Jesus describes the end of Jerusalem. This verse gives the reason why everyone should avoid the careless practices warned against in the previous verse.
Luke 21:35 For as a snare shall it come on all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth.
Luke 21:35 For it will come on all those who live on the face of the whole earth.
Because on it will come, on all those presiding on a facade of all the earth.
The first word in today's source for this verse means "to come on one". It has the sense of suddenness in time. The Greek word meaning "on" or "upon" is repeated three times in this short verse. First, in the prefix of this first verb, then as a preposition phrase "on all" used twice.
This word mistranslated as "dwell/live" means to "sit", usually in the sense of "preside" on a court bench or city council. It usually refers to those in authority sitting in judgment. However, in the simple sense of "sitting" or "residing" it could refer to everyone on earth especially with the word for "all" repeated twice. This is not the word commonly translated as "dwell" or "live".
I should be sitting less. Apparently standing is safer when disaster comes.
For as a snare shall it come on all them that(IW) dwell(CW) on the(IW) face of the whole earth.
- IW - Inserted Word -- The "that" doesn't exist in the source.
- CW --Confusing Word -- This is not the common word usually translated as "dwell".
- IW - Inserted Word-- The "the" doesn't exist in the source.
For it will come on all those(IW) who(IW) live(CW) on the(IW) face of the whole earth.
- IW - Inserted Word -- The "those" doesn't exist in the source.
- IW - Inserted Word-- The "who" doesn't exist in the source.
- CW --Confusing Word -- This is not the common word usually translated as "dwell".
- IW - Inserted Word-- The "the" doesn't exist in the source.
For -- The word translated as "for" introduces a reason or explanation so "because" and, in questions, "why". However, since this word always appears in the second position, it is more like an aside remark like, "consequently" or "as a cause". This word appears in the Greek after the verb translated as "shall it come upon" so that verb is the beginning of the sentence.
as - The word translated as "as" has a very broad meaning, translating as "how", "when", "where", "just as", "like," and related words.
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.
shall -- This helping verb "shall" indicates the verb is in the future tense. Helping or auxiliary verbs are needed to translate the Greek verb forms into English.
it -- This is from the third-person, singular form of the verb.
come -- "Come on" is a Greek verb which means "come upon", "approach" and, in a hostile sense "come against", "attack". The root word is the word usually translated as "come". The sense is obviously hostile, "come against" but there is no "him" here. The form is an adjective, "attacking". This is an uncommon word for Jesus, used only two other places. It is another word that only appears in Luke. The "it" here refers to the day, which is a trap, described in the previous verse.
on -- The word translated as "on" means "on", "over", "upon", "against", "before", "after", "during", "by" or "on". This word is repeated because it appears in the prefix of the verb above. It is repeated for emphasis.
all -- The word translated as "all" is the Greek adjective meaning "all", "the whole", "every" and similar ideas. When it is used as a noun, we would say "everything".
them -- 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.
that -- (IW) This word is not in the Greek source. It was added because the next verb was translated as active rather than as a participle.
dwell -- (CW) The Greek word translated as "dwell"" means to "sit," "be seated", "sit", "residing" and "presiding", especially sitting on courts, councils, assemblies, etc. As a noun, which is how it is used here, it means "the judge," or "the court". Jesus seems to use this word exclusively to refer to sitting in judgment of others. This is not the word usually translated as "dwell".
on -- The word translated as "on" means "on", "over", "upon", "against", "before", "after", "during", "by" or "on". This is the third repetition of the word.
the -- (IW) This word is not in the Greek source.
face -- "Face" is the Greek word that means "face", "countenance", "in front", "facing", "front", "facade", "one's look", "dramatic part", "character", "in person", "in bodily presence", "legal personality", "person" and "feature" [of the city, of a person]. Jesus uses it to refer to facing power or the appearance of power.
of -- This word "of" comes from the possessive form (genitive case) of the following word that requires the addition of a preposition in English. The most common is the "of" of possession.
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.
whole -- The word translated as "whole" is the Greek adjective meaning "all", "the whole", "every" and similar ideas. When it is used as a noun, we would say "everything". Though this word means "whole", Jesus usually uses a different Greek word for that concept. He usually uses this word to mean "all".
earth -- The word translated as "earth" means "ground" and "dirt". Translated as "earth", it refers to the physical planet, not society, which Christ describes using a different Greek word. This word is usually translated as "the earth" not "the world". See this article for more on these words.
