Spoken to:
A long section about "the end of the world" or, more precisely, "the culmination of an era."
KJV:
Matthew 24:8 All these are the beginning of sorrows.
NIV :
Matthew 24:8 All these are the beginning of birth pains.
LISTENERS HEARD:
All of these, a beginning which is birth pains.
MY TAKE:
Productivity is painful.
GREEK (Each Word Explained Bottom of Page):
LOST IN TRANSLATION:
The sense of the Greek here is not nearly as negative as the KJV, and most, but not all other bibles, translate it. because it refers to the pains of childbirth, which are productive. We can only be sure of this connection only because Jesus quotes more extensively from Isa 13:10 two verses from now, in Matthew 24:29.
The Greek word translated as "sorrows" and "pains of childbirth" is a metaphor for "anguish" but with the specific sense of suffering that bears fruit. This is a very different word from the sorrow we feel at death. It is in the genitive, which is often possessive, but which also acts in the sense of equating things, something like the verb "to be," here equating a "beginning" with this pains.
# KJV TRANSLATION ISSUES:
- MW - Missing Word -- The word "however" is not shown in the English translation.
- IW - Inserted Word -- The word "the" doesn't exist in the source.
- CW - Confusing Word -- The "sorrows" does not capture the specific meaning of the word.
# NIV TRANSLATION ISSUES:
- MW - Missing Word -- The word "however" is not shown in the English translation.
- IW - Inserted Word -- The word "the" doesn't exist in the source.
EACH WORD of KJV :
All - The word translated as "all" is from the Greek adjective meaning "all," "the whole," "every," and similar ideas. When it is used as a noun, we would say "everything." As an adverb, it means "in every way," "on every side," and "altogether."
missing "however" -- (MW) The untranslated word "however" joins phrases in an adversarial way. Since it always falls in the second position, translating it as "however" often captures its feeling better. When used in writing, it creates complex sentences, but when spoken, it makes a good pausing point so that an important or humorous word can follow.
these - The "these " is a pronoun that can mean "this" or "that," the nearer or the further depending on usage.Here is it is a plural noun. The reference would be to the "famines" and "shocks" of the previous verse, Matthew 24:7.
are -- There is no verb "to be" here in the Greek. However, when nouns, pronouns or adjectives appear in the form of a subject without a verb, the verb "to be" can be assumed.
the -- (IW) There is nothing that can be translated as "it" in the Greek source.
beginning - "Beginning" is a noun that means "beginning," "origin," and "empire." This is the word from which we get both "archangel," and "archeology," the study of the beginning of history. It is not introduced with an article, "the beginning" so it would read "a beginning."
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.
sorrows. -- (CW) "Sorrows" is a plural noun that means specifically the "pains of childbirth." However, it also means "children," the fruit of childbirth and the "fruit" of mental anguish.
EACH WORD of NIV :
All these are the beginning of birth pains.
All - The word translated as "all" is from the Greek adjective meaning "all," "the whole," "every," and similar ideas. When it is used as a noun, we would say "everything." As an adverb, it means "in every way," "on every side," and "altogether."
missing "however" -- (MW) The untranslated word "however" joins phrases in an adversarial way. Since it always falls in the second position, translating it as "however" often captures its feeling better. When used in writing, it creates complex sentences, but when spoken, it makes a good pausing point so that an important or humorous word can follow.
these - The "these " is a pronoun that can mean "this" or "that," the nearer or the further depending on usage.Here is it is a plural noun. The reference would be to the "famines" and "shocks" of the previous verse, Matthew 24:7.
are -- There is no verb "to be" here in the Greek. However, when nouns, pronouns or adjectives appear in the form of a subject without a verb, the verb "to be" can be assumed.
the -- (IW) There is nothing that can be translated as "it" in the Greek source.
beginning - "Beginning" is a noun that means "beginning," "origin," and "empire." This is the word from which we get both "archangel," and "archeology," the study of the beginning of history. It is not introduced with an article, "the beginning" so it would read "a beginning."
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.
birth pains. -- "Birth pains" is a plural noun that means specifically the "pains of childbirth." However, it also means "children," the fruit of childbirth and the "fruit" of mental anguish.
COMPARISON: GREEK to KJV :
πάντα [212 verses](adj pl neut nom/acc) "All" is from pas, which means "all," "the whole," "every," "anyone," "all kinds," and "anything." In the adverbial form, it means "every way," "on every side," "in every way," and "altogether."
δὲ [446 verses](conj) "But" is from 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 cause ("so").
ταῦτα [96 verses](adj pl neut nom/acc) "These things" is tauta, which is a referring pronoun meaning "these," "this," "that," and "here." It can mean the nearer or the further depending on usage. As an adverb it can mean "therefore" and "that is why." -
ἀρχὴ [13 verses](noun sg fem nom) "Beginning" is from archê, which means "beginning," "origin," "first principles," "first place of power," "empire," and "command. This is the word from which we get both "archbishop," primal bishops who can consecrate other bishops, and "archeology," the study of ancient history.
ὠδίνων. [2 times](noun pl fem gen) "Sorrows" is ôdin, which means specifically the "pain or throes of childbirth," "children," in singular, "that which is born amid throes,"" "child," It is a metaphor for "anguish" but with the specific sense of suffering that bears fruit, "fruit of" the mind's "travail." This is very different from the sorrow we feel at death, which is what the term "sorrows" in the context of war and natural disaster seems to indicate.
Related Verses:
Matthew 24:7 For nation shall rise against nation,
Isa 13:8 And they shall be afraid: pangs and sorrows shall take hold of them; they shall be in pain as a woman that travaileth: they shall be amazed one at another; their faces shall be as flames.
Unimportant Opinions and Imaginings:
"All of these," he continued sounding more hopeful. "A new start...the pains of giving birth."