After the analogies of the lost sheep and lost coin, Jesus continues the analogy of the prodigal son.
Luke 15:27 And he said unto him, Thy brother is come; and thy father hath killed the fatted calf, because he hath received him safe and sound.
Luke 15:27 ‘Your brother has come,’ he replied, ‘and your father has killed the fattened calf because he has him back safe and sound.’
That one, however, said to him, "Because that brother of yours is here. And that father of yours sacrificed the calf, the fattened one, that father of yours, because he recovered him being healthy."
The words here are "come," "kill" and "receive", which sounds like the common Greek words. They aren't. They all have special meanings: "is here," "sacrificed" and "recovered" that are lost in translation. The word translated as "safe and sound" is a verb being "being healthy." The joke here is that a child used such uncommon, complex words instead of the simple ones.
Not only kids, but adults like to show off their big words.
And(WW) he(CW) said unto him, Thy (MWthe) brother is come(CW); and thy (MWthe) father hath(WT) killed the (MWthe) fatted calf, because he hath(WT) received(CW) him [safe and(IP2)] sound(WF).
- WW --Wrong Word -- The word translated as "and" should be something more like "but”.
- CW --Confusing Word -- This is not the common word usually translated as "he."
- MW - Missing Word -- The word "the/this" before "brother" is not shown in the English translation.
- CW --Confusing Word -- This is not the common word usually translated as "come”.
- MW - Missing Word -- The word "the/this" before "father" is not shown in the English translation.
- WT - Wrong Tense - The verb "have" indicates the past perfect tense, but the tense is something that happens at a specific point in time (past, present, or future).
- MW - Missing Word -- The word "the one" before "fatted" is not shown in the English translation.
- WT - Wrong Tense - The verb "have" indicates the past perfect tense, but the tense is something that happens at a specific point in time (past, present, or future).
- CW --Confusing Word -- This is not the common word usually translated as "receive”.
- IP - Inserted Phrase-- The "safe and" doesn't exist in the source. This is counted as 2 translation issues, not 1.
- WF -- Wrong Form - This is not an active verb but a participle, a verbal adjective, "being sound”.
‘Your (MWthe) brother has(WT) come(CW); ,’ he(CW) replied (MWhim), ‘and (MWthe) father hath(WT) killed the (MWthe) fatted calf because he has(WT) him back(WW,WF) [safe and(IP2)] sound(WF).
- MW - Missing Word -- The word "but" is not shown in the English translation.
- MW - Missing Word -- The word "the/this" before "brother" is not shown in the English translation.
- WT - Wrong Tense - The verb "has" indicates the past perfect tense, but the tense is something that happens at a specific point in time (past, present, or future).
- CW --Confusing Word -- This is not the common word usually translated as "come”.
- CW --Confusing Word -- This is not the common word usually translated as "he."
- MW - Missing Word -- The word "to him" after "replied" is not shown in the English translation.
- MW - Missing Word -- The word "the/this" before "father" is not shown in the English translation.
- WT - Wrong Tense - The verb "have" indicates the past perfect tense, but the tense is something that happens at a specific point in time (past, present, or future).
- MW - Missing Word -- The word "the one" before "fatted" is not shown in the English translation.
- WT - Wrong Tense - The verb "have" indicates the past perfect tense, but the tense is something that happens at a specific point in time (past, present, or future).
- WW --Wrong Word -- The word translated as "back" should be something more like "recovered”.
- WF -- Wrong Form- This is not an adverb but a verb.
- IP - Inserted Phrase-- The "safe and" doesn't exist in the source. This is counted as 2 translation issues, not 1.
- WF -- Wrong Form - This is not an active verb but a participle, a verbal adjective, "being sound”.
And -- (WW) The Greek word translated as "but" means "but”, "yet”, "however” and "on the other hand”. It joins phrases in an adversarial way. Since it always falls in the second position, translating it as "however" often captures its feeling better. This word doesn't mean "and”.
he -- (CW) The word translated as "he" 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. The sense here is "that one." This is not the word usually translated as "he."
said - The word translated as "speak" means "to say" and "to speak”. It is one of the two most common words translated "speak”, "say" and "tell”, but it has more a sense of addressing and proclaiming.
unto -- This word "to" 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.
him, -- The word translated as "him" is the Greek adjective that acts like our third-person, indirect object pronoun.