For -- The word translated as "for" introduces a reason or explanation so "because" and, in questions, "why". However, since this word always appears in the second position, it is more like an aside remark like, "consequently" or "as a cause". This word appears in the Greek after the verb translated as "shall it come upon" so that verb is the beginning of the sentence.
it -- This is from the third-person, singular form of the verb.
will-- This helping verb "will" indicates the verb is in the future tense. Helping or auxiliary verbs are needed to translate the Greek verb forms into English.
come -- "Come on" is a Greek verb which means "come upon", "approach" and, in a hostile sense "come against", "attack". The root word is the word usually translated as "come". The sense is obviously hostile, "come against" but there is no "him" here. The form is an adjective, "attacking". This is an uncommon word for Jesus, used only two other places. It is another word that only appears in Luke. The "it" here refers to the day, which is a trap, described in the previous verse.
all -- The word translated as "all" is the Greek adjective meaning "all", "the whole", "every" and similar ideas. When it is used as a noun, we would say "everything".
those-- (IW) This word is not in the Greek source.
who -- (IW) This word is not in the Greek source. It was added because the next verb was translated as active rather than as a participle.
live -- (CW) The Greek word translated as "live" means to "sit", "be seated", "residing" and "presiding". especially sitting on courts, councils, assemblies, etc. As a noun, which is how it is used here, it means "the judge" or "the court". Jesus seems to use this word exclusively to refer to sitting in judgment of others. This is not the word usually translated as "live". CW --Confusing Word -- This is not the common word usually translated as "live".
on -- The word translated as "on" means "on", "over", "upon", "against", "before", "after", "during", "by" or "on". This is the third repetition of the word.
the-- (IW) This word is not in the Greek source.
face -- "Face" is the Greek word that means "face", "countenance", "in front", "facing", "front", "facade", "one's look", "dramatic part", "character", "in person", "in bodily presence", "legal personality", "person" and "feature" [of the city, of a person]. Jesus uses it to refer to facing power or the appearance of power.
of -- This word "of" comes from the possessive form (genitive case) of the following word that requires the addition of a preposition in English. The most common is the "of" of possession.
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.
whole -- The word translated as "whole" is the Greek adjective meaning "all", "the whole", "every" and similar ideas. When it is used as a noun, we would say "everything". Though this word means "whole", Jesus usually uses a different Greek word for that concept. He usually uses this word to mean "all".
earth -- The word translated as "earth" means "ground" and "dirt". Translated as "earth", it refers to the physical planet, not society, which Christ describes using a different Greek word. This word is usually translated as "the earth" not "the world". See this article for more on these words.
The Greek words from the end of the previous verse, Luke 21:34, start the KJV translation.
ὡς (adv/conj) "For as" is hos, an adverb which means to "thus", "as", "how", "when", "where", "like", "just as", "so far as", "as much as can be", "that", "in order that", "nearly" (with numbers) and "know that".
“παγίς:” [unique]( noun sg fem nom ) "A snare" is pagis, which means "trap" and, metaphorically, "snare".
The Greek from the current Greek source used in modern translations of this verse starts here.
ἐπεισελεύσεται [ 4 verses]( verb 3rd sg fut ind mid ) "Shall come upon him" is from eperchomai, which means "come upon", "approach", "come suddenly upon", in a hostile sense "come against", "attack", "come forward to speak", "proceed against", "come upon", of time "come on", "go over" [a space] and "traverse".
γὰρ (partic) "For" comes from gar which is the introduction of a clause explaining a reason or explanation: "for", "since" and "as". In an abrupt question, it means "why" and "what".
“ἐπὶ” (prep) "on" is epi, which means "on", "over", "upon", "at", "by", "before", "across", "after" in position, "during" and "against".
πάντας ( adj pl masc acc ) "All" is pas, which means "all", "the whole", "every", "anyone", "all kinds" and "anything". In the adverbial form, it means "every way", "on every side", "in every way" and "altogether".
“τοὺς [821 verses](article plmasc acc) "Them" 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".
καθημένους (part pl perf mid masc acc ) "Them that dwell" is from kathemai, which means to "be seated", "sit", "residing" and "presiding", especially sitting on courts, councils, assemblies, etc., (as a noun) "the judges", "the court", "sit still", "sit quiet", "lead a sedentary", "obscure life" and, of things, "to be set or placed." It can also mean "to reside".
ἐπὶ” (prep) "Against" is epi, which means "on", "over", "upon", "at", "by", "before", "across", "after" in position, "during" and "against".
πρόσωπον ( noun sg neut acc ) "Face" is prosopon, which means "face", "countenance", "in front", "facing", "front", "facade", "one's look", "dramatic part", "character", "in person", "in bodily presence", "legal personality", "person" and "feature" [of the city, of a person].
πάσης ( adj sg fem gen ) "Of the whole" is pas, which means "all", "the whole", "every", "anyone", "all kinds" and "anything". In the adverbial form, it means "every way", "on every side", "in every way" and "altogether".
“τῆς [821 verses](article sg fem gen) "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".
γῆς.” ( noun sg fem gen ) "Earth" 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.
This verse seems to be more about those the threat to those in power than to everyone. The KJV of this verse includes two words that clearly belong to Luke 21:34. We can know this for sure because the second word here is a Greek word that always appears in the second position in a sentence. Since it appears in the second position in this Greek, it means the the first two word of the KJV are part of the last verse, not this one. However, we will analyze the vocabulary of the entire KJV here.