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 12:25

Mar 12:25 For when they shall rise from the dead, they neither marry, nor are given in marriage; but are as the angels which are in heaven.

Alternative: Since whenever they might be awaken from the dead, they neither marry nor a given in marriage but they exist just as envoys in the universe.

Hidden meaning...

Mar 12:24

Mar 12:24 Do you not therefore err, because you know not the scriptures, neither the power of God?

Alternative: Through this you go astray seeing neither the design nor the capacity of God.

Wordplay: The wordplay here juxtaposes going astray with not seeing. People go astray, wander, and get off track because...

Mar 12:17

Mar 12:17 Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's.

Alternative: Give back to Caesar Caesar's and to God God's.

Wordplay: The original Greek just uses the regular and possessive forms of the noun one after the other, as we show in in the alternative above....

Mar 12:16

Mar 12:16 Whose [is] this image and superscription?

Alternative: What's this likeness and the writing on it.

Hidden meaning: This sentence is much more casual in the Greek. Christ asks this question in the most off-hand way possible. The sentence doesn't even have a verb. I tried to capture this feeling...

Mar 12:15

Mar 12:15 Why tempt you me? bring me a penny, that I may see [it].

Alternative: Why test me? Fetch me a silver coin so I might investigate.

Hidden meaning: This is much lighter in feeling in the Greek. The English translation sound angry, but the Greek makes the speaker sound like he is having fun. He is being tested, but he is also the one giving...

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