Thy -- The word translated as "your" 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/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.
brother -- The word translated as "brother" means a biological brother, any kinsmen, and more broadly any friend or associate.
is -- This helping verb indicates the present tense of the verb. It is used here to form the present, progressive tense, which doesn't exist in Greek but which can smooth the flow of English sentences.
come; -- (CW) The word translated as "come" is a complicated one because it indicates a "coming" that has been completed, that is, "to arrive" or, even, "to be present”. As a metaphor, it means "to be a follower”. Jesus seems to use it sometimes to mean "return”. This is not the word usually translated as "come”.
and -- The Greek word translated as "and" is used as the conjunction "and”, but it also is used to add emphasis.
thy -- The word translated as "your" 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/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.
father -- "Father" is the Greek noun that means "father" or any male ancestor so "forefathers". It is the word that Christ uses to address his own Father.
hath -- (WT) This helping verb "have" indicates that the verb is the tense indicating an action completed in the past. This is not the tense of the verb here.
killed -- The Greek verb translated as "kill" means to "offer by burning”, "sacrifice”, "slay”, "slaughter”, "celebrate” [with sacrifices, offerings], "the flesh of the sacrifice”. The sense is "sacrifice", that is, to kill and burn on an altar but not completely.
the -- The word translated as "the" 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.
missing "the one" -- (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.
fatted -- "Fatted" is a Greek adjective Jesus uses only in this story. It means "fed up", and "fatted". It is used as a noun and appears after "calf", "the fattened one".
calf, -- "Calf" is a Greek noun that Jesus only uses in this story. It means "calf", "young bull", "any young animal", and metaphorically, "a boy", or in feminine, "a girl".
because -- The word translated as "for" introduces a statement of fact or cause, "for what”, "because”, "since”, "seeing that”, "that” and "wherefore”. Jesus usually uses this word to mean "because" in statements that seem like an answer to a question because of the change of context. It means "because" when answering a "why" question and "that" when explaining a "what" question. Another common word is used for "for”.
he -- This is from the third-person, singular form of the verb.
hath -- (WT) This helping verb "have" indicates that the verb is the tense indicating an action completed in the past. This is not the tense of the verb here.
received -- (CW) "Receive" is a Greek verb that means "take or receive from", "receive what is one's due", "take of", "take a part of a thing", "regain", "recover", "take apart or aside" (of persons), "cut off" and "intercept”. This is not the word usually translated as "receive”.
him -- The word translated as "him" is the Greek adjective that acts like our third-person pronoun. The form is the third person, singular, masculine as a direct object of a verb or preposition.
safe and -- (IP) There is nothing that can be translated as this phrase in the Greek source.
sound. -- (WF)The word translated as "safe and sound”, is a verb that means "to be sound" both of body and of mind. It is in the form of an adjective, "being sound" but it is used as a noun, in the form of a subject. This is not pair of nouns but a participle, a verbal adjective, "being sound”.
missing "but" -- (MW) The untranslated word “but" means "but”, "yet”, "however” and "on the other hand”. It joins phrases in an adversarial way. Since it always falls in the second position, translating it as "however" often captures its feeling better. This word doesn't mean "and”.
Your -- The word translated as "your" 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/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.
brother -- The word translated as "brother" means a biological brother, any kinsmen, and more broadly any friend or associate.
has -- (WT) This helping verb "have" indicates that the verb is in a tense indicating an action completed in the past. This is not the tense of the verb here.
come; -- (CW) The word translated as "come" is a complicated one because it indicates a "coming" that has been completed, that is, "to arrive" or, even, "to be present”. As a metaphor, it means "to be a follower". Jesus seems to use it sometimes to mean "return”. This is not the word usually translated as "come”.
he -- (CW) The word translated as "he" 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. The sense here is "that one." This is not the word usually translated as "he."
