Matthew 11:5 The blind receive their sight, and the lame walk

Spoken to: 

group

To John's Followers, a notice

KJV: 

Matthew 11:5 The blind receive their sight, and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have the gospel preached to them.

NIV : 

Matthew 11:5 The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy[fn] are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is proclaimed to the poor.

LISTENERS HEARD: 

Blind ones open their eyes and lame ones walk around. Rough ones are being cleansed. And deaf ones hear and dying ones are being lifted up. And beggars are being given good news.

MY TAKE: 

We prove ourselves by helping people in a difficult situations.

GREEK (Each Word Explained Bottom of Page): 

GREEK ORDER: 

τυφλοὶ       ἀναβλέπουσινκαὶ  χωλοὶ       περιπατοῦσιν,
Blind ones open their eyes and lame ones walk around.

λεπροὶ         καθαρίζονται           καὶ  κωφοὶ       ἀκούουσιν, καὶ νεκροὶ        ἐγείρονται
Rough ones are being cleansed. And deaf ones hear             and dying ones are being lifted up.

καὶπτωχοὶ  εὐαγγελίζονται:”
And beggars are being given good news.

LOST IN TRANSLATION: 

You can't see it in English, but the verb and noun forms in this verse are chosen so that they form a pattern of rhymes. All the nouns here are adjectives, not nouns. They all have the same word ending and form, which makes them rhyme. The verbs have two forms, one active and the other where the subject is either acted upon (passive voice) or  acts on themselves (middle voice).

Again, the verbs were all chosen to that their forms rhyme. Though this verse looks like Matthew 10:8 (Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers...) in English, they look very different in Greek because of this is so highly structured.

All these verbs are in the present tense. They are not something that happens at some point in time, which is a special tense in Greek, but the present tense, happening at the moment. The English translations obscure this tense.

# KJV TRANSLATION ISSUES: 

9
  • WW - Wrong Word -- The word translated as "received" should be something more like "look."
  • IP - Inserted Phrase-- The phrase "their sight" doesn't exist in the source.
  • CT - Confusing Tense -- This English verb could indicate the past, but the tense is the present.
  • CW - Confusing Word -- The "raised up" is not the common word usually translated as "raised."
  • CT - Confusing Tense -- This English verb could indicate the past, but the tense is the present.
  • WW - Wrong Word -- The word translated as "have" should be something more like "are" to indicate a passive verb.
  • IW - Inserted Word -- The word "the" doesn't exist in the source.
  • CT - Confusing Tense -- This English verb "Gospel preached" could indicate the past, but the tense is the present.
  • IW - Inserted Word -- The word "to them" doesn't exist in the source.

# NIV TRANSLATION ISSUES: 

8
  • WW - Wrong Word -- The word translated as "received" should be something more like "look."
  • IP - Inserted Phrase-- The phrase "their sight" doesn't exist in the source.
  • CT - Confusing Tense -- This English verb could indicate the past, but the tense is the present.
  • CW - Confusing Word -- The "raised " is not the common word usually translated as "raised."
  • CT - Confusing Tense -- This English verb could indicate the past, but the tense is the present.
  • IP - Inserted Phrase-- The phrase "the good new" doesn't exist in the source.
  • CT - Confusing Tense -- This English verb "preached" could indicate the past, but the tense is the present.
  • IW - Inserted Word -- The word "to" doesn't exist in the source.

EACH WORD of KJV : 

The -- There is no Greek article "the" here in the source, but the noun is plural and in English an article is used before plural nouns in phrases like this.

blind  - "The blind" is a word that means both physically and mentally blind. It also means all things that are obscure. It has no article "the" before it.

receive -- (WW) "Receive" is a Greek verb that means "to look up," "recover sight," "open one's eye's" and, metaphorically, "revive."

their sight, -- (IP) There is nothing that can be translated as "their" in the Greek source.

and  - The Greek word translated as "and" is used as the conjunction "and," but it also is used to add emphasis ("also") and, In a series, it can be translated as "not only...but also."

the -- There is no Greek article "the" here in the source, but the noun is plural and in English an article is used before plural nouns in phrases like this.

lame  - "The lame" is a word that means both "limping" and 'defective." It has no article "the" before it.

walk,  - "Walk" is a word that means both "to walk up and down," "to walk around while teaching," and metaphorically, "to live."

the -- There is no Greek article "the" here in the source, but the noun is plural and in English an article is used before plural nouns in phrases like this.

lepers  - "Lepers" is an adjective "scaly," scabrous," and "rough" and was used to describe the leprous which was anyone with any skin condition. It has no article "the" before it.

are  - -- This helping verb "are" indicates that the verb is passive. Helping or auxiliary verbs are needed to translate the Greek verb forms into English.

