Matthew 12:30 He that is not with me is against me;

Spoken to: 

audience

The Pharisees attack, casting out demons, a kingdom divided

KJV: 

Matthew 12:30 He that is not with me is against me; and he that gathereth not with me scattereth abroad.

NIV : 

Matthew 12:30 Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters.

LISTENERS HEARD: 

The one not wanting to be with me is against me, and the one not wanting to join together with me, he scatters.

MY TAKE: 

Unity and focus is the source of strength. Being scattered and divided is the source of weakness.

GREEK (Each Word Explained Bottom of Page): 

LOST IN TRANSLATION: 

The key here is the negatives used, which refer to opinions and desires, not facts.  This verse is about what people think or want, which determines what they do.

# KJV TRANSLATION ISSUES: 

6
  • WF - Wrong Form -  The "is" is not an active verb but a participle, "being."
  • CW - Confusing Word -- The "not" is the subjective negative of opinion with the sense of "not wanting," "not thinking" or not seeming when used with a non-opinion verb.
  • CW - Confusing Word -- The "gathereth" more often means "bring together" and refers to people.
  • WF - Wrong Form -  The "gathereth" is not an active verb but a participle, "gathering."
  • CW - Confusing Word -- The "not" is the subjective negative of opinion with the sense of "not wanting," "not thinking" or not seeming when used with a non-opinion verb.
  • IW - Inserted Word -- The word "abroad" doesn't exist in the source.

# NIV TRANSLATION ISSUES: 

6
  • WF - Wrong Form -  The "is" is not an active verb but a participle, "being."
  • IW - Inserted Word -- The word "does" doesn't exist in the source.
  • CW - Confusing Word -- The "not" is the subjective negative of opinion with the sense of "not wanting," "not thinking" or not seeming when used with a non-opinion verb.
  • CW - Confusing Word -- The "gathereth" more often means "bring together" and refers to people.
  • CW - Confusing Word -- The "not" is the subjective negative of opinion with the sense of "not wanting," "not thinking" or not seeming when used with a non-opinion verb.
  • WF - Wrong Form -  The "gatherz" is not an active verb but a participle, "gathering."

EACH WORD of KJV : 

He that  - The word translated as "He that" is from the Greek article, "the," (masculine, possessive form) which usually precedes a noun and, without a noun, takes the meaning of "the one."

is  - (WF) The verb here is the noun form of "to be" in Greek, "being," technically this is the subject of the sentence. "the one being" or, with the negative, "the one not wanting to be." 

not  - (CW) The negative used here is the Greek negative of a subjective opinion, commands, and requests. The sense is that "you don't want" to do something, not that it isn't done.

with -- "With" is the Greek word that usually means "with" or a related concept such as "among" or "by the means of." Its meaning changes with the form of its object, with genitive, as it is here, it means "in the midst of," "among," "between." "in common," "along with," "by the aid of," "with," "together with," and "in conjunction with.

me --  "Me" is the regular first-person pronoun in Greek in the possessive (genitive) form, so "my" or "of me."  As a genitive object of a preposition, as here, it means movement away from something or a position away from something else.

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.

against -- The word translated as "against" means, with the genitive as it is here, "downwards," "down from," "down into," "against," "down toward," "down (from),"  and, or time, "for."

me;  --  "Me" is the regular first-person pronoun in Greek in the possessive (genitive) form, so "my" or "of me."  As a genitive object of a preposition, as here, it means movement away from something or a position away from something else.

and -- The Greek word translated as "and" is used as the conjunction "and," but it also is used to add emphasis ("also").

he that - The word translated as "He that" is from the Greek article, "the," (masculine, possessive form) which usually precedes a noun and, without a noun, takes the meaning of "the one."

gathereth  - (CW, WF) "Gathereth" is a Greek verb that means "bring together" and "gather together," but it is in the form of a noun ("the one gatherings) and it the subject of this clause. Jesus most often uses this word to mean bringing people together. He only uses it to mean "gather" crops a handful of times.

not - (CW) The negative used here is the Greek negative of a subjective opinion, commands, and requests. The sense is that "you don't want" to do something, not that it isn't done.

with -- "With" is the Greek word that usually means "with" or a related concept such as "among" or "by the means of." Its meaning changes with the form of its object, with genitive, as it is here, it means "in the midst of," "among," "between." "in common," "along with," "by the aid of," "with," "together with," and "in conjunction with.me --  "Me" is the regular first-person pronoun in Greek in the possessive (genitive) form, so "my" or "of me."  As a genitive object of a preposition, as here, it means movement away from something or a position away from something else.

scattereth "Scatters" is a verb which means "to scatter," "to disperse," "to dissipate," and "to disintegrate." The verb has no relation to the verb "divided" used in Matthew 12:25, "a kingdom divided." This is a rare word for Jesus, only used four times. The verb is from the noun that means "scorpion," possibly describing how baby scorpions scatter from the back of their mother who carries them.

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

EACH WORD of NIV : 

Whoever - The word translated as "whoever" is from the Greek article, "the," (masculine, possessive form) which usually precedes a noun and, without a noun, takes the meaning of "the one."

is  - (WF) The verb here is the noun form of "to be" in Greek, "being," technically this is the subject of the sentence. "the one being" or, with the negative, "the one not wanting to be." 

not  - (CW) The negative used here is the Greek negative of a subjective opinion, commands, and requests. The sense is that "you don't want" to do something, not that it isn't done.

with -- "With" is the Greek word that usually means "with" or a related concept such as "among" or "by the means of." Its meaning changes with the form of its object, with genitive, as it is here, it means "in the midst of," "among," "between." "in common," "along with," "by the aid of," "with," "together with," and "in conjunction with.

me --  "Me" is the regular first-person pronoun in Greek in the possessive (genitive) form, so "my" or "of me."  As a genitive object of a preposition, as here, it means movement away from something or a position away from something else.

