Jesus takes aside two of his followers and sends them to get a colt.
Mark 11:3 And if any man say unto you, Why do ye this? say ye that the Lord hath need of him; and straightway he will send him hither.
Mark 11:3 If anyone asks you, ‘Why are you doing this?’ say, ‘The Lord needs it and will send it back here shortly.’
NLT Mark 11:3 If anyone asks, ‘What are you doing?’ just say, ‘The Lord needs it and will return it soon.
And when someone says to you: What are you doing there? Say, "The Master has a need of him and immediately he sends him back here.
Jesus doesn't say "if" someone asks, but "when." Once more, this seems part of a vision.
The English Bibles all convert the "sends" to "will send" from the present tense to the future tense. The present tense is used to make the sending back seem even more immediate. Translating "immediately" as "shortly" and "soon" or even "straight away" makes the promise more vague about when.
Now is always soon enough.
- CW - Confusing Word -- The "if" does not capture the word's specific meaning.
- IW - Inserted Word -- The word "man" doesn't exist in the source.
- IW - Inserted Word -- The word "that" doesn't exist in the source and isn't otherwise justified.
- WT - Wrong Tense - The verb "will" seems to indicate the future tense but that tense of the following verb is the present.
- OS -- Outdated Source -- The Greek word translated as "back" did not exist in the KJV Greek source.
- MW - Missing Word -- The conjunction "and" is not shown in the English translation.
- CW - Confusing Word -- The "if" does not capture the word's specific meaning.
- WW - Wrong Word -- The word translated as "asks" means "says."
- MW - Missing Word -- The verb "has" is not shown in the English translation.
- WT - Wrong Tense - The verb "will" seems to indicate the future tense but that tense of the following verb is the present.
- MW - Missing Word -- The conjunction "and" is not shown in the English translation.
- CW - Confusing Word -- The "if" does not capture the word's specific meaning.
- WW - Wrong Word -- The word translated as "asks" means "says."
- MW - Missing Word -- The pronoun "this" is not shown in the English translation.
- IW - Inserted Word -- The word "just" doesn't exist in the source and isn't otherwise justified.
- MW - Missing Word -- The verb "has" is not shown in the English translation.
- WT - Wrong Tense - The verb "will" seems to indicate the future tense but that tense of the following verb is the present.
- MW - Missing Word -- The word "here" is not shown in the English translation.
And -- The Greek word translated as "and" is used as the conjunction "and", but it also is used to add emphasis ("also").
if -- (CW) "If" indicates more of an expectation of something happening than "if" alone. This is how we use the word "when." It can be used after a demonstrative pronoun to mean "that possibly," "whosoever," or "whatsoever." This is not the simple "if."
any -- The Greek word translated as "any man" in the singular means "anyone", "someone," and "anything." In the plural, it means "some", "they," and "those."
man -- (IW) There is nothing that can be translated as "man" in the Greek source.
say -- "Say" is from the Greek verb that means "to say" and "to speak" also.
unto -- This is form the indirect object form of the following pronoun.
you, -- The Greek pronoun "you" here is plural and in the form of an indirect object, "to you", "for you", etc.
Why -- The word translated as "why" means primarily "anything" or "anyone," but Jesus often uses it to start a question so it means "who", "what", or even "why". This is the same word translated as "any man" above.
do -- The Greek word translated as "do" has the primary meaning of "making" or producing" something or "causing" or "performing" as service. It describes a productive action. It is not as broad a word as the English "do", which covers all actions, productive or not.
ye-- This comes from the second-person, plural form of the previous verb.
this? -- "This" is a demonstrative pronoun that means "this", "here", "the nearer," and "the familiar."
say "Say" is from the Greek verb that means "to say" and "to speak" also.
ye - This comes from the second-person, plural form of the previous verb.
that -- (IW) There is no "that" in this Gospel's version of this verb.
the -- The word translated as "the" 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", "that", "these", "those"). See this article for more.
