After Sadducees do not answer his question about David's son being called his master.
Luke 20:47 Which devour widows' houses, and for a shew make long prayers: the same shall receive greater damnation.
Luke 20:47 They devour widows’ houses and for a show make lengthy prayers. These men will be punished most severely.”
These are devouring the households of the bereaved. And for a justification, they make lengthy prayers for themselves. Those are getting an excessive judgment.
There are two phrases in the form of a subject that have no active verb but two participles used as nouns. One in translated as "which/they devour" and the other as "the same shall receive" and "these men will be". The phrases are literally "the ones devouring" and "those getting" but since both words in these phrases are in the same form as subjects, they can be equated with the verb "to be". "These onse are devouring" and "Those are getting".
The word translated as "shew/show" is an uncommon word meaning "motive" or "pretext". Here, "justification" works a little better.
The word translated as "damnation" and "be punished" is the Greek word usually translated as "judgment". The line is the punchline and has two meanings depending on how we want to hear it. This line is: those are getting an excessive judgment. This can either mean they are going to get an excessive punishment, which is how the translators read it or that they are getting more of a compensation than they deserve. Both seem intended, but the translators didn't like the second meaning so they made the verb the future tense, which it isn't, and the judgment a punishment, which it isn't.
A judgment isn't always a punishment, but going to trial always is.
οἳ κατεσθίουσιν τὰς οἰκίας τῶν χηρῶν
The ones devouring the households of the bereaved!
καὶ προφάσει μακρὰ προσεύχονται: οὗτοι λήμψονται περισσότερον κρίμα.
And for a justification, lengthy they make lengthy prayers for themselves, those getting an excessive judgment!
Which(CW) devour(WF) (MW) widows' (MW) houses, and for a shew(CW) make long prayers: the same(CW, WF) shall(OS) receive(WF) greater damnation(WW).
- CW --Confusing Word -- This is not the common word usually translated as "which".
- WF -- Wrong Form - This is not an active verb but a participle, a verbal adjective, "devouring".
- MW - Missing Word -- The word "the/this" before "widows" is not shown in the English translation.
- MW - Missing Word -- The word "the/this" before "house" is not shown in the English translation.
- CW --Confusing Word -- This is not one of the common words usually translated as "show".
- WF -- Wrong Form - This "the same" is not a noun but demonstrative pronoun. This is not the word usually translated as "the same".
- CW --Confusing Word -- This is not the common word usually translated as ""the same".
- OS -- Outdated Source -- The Greek verb tense translated as "shall" existed in the KJV Greek source but not the source we use today.
- WF -- Wrong Form - This is not an active verb but a participle, a verbal adjective, "getting".
- WW --Wrong Word -- The word translated as "damnation" should be something more like "judgment".
They(CW) devour(WF) (MW) widows' (MW) houses, and for a show(CW) make lengthy prayers. These men(IW) will(WF) be(WW,WF) punished(WW, WF) most severely(IW).”
- CW --Confusing Word -- This is not the common word usually translated as "they".
- WF -- Wrong Form - This is not an active verb but a participle, a verbal adjective, "devouring".
- MW - Missing Word -- The word "the/this" before "widows" is not shown in the English translation.
- MW - Missing Word -- The word "the/this" before "house" is not shown in the English translation.
- CW --Confusing Word -- This is not one of the common words usually translated as "show".
- IW - Inserted Word-- The "men" doesn't exist in the source.
- WF -- Wrong Form -- This "will" is not a future verb.
- WW --Wrong Word -- The word translated as "be" should be something more like "getting".
- WF -- Wrong Form - This is not an active verb but a participle, a verbal adjective, "getting".
- WW --Wrong Word -- The word translated as "punished" should be something more like "judgment".
- WF -- Wrong Form - This "punished" is not a verb but a noun.
- IW - Inserted Word-- The "severely" doesn't exist in the source.
Which -- (CW) The word translated as "which" is the Greek definite article, "the", which usually precedes a noun or changes the word it precedes (adjective, infinitive, participle, etc.) to act like a noun. The Greek article is much closer to our demonstrative pronouns ("this", "that", "these", "those") than the English "the". See this article for more. This is not the word usually translated as "which".
devour -- (WF)"Devour" is from a verb acting as a noun that means "to eat up" and "to devour". Christ uses this term as a humorous exaggeration because it refers to animals eating prey. It also means "to corrode" or "to be gnawed". It is not in the second person because this noun form has no "person." It should be translated as "the ones devouring." This is not an active verb but a participle, a verbal adjective, "devouring".
missing "the/this" -- (MW) The untranslated word is the Greek definite article," the", which usually precedes a noun or changes the word it precedes (adjective, infinitive, participle, etc.) to act like a noun. The Greek article is much closer to our demonstrative pronouns ("this", "that", "these" and "those"). See this article for more.
widows -- The word translated as "widows" more generally means "bereaved."
