for yourself." Christ usually uses this word to refer to his own speaking or teaching.

The Greek pronoun "unto you" here is plural and in the form of an indirect object, "to you", "for you", etc. 

There is an untranslated word here that means "that," which introduces a statement of fact or cause.

The word translated as "I will...eat" is one of the two common words used to mean "eat."It means "to eat", "to eat up," and "to devour." The form of this verb is not the future tense, but a form, which when used with this form of negative is used either to make this future seem doubtful or certain, "it may be that" or "it is certain". We see this same form in Matthew 26:29.

The "not" here is both of the Greek negatives used together. Greek has two negatives, one objective, one subjective. The use of both together is more extreme, like saying "you cannot really think." Using "never" is simpler.

There is no Greek here that means "any more" . It might be considered part of the negative, but there is not sense in that negative of this idea of "never again".

The word translated as "thereof" is the Greek word commonly translated as third-person pronouns in English.  The word means "the same" when used as an adjective.   "The same" works a little better here because the pronoun "it" is a little vague.

The word translated as "until" means "until" but it also means "in order that."

There is an untranslated word here that is the object of "until". It is a Greek word that means "this", "that", "the nearer."  This form has a sense of this place, here or there.

"It be fulfilled" is a verb that means "to fill", "to fulfill," and "to fill full." The form is not the future or present. Again, it is the form of possibility in the passive:"it might be fullfilled."

The word translated as "in" also means "within", "with," or "among."

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" or "realm" seems more appropriate. This is especially true because the "reign" of a king means the execution of his will.

The word translated as "of God" means "God" and "deity." It is introduced with an article, so "the God." Jesus often uses it this way perhaps to indicate the one God as opposed to the pagan gods.

COMPARISON: GREEK to KJV : 

λέγω (1st sg pres ind act) "Say" is lego means "pick up", "choose for oneself", "pick out," and "count," "recount", "tell over", "say", "speak", "teach", "mean", "boast of", "tell of", "recite," "nominate," and "command." =--

γὰρ (partic) "For" comes from gar which is the introduction of a clause explaining a reason or explanation: "for", "since," and "as." In an abrupt question, it means "why" and "what." --

ὑμῖν (pron 2nd pl dat) "Unto you" is humin the plural form of su the pronoun of the second person, "you." --

ὅτι (adv/conj)Untranslated is hoti, which introduces a statement of fact "with regard to the fact that", "seeing that," and acts as a causal adverb meaning "for what", "because", "since," and "wherefore." --

οὐ μὴ (partic) "Not any more" is ou me, the two forms of Greek negative used together. Ou is the negative adverb for facts and statements, negating both single words and sentences. Mê (me) is the negative used in prohibitions and expressions of doubt meaning "not" and "no." As οὐ (ou) negates fact and statement; μή rejects, οὐ denies; μή is relative, οὐ absolute; μή subjective, οὐ objective. --

φάγω ( verb 1st sg aor subj act ) "I willl...eat" is phago) which is a form of the word, phagein, which means to eat", "to eat up," and "to devour." --

αὐτὸ ( adj sg neut acc ) "Thereof" (adj sg masc acc) "Him" 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."

ἕως (conj) "Until" is heos which means "until", "till," and "in order that" and "up to the point that." --

ὅτου ( pron sg neut gen ) Untranslated is houtos, which as an adjective means "this", "that", "the nearer." As an adverb, it means "in this way", "therefore", "so much", "to such an extent," and "that is why." --

πληρωθῇ ( verb 3rd sg aor subj pass ) "It be fulfilled" is plêroô (pleroo), which mean "to fill", "to fulfill", "to make complete", "to pay in full", "to make pregnant," and "to fill full." --

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". --

τῇ βασιλείᾳ (noun sg fem dat) "The kingdom" is basileia, which means "kingdom", "dominion", "hereditary monarchy", "kingly office," (passive) "being ruled by a king," and "reign."

τοῦ θεοῦ. ( noun sg masc gen ) "Of God" is theos, which means "God," "divine," and "Deity." --

Related Verses: 

Front Page Date: 

Jan 30 2019