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.

against -- The word translated as "against" means, with the genitive as it is here, "downwards," "down from," "down into," "against," "down toward," "down (from),"  and, or time, "for."

me;  --  "Me" is the regular first-person pronoun in Greek in the possessive (genitive) form, so "my" or "of me."  As a genitive object of a preposition, as here, it means movement away from something or a position away from something else.

and -- The Greek word translated as "and" is used as the conjunction "and," but it also is used to add emphasis ("also").

whoever - The word translated as "whoever" is from the Greek article, "the," (masculine, possessive form) which usually precedes a noun and, without a noun, takes the meaning of "the one."

does -- (IW) This helping verb is used to create questions, commands, negative statements, and smooth word flow in English, but the verb here is not active.

not - (CW) The negative used here is the Greek negative of a subjective opinion, commands, and requests. The sense is that "you don't want" to do something, not that it isn't done.

gather  - (CW, WF) "Gather" is a Greek verb that means "bring together" and "gather together," but it is in the form of a noun ("the one gatherings) and it the subject of this clause. Jesus most often uses this word to mean bringing people together. He only uses it to mean "gather" crops a handful of times.

with -- "With" is the Greek word that usually means "with" or a related concept such as "among" or "by the means of." Its meaning changes with the form of its object, with genitive, as it is here, it means "in the midst of," "among," "between." "in common," "along with," "by the aid of," "with," "together with," and "in conjunction with.me --  "Me" is the regular first-person pronoun in Greek in the possessive (genitive) form, so "my" or "of me."  As a genitive object of a preposition, as here, it means movement away from something or a position away from something else.

scatters "Scatters" is a verb which means "to scatter," "to disperse," "to dissipate," and "to disintegrate." The verb has no relation to the verb "divided" used in Matthew 12:25, "a kingdom divided." This is a rare word for Jesus, only used four times. The verb is from the noun that means "scorpion," possibly describing how baby scorpions scatter from the back of their mother who carries them.

COMPARISON: GREEK to KJV : 

 (article sg masc nom) "That" is the Greek definite article, which usually precedes a noun and, without a noun, takes the meaning of "the one."

μὴ (partic) "Not" is from me , which 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.

ὢν (part sg pres act masc nom) "He...is" is from eimi, which means "to be," "to exist," "to be the case," and "is possible."

μετ᾽ (prep) "With" is from meta, which means "in the midst of," "among," "between," "in common," "along with," "by the aid of," "in one's dealings with," "into the middle of," "coming into," "in pursuit of," "after," "behind," "according to," and "next afterward"

ἐμοῦ (adj sg masc gen) "Me" is from emou, which means "me," and "mine."

κατ (prep)  "Against" is from kata, which means "downwards," "down from," "down into," "against," "down toward," "opposite," "separately," "individually," "at a time," "towards," "in accordance with," "concerning," "corresponding with," "during the course of a period," and "severally.

ἐμοῦ (adj sg masc gen) "Me" is from emou, which means "me," and "mine."

ἐστίν, (3rd sg pres ind act) "Is" is from eimi, which means "to be," "to exist," "to be the case," and "is possible." -

καὶ (prep) "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."

(article sg masc nom) "That" is the Greek definite article, which usually precedes a noun and, without a noun, takes the meaning of "the one."

μὴ. (partic)  "Not" is from me , which 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.

συνάγων (part sg pres act masc nom) "He...gathereth" is from synago, which means [of people] "to bring together," "to gather together," "join in one," "unite," "make friends," "reconcile," "to crowd," [of things] "draw together," "narrow," and "contract."

μετ᾽ (prep) "With" is from meta, which means "in the midst of," "among," "between," "in common," "along with," "by the aid of," "in one's dealings with," "into the middle of," "coming into," "in pursuit of," "after," "behind," "according to," and "next afterward"

ἐμοῦ (adj sg masc gen) "Me" is from emou, which means "me," and "mine."

σκορπίζει. [4 verses](3rd sg pres ind act or verb 2nd sg pres ind mp) "Scatters abroad" is from skorpizo, which means "to scatter," "to disperse," "to disintegrate," "to reduce to powder," and "to dissipate."

Wordplay: 

The term used for "gather" also means "bring together."  The term meaning "scatter" also means "to disintegrate: or  "dissipate." 

Related Verses: 

Unimportant Opinions and Imaginings: 

“Don’t listen to him!” the Distinguished leader ordered the young men. “He is a demon, luring you to join him, trying to divide us!”
“Nonsense!” responded one of the young men’s fathers. “Just because we are not against him, doesn’t mean our sons are going to join him.”
“The one not wanting to be with me is against me,” responded the Master.
“See he admits it!” crowed the Distinguished leader. “His ideas are poisonous, like the sting of a scorpion!”
“But people flock to him!” argued the father. “If we don’t meet with him, we cannot answer his words!”
“And the one not wanting to meet with me?” the Master answered. “He scatters like a scorpion.”

Front Page Date: 

Nov 5 2020