Matthew 13:40 As therefore the weeds are gathered

Spoken to: 

Apostles

Parables, Parable of the Weeds, Explanation

KJV: 

Matthew 13:40 As therefore the tares are gathered and burned in the fire; so shall it be in the end of this world.

NIV : 

Matthew 13:40 “As the weeds are pulled up and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of the age.

LISTENERS HEARD: 

Just as certainly the weeds are picked and are burned down with fire: in this way, it will be during the culmination of one's life

MY TAKE: 

In the end, no one gets away with anything.

GREEK (Each Word Explained Bottom of Page): 

LOST IN TRANSLATION: 

In the previous verse, the phrase "the end of the world" didn't have an definite articles (a "the"), it was  "an culmination of an age." Here, the articles are used, "the culmination of the age" or "this completion of this life." The word translated as "end" isn't the most common word translated as "end" in the NT, though it doesn't really mean "end" at all, in the sense of something destroyed. See this article for more about the mistranslation of various "end of the world" phrases.

Though this could be a reference to Gehenna, the name of the trash dump outside Jerusalem that Jesus uses in the Sermon on the Mount, it could also be a reference to the type of bread ovens uses at the time that burned grasses instead of wood. So the weeds are use to bake the bread.

  • CW - Confusing Word -- The "in" is not the common word usually translated as "in." It probably should be "with."
  • IW - Inserted Word -- The word "the" doesn't exist in the source.
  • CW - Confusing Word -- The "end" is not the common word usually translated as "end."
  • WW - Wrong Word -- The word translated as "world" should be something more like "age."
  • MW - Missing Word -- The word "certainly" is not shown in the English translation.
  • WW - Wrong Word -- The word translated as "pulled up" should be something more like "collected."
  • CW - Confusing Word -- The "in" is not the common word usually translated as "in." It probably should be "with."
  • IW - Inserted Word -- The word "the" doesn't exist in the source.
  • CW - Confusing Word -- The "end" is not the common word usually translated as "end."

EACH WORD of KJV : 

As -- The Greek word translated as "as" indicates a match with a person or thing, "the very thing, which," "the same as."

therefore  - The Greek word translated as "therefore" either emphasizes the truth of something ("certainly," "really") or it simply continues an existing narrative.

the  - - The word translated as "the" is the Greek definite article. The Greek article is much closer to our demonstrative pronouns ("this," "that," "these," "those") than the English "the." See this article for more. 

tares  - The term translated as "tares" is from a weed that grows among wheat crops, a kind of imitation wheat, that had black kernels instead of real wheat when it mature. It comes from a Sumerian word for "wheat." This word is plural, but the verb below is s singular.

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.

gathered  - The word translated as "gathered" specifically means collecting something for use. The word means a selective choosing, that is, picking, rather than an indiscriminate gathering, picking as in the selection of ripe grapes and figs. The verb is singular, but a plural neuter subject, the weeds, can take a singular subject as a collection of things.  It is the passive or middle voice.

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

burned  - "Burned" is from a verb which literally means "burn through out" and is generally used to mean "to burn completely" or "burn out." The verb is singular, but a plural neuter subject, the weeds, can take a singular subject as a collection of things.  It is the passive or middle voice. -

in -- (CW) This word "in" 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. However, the translator can choose other prepositions: "with,"  "in,"   "of,"  "as," "by," "for," "at," or "on" depending on the context.

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

fire;  - -- "Fire" is a noun that means "fire," "sacrificial fire," "funeral fire," and so on, but Christ only uses this word to describe the fire of a trash dump. He usually uses it with the word that is translated as "hell" but which was the name of the burning trash dump outside of Jerusalem.

so -- The word translated in KJV as "so" is in its adverbial form, so it means "in this manner" or "in this way.

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

it  - -- This is from the third-person, singular form of the verb.

be "Be" is from the verb "to be." When the verb "to be" appears without a subject, the sense is more like "it is" or, in the plural, "there are." Here it is in the future tense, singular.

in  - -- The word translated as "in" means "in," "within," "with," "during" (time),  or "among"  with a dative object as the one here. 

the - The word translated as "the" is the Greek definite article. The Greek article is much closer to our demonstrative pronouns ("this," "that," "these," "those") than the English "the." See this article for more. 

end  - (CW) The word translated as "end" here is different than the Greek word more commonly translated as "end. A rare word only used by Jesus three times.  It is a word meaning literally "to bring together for an end." It  means the final accomplishment of a purpose, so "accomplishment" or "culmination.

of -- This word "of"  comes from the genitive case of the following word that requires the addition of a preposition in English.  The most common is the "of" of possession.

this - The word translated as "the" is the Greek definite article. The Greek article is much closer to our demonstrative pronouns ("this," "that," "these," "those") than the English "the." See this article for more. 

world.  - (WW) The Greek word translated as "the world" does not mean that. It is not he word translated as "the world" in Matthew 13:38 The field is the world. It primarily means "the age" as a span of time or "lifetime" as in one's life.

EACH WORD of NIV : 

As -- The Greek word translated as "as" indicate a match with a person or thing, "the very thing, which," "the same as."

missing "certainly"  -- (MW) The untranslated word emphasizes the truth of something ("certainly," "really") or it simply continues an existing narrative.

the  - - The word translated as "the" is the Greek definite article. The Greek article is much closer to our demonstrative pronouns ("this," "that," "these," "those") than the English "the." See this article for more. 

weeds- The term translated as "weeds " is from a weed that grows among wheat crops, a kind of imitation wheat, that had black kernels instead of real wheat when it mature. It comes from a Sumerian word for "wheat." This word is plural, but the verb below is s singular.

