Matthew 9:38 Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest,

Spoken to
Apostles

After returning from seeing many people in many towns.

KJV

Matthew 9:38 Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth labourers into his harvest.

NIV

Matthew 9:38 Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.

LISTENERS HEARD

You should be wanting, in fact, the master of this harvest in what way he might toss on workmen into this harvest of his. 

LOST IN TRANSLATION

The Greek has a touch of humor in it, so typical of Jesus. The word translated as "pray" means "be needing."  The word translated as "send out" is not the usual word translated as "send," but the word usually translated as "cast out," which Jesus use in the same light sense as we use "toss out" in English.

MY TAKE

We must ask the one who sends us opportunities for the resources to use them.

# KJV TRANSLATION ISSUES
4

WW - Wrong Word -- The word translated as "pray" should be something more like "beg."

WW - Wrong Word -- The word translated as "will" should be something more like "should."

CW - Confusing Word -- The "send" is not the common word usually translated as "send."

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

# NIV TRANSLATION ISSUES
6

CW - Confusing Word -- The "ask" is not the common word usually translated as "ask."

WW - Wrong Word -- The word translated as "to" should be something more like "so that."

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

CW - Confusing Word -- The "send" is not the common word usually translated as "send."

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

IW - Inserted Word -- The word "field" doesn't exist in the source.

EACH WORD of KJV

Pray  - (WW) The Greek word translated as "pray" is means to "lack," "miss," "stand in need of," "want,"  "to be in want or need," "require," and to "beg a thing from."  It is an uncommon word for Jesus. It is not a command, as translated, but a passive verb, "you might be wanting." 

ye -- This is from the second-person, plural form of the verb.

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," "th

Lord - The word translated as "lord" is the same word that is often translated as "Master" or "the Lord" in the NT. It also means "lord," "master of the house," and "head of the family." It is the specific terms for the master of slaves or servants, but it was a common term of respect both for those in authority and who were honored. It was the term people used to address Christ, even though he had no formal authority. Today, we would say "boss" or "chief."

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," "th

harvest,   - "Of the harvest" is from a noun which means "mowing," "reaping," "harvest time," "harvest," and "crop."

that  - The word translated as "that" is one of those Greek words that introduce a new phrase that offers an explanation. It can be translated as a dependent clause.

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

will -- (WW) This helping  verb indicates that the verb is the future tense, but it isn't. It is in the form of possibility so it needs a "should" or "might."

send  - (CW) "Send " is a verb that means "throw out." Depending on the context, it can mean "toss out," "turn out," or "take out." It is usually translated as "cast out" in the NT.

forth -- This is from the prefix that means "from"of the previous verb. In English, we use "toss out" to mean to extracts, but the sense here is to "toss in" or "toss on."

labourers  -  "Laborers" is from a word that means "workman," "one who works the soil," "husbandman," and "producer."  Think of this word with its article as a question, "these workers?" 

into  - The word translated as "into" means "into" a place, "towards" as a direction, and "up to" limits in time and measure.

his   -- The word translated as "his" is the genitive form of the singular, second-person pronoun, which is most commonly the possessive form. This pronoun follows the noun so "of yours."

missing "the"  -- (MW) The untranslated word is the Greek definite article, which usually precedes a noun and, without a noun, takes the meaning of "the one." The Greek article is much closer to our demonstrative pronouns ("this," "that," "these," "those"). See this article for more. 

harvest    - "Of the harvest" is from a noun which means "mowing," "reaping," "harvest time," "harvest," and "crop."

EACH WORD of NIV

Ask - (CW) The Greek word translated as "ask" is means to "lack," "miss," "stand in need of," "want,"  "to be in want or need," "require," and to "beg a thing from."  It is an uncommon word for Jesus. It is not a command, as translated, but a passive verb, "you might be wanting."

the -- The word translated as "the" is the Greek definite article. The Greek article is much closer to our demonstrative pronouns ("this," "that," "these," "th

Lord - The word translated as "lord" is the same word that is often translated as "Master" or "the Lord" in the NT. It also means "lord," "master of the house," and "head of the family." It is the specific terms for the master of slaves or servants, but it was a common term of respect both for those in authority and who were honored. It was the term people used to address Christ, even though he had no formal authority. Today, we would say "boss" or "chief."