replied, - The word translated as "replied" means "to say" and "to speak”. It is one of the two most common words translated "speak”, "say" and "tell”, but it has more a sense of addressing and proclaiming.
missing "to him" -- (MW) The untranslated word "him" is the Greek adjective that acts like our third-person, indirect object pronoun.
and -- The Greek word translated as "and" is used as the conjunction "and”, but it also is used to add emphasis.
your -- The word translated as "your" 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/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.
father -- "Father" is the Greek noun that means "father" or any male ancestor so "forefathers”. It is the word that Christ uses to address his own Father.
has -- (WT) This helping verb "have" indicates that the verb is the tense indicating an action completed in the past. This is not the tense of the verb here.
killed -- The Greek verb translated as "kill" means to "offer by burning”, "sacrifice”, "slay”, "slaughter”, "celebrate” [with sacrifices, offerings]”, "the flesh of the sacrifice”. The sense is "sacrifice”, that is, to kill and burn on an altar but not completely.
the -- The word translated as "the" 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.
missing "the one" -- (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.
fatted -- "Fatted" is a Greek adjective Jesus uses only in this story. It means "fed up", and "fatted". It is used as a noun and appears after "calf", "the fattened one".
calf, -- "Calf" is a Greek noun that Jesus only uses in this story. It means "calf", "young bull", "any young animal", and metaphorically, "a boy", or in feminine, "a girl".
because -- The word translated as "for" introduces a statement of fact or cause, "for what”, "because”, "since”, "seeing that”, "that” and "wherefore”. Jesus usually uses this word to mean "because" in statements that seem like an answer to a question because of the change of context. It means "because" when answering a "why" question and "that" when explaining a "what" question. Another common word is used for "for”.
he -- This is from the third-person, singular form of the verb.
has -- (WT) This helping verb "have" indicates that the verb is the tense indicating an action completed in the past. This is not the tense of the verb here.
because he has him back safe and sound.’
him -- The word translated as "him" is the Greek adjective that acts like our third-person pronoun. The form is the third person, singular, masculine as a direct object of a verb or preposition.
back -- (WW, WF) "Back" is a Greek verb that means "take or receive from", "receive what is one's due", "take of", "take a part of a thing", "regain", "recover", "take apart or aside" (of persons), "cut off" and "intercept”. This word doesn't mean "back”. This is not an adverb but a verb.
safe and -- (IP) There is nothing that can be translated as this phrase in the Greek source.
sound. -- (WF)The word translated as "safe and sound." is a verb that means "to be sound" both of body and of mind. It is in the form of an adjective, "being sound" but it is used as a noun, in the form of a subject. This is not pair of nouns but a participle, a verbal adjective, "being sound”.
ὁ [821 verses](article sg masc nom) "The" 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”.
δὲ [446 verses](conj) "But" is de which means "but”, "yet”, "however" and "on the other hand”. It is the particle that joins sentences in an adversarial way but can also be an explanation of an indirect cause ("so") and a condition ("if"). In an "if" (εἰ) clause or temporal "when" (ὅταν) clause the sense is "if/when... then". In a series begun by men, it means "on the other hand”. In a listing, the sense is "then" or "yet”. After an interruption, "so then”. It can also be an explanation of cause ("so") and a condition ("if"). When used with a conditional starting a clause, the sense is "if/when...then”. When used with a particle meaning "indeed" the sense is "on one hand...on the other hand”. In a listing, the sense is "then" or "yet”. After an interruption, "so then”.
εἶπεν [162 verses] (verb 3rd sg aor ind act) "I have called" is eipon, which means "to speak”, "to say”, "to recite”, "to address”, "to mention”, "to name”, "to proclaim”, "to plead”, "to promise” and "to offer”. This is the second most common word Jesus uses for this idea. The other word is used more for discussion. Perhaps translating it consistently as "tell" would work.