Lord -- The word translated as "master" is the same word that is often translated as "Lord" or "the Lord" in the NT. It also means "lord", "master of the house," and "head of the family." It is the specific terms for the master of slaves or servants, but it was a common term of respect both for those in authority and who were honored. It was the term people used to address Christ, even though he had no formal authority. Today, we would say "boss" or "chief".
hath -- The word translated as "have" means to "have", "possess", "bear", "keep close", "have means to do", "to have due to one", or "keep" and many specific uses.
need -- The word translated as "need" means "need" and "poverty," but it also means "familiarity" and "intimacy."
of -- This is from the genitive form of the following pronoun.
him; -- The word translated as "him" is the Greek word commonly translated as third-person pronouns in English.
and -- The Greek word translated as "and" is used as the conjunction "and", but it also is used to add emphasis ("also").
straightway -- "straightway" is an adverb, it means "straight", "simple", "straightway," forthwith", "immediately", "directly," and "at once."
he -- This is from the third-person, singular form of the following verb.
will -- (WT) This seems to indicate that the tense of the following verb is the future, but it isn't. Its tense is the present.
send The "send " here is a word that means "to send off" and "dispatch." It is the source of our word "apostle." Since it is present, singular, "sends."
him -- There is no pronoun for "him" here, but it is implied by the earlier "him" in the verse.
missing "back" -- (OS) There is nothing in the Greek that can be translated as "back" in the source that the KJV translators used but it does exists in the source we use today. OS -- Outdated Source -- The Greek word translated as "behold" existed in the KJV Greek source but not the source we use today.
hither. -- "Hither" is from a pronoun that means "what is present" or "here it is".
missing "and" -- -- (MW) The untranslated Greek word is "and" and used as the conjunction "and", but it also is used to add emphasis ("also").
If -- (CW) "If" indicates more of an expectation of something happening than "if" alone. This is how we use the word "when." It can be used after a demonstrative pronoun to mean "that possibly," "whosoever," or "whatsoever." This is not the simple "if."
anyone -- The Greek word translated as "anyone" in the singular means "anyone", "someone," and "anything." In the plural, it means "some", "they," and "those."
asks-- (WW) "Asks" is from the Greek verb that means "to say" and "to speak" also.
you, -- The Greek pronoun "you" here is plural and in the form of an indirect object, "to you", "for you", etc.
Why -- The word translated as "why" means primarily "anything" or "anyone," but Jesus often uses it to start a question so it means "who", "what", or even "why". This is the same word translated as "any man" above.
are -- This helping verb indicates the the upcoming verb, "do" is in the present tense.
you -- This comes from the second-person, plural form of the previous verb.
doing -- The Greek word translated as "doing" has the primary meaning of "making" or producing" something or "causing" or "performing" as service. It describes a productive action. It is not as broad a word as the English "do", which covers all actions, productive or not.
this? -- "This" is a demonstrative pronoun that means "this", "here", "the nearer," and "the familiar."
say "Say" is from the Greek verb that means "to say" and "to speak" also.
The -- The word translated as "the" 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", "that", "these", "those"). See this article for more.
Lord -- The word translated as "master" is the same word that is often translated as "Lord" or "the Lord" in the NT. It also means "lord", "master of the house," and "head of the family." It is the specific terms for the master of slaves or servants, but it was a common term of respect both for those in authority and who were honored. It was the term people used to address Christ, even though he had no formal authority. Today, we would say "boss" or "chief".
missing "has" ---- (MW) The untranslated word means to "have", "possess", "bear", "keep close", "have means to do", "to have due to one", or "keep" and many specific uses. This verb isn't used to form past tenses as it is in English.
needs -- The word translated as "needs" is not a verb but a noun that means "need" and "poverty," but it also means "familiarity" and "intimacy."
it; -- The word translated as "it" is the Greek word commonly translated as third-person pronouns in English.
and -- The Greek word translated as "and" is used as the conjunction "and", but it also is used to add emphasis ("also").
will -- (WT) This seems to indicate that the tense of the following verb is the future, but it isn't. Its tense is the present.
send The "send " here is a word that means "to send off" and "dispatch." It is the source of our word "apostle." Since it is present, singular, "sends."
it -- There is no pronoun for "it" here, but it is implied by the earlier "it" in the verse.
back-- The adverb here that means means "back", "backward", "contradiction", "again", "once more," and "in turn."
here -- "Here" is from a pronoun that means "what is present" or "here it is".
shortly -- "Shortly" is an adverb, it means "straight", "simple", "straightway," forthwith", "immediately", "directly," and "at once."
