Jesus describes the end of Jerusalem.
Luke 21:28 And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh.
Luke 21:28 When these things begin to take place, stand up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.”
But while these things begin to happen, pop up and lift up those heads of yours because it nears that deliverance of yours.
Again, the use of unique vocabulary seems chosen for the sake of humor and word play that has to be explained because it cannot be translated. Plus, lots of words added in the KJV to make this read better but which may change its meaning.
The Greek word translated as "look up" and "stand up" is where the fun begins. This word is only used by Jesus here. It means literally "stop hiding" and can be translated as "pop up". It also means of people, "rise out of difficulties" and "breath again". The word has a general sense of "keeping your heads above water". The "breath again" is a play on the earlier verse where the word translated as Luke 21:26, "hearts failing" actually means "to stop breathing".
The other unique word here is translated as "redemption", which has a religious meaning that the Greek word didn't have. The Greek word means "ransom" and "to redeem a debt".
We can never pay off our debt to the Divine by ourselves.
And(WW) when(CW) these things begin to come to pass, then(IW) look up, and lift up your (MW) heads; for your (MW) redemption draweth nigh.
- WW --Wrong Word -- The word translated as "and" should be something more like "but".
- CW --Confusing Word -- This is Greek construction is better translated as "while" rather than "when".
- IW - Inserted Word-- The "then" doesn't exist in the source.
- MW - Missing Word -- The word "these/those/the" before "heads" is not shown in the English translation.
- MW - Missing Word -- The word "these/those/the" before "redemption" is not shown in the English translation.
- MW - Missing Word -- The word "but" at the beginning of the sentence is not shown in the English translation.
- CW --Confusing Word -- This is Greek construction is better translated as " while" rather than "when".
- CW --Confusing Word -- The "stand up" doesn't precisely mean "stand up".
- MW - Missing Word -- The word "these/those/the" before "heads" is not shown in the English translation.
- MW - Missing Word -- The word "these/those/the" before "redemption" is not shown in the English translation.
- WF -- Wrong Form - This is not a progressive infinitive.
And -- The Greek word translated as "and" means "but", "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. Biblical translators change it to "and" when it doesn't contradict what Jesus said earlier, but here the contradiction is in the sentence itself. This word doesn't mean "and".
when -- (CW) There is no "when" in the Greek. The clause that begins the sentence is called a "genitive absolute", a genitive with an participle at the beginning of a sentence. The genitive noun (here, actually an infinitive with an adjective) acts as the subject and the participle as a regular verb. Confusing but this boils down to "while" rather than a "when". This dependent clause has a separate noun and verb than the main clause to describe things happening at the same time. This is Greek construction is better translated as "while" rather than "when".
these -- "These things" is an adjective that means "from here" or "this/that thing". It is not the pronoun, though very closely related. The form is neutral plural, which is where the "things" come from, the actual noun is the following word.
things - There is no word, "things", in the Greek source, but this word comes from the neuter, plural form of the previous adjective.
begin -- "Begin" is from a verb in the form of an adjective that means "to be first", "to begin" and "to make a beginning", "to rule", "to govern" and "to command". This is the first word in the verse. The form is someone acting passively on themselves, so "they are starting themselves" or "they are commanding themselves". At this point, we don't know what the noun is. The "these things" is not the true subject and it comes after the verb, not before, so "they".
to -- This "to" is added to create the infinitive form of the following verb.
come to pass -- The word translated as "come to pass" means "to become" or, of events, "to happen", that is, to enter into a new state. Though this is the infinitive of the verb, "to happen", it acts as the subject of a sentence.
then -- (IW) This word is not in the Greek source.
look up, -- "Look up" is where the fun begins. This word is only used by Jesus here. It means to "lift your head up", which is funny because the next clause says "lift your heads up" in more common terms. It is used because the other meanings of this word are, of people, "rise out of difficulties" and "breath again". The word has a general sense of "keeping your heads above water".
and -- The Greek word translated as "and" is used as the conjunction "and", but it also is used to add emphasis ("also").
lift up -- "Lift up" is the more common verb that means "lift up" or "raise".