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," "th

harvest,   - "Of the harvest" is from a noun which means "mowing," "reaping," "harvest time," "harvest," and "crop."

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

to - (WW) The word translated as "to" is one of those Greek words that introduce a new phrase that offers an explanation. It can be translated as a dependent clause. It is not the "to" that indicates and infinitive

missing "should"-- (MW) A helping verb is necessary because the  following verb is a subjunctive form, requiring a "should" or "might" in English.

send  - (CW) "Send " is a verb that means "throw out." Depending on the context, it can mean "toss out," "turn out," or "take out." It is usually translated as "cast out" in the NT.

out -- This is from the prefix that means "from"of the previous verb. In English, we use "toss out" to mean to extracts, but the sense here is to "toss in" or "toss on."

workers -  "Workers " is from a word that means "workman," "one who works the soil," "husbandman," and "producer."  Think of this word with its article as a question, "these workers?" 

into  - The word translated as "into" means "into" a place, "towards" as a direction, and "up to" limits in time and measure.

his   -- The word translated as "his" is the genitive form of the singular, second-person pronoun, which is most commonly the possessive form. This pronoun follows the noun so "of yours."

missing "the"  -- (MW) The untranslated word is the Greek definite article, which usually precedes a noun and, without a noun, takes the meaning of "the one." The Greek article is much closer to our demonstrative pronouns ("this," "that," "these," "those"). See this article for more. 

harvest    - "Of the harvest" is from a noun which means "mowing," "reaping," "harvest time," "harvest," and "crop."

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

COMPARISON: GREEK to KJV

δεήθητε [4 verses] (verb 2nd pl aor subj/ind pass) "Pray" is from deomaiwhich means to "lack," "miss," "stand in need of," "want,"  "to be in want or need," "require," and to "beg a thing from."  

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

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

κυρίου (noun sg masc gen) "Lord" is kyrios (kurios), which means "having power," "being in authority" and "being in possession of." It also means "lord," "master of the house," and "head of the family." 

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

θερισμοῦ [7 verses](noun sg masc gen) "Of the harvest" is from therismos, which means "mowing," "reaping," "harvest time," "harvest," and "crop."​

ὅπως (conj) "That" is hopos, which is a conjunction that means "in such a manner as," "in order that," "in the manner in which," "how," [with negative] "there is no way that," and [in questions] "in what way."

ἐκβάλῃ (verb 3rd sg aor subj act) "He will send forth" is ekballo and means "throw out," "cast out of a place," "cast out," "throw out," and "expose." Ek means "out of," "from," and "away from." Ballo is "to throw" or "to scatter." 

ἐργάτας (noun pl masc acc) "Laborers" is ergates, which means "workman," "one who works the soil," "husbandman," "hard-working," "strenuous," "one who practices an art," "practitioner," "doer," and "producer."

εἰς (prep) "Into" is eis, which means "into (of place)," "up to (of time)," "until (of time)," "as much as (of measure or limit)," "as far as (of measure or limit)," "towards (to express relation)," "in regard to (to express relation)," "of an end or limit," and "for (of purpose or object)."

τὸν (article sg masc acc)  "The" is the Greek definite article, hos, ("the"). 

θερισμὸν (noun sg masc acc) "Harvest" is from therismos, which means "mowing," "reaping," "harvest time," "harvest," and "crop."​

αὐτοῦ. (adj sg masc gen) "His" is autos, which means "the same," and the reflexive pronouns, "myself," "yourself," "himself," "herself," "itself," or the oblique case of the pronouns, "him," "her," and "it." It also means "one's true self," that is, "the soul" as opposed to the body and "of one's own accord." 

Unimportant Opinions and Imaginings

“You should be begging, in fact,” the Master continued, “the master of this harvest so that he might toss on workmen into this harvest of his.”
Again, bis students laughed,

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