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.

pulled up - (WW) The word translated as "pulled up" specifically means collecting something for use. The word means a selective choosing, that is, picking, or collecting rather than an indiscriminate gathering, picking as in the selection of ripe grapes and figs. The verb is singular, but a plural neuter subject, the weeds, can take a singular subject as a collection of things.  It is the passive or middle voice.

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

burned  - "Burned" is from a verb which literally means "burn through out" and is generally used to mean "to burn completely" or "burn out." The verb is singular, but a plural neuter subject, the weeds, can take a singular subject as a collection of things.  It is the passive or middle voice. -

in -- (CW) This word "in" 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. However, the translator can choose other prepositions: "with,"  "in,"   "of,"  "as," "by," "for," "at," or "on" depending on the context.

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

fire;  - -- "Fire" is a noun that means "fire," "sacrificial fire," "funeral fire," and so on, but Christ only uses this word to describe the fire of a trash dump. He usually uses it with the word that is translated as "hell" but which was the name of the burning trash dump outside of Jerusalem.

so -- The word translated in KJV as "so" is in its adverbial form, so it means "in this manner" or "in this way.

it  - -- This is from the third-person, singular form of the verb.

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

be "Be" is from the verb "to be." When the verb "to be" appears without a subject, the sense is more like "it is" or, in the plural, "there are." Here it is in the future tense, singular.

in  - -- The word translated as "in" means "in," "within," "with," "during" (time),  or "among"  with a dative object as the one here. 

the - The word translated as "the" is the Greek definite article. The Greek article is much closer to our demonstrative pronouns ("this," "that," "these," "those") than the English "the." See this article for more. 

end  - (CW) The word translated as "end" here is different than the Greek word more commonly translated as "end. A rare word only used by Jesus three times.  It is a word meaning literally "to bring together for an end." It  means the final accomplishment of a purpose, so "accomplishment" or "culmination.

of -- This word "of"  comes from the genitive case of the following word that requires the addition of a preposition in English.  The most common is the "of" of possession.

the - The word translated as "the" is the Greek definite article. The Greek article is much closer to our demonstrative pronouns ("this," "that," "these," "those") than the English "the." See this article for more. 

age.  - The Greek word translated primarily means "the age" as a span of time or "lifetime" as in one's life.

COMPARISON: GREEK to KJV : 

ὥσπερ (adv/prep)"As" is from hosper, which means "the very man who," "the very thing, which," "the same as," "wherefore," and "although." --

οὖν (adv) "Therefore" is from oun, which means "certainly," "in fact," "really," "in fact," "so" and "then" (continuing a narrative), and "then" and "therefore." --

συλλέγεται [8 verses](verb 3rd sg pres ind mp) "Are gathered" is from sylego, a term meaning "gather," "collect," "come together," "collect," "get together [people]," "picking (fruit)," "compose," "compile," "scrape together," "compile a list of," (in middle passive) "collect for oneself," "for one's own use," and (in passive) "come together," "become customary," "come together," "assemble." --

τὰ (article pl neut nom)  "The" is the Greek definite article, hos, ("the").  -

ζιζάνια (noun pl neut nom)The term translated as "tares" is zizanion, which was a weed that grows in wheat, a kind of imitation wheat, that had black kernels instead of real wheat when it mature. It comes from a Sumerian word for "wheat."

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."

πυρὶ (noun sg neut dat) "Fire" is from pyr, which means "fire," "sacrificial fire," "funeral fire," "hearth-fire," "lightning," "the light of torches," and "heat of fever."

κατακαίεται, [2 verses](verb 3rd sg pres ind mp) "Burned" is katakaio, which literally means "burn through out" and is generally used to mean "to burn completely," of the fingers, "to be burnt (with hot food)," of hot winds, "parch," and, in the passive, of fire, "burn down," and "burn out."

οὕτως (adv) "So" is from houtos, which means "in this way," "therefore," "so much," "to such an extent," and "that is why."

ἔσται (verb 3rd sg fut ind) "Shall it be" is from eimi, which means "to be," "to exist," "to be the case," and "is possible."

ἐν (prep) "At" is from en, which means "in," "on," "at," "by," "among," "during," "within," "surrounded by," "in one's hands," "in one's power," and "with."

τῇ (article sg fem dat)  "The" is the Greek definite article, hos, ("the"). 

συντελείᾳ [3 verses](noun sg fem dat) "End" is synteleia, which means "joint contribution for the public burdens," "(compulsory) provision of recruits," "a body of citizens who contributed jointly to bear public burdens," generally, "company," "the consummation of a scheme," "an end of," "full realization," "unjust gain," and, in Grammar, "completed action."

τοῦ (article sg masc gen)  "The" is the Greek definite article, hos, ("the"). 

αἰῶνος: (noun sg masc gen) "Age" is aion, which means "life," "lifetime," "age," "one's life," "destiny," "lot," "eternity," "space of time," "for ever," "all one's life long," or "generation."

Wordplay: 

The word translated as "are gathered" has the sense of people selecting themselves, picking themselves and coming together on their own. 

The word translated as "tares" or "weeds" is really a form of false or imitation wheat, symbolic of people who are false. 

Related Verses: 

More about related verses in this article: The End of the World?

Unimportant Opinions and Imaginings: 

“So those whose lives are based on a lie finish in a trash heap?” asked Johnny Boy.
“Just as certainly the weeds are picked and are burned down with fire,” agreed the Master, doing his throwing-out-the-trash gesture.
“So only the true and productive remain?” asked Brother James.
“In this way it will be,” agreed the Master. “In the culmination of this life!”

Front Page Date: 

Dec 26 2020