your -- The word translated as "your" is plural addressing a group of Jesus's listeners.
missing "these/those/the" -- (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.
heads -- The term translated as "head", it means "head" and "top" but also the completion of a thing (as we say, "bringing it to a head"). It is also a metaphor for life ("losing your head" in Greek doesn't mean an emotional outburst, but being killed).
for -- "For" is another unique word that means "because", "for the reason that" and "since". Since Jesus commonly uses two other more common word to mean "for" and "because", it is hard to see why he uses this word here, unless he wants to draw attention to the special nature of the words in this verse.
your -- The word translated as "your" is plural addressing a group of Jesus's listeners.
missing "these/those/the" -- (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.
redemption -- "Redemption" is yet another unique word that means "ransoming", "redemption by payment of ransom" and "deliverance". This is actually, the punch line of the verse, the final word that has impact because it is saved to the end. The form is "that redemption of yours", which is Jesus's standard punch line construction. It is set up by the previous word, which appears after in the KJV. Jesus uses the root of this word that means "ransom" only in two other places, (Matthew 20:28 and Mar 10:45) and they absolutely fit with the meaning here.
draweth nigh. -- The word translated as "draweth nigh" is a made-up verb form of an adverb "near" in space, time, and relationships. In English, we would say "nears" or, in the form here, "has neared," doesn't quite work so perhaps "has gotten close" or, in the case of time, "is nearly here". What makes the use of this word funny is that it is most commonly used to describe the "the realm of the skies" or "the kingdom of heaven". Upon hearing it, Jesus's listeners would expect that phrase so "that ransoming of yours" comes as a surprise.
missing "but" -- (MW) The untranslated word "but" means "but", "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. Biblical translators change it to "and" when it doesn't contradict what Jesus said earlier, but here the contradiction is in the sentence itself. This word doesn't mean "and".
when -- (CW) There is no "when" in the Greek. The clause that begins the sentence is called a "genitive absolute", a genitive with an participle at the beginning of a sentence. The genitive noun (here, actually an infinitive with an adjective) acts as the subject and the participle as a regular verb. Confusing but this boils down to "while" rather than a "when". This dependent clause has a separate noun and verb than the main clause to describe things happening at the same time. This is Greek construction is better translated as "while" rather than "when."
these -- "These things" is an adjective that means "from here" or "this/that thing". It is not the pronoun, though very closely related. The form is neutral plural, which is where the "things" come from, the actual noun is the following word.
things - There is no word, "things", in the Greek source, but this word comes from the neuter, plural form of the previous adjective.
begin -- The word translated as begin" means "to be first", "to begin" and "to make a beginning", "to rule", "to govern" and "to command" This is the first word in the verse. The form is someone acting passively on themselves, so "they are starting themselves" or "they are commanding themselves". At this point, we don't know what the noun is. The "these things" is not the true subject and it comes after the verb, not before, so "they".
to -- This "to" is added to create the infinitive form of the following verb.
take place -- The word translated as "take place" means "to become" or, of events, "to happen", that is, to enter into a new state. Though this is the infinitive of the verb, "to happen", it acts as the subject of a sentence.
stand up -- (CW) "Stand up" is where the fun begins. This word is only used by Jesus here. It means to "lift your head up", which is funny because the next clause says "lift your heads up" in more common terms. It is used because the other meanings of this word are, of people, "rise out of difficulties" and "breath again". The word has a general sense of "keeping your heads above water". This word doesn't precisely mean "stand up".
and -- The Greek word translated as "and" is used as the conjunction "and", but it also is used to add emphasis ("also").
lift up -- "Lift up" is the more common verb that means "lift up" or "raise".
your -- The word translated as "your" is plural addressing a group of Jesus's listeners.
missing "these/those/the" -- (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.
heads -- The term translated as "head", it means "head" and "top" but also the completion of a thing (as we say, "bringing it to a head"). It is also a metaphor for life ("losing your head" in Greek doesn't mean an emotional outburst, but being killed).
