This site focuses solely on the Greek of Christ's words in the New Testament.

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Most Recent Verse

Mar 13:18

Mar 13:18 And pray ye that your flight be not in the winter.

Pray that this doesn't happen during a calamity. 

Considering that Christ is talking about a) the destruction of Israel, b) the end of an age, and c) death in general, this verse comes across as an almost humorous aside.

The parallel text in Matthew is  Mat 24:20 (discussed here).

Christ uses the word translated here as "be" consistently to mean God's will coming into being.  It is the word translated as "done" in the Lord's Prayer verse, "Thy will be done." It is used to express God's choices for the world.  Some things come into being from the laws of the universe (which Christ describes as God's kingdom or reign), his will, and from our own choices.

"And" is from δὲ de (de), which means "but." It is the particle that joins sentences and an adversarial way.

"Pray" is from προσεύχεσθε proseuchomai (proseuchomai), which means "to offer prayers or vows," "to worship," and "to pray for a thing."

"Flight" is from φυγή phyge (does not appear in my Greek above), which means "flight," "escape," "banishment," and "exile."

"Be" is from γένηται gignomai (ginomai), which means "to become," "to come into being," "to be produced," and "to be."

"Winter" is from χειμῶνος cheimon, which means "winter," "wintery," "storm," "stormy" and it is a metaphor for a calamity sent by the gods.

List of Previous Verses

Mar 12:38

Mar 12:38 Beware of the scribes, which love to go in long clothing, and [love] salutations in the marketplaces,

Alternative: Look out for scholars who want to walk about in their outfits and want embraces in public...

Hidden meaning: Christ discusses reality in terms of three worldly dimensions of the physical...

Mar 12:37

Mar 12:37 David therefore himself calls him Lord; and whence is he [then] his son? And the common people heard him gladly.

Alternative: The same David picks out the same as Lord and from what source is he the same [as a] son? And many multitudes heard the same, welcoming it.

Wordplay: As you can see from the alternative...

Mar 12:36

Mar 12:36 For David himself said by the Holy Ghost, The LORD said to my Lord, Sit you on my right hand, till I make your enemies your footstool.

Alternative: Since David himself proclaimed in pure divine inspiration, "The Master proclaimed to my Master, take your place of honor until I might make the hateful your footstool underfoot."

...

Mar 12:35

Mar 12:35 How say the scribes that Christ is the Son of David?

Alternative: How can the scholars teach that the anointed is David's son?

Hidden meaning: The "how" beginning this question has the sense of "how is it possible?"

A "son" is not only a child of someone, but by the definition of the time, an inferior,...

Mar 12:34

Mar 12:34 You are not far from the kingdom of God.

Alternative: You are not far from the divine rule.

Hidden meaning: If we take this statement as a message from Christ to us today, it have a very different meaning than praise for a specific person in history, Christ consistently describes the divine kingdom or divine...

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