NLT
missing "and" -- - (MW) The untranslated Greek word is "and" and used as the conjunction "and", but it also is used to add emphasis ("also").
If -- (CW) "If" indicates more of an expectation of something happening than "if" alone. This is how we use the word "when." It can be used after a demonstrative pronoun to mean "that possibly," "whosoever," or "whatsoever." This is not the simple "if."
anyone -- The Greek word translated as "anyone" in the singular means "anyone", "someone," and "anything." In the plural, it means "some", "they," and "those."
asks-- (WW) "Asks" is from the Greek verb that means "to say" and "to speak" also.
you, -- The Greek pronoun "you" here is plural and in the form of an indirect object, "to you", "for you", etc.
What -- The word translated as "why" means primarily "anything" or "anyone," but Jesus often uses it to start a question so it means "who", "what", or even "why". This is the same word translated as "any man" above.
are -- This helping verb indicates the the upcoming verb, "do" is in the present tense.
you -- This comes from the second-person, plural form of the previous verb.
doing -- The Greek word translated as "doing" has the primary meaning of "making" or producing" something or "causing" or "performing" as service. It describes a productive action. It is not as broad a word as the English "do", which covers all actions, productive or not.
missing "this" ---- (MW) "This" is a demonstrative pronoun that means "this", "here", "the nearer," and "the familiar."
just -- (IW) There are no Greek words that can be translated as "just" in the Greek source.
say -- "Say" is from the Greek verb that means "to say" and "to speak" also.
The -- The word translated as "the" 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", "that", "these", "those"). See this article for more.
Lord -- The word translated as "master" is the same word that is often translated as "Lord" or "the Lord" in the NT. It also means "lord", "master of the house," and "head of the family." It is the specific terms for the master of slaves or servants, but it was a common term of respect both for those in authority and who were honored. It was the term people used to address Christ, even though he had no formal authority. Today, we would say "boss" or "chief".
missing "has" ---- (MW) The untranslated word means to "have", "possess", "bear", "keep close", "have means to do", "to have due to one", or "keep" and many specific uses. This verb isn't used to form past tenses as it is in English.
needs -- The word translated as "needs" is not a verb but a noun that means "need" and "poverty," but it also means "familiarity" and "intimacy."
it; -- The word translated as "him" is the Greek word commonly translated as third-person pronouns in English.
and -- The Greek word translated as "and" is used as the conjunction "and", but it also is used to add emphasis ("also").
will -- (WT) This seems to indicate that the tense of the following verb is the future, but it isn't. Its tense is the present.
return -- The "return" here is a combination of two Greek word, a verb and an adverb, that mean "send back." The first word means "to send off" and "dispatch." It is the source of our word "apostle." Since it is present, singular, "sends." The adverb here that means means "back", "backward", "contradiction", "again", "once more," and "in turn."
it -- There is no pronoun for "it" here, but it is implied by the earlier "it" in the verse.
missing "here" -- -- (MW)"Here" is from a pronoun that means "what is present" or "here it is".
soon -- "Soon" is an adverb, it means "straight", "simple", "straightway," forthwith", "immediately", "directly," and "at once."
καὶ [1089 verses](conj/adv)"And" is 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."
ἐάν [163 verses](conj) "If" is ean, which is a conditional particle (derived from ei (if) and an (possibly), which makes reference to a time and experience in the future that introduces but does not determine an event. This is how we use the word "when." It can be used after a demonstrative pronoun hos or hostis meaning "that possibly," "whosoever" or "whatsoever."
τις [252 verses](pron sg masc nom) "Any man" is tis which can mean "someone", "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." -
ὑμῖν [289 verses](pron 2nd pl dat) "To you" is humin the plural form of su the pronoun of the second person, "you." to -- This word "to" comes from the dative case of the following word that requires the addition of a preposition in English. The most common is a "to" for the English indirect object.