cleansed,  -  (CT) "Are cleansed" is a word that means "to make clean," "to prune away," and "to purify." Its form is either the passive voice or a form that indicates the subject acting on itself in the present tense.

and  - The Greek word translated as "and" is used as the conjunction "and," but it also is used to add emphasis ("also") and, In a series, it can be translated as "not only...but also."

the -- There is no Greek article "the" here in the source, but the noun is plural and in English an article is used before plural nouns in phrases like this.

deaf  - "The deaf" is a word that primarily means "the dull" or "the mute" and came to mean "deaf." It has no article "the" before it.

hear,  - "Hear" is translated from a Greek word that has the primary meaning of hearing people talk about something.

the -- There is no Greek article "the" here in the source, but the noun is plural and in English an article is used before plural nouns in phrases like this.

dead  - The word translated as "the dead" means "a corpse," "a dying man," and refers to inanimate matter. Christ also uses it as a metaphor for those who are dead spiritually.

are  - -- This helping verb "are" indicates that the verb is passive. Helping or auxiliary verbs are needed to translate the Greek verb forms into English.

raised up,  - (CW, CT) The word for "raised up" means "awaken" and is the same word Christ uses to describe God raising the dead and false prophets awakening. Like "cleansed" above, it is either passive, or in a form which indicates the subject acting on itself in the present tense.

and  - The Greek word translated as "and" is used as the conjunction "and," but it also is used to add emphasis ("also") and, In a series, it can be translated as "not only...but also."

the -- There is no Greek article "the" here in the source, but the noun is plural and in English an article is used before plural nouns in phrases like this.

poor  - "The poor" is a word that means "a beggar" and "beggarly" and it a metaphor for being lacking in something.

have - -- (WW) This helping verb "have" indicates that the verb is passive. Helping or auxiliary verbs are needed to translate the Greek verb forms into English. This is usually a form of the verb "to be."

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

gospel preached -- (CT) "Gospel preached" is translated from a Greek word that means to"bring good news," and, in the passive, "receive good news." Like the previous verb, it is either a passive, or in a form which indicates the subject acting on itself in the present tense.

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

EACH WORD of NIV : 

The -- There is no Greek article "the" here in the source, but the noun is plural and in English an article is used before plural nouns in phrases like this.

blind  - "The blind" is a word that means both physically and mentally blind. It also means all things that are obscure. It has no article "the" before it.

receive -- (WW) "Receive" is a Greek verb that means "to look up," "recover sight," "open one's eye's" and, metaphorically, "revive."

their sight, -- (IP) There is nothing that can be translated as "their" in the Greek source.

and  - The Greek word translated as "and" is used as the conjunction "and," but it also is used to add emphasis ("also") and, In a series, it can be translated as "not only...but also."

the -- There is no Greek article "the" here in the source, but the noun is plural and in English an article is used before plural nouns in phrases like this.

lame  - "The lame" is a word that means both "limping" and 'defective." It has no article "the" before it.

walk,  - "Walk" is a word that means both "to walk up and down," "to walk around while teaching," and metaphorically, "to live."

the -- There is no Greek article "the" here in the source, but the noun is plural and in English an article is used before plural nouns in phrases like this.

those who have -- (IP) There is nothing that can be translated as "those who have" in the Greek source.

leprosy- "Leprosy" is an adjective "scaly," scabrous," and "rough" and was used to describe the leprous which was anyone with any skin condition. It has no article "the" before it.

are  - -- This helping verb "are" indicates that the verb is passive. Helping or auxiliary verbs are needed to translate the Greek verb forms into English.

cleansed,  -  (CT) "Are cleansed" is a word that means "to make clean," "to prune away," and "to purify." Its form is either the passive voice or a form that indicates the subject acting on itself in the present tense.

and  - The Greek word translated as "and" is used as the conjunction "and," but it also is used to add emphasis ("also") and, In a series, it can be translated as "not only...but also."

the -- There is no Greek article "the" here in the source, but the noun is plural and in English an article is used before plural nouns in phrases like this.

deaf  - "The deaf" is a word that primarily means "the dull" or "the mute" and came to mean "deaf." It has no article "the" before it.

hear,  - "Hear" is translated from a Greek word that has the primary meaning of hearing people talk about something.

the -- There is no Greek article "the" here in the source, but the noun is plural and in English an article is used before plural nouns in phrases like this.

dead  - The word translated as "the dead" means "a corpse," "a dying man," and refers to inanimate matter. Christ also uses it as a metaphor for those who are dead spiritually.

are  - -- This helping verb "are" indicates that the verb is passive. Helping or auxiliary verbs are needed to translate the Greek verb forms into English.

raised ,  - (CW, CT) The word for "raised up" means "awaken" and is the same word Christ uses to describe God raising the dead and false prophets awakening. Like "cleansed" above, it is either passive, or in a form which indicates the subject acting on itself in the present tense.