' -- The apostrophe comes from the noun's genitive form. This case usually requires the addition of a preposition in English. The most common is the "of" of possession for which an apostrophe can be substituted on plural words ending in an "s".
house -- The Greek word translated as "house," in Christ's time, was not only the physical building but the whole household, its members, its property, business interests, and position in the community, all connected to the "name" of the head of the house.
and -- The Greek word translated as "and" is used as the conjunction "and", but it also is used to add emphasis, "even," "also" and "just".
for --- This word "for" comes from the indirect object form 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.
a -- There is no indefinite article in Greek, but when a noun doesn't have a definite article, the indefinite article can be added in English translation.
shew - (CW) The Greek word translated as "show" means"motive", "alleged cause", "actual motive", "plea", "falsely alleged motive", "pretext", "pretense", "purpose", "cause", "persuasion" and "suggestion". It is translated elsewhere are "pretense" and "for a shew". It describes the purpose of the prayer. It is translated as "pretense" in the versions of this verse in other Gospels. This is not one of the common words usually translated as "show".
make -- "Make...prayers" is from the only active verb in the verse. It means "to offer prayers or vows", "to worship" and "to pray for a thing". Again, this is not a active verb, but a noun introduced by an article ("the ones offering"). It is also in the form of a verb acting on itself, so "they are made themselves to offer prayers". In the other versions of this verse, this verb is also an adjective, but it is active here.
long -- The Greek word translated as "long" means "long", "tall", "high", "deep", "tedious", etc. It is in the form of an adjective, but there is no noun that matches its form. However, the "prayers" is understood as part of the verb so "tedious" prayers.
prayers -- There is no noun for "prayers," but it is understood as part of the verb.
the same -- (CW, WF) "The same" is translated from a Greek word that means "this", "that", "the nearer". There is no therefor in this source. There is a word that means "these" from a Greek word that means "this", "that", "the nearer." It is in the form of a subject of the sentence but it modifies the following verb. This is not a noun but demonstrative pronoun.
shall -- (OS) There is nothing in the Greek that can be translated as this in the source we use today but it does exist in the source that the KJV translators used.
receive -- (WF) The word translated as "receive" primarily means "take." However, it means "receive" in the same sense that we use "get" to mean "receive" and has many different uses as we use "get" in English. Among these are the ideas of "understanding" and "possessing". This is not an active verb but a participle, a verbal adjective, "receiving".
greater -- The word translated as "greater", it means "extraordinary", "superfluous", "excessive" and "extravagant". The word is an exaggeration.
damnation -- (WW) The Greek word translated as "damnation" doesn't mean "damnation" but "judgment", "decision" and a "legal decision".
They -- (CW) The word translated as "which" is the Greek definite article, "the", which usually precedes a noun or changes the word it precedes (adjective, infinitive, participle, etc.) to act like a noun. The Greek article is much closer to our demonstrative pronouns ("this", "that", "these", "those") than the English "the". See this article for more. This is not the word usually translated as "they".
devour -- (WF)"Devour" is from a verb acting as a noun that means "to eat up" and "to devour". Christ uses this term as a humorous exaggeration because it refers to animals eating prey. It also means "to corrode" or "to be gnawed". It is not in the second person because this noun form has no "person". It should be translated as "the ones devouring". This is not an active verb but a participle, a verbal adjective, "devour".
missing "the/this" -- (MW) The untranslated word is the Greek definite article," the", which usually precedes a noun or changes the word it precedes (adjective, infinitive, participle, etc.) to act like a noun. The Greek article is much closer to our demonstrative pronouns ("this", "that", "these" and "those"). See this article for more.
widows -- The word translated as "widows" more generally means "bereaved".
' -- The apostrophe comes from the noun's genitive form. This case usually requires the addition of a preposition in English. The most common is the "of" of possession for which an apostrophe can be substituted on plural words ending in an "s".
houses -- The Greek word translated as "houses", in Christ's time, was not only the physical building but the whole household, its members, its property, business interests, and position in the community, all connected to the "name" of the head of the house.
and -- The Greek word translated as "and" is used as the conjunction "and", but it also is used to add emphasis, "even," "also" and "just".
for --- This word "for" comes from the indirect object form 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.
a -- There is no indefinite article in Greek, but when a noun doesn't have a definite article, the indefinite article can be added in English translation.
show - (CW) The Greek word translated as "show" means "motive", "alleged cause", "actual motive", "plea", "falsely alleged motive", "pretext", "pretense", "purpose", "cause", "persuasion" and "suggestion". It is translated elsewhere are "pretense" and "for a shew". It describes the purpose of the prayer. It is translated as "pretense" in the versions of this verse in other Gospels. This is not one of the common words usually translated as "show".
make -- "Make...prayers" is from the only active verb in the verse. It means "to offer prayers or vows", "to worship" and "to pray for a thing". Again, this is not a active verb, but a noun introduced by an article ("the ones offering"). It is also in the form of a verb acting on itself, so "they are made themselves to offer prayers". In the other versions of this verse, this verb is also an adjective, but it is active here.
lengthy -- The Greek word translated as "lengthy" means "long", "tall", "high", "deep", "tedious," etc. It is in the form of an adjective, but there is no noun that matches its form. However, the "prayers" is understood as part of the verb so "tedious" prayers.
prayers -- There is no noun for "prayers", but it is understood as part of the verb.
