Matthew 9:24 Give place: for the maid is not dead,

Spoken to
group

To mourners at the magistrate's house.

KJV

Matthew 9:24 Give place: for the maid is not dead, but sleepeth.

NIV

Matthew 9:24 Go away. The girl is not dead but asleep.

LISTENERS HEARD

Get back. Because she didn't pass away, this little girl. Instead, she sleeps.

LOST IN TRANSLATION

This verse starts with a unique word for Jesus to use, but it is different from the unique word that begins the parallel verse in Mark (Mark 5:39) . The word used here has the sense of "get back" or "retire." The word may have been chosen because the crowd had jumped to a conclusion about the child's death. This verse also use a different word for "maid" that the word used for "damsel" in Mark, though this word is in the following verse of Mark. Both verses end the same.

In more modern translations, the word meaning "because" ("for" in KJV) is left out becuse Jesus seems like he is answering an unrecorded question.

 

MY TAKE

Sometimes we have to move back to leave Jesus room ito wake us up.

GREEK (Each Word Explained Bottom of Page)
GREEK ORDER

Ἀναχωρεῖτε, οὐ      γὰρ        ἀπέθανεν            τὸ   κοράσιον ἀλλὰ    καθεύδει:
Get back.      didn't Because she pass away,   this little girl. Instead, she sleeps.

# KJV TRANSLATION ISSUES
1

WT - Wrong Tense - The verb "is" indicates the present tense, but the tense is something that happens at a specific point in time (past, present, or future).

WT - Wrong Tense - The verb "is" indicates the present tense, but the tense is something that happens at a specific point in time (past, present, or future).

MW - Missing Word -- The word "because" is not shown in the English translation.

EACH WORD of KJV

Give place:   -  "Give place" is used by Jesus uniquely here. It means to "go back," "walk backwards," and "withdraw."

for  -  The word translated as "for" introduces a reason or explanation so "because" and, in questions, "why." However, since this word always appears in the second position, it is more like an aside remark like, "consequently" or "as a cause." 

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

maid  - "Maid" is a Greek noun that means "little girl" and "maiden." This word is only used twice by Jesus, once here and once in a verse in Mark referring to the same girl.

is -- (WT) This helping verb indicates the present tense of the verb, but the verb is not the present but a form that means "at a certain point" and can refer to past, present, or future.

not The Greek word translated as "not" is the Greek negative used to deny objective facts, not opinions. It makes a negative statement of fact. Adding "really" to the sentence captures the same idea.

dead  - (WF) The word translated as "dead" is the verb that means "die." It is not the noun.

but  - The Greek word translated as "but" denotes an exception or simple opposition. It is used to emphasize the contrast between things like we use "rather." It is the Greek word "other" like we use "otherwise."

sleepeth.  -  "Sleepeth" is a verb means "to lie down to sleep," "to sleep," and "to lie asleep."

EACH WORD of NIV

The girl is not dead but asleep.

Go away. -  "Give place" is used by Jesus uniquely here. It means to "go back," "walk backwards," and "withdraw."

missing "because"  -- (MW) The untranslated word is"for" introduces a reason or explanation so "because" and, in questions, "why." However, since this word always appears in the second position, it is more like an aside remark like, "consequently" or "as a cause." 

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

maid  - "Maid" is a Greek noun that means "little girl" and "maiden." This word is only used twice by Jesus, once here and once in a verse in Mark referring to the same girl.

is -- (WT) This helping verb indicates the present tense of the verb, but the verb is not the present but a form that means "at a certain point" and can refer to past, present, or future.

not  -  The Greek word translated as "not" is the Greek negative used to deny objective facts, not opinions. It makes a negative statement of fact. Adding "really" to the sentence captures the same idea.

dead  - The word translated as "dead" is the verb that means "die." It is not the noun.

but  - The Greek word translated as "but" denotes an exception or simple opposition. It is used to emphasize the contrast between things like we use "rather." It is the Greek word "other" like we use "otherwise."

asleep.  -  "asleep" is a verb means "to lie down to sleep," "to sleep," and "to lie asleep."

EACH WORD 3RD (NLT or as noted)

When we arrived at the magistrate’s villa, we could hear the people inside weeping and wailing.  Mourners were crowding the doorway.
“Get back,” the Master requested in an authoritative voice.
A number of voices responded at once.
“Who are you?” one asked.
“We are mourning a little girl’s death here, let us be!” said another.
“Why?” someone asked.
“Because she didn’t die, this little girl,” he responded cheerfully, “but she sleeps.”
At this several of the mourners laughed.

COMPARISON: GREEK to KJV

Ἀναχωρεῖτε, [unique]( verb 2nd pl pres imperat act) "Give place" is  anachōreō, which means to "go back," "walk backwards," and "withdraw."

οὐ (partic) "Not" is ou which is the negative adverb for facts and statements, negating both single words and sentences. The other negative adverb, μή applies to will and thought; οὐ denies, μή rejects; οὐ is absolute, μή relative; οὐ objective, μή subjective. -- The Greek word translated as "not" is the Greek negative used to deny objective facts, not opinions. It makes a negative statement of fact. Adding "really" to the sentence captures the same idea.

γὰρ (partic) "For" comes from gar which is the introduction of a clause explaining a reason or explanation: "for," "since," and "as." In an abrupt question, it means "why" and "what." --

ἀπέθανεν (3rd sg aor ind act) "Dead" is from apothnesko, which means "to die," "to pass away."  and "to die off."

τὸ (article sg neut nom ) "The" is the Greek definite article, hos, ("the"), which usually precedes a noun and, without a noun, takes the meaning of "the one" or, in the plural, "the ones."

κοράσιον,[2 verses](noun sg neut nom ) "Maid" is from the Greek korasion, which means "little girl" and "maiden."

ἀλλὰ  (adv) "But" is from alla, which means "otherwise," "but," "still," "at least," "except," "yet," nevertheless," "rather," "moreover," and "nay." It denotes an exception or a simple opposition.

καθεύδει. [12 verses](3rd sg pres ind act) "Sleep" is from katheudo, which means "to lie down to sleep," "to sleep," and "to lie asleep."

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