and  - The Greek word translated as "and" is used as the conjunction "and," but it also is used to add emphasis ("also") and, In a series, it can be translated as "not only...but also."

the good news-- (IP) There is nothing that can be translated as "the good new" in the Greek source. The "good news" is part of the verb, but it is not the noun that is subject of the sentence.

is -- This helping verb "is" indicates that the verb is passive. Helping or auxiliary verbs are needed to translate the Greek verb forms into English.

proclaimed -- (CT) "Gospel preached" is translated from a Greek word that means to"bring good news," and, in the passive, "receive good news." Like the previous verb, it is either a passive, or in a form which indicates the subject acting on itself in the present tense.

to -- (IW) There is nothing in the source that can be translated as "to." "The poor" is the subject of the passive verb, not an indirect object.

the -- There is no Greek article "the" here in the source, but the noun is plural and in English an article is used before plural nouns in phrases like this.

poor  - "The poor" is a word that means "a beggar" and "beggarly" and it a metaphor for being lacking in something.

COMPARISON: GREEK to KJV : 

τυφλοὶ (adj pl masc nom) Blind" is from typhlos, which means "blind," "lacking vision of the future," [of things]"dim," "obscure," "dark," [of passages] "blind," "enclosed," "with no outlet," and is a metaphor for lacking sense."

ἀναβλέπουσιν [3 verses](3rd pl pres ind act) "Receive their sight" is anablepô, which means "to look up," "recover sight," "open one's eye's" and, metaphorically, "revive."

καὶ (conj) "And" is from kai, which is the conjunction joining phrases and clauses, "and," or "also." 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."

χωλοὶ [6 verses](adj pl masc nom) "The lame" is from chôlos, which means "lame," "limping," and "defective." A very similar word, cholos, which means "gall," "bitter," "angry," and "wrathful."

περιπατοῦσιν, [(3rd pl pres ind act) "Walk" is from peripateo, which means "to walk up and down," "to walk about," and "to walk about while teaching."

λεπροὶ [4 verses] (adj pl masc nom)"Lepers" is from lepros, which "scaly," scabrous," and "rough" and is used to describe the leprous.

καθαρίζονται (3rd pl pres ind mp) "Are cleansed" is from katharizo, which means "to clean," "to clear the ground of weeds," "prune away," "to remove dirt," "to purify,"and "to remove impurities." It is also used to describe the removal of the inedible parts from grain (winnowing), clearing weeds from a field, pruning a plant and so on.

καὶ (conj)"And" is kai, which is the conjunction joining phrases and clauses, "and," or "also." 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." 

χκωφοὶ [3 verses] (adj pl masc nom) "The deaf" is from kophos, which means "the mute," "the dull," and "the obtuse" and from this it came to mean "deaf." -

ἀκούουσιν, (3rd pl pres ind act) "Hear" is from akouo, which means "hear of," "hear tell of," "what one actually hears," "know by hearsay," "listen to," "give ear to," "hear and understand," and "understand."

καὶ And" is from kai, which is the conjunction joining phrases and clauses, "and," or "also." 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."

νεκροὶ (adj pl masc nom) "The dead" is from nekros, which specifically means "a corpse" as well as a "dying person," "the dead as dwellers in the netherworld," "the inanimate," and "the inorganic"

ἐγείρονται (3rd pl pres ind mp) "Arise" is from egeiro, which means "to awaken," "to stir up," and "to rouse."

καὶ And" is from kai, which is the conjunction joining phrases and clauses, "and," or "also." 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."

πτωχοὶ (adj pl masc nom) "The poor" is from ptochos, which means "beggar," "beggar-woman," and "beggarly."

εὐαγγελίζονται:” [5 verses] (3rd pl pres ind mp) "Have the gospel preached to them" is from euaggelizo. which means "bring good news," "announce good things," "preach or proclaim as glad tidings," and, in the passive, "receive good news."

Wordplay: 

 Every noun and verb in this verse as a double meaning. The alternative above shows the major ones. A great example of the depth of meaning in the Greek not captured in English translation. 

The rhyming pattern is -οὶ -ουσιν, -οὶ -ουσιν, -οὶ ​-ζονται, -οὶ -ουσιν, -οὶ ​-ζονται, -οὶ ​-ζονται

Related Verses: 

Unimportant Opinions and Imaginings: 

“We have heard of your wonders,” complained one, “we haven’t actually seen any,” complained one of John’s followers.
“But we have seen the effect you have on people when you teach,” said another, “but we are not sure how to describe what is really happening”
“The blind look around,” said the Master acting out his words. Then he continued in a sing-song voice, acting out each line.
“And the lame walk the ground.
The rough are being cleaned up
And  the dullards hear sound.
And  the dying are waking up.
And the beggars are being cheered up.”
Everyone laughed at his rhyming.

Front Page Date: 

Sep 27 2020