These -- "These" is translated from a Greek word that means "this", "that", "the nearer". There is no therefor in this source. There is a word that means "these" from a Greek word that means "this", "that", "the nearer". It is in the form of a subject of the sentence but it modifies the following verb. This is not a noun but demonstrative pronoun.
men -- (IW) This word is not in the Greek source.
will -- (WF) This is not a future, passive verb.
punished most severely.”
be -- (WW, WF) The word translated as "be" primarily means "take". However, it means "receive" in the same sense that we use "get" to mean "receive" and has many different uses as we use "get" in English. Among these are the ideas of "understanding" and "possessing". This is not an active verb but a participle, a verbal adjective, "getting". This word doesn't mean "be".
punished -- (WW, WF ) The Greek word translated as "punished" doesn't mean "punished" but "judgment", "decision" and a "legal decision". This "punished" is not a verb but a noun.
most -- The word translated as "greater", means "extraordinary", "superfluous", "excessive" and "extravagant". The word is an exaggeration.
severely -- (IW) This word is not in the Greek source.
punished -- (WW, WF ) The Greek word translated as "damnation" doesn't mean "damnation" but "judgment", "decision" and a "legal decision". This "punished" is not a verb but a noun.
οἳ (article pl masc nom) "Which" is the Greek definite article, which usually precedes a noun and, without a noun, takes the meaning of "the one" or, in the plural, "the ones".
κατεσθίουσιν (part pl pres act masc nom) "Devour" is from katesthio, which means "to eat up" and "to devour". It is a term applied to animals of prey. It also means "to corrode" or "to be gnawed".
τὰς [821 verses](article pl fem acc)) Untranslated is the Greek definite article, hos, ("the"). It usually precedes a noun or changes the word it precedes (adjective, infinitive, participle, etc.) to act like a noun. When not preceding a word that can become a noun, takes the meaning of "the one" or, in the plural, "the ones".
οἰκίας (noun pl fem acc) "Houses" is from oikia, which means "house", "building" and "household". It was also the term that was used to describe a family or clan and the people associated with that family or clan, such as their servants and slaves. -- The Greek word translated as "house," in Christ's time, was not only the physical building but the whole household, its members, its property, business interests, and position in the community, all connected to the "name" of the head of the house.
τῶν [821 verses](article noun pl fem gen) Untranslated is the Greek definite article, hos, ("the"). It usually precedes a noun or changes the word it precedes (adjective, infinitive, participle, etc.) to act like a noun. When not preceding a word that can become a noun, takes the meaning of "the one" or, in the plural, "the ones".
χηρῶν (noun pl fem gen) "Of widows" is from chera, which means "widow" and "bereaved".
καὶ (conj.adv) "And" is from kai, which is the conjunction joining phrases and clauses, "and" or "but". 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".
προφάσει [5 verses] (noun sg fem dat) "For a shew"is prophasis, which means "motive", "alleged cause", "actual motive", "plea", "falsely alleged motive", "pretext", "pretense", "purpose", "cause", "persuasion" and "suggestion".
μακρὰ [4 verses](noun/adj pl neut nom/acc) "Long" is makros, which means in length, "long", in height, "tall", "high", "deep", in distance, "long", "far", "remote", generally, "large in size or degree", "great", of Time, "long", and "tedious". As a noun, it means "length". As an adverb, "lengthy".
προσεύχονται: ( verb 3rd pl pres ind mp ) "Make...prayers" is from proseuchomai (proseuchomai), which means "to offer prayers or vows", "to worship" and "to pray for a thing". It is the combination of two Greek word, pros, meaning "towards" or "by reason of" and euchomai, meaning "to pray to God".
οὗτοι (adj pl masc nom) "The same" is from houtos, which means "this", "that", "the nearer". As an adverb, it means "in this way", "therefore", "so much", "to such an extent" and "that is why".
λήμψονται (part pl pres act masc nom) "Shall receive" is from lambano means to "take", "take hold of", "grasp", "seize", "catch", "overtake", "find out", "detect", "take as", "take" [food or drugs], "understand", "take in hand", "undertake", "take in", "hold", "get", "receive" [things], "receive hospitably", "receive in marriage", "receive as produce", "profit", "admit", "initiate", "take hold of", "lay hold on", "seize and keep hold of", "obtain possession of", "lay hands upon", "find fault with", "censure", "to apprehend with the senses", "to take hold of" and "to seize". It is also specifically used to mean "seized with emotion".
περισσότερον (adj sg masc acc) "Greater" is perissoteros, which is a form of the word perissos, which means "beyond the regular number of size", "out of the common", "extraordinary", "more than sufficient", "superfluous", "useless", "excessive", "extravagant", "over-wise", "over-curious", "abundantly" and "remarkable".
κρίμα. (noun sg neut acc) "Damnation" is from krima, which means "decision", "judgment", "decree", "resolution" and a "legal decision".