A followed asks about the meaning of the parable.
Luke 8:11 Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God.
Luke 8:11 This is the meaning of the parable: The seed is the word of God.
So, it is itself/here: this analogy. The seed is the concept of the Divine.
This verse starts with the verb. This makes it look like a question. Right after is the word meaning "but/however/so" at the beginning that both translations ignored.
The "this" is a bit of word play. It means both "here" and "itself referring to the parable. So, the first phrase can be heard as "here" or "itself." The phrase "the/this parable follows this pronoun that appears to be the subject.
"Parable" is Greek for "analogy", "comparison," and "illustration." It doesn't mean simply "educational story" as it has come to mean in English. This word appears at the end of the sentence.
"Word" is translated from a Greek word that means "calculation," or "reasoning." It is the source of our word "logic" and is the root word for all the English words that end in "-ology." Most biblical translations translated it as "word" for somewhat poetic reasons. More about this word in this article.
The story speaks for itself. The seed is always the awareness of the Divine.
- WW --Wrong Word -- The word translated as "now" should be something more like "so."
- UW --Untranslated Word -- "Parables" means "comparison." "Parables" is an untranslated Greek word adopted into English.
- CW --Confusing Word -- This is not one of the common words usually translated as "this."
- CW - Confusing Word -- The "word" does not capture the word's specific meaning.
- MW - Missing Word -- The word "the/this" before "God" is not shown in the English translation.
- CW --Confusing Word -- This is not one of the common words usually translated as "this."
- MW - Missing Word -- The word "so" is not shown in the English translation.
- UW --Untranslated Word -- "Parables" means "comparison." "Parables" is an untranslated Greek word adopted into English.
- CW - Confusing Word -- The "word" does not capture the word's specific meaning.
- MW - Missing Word -- The word "the/this" before "God" is not shown in the English translation.
Now -- (WW) The Greek word translated as "now" means "but," "however," and "on the other hand." It joins phrases in an adversarial way. It can also be an explanation of cause ("so"). Here, it seems to mean "so."
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.
parable -- (UW) "Parable" is Greek for "analogy," "comparison," and "illustration." It is the Greek source of our word "parable." It doesn't mean simply "educational story" as it has come to mean in English. The Greek word for educational stories is a different word, which primarily means to "encourage" but was used to describe instructive stories, such a Aesop's Fables.
is -- The verb "is" here is the common form of "to be" in Greek. It means to have a certain characteristic or remain in a certain condition. It also equates terms or assigns characteristics. The word also means "to exist" and where it doesn't connect to characteristics or conditions.
this: -- (CW) The word translated as "this" is the Greek word commonly translated as third-person pronouns in English. The forme is the singular subject of the sentence, and it is feminine. However, it is also is also the adverb form meaning "here" or "there." This word does double duty, meaning both "here" and "itself." This is not one of the common words usually translated as "this."
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.
seed - The word "seed" means "seed," "sowing," "harvest," and "crop". It is Jesus's symbol for the beginning or kernel of knowledge.
is -- The verb "is" here is the common form of "to be" in Greek. It means to have a certain characteristic or remain in a certain condition. It also equates terms or assigns characteristics. The word also means "to exist" and where it doesn't connect to characteristics or conditions.
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.
word -- (CW) "Word" is translated from a Greek word that means "calculation," or "reasoning," but it has many, many specific meanings from "deliberation" to "narrative." It is the source of our word "logic" and is the root word for all the English words that end in "-ology." Most biblical translations translated it as "word" for somewhat poetic reasons. However, when applied to people, it means "repute" or "reputation." More about this word in this article. In English, we would say "logic," "concept, or "reasoning" to describe it but it also means the communication of various types, so "message" often works. "Teaching" might work but it is unrelated to the common words for "to teach," "teacher," and "student" that all have the same root.
of -- This word comes from the genitive case of the following word(s) that required the addition of a preposition in English. The most common is the "of" of possession, but it can also mean "belonging to," "part of", "which is", "than" (in comparisons), or "for", "concerning" or "about" with transitive verbs.
missing "the" -- (MW) The untranslated word 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", "thatViews", "these", "those"). See this article for more.
God. -- The word translated as "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.
This : -- (CW) The word translated as "this" is the Greek word commonly translated as third-person pronouns in English. The forme is the singular subject of the sentence, and it is feminine. However, it is also is also the adverb form meaning "here" or "there." This word does double duty, meaning both "here" and "itself." This is not one of the common words usually translated as "this."
missing "so," -- (MW) The untranslated word "so" means "but," "however," and "on the other hand." It joins phrases in an adversarial way. It can also be an explanation of cause ("so"). Here, it seems to mean "so."
is -- The verb "is" here is the common form of "to be" in Greek. It means to have a certain characteristic or remain in a certain condition. It also equates terms or assigns characteristics. The word also means "to exist" and where it doesn't connect to characteristics or conditions.
the meaning of -- (IP) There is nothing that can be translated as this phrase in the Greek source. IP - Inserted Phrase-- The "the meaning of" doesn't exist in the source.
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.
parable -- (UW) "Parable" is Greek for "analogy," "comparison," and "illustration." It is the Greek source of our word "parable." It doesn't mean simply "educational story" as it has come to mean in English. The Greek word for educational stories is a different word, which primarily means to "encourage" but was used to describe instructive stories, such a Aesop's Fables.
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.
seed - The word "seed" means "seed," "sowing," "harvest," and "crop". It is Jesus's symbol for the beginning or kernel of knowledge.
is -- The verb "is" here is the common form of "to be" in Greek. It means to have a certain characteristic or remain in a certain condition. It also equates terms or assigns characteristics. The word also means "to exist" and where it doesn't connect to characteristics or conditions.