εἴπῃ [162 verses]( verb 3rd sg aor subj act ) "Say" is eipon, which means "to speak", "to say", "to recite", "to address", "to mention", "to name", "to proclaim", "to plead", "to promise," and "to offer." -- "Said" is from the Greek verb that means "to say" and "to speak" also.
Τί [252 verses] ( irreg sg neut acc ) "Why" is tis (with dia above) which can mean "someone", "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."
ποιεῖτε [168 verses]( verb 2nd pl pres ind act ) "Do ye" is poieo, which means "to make", "to produce", "to create", "to bring into existence", "to bring about", "to cause", "to perform", "to render", "to consider", "to prepare", "to make ready," and "to do."
τοῦτο; [93 verses](adj sg neut acc) "That" is touto, which means "from here," "from there," "this [thing] there," or "that [person] here."
εἴπατε [162 verses]( verb 2nd pl aor imperat act ) "Shall ye say" is eipon, which means "to speak", "to say", "to recite", "to address", "to mention", "to name", "to proclaim", "to plead", "to promise," and "to offer."
Ὁ [821 verses](article) "The" is the Greek definite article, hos, ("the").
κύριος [92 verses](noun sg masc nom) "Lord" is kyrios, which means "having power", "being in authority" and "being in possession of." It also means "lord", "master of the house," and "head of the family."
χρείαν [13 verses]( noun sg fem acc ) "Need of" is chreia (chreia ), which means "need", "want", "poverty", "a request of a necessity", "business", "military service", "a business affair", "employment", "familiarity", "intimacy," and "maxim."
ἔχει: [181 verses] ( verb 3rd sg pres ind act ) "Hath" is echo, which means "to have", "to hold", "to possess", "to keep", "to have charge of", "to have due to one", "to maintain", "to hold fast", "to bear", "to carry", "to keep close", "to keep safe," and "to have means to do."
καὶ [1089 verses](conj/adv) "And" is 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."
εὐθὺς [16 verses](adv) "Straightway is eutheos, which is the adverb of euthus, which means "straight", "direct", "straightforward," and "frank." As an adverb, it means "straight", "simple", "straightway," forthwith", "immediately", "directly," and "at once."
αὐτὸν [124 verses](pron/adj sg masc acc) "Him/It" is auton, is the masculine, accusative case of the third-person, singular adjective that is used as a pronoun. Masculine pronouns can refer to things as well as people, so it can be it." The word also means "the same," and "of one's own accord."
ἀποστέλλει [60 verses]( verb 3rd sg pres ind act ) "He will send" is the Greek, apostello, which is our source of the word "apostle." It means "to send off", "to send away," or "to dispatch."
πάλιν [23 verses](adv) Untranslated is palin, which means "back", "backward", "contradiction", "again", "once more," and "in turn."
ὧδε. [29 verses] (pron) "Thither" is hode, the demonstrative pronoun which means "this" in the sense of "what is present" and "what can be seen." With verbs of action and with a person, it means "here" as in "here I am" in the sense of "I am present." --
When we are serving God, others will respect and help us in our mission. Though the vocabulary in Greek is very straight forward, as in the previous verse, there is a subtle lesson in the verbs pattern used and this time that pattern in extended to the "mood" of the verbs.("Mood" is a characteristic of verbs telling us if they are a simple statement, a command, a question, and so on. The verbal moods in Greek are part of their physical formation.)
Notice again that there are four verbs, the pattern of three plus one, (say=mental, do=physical, have=emotional/relationship, send=spiritual) but "say" is repeated creating five separate actions, two of them mental. The mood pattern of these five actions (say, do, say, have, send) is possibility (subjunctive mood), simple action (indicative mood), command (imperative mood), action (indicative mood), future action ((indicative mood, future tense).
This undercurrent of mood connect these mental states with the pattern of three plus one. Our mind worries about the future (the subjunctive mood) and the physical challenge. The Word commands us to act on the basis of a certain emotional connection between people. If we do, something spiritual will happen.