αὐτῷ [106 verses](pron/adj sg masc/neut dat) "Him" is auto, the dative case of the third-person, singular adjective that is used as a pronoun. The word also means "the same”, "one's true self” and "the soul" as opposed to the body. It also means "of one's own accord”. The form is the third person, plural as an indirect object of the verb or the object of a preposition. When used as a noun, it is preceded by a definite article, and it means "the same”. A dative object of a preposition implies no movement but in a fixed position. With the "to be”, it acts as a possessive, "his”.
ὅτι [332 verses](adv/conj) "for" is hoti, which introduces a statement of fact "with regard to the fact that", "seeing that” and acts as a causal adverb meaning "for what”, "because”, "since” and "wherefore”. This is the same word can be translated as both "because" and "that" in the same verse when answering two different types of questions.
Ὁ [821 verses](article sg masc nom) 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”.
ἀδελφὸς [37 verses](noun sg masc nom) "Brother" is adelphos, which means "son of the same mother", "kinsman”, "colleague”, "associate" and "brother”.
σου [144 verses](pron 2nd sg gen) "Thy" is sou which is the genitive form of the second-person, singular pronoun that means "of you" and "your”. As a genitive object of a preposition, as here, it means a movement away from something or a position away from something else.
ἥκει, [11 verses](verb 3rd sg pres ind act) "Is come" is heko, which means "to arrive”, "to have come”, "to be present,”, "to have reached a point”, "to pass though a point (geometry)”, "to have come back”, "returned”, "to have come to table”, "concern”, "relate to”, "to depend upon” and, as a metaphor, "to be a follower”.
καὶ [1089 verses](conj/adv) "And" is kai, which is the conjunction joining phrases and clauses, "and” or "also”. 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”.
ἔθυσεν [5 verses] (verb 3rd sg aor ind ac) "Killed" is thyro, which means tto "offer by burning”, "sacrifice”, "slay”, "slaughter”, "celebrate” [with sacrifices, offerings], "the flesh of the sacrifice”.
ὁ [821 verses](article sg masc nom) 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”.
πατὴρ [191 verses](noun sg masc nom) "Father" is pater, which means "father”, "grandfather”, "author", "parent”, and "forefathers”.
σου [144 verses](pron 2nd sg gen) "Thy" is sou which is the genitive form of the second-person, singular pronoun that means "of you" and "your”. As a genitive object of a preposition, as here, it means a movement away from something or a position away from something else.
τὸν [821 verses](article sg masc acc) "The" 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”.
μόσχον [3 verses](noun sg masc acc) "Calf" is moschos, which means "calf", "young bull", "any young animal", and metaphorically, "a boy", or in feminine, "a girl".
τὸν [821 verses](article sg masc nom) 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”.
σιτευτόν, [3 verses](adj sg masc acc) "Fatted" is siteutos, which means "fed up", and "fatted".
ὅτι [332 verses](adv/conj) "Because" is hoti, which introduces a statement of fact "with regard to the fact that”, "seeing that”, and acts as a causal adverb meaning "for what”, "because", "since” and "wherefore”. This is the same word can be translated as both "because" and "that" in the same verse when answering two different types of questions.
ὑγιαίνοντα [2 verses](part sg pres act masc acc) "Safe and sound" is from hygiaino. which means "to be sound", "to be of sound mind", "to be healthy", "to be in health," and a form of saying farewell.
αὐτὸν [124 verses](pron/adj sg masc acc) "Him/It" is auton, is the masculine, accusative case of the third-person, singular adjective that is used as a pronoun. Masculine pronouns can refer to things as well as people, so it can be “it." The word also means "the same”, and "of one's own accord”. An accusative object of a preposition indicates movement towards something or a position reached as a result of that movement. Event may show the amount of time. However, masculine pronouns refer to masculine nouns, not just masculine people so this word can mean "it" as well as "he”. As a preposition's object indicates movement towards something or a position reached as a result of that movement events may show the amount of time.
ἀπέλαβεν. [3 verses] (verb 3rd sg aor ind act) "He hath received" is from apolambano, which means "take or receive from", "receive what is one's due", "take of", "take a part of a thing", "regain", "recover", "take apart or aside" (of persons), "cut off", and "intercept”.