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.
word -- (CW) "Word" is translated from a Greek word that means "calculation," or "reasoning," but it has many, many specific meanings from "deliberation" to "narrative." It is the source of our word "logic" and is the root word for all the English words that end in "-ology." Most biblical translations translated it as "word" for somewhat poetic reasons. However, when applied to people, it means "repute" or "reputation." More about this word in this article. In English, we would say "logic," "concept, or "reasoning" to describe it but it also means the communication of various types, so "message" often works. "Teaching" might work but it is unrelated to the common words for "to teach," "teacher," and "student" that all have the same root.
of -- This word comes from the genitive case of the following word(s) that required the addition of a preposition in English. The most common is the "of" of possession, but it can also mean "belonging to," "part of", "which is", "than" (in comparisons), or "for", "concerning" or "about" with transitive verbs.
missing "the" -- (MW) The untranslated word 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", "thatViews", "these", "those"). See this article for more.
God. -- The word translated as "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.
ἐστίν.[614 verses](3rd sg pres ind act) "Is" is eimi, which means "to be," "to exist," "to be the case," of circumstance and events "to happen," and "is possible." With the possessive (genitive) object, it means "is descended from," "is the type of," "belongs to," "is made of," "is a duty of," "is at the mercy of," or " is dependent on." With an indirect (dative) object, it means "have" where the subject and object are reversed. "It is to him" becomes "it is his" or "he has it." With the preposition,"into" (εἰς), the sense is "consist of." When the verb "to be" appears early in the clause before the subject, the sense is more like "it is" or, in the plural, "there are."
δὲ [446 verses](conj) "But" is de which means "but" and "on the other hand." It is the particle that joins sentences in an adversarial way but can also be an explanation of indirect cause ("so"). In an "if" (εἰ ) clause or temporal "when" (ὅταν) clause the sense is "if/when... then." In a series begun by men, its means "on the other hand." In a listing, the sense is "then" or "yet." After an interruption, "so then." It can also be an explanation of cause ("so"). When used with a conditional starting a clause, the sense is "if/when...then." When used with a particle meaning "indeed" the sense is "on one hand...on the other hand." In a listing, the sense is "then" or "yet." After an interruption, "so then."
αὐτὴ [42 verses]( adv/adj sg fem nom ) "This" is aute, which means is the singular adjective used as the subject pronoun in the feminine. It also means "it" because feminine pronouns refer to things or ideas as much as to people. This is also the adverbial form meaning "there."
ἡ [821 verses](article sg fem 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 a word that can become a noun, takes the meaning of "the one" or, in the plural, "the ones." Proper nouns do normally not take articles but they are needed when the noun ending cannot be changed to show the noun's role in the sentence as an object, indirect object, or genitive (possessive) form. However, the Greek article is very close to "this" so the purpose of an article like this can also be demonstrative.There is no vocative definite article, (despite being shown in Perseus). When the vocative is meant, no article is used or they used ω or ε. See this article.
παραβολή. [12 verses] (noun sg fem nom) is from parabole, which means "comparison," "illustration," and "analogy." It is most often translated in the NT as "parable" but occasionally as "comparison." The Greek word for educational stories is "παραμύθια" (paramythia), which primarily means to "encourage" but was used to describe instructive stories, such a Aesop's Fables.
Ὁ [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 a word that can become a noun, takes the meaning of "the one" or, in the plural, "the ones." Proper nouns do normally not take articles but they are needed when the noun ending cannot be changed to show the noun's role in the sentence as an object, indirect object, or genitive (possessive) form. However, the Greek article is very close to "this" so the purpose of an article like this can also be demonstrative.There is no vocative definite article, (despite being shown in Perseus). When the vocative is meant, no article is used or they used ω or ε. See this article.
σπόρος [4 verses](noun sg masc nom) "Seed" is sporos, which means "sowing", "seed-time", "seed", "harvest", "crop", and "offspring".
ἐστίν.[614 verses](3rd sg pres ind act) "Is" is eimi, which means "to be," "to exist," "to be the case," of circumstance and events "to happen," and "is possible." With the possessive (genitive) object, it means "is descended from," "is the type of," "belongs to," "is made of," "is a duty of," "is at the mercy of," or " is dependent on." With an indirect (dative) object, it means "have" where the subject and object are reversed. "It is to him" becomes "it is his" or "he has it." With the preposition,"into" (εἰς), the sense is "consist of." When the verb "to be" appears early in the clause before the subject, the sense is more like "it is" or, in the plural, "there are." -- The verb "is" here is the common form of "to be" in Greek. It means to have a certain characteristic or remain in a certain condition. It also equates terms or assigns characteristics. The word also means "to exist" and where it doesn't connect to characteristics or conditions.
ὁ [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 a word that can become a noun, takes the meaning of "the one" or, in the plural, "the ones." Proper nouns do normally not take articles but they are needed when the noun ending cannot be changed to show the noun's role in the sentence as an object, indirect object, or genitive (possessive) form. However, the Greek article is very close to "this" so the purpose of an article like this can also be demonstrative.There is no vocative definite article, (despite being shown in Perseus). When the vocative is meant, no article is used or they used ω or ε. See this article.
λόγος, [80 verses](noun sg masc nom) "Word" is logos, which means "word," "computation," "relation," "explanation," "law," "rule of conduct," "continuous statement," "tradition," "discussion," "reckoning," "reputation" (when applied to people), and "value."
τοῦ [821 verses] (article) Untranslated is the Greek definite article, hos, ("the"), which usually precedes a noun and, without a noun, takes the meaning of "the one" or, in the plural, "the ones."
θεοῦ. [144 verses]( noun sg masc gen ) "God" is theos, which means "God," "divine," and "Deity." -- The word translated as "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.