KJV:
LISTENERS HEARD:
Good, certainly, the salt. If, however, also the sales might become insipid in what it is going to be prepared?
GREEK (Each Word Explained Bottom of Page):
LOST IN TRANSLATION:
Lots of humorous double meanings, like the other versions of this verse, but surprisingly, all the three versions of this verse (here, Matthew 5:13 , Mark 9:50) all express similar ideas in different words. All use uncommon words, but only some of them, like "salt", are shared. This is a good argument for Jesus used different material at different times.
The Greek word for "salt" means salt, but the metaphorical meaning of salt is "wit" (and "sales", which doesn't seem relevant). We use the term "old salt" in English to means someone who is experienced, originally as sea, but also generally. The Greek term has the same sense. The word has an article so "the salt".
There is no "is" in the Greek. The actual Greek says "Good, the salt."
The word translated as "good" means "good", "beautiful", "noble," or "of good quality." See this article on the real Greek meaning of the terms translated as "good" and "evil." The word translated as "well" means, as an adverb, "well", "rightly", "happily", "thoroughly", "altogether", and "deservedly".
The Greek word translated as "but" means "but", "however", and "on the other hand". Since it always falls in the second position, translating it as "however" often captures its feeling better.
The Greek word meaning "if might" indicates more of an expectation of something happening than "if" alone. This is often how we use the word "when".
The Greek for "the salt" it the same word as above. The word has an article so "the salt".
The Greek word translated as "has lost its savor," means "to act a fool," or, in the passive, as it is here, "to be made a fool" and "to be insipid." The choice of this words makes Jesus use of "salt" as a metaphor for wit fairly clear. Only in this passage is this Greek word ever translated as "to make tasteless." Chemically, salt cannot lose its saltiness in the same way that a witty person can lose their common sense. Did a lot of research on this word form because the Greek
The word translated as "in" also means "within", "with," or "among."
The "wherewithall" is from two Greek word meaning "in what". The word for "in" also means "within", "with," or "among." The word for "what" means primarily "anything" or "anyone," but Jesus often uses it to start a question so it means "who", "what", or even "why".
"Shall be seasoned" is a Greek verb that means "arrange", "prepare", "make ready", "dress savoury (meat)", "season", "administer (property)," and "bequeath." It is used to bring together the ideas of "preparing food" and being prepared for the future.
COMPARISON: GREEK to KJV :
Καλὸν (adj sg neut nom) "Good" is kalos, which means "beautiful", "good", "of fine quality", "noble," and "honorable." It is most often translated as "good" juxtaposed with "evil" in the New Testament, but the two ideas are closer to "wonderful" and "worthless", "noble" and "base." -- The word translated as "good means "good", "beautiful", "noble," or "of good quality." See this article on the real Greek meaning of the terms translated as "good" and "evil." The word translated as "well" means, as an adverb, "well", "rightly", "happily", "thoroughly", "altogether", and "deservedly".
οὖν (adv) Untranslated is oun, which means "certainly", "in fact", "really", "in fact," "so" and "then" (continuing a narrative), and "then" and "therefore." -- The Greek word translated as "therefore" either emphasizes the truth of something ("certainly", "really") or it simply continues an existing narrative.
τὸ ἅλας: [uncommon](noun sg neut nom) "The salt" is from halas, which means "salt", "salt-rock", "brine," and is a metaphor for "sales" and "wit."
ἐὰν (conj) "If" is ean, which is a conditional particle (derived from ei (if)and an (might)) which makes reference to a time and experience in the future that introduces but does not determine an event.
δὲ (conj/adv) "But" is de which means "but" and "on the other hand." It is the particle that joins sentences in an adversarial way but can also be a weak connective ("and") and explanation of cause ("so"). --
καὶ (conj/adv) Untranslated is 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."
τὸ ἅλας (noun sg neut nom) "The salt" is from halas, which means "salt", "salt-rock", "brine," and is a metaphor for "sales" and "wit."
μωρανθῇ, [uncommon](μωραίνω) (verb 3rd sg aor subj/ind act) "Lost his savour" is from moraino, which means "to play a fool", "to act foolishly", "to be silly," and "to be insipid."
ἐν (prep) "Where" is en, which means "in", "on", "at", "by", "among", "within", "surrounded by", "in one's hands", "in one's power," and "with".
τίνι (pron sg dat ) "Withall" is tis which can mean "someone", "any one", "everyone", "they [indefinite]", "many a one", "whoever", "anyone", "anything", "some sort", "some sort of", "each", "any", "the individual", "such," and so on. In a question, it can mean "who", "why," or "what." -- The Greek word translated as "some" in the singular means "anyone", "someone," and "anything." In the plural, it means "some", "they," and "those." When referring to a person it is a general reference as we would use the phrase "so and so".
ἀρτυθήσεται; [uncommon](verb 3rd sg fut ind pass) "Shall be seasoned" is from artyo, which means "arrange", "prepare", "make ready", "dress savoury (meat)", "season", "administer (property)," and "bequeath."
Wordplay:
Salt is a metaphor for wit and for money.
The word translated as "lost savor" means "play the fool."
The word translated as "shall be seasoned" also means "be prepared."