Luke 5:22 What reason ye in your hearts?

Spoken to: 

The Pharisees

Pharisees wonder at Jesus claiming to forgive sins.

KJV: 

Luke 5:22 What reason ye in your hearts?

NIV : 

Luke 5:22 Why are you thinking these things in your hearts?

LISTENERS HEARD: 

What do you argue with yourselves in those hearts of yours?

MY TAKE: 

Our hearts always argue with us.

GREEK (Each Word Explained Bottom of Page): 

GREEK ORDER: 

Τί ​     διαλογίζεσθε                          ἐν  ταῖς  καρδίαις    ὑμῶν;
what do you argue with yourselves in  those hearts      of yours?

LOST IN TRANSLATION: 

The humor in this verse is in the verb translaed as "reason" (KJV) and "thinking" (NIV). It means "argue." The root of this word means "logic." And it is in a form that means "argue with yourselves." But the punchline is "in those hearts of yours." The "heart" in Jesus's time was the seat of feelings. This wasn't a logical argument.

See this article on the meaning of "heart."

# KJV TRANSLATION ISSUES: 

1

What reason ye in your (MW) hearts?

  • MW - Missing Word -- The word "the/this" before "hearts" is not shown in the English translation.

# NIV TRANSLATION ISSUES: 

3

Why are you thinking(WW) [these things (IW) in your (MW) hearts?

  • WW --Wrong Word -- The word translated as "thinking" should be something more like "argue."
  • IW - Inserted Word -- The word "these things"  doesn't exist in the source.
  • MW - Missing Word -- The word "the/this" before "hearts" is not shown in the English translation.

EACH WORD of KJV : 

What -- The Greek word translated as "what" in the singular means "anyone," "someone,"  "something," and "anything." The same forms are used both for the masculine or feminine so "anyone" works best for a person. In the plural, it means "everyone," "some," "they," and "those." Jesus often uses it to start a question so it means "who," "what," or even "why."

reason   - "Reason" is from a Greek verb that means "to calculate exactly," "to add up account," "to debate," and "to argue."

ye -- This is from the second-person, plural form of the verb.

in -- The word translated as "in" means "in," "within," "with" (an instrument), "by" (near), "by" (means of), "during" (time),  or "among"  with a dative object as the one here.  With the accusative, it means "into," "on," and "for." When referring to time, it means "during." It can mean "on," "at," or "by" in the sense of "near."

your -- The word translated as "your" is a plural, second-person pronoun in the genitive case. This pronoun follows the noun so the possessive "of yours." Here, it is the object of the previous preposition. As an object of a preposition, the genitive indicates movement away or a position away from something.

missing "the/those"  -- (MW) The untranslated word is the Greek definite article," the," 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," and "those"). See this article for more.

hearts? -- "Heart" is the Greek word that means "heart" both the physical organ and as the seat of emotions, which we discuss in this article here. Jesus and the Septuagint use a singular "heart" when referring to a group of people. This is a singular noun but the "of yours" is plural.

EACH WORD of NIV : 

Why -- The Greek word translated as "any" in the singular means "anyone," "someone,"  "something," and "anything." The same forms are used both for the masculine or feminine so "anyone" works best for a person. In the plural, it means "everyone," "some," "they," and "those." Jesus often uses it to start a question so it means "who," "what," or even "why."

are -- -- This helping verb indicates the present tense of the verb. It is used here to form the present, progressive tense, which doesn't exist in Greek but which can smooth the flow of English sentences.

you -- This is from the second-person, plural form of the verb.

thinking -  (WW) "Thinking" is from a Greek verb that means "to calculate exactly," "to add up account," "to debate," and "to argue." It is not related to "thunking" as such.

these things --  -- (IW) There is nothing that can be translated as "these things" in the Greek source.

in -- The word translated as "in" means "in," "within," "with" (an instrument), "by" (near), "by" (means of), "during" (time),  or "among"  with a dative object as the one here.  With the accusative, it means "into," "on," and "for." When referring to time, it means "during." It can mean "on," "at," or "by" in the sense of "near."

your -- The word translated as "your" is a plural, second-person pronoun in the genitive case. This pronoun follows the noun so the possessive "of yours." Here, it is the object of the previous preposition. As an object of a preposition, the genitive indicates movement away or a position away from something.

missing "the/those"  -- (MW) The untranslated word is the Greek definite article," the," 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," and "those"). See this article for more.

hearts? -- "Heart" is the Greek word that means "heart" both the physical organ and as the seat of emotions, which we discuss in this article here. Jesus and the Septuagint use a singular "heart" when referring to a group of people. This is a singular noun but the "of yours" is plural.

COMPARISON: GREEK to KJV : 

Τί [252 verses](irreg sg neut acc)  "Why" is tis, which can mean "someone," "something," "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." It has specific meanings with certain prepositions, διὰ τί; for what reason? ἐκ τίνος; from what cause? ἐς τί; to what point?  to what end?

διαλογίζεσθε [7 verses](verb 2nd pl pres ind mp) "Reason" is dialogizomai, which means "to calculate exactly," "to add up account," "to debate," and "to argue."

ἐν [413 verses](prep) "In" is en, which means, with a dative object, "in," "on," "at," "by," "among," "within," "surrounded by," "in one's hands," "in one's power," "during,"  and "with." With the accusative, it means "into," "on," and "for." Referring to time, it means. "in the course of" or "during." 

ταῖς [821 verses](article pl fem dat)) Untranslated is the Greek definite article, hos, ("the").  -

καρδίαις [37 verses](noun pl fem dat) "Hearts" is kardia, which means "heart (the physical organ)," "the seat of emotions (especially passion, rage, and anger)," "inclination," "desire," "purpose," "mind," "the pith (in wood), and "the deep (of the sea)."

ὑμῶν [168 verses](pron 2nd pl gen) "Your/you" is humon, the plural possessive form of su the pronoun of the second person, "you." It is either a possessive pronoun or the object of a preposition.

Related Verses: 

parallel comparison: 

The Greek here is very similar to what is in Mark 2:8. However, that verse has an additional word, which changes the likely meaning of the first word. In Mark 2:8, it is translated as "why" because the object of that version, the object "these things" is added specifically. 

Front Page Date: 

Nov 26 2023