because -- "Because" is another unique word that means "because", "for the reason that" and "since". Since Jesus commonly uses two other more common word to mean "for" and "because", it is hard to see why he uses this word here, unless he wants to draw attention to the special nature of the words in this verse.
your -- The word translated as "your" is plural addressing a group of Jesus's listeners.
missing "these/those/the" -- (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.
redemption -- "Redemption" is yet another unique word that means "ransoming", "redemption by payment of ransom" and "deliverance". This is actually, the punch line of the verse, the final word that has impact because it is saved to the end. The form is "that redemption of yours", which is Jesus's standard punch line construction. It is set up by the previous word, which appears after in the KJV. Jesus uses the root of this word that means "ransom" only in two other places, (Matthew 20:28 and Mar 10:45) and they absolutely fit with the meaning here.
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.
drawing near -- (WF) The word translated as "drawing near" is a made-up verb form of an adverb "near" in space, time, and relationships. In English, we would say "nears" or, in the form here, "has neared", doesn't quite work so perhaps "has gotten close" or, in the case of time, "is nearly here". What makes the use of this word funny is that it is most commonly used to describe the "the realm of the skies" or "the kingdom of heaven". Upon hearing it, Jesus's listeners would expect that phrase so "that ransoming of yours" comes as a surprise. This is not a progressive infinitive, a verb from that isn't used in Greek.
Ἀρχομένων ( part pl pres mp masc/neut/fem gen ) "Begin" is from archomai, which is a form of archô, which means "to be first", "to begin", "to make a beginning", "to rule", "to govern" and "to command".
δὲ (conj) "And" 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") and a condition ("if").
τούτων (adj pl neut gen) "These things" is toutou, which is a demonstrative pronoun that means "this", "here", "the nearer" and "the familiar".
γίνεσθαι ( verb pres inf mp ) "To come pass" is ginomai, which means "to become", "to come into being", "to happen", of things "to be produced", of events "take place", "come to pass", "to be engaged in", math "to be multiplied into", "become one of", "turn into" and "to be". It means changing into a new state of being. It is the complementary opposite of the verb "to be" (eimi)which indicates existence in the same state.
ἀνακύψατε [1 verse]( verb 2nd pl aor imperat act ) "Look up" is from anakrypto, which means to "lift your head up", "keep your head up", "throwing head back", "come up out of the water", of people "rise out of difficulties" and "breath again", "pop up" and, metaphorically, "emerge" and "crop up".
καὶ (conj/adv) "And" 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".
ἐπάρατε (verb 2nd pl aor imperat act) "Lift up" is epairo, which means "lift up", "set on", "raise", "stir up", "excite", "urge on" and "persuade".
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".
κεφαλὰς ( noun pl fem acc ) "Head" is kephalê (kephale), which means "head of a man or beast", "an extremity", "the top", "the capital (top) of a pillar", "the coping of a wall", "the source of a rivalry" and, metaphorically, the "crowning" or "completion" of a thing.
ὑμῶν, (pron 2nd pl gen) "Your" is humon, the plural possessive form of su the pronoun of the second person, "you".
διότι.[1 verse](conj) "For" is dioti, which means "because", "for the reason that" and "since".
ἐγγίζει (verb sg pres act ind) "Draweth nigh" is eggizo, which means "to bring near", "to join one thing to another", "to draw near" and "to approach". This word does not appear in the Perseus dictionary. It comes from an adverb ἐγγύς, eggus, which means 1) (of place) "near", "nigh", "at hand"; 2) (of time) "nigh at hand"; 3) (of numbers) "nearly", "almost", "coming near"; and 4) (of relationship) "akin to".
ἡ [821 verses](article sg fem 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".
ἀπολύτρωσις [1 verse]( noun sg fem nom ) "Redemption" is apolytrōsis, which means "ransoming", "redemption by payment of ransom" and "deliverance".
ὑμῶν. (pron 2nd pl gen) "Your" is humon, the plural possessive form of su the pronoun of the second person, "you".
A verb meaning "lift your heads up" is used before the phrase "lift your heads up". It is a play on words with Luke 21:26, which said people's breath would fail them. Many other plays in this word here as well.