Luke 14:35 It is neither fit for the land, nor yet for the dunghill;

ΛΟΥΚΑΝ 14:35 οὔτε εἰς γῆν οὔτε εἰς κοπρίαν εὔθετόν ἐστιν: ἔξω βάλλουσιν αὐτό. Ὁ ἔχων ὦτα ἀκούειν ἀκουέτω.

KJV :

Luke 14:35 It is neither fit for the land, nor yet for the dunghill; but men cast it out. He that hath ears to hear, let him hear

Listeners Heard:

Neither into earth nor into dung suitable, is it? Outside they toss it. The one having ears to listen? He must listen!

Lost in Translation:

Again, a verse that is easy to read humorously. It includes one of Jesus's taglines, "having ears to hear". The translation reverses the word of the words in the first phrase making it seem less like a spoken question than it is.

The verb "it is" here is the common form of "to be" in Greek. It means to have a certain characteristic or remain in a certain condition. It also equates terms or assigns characteristics. When the verb "to be" appears early in the sentence before the subject, the sense is more like "it is" or, in the plural, "there are." Here, at the end, it words better as "is it?"

The Greek word translated as "fit" means "well-arranged", "conveniently placed", "in a suitable place", and of persons "well-adapted". In English today, you would say "well-positioned" to capture the feeling of this word.

"Neither" is a Greek conjunction that means "and not," and "neither/nor" when used in a series.

The word translated as "for" means "into" a place, "towards" as a direction, and "up to" limits in time and measure. It also means "for" a purpose. However, here the sense is "into" since earth and dung are places.

There is no article "the" here.

The word translated as "land" means "ground" and "dirt". Translated as "earth", it refers to the physical planet, not society, which Christ describes as the world. See this article for more on these words. In English, as in Greek, we use "earth" to mean both dirt and the planet.

The word that means "dunghill" means "dunghill", "rubbish-heap", "muck", and "manure". Jesus commonly uses a well-known rubbish heap, Gehenna outside of Jerusalem, as the place of spiritual destruction.

There is no "but" in the Greek. The Greek was spoken and sounds like it when translated literally.

There is no "men" in the Greek.

The word translated as "cast" has a number of meanings revolving around "throw" as we do in English with both "throw" and "toss." Jesus often uses this word in the same way we use "dump" in English. In dice, it means "to throw" the dice, but with the sense of being lucky. Jesus uses it in verse with a humorous feel. The form is "they toss".

The word translated as "it" is the Greek word commonly translated as third-person pronouns in English. The word means "the same" when used as an adjective. In the adverbial form, it means "just here" or "exactly there."

The word translated as "out" means "out of a place" and "outside."

The word translated as "He" is the Greek definite article, which usually precedes a noun and, without a noun, takes the meaning of "the one."

The Greek verb translated as "that hath" means "to possess" or "to keep" but it isn't used in the same way as a "helper" verb that the English "have" is. The form of the verb is that of an adjective, "having", but used as a noun, introduced by an article, "the one having."

The term translated as "ears" means "ear," things resembling a handle and is a metaphor for understanding.

The Greek verb for "to hear," means "to hear", "to listen", "to obey," and "to understand." It is in a Greek form that the KJV and most other Bible translations translate as "let him hear", but in modern English "let" has the sense of allowing something. That is not the sense in Greek. This is a command, something that must happen. A more accurate translation is "he must hear."

Wordplay:

WORD-BY-WORD COMPARISON OF THE GREEK TO ENGLISH TRANSLATIONS:

οὔτε (partic) "Neither" is oute, which means "and not," and "neither/nor" when used in a series.

εἰς (prep) "For" 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)."

γῆν () "Land" is ge, which means "the element of earth", "land (country)", "arable land", "the ground," and "the world" as the opposite of the sky. Like our English word "earth," it means both dirt and the planet.

οὔτε (partic) "Neither" is oute, which means "and not," and "neither/nor" when used in a series.

κοπρίαν [uncommon] (noun sg fem acc) "Dung it" is from kopria (with ballo above) which means "dunghill", "rubbish-heap", "dung", "muck", and "manure".

εὔθετόν [uncommon](adj sg masc/fem nom) "Fit" is euthetos, which means "well-arranged", "conveniently placed", "in a suitable place", "well-fitting", "ready for use", of persons "well=adapted", "quick", "able", and "fit and proper".

ἐστιν: (verb 3rd sg pres ind act) "Is" is eimi, which means "to be", "to exist", "to be the case," of circumstance and events "to happen", and "is possible." (The future form is esomai. The 3rd person present indicative is "esti.") --

ἔξω (adv) "Out" is exo, which means "out of a place", "outside", "external things," and "beyond a time."

βάλλουσιν (verb 3rd pl pres ind act ) "Cast" is ballo, which means "to throw", "to let fall," "to cast," "to put", "to pour", "to place money on deposit", "push forward or in front [of animals]", "to shed", "to place", "to pay,"to throw [of dice,]" "to be lucky", "to fall", "to lay as foundation", "to begin to form", "to dash oneself with water," and "to bathe."

αὐτό. (adj sg neut acc) "It" 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." In the adverbial form, it means "just here" or "exactly there."

Ὁ (article sg masc nom ) "He" 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."

ἔχων (part sg pres act masc nom) "Hath" is echo, which means "to have", "to hold", "to possess", "to keep", "to have charge of", "to maintain", "to hold fast", "to bear", "to carry", "to keep close", "to keep safe," and "to have means to do." -- The word translated as "have" means "to possess" or "to keep" but it isn't used in the same way as a "helper" verb that the English "have" is.

ὦτα (noun pl neut acc) "Ears" is from ous, which means "ear" and things that resemble an ear, such as a handle on pitchers, cups, etc. -- The term translated as "ears" means "ear," things resembling a handle and is a metaphor for understanding.

ἀκούειν (verb pres inf act) "To hear" is akouo, which means "hear of", "hear tell of", "what one actually hears", "know by hearsay", "listen to", "give ear to", "hear and understand," and "understand." -- "Hear" is translated from a Greek word that has the same sense as the English not only of listening but of understanding.

ἀκουέτω. (verb 3rd sg pres imperat act) "Let...hear" is akouo, which means "hear of", "hear tell of", "what one actually hears", "know by hearsay", "listen to", "give ear to", "hear and understand," and "understand." -- "Hear" is translated from a Greek word that has the same sense as the English not only of listening but of understanding.

Mark 9:50 Salt [is] good: but if the salt have lost his saltiness...

Matthew 11:15 He who has ears to hear,

Front Page Date:

Jul 8 2018