Luke 12:43 Blessed is that servant, whom his lord when he cometh

Spoken to: 

group

In a long discussion of faithful servants, but still also answering Peter's question if this is for the apostles or everyone.

KJV: 

Luke 12:43 Blessed is that servant, whom his lord when he cometh shall find so doing.

NIV : 

Luke 12:43 It will be good for that servant whom the master finds doing so when he returns.

LISTENERS HEARD: 

Lucky that slave there: whom that master of his, showing up, will discover performing so excessively.

MY TAKE: 

We may perform well but seldom excessively.

GREEK (Each Word Explained Bottom of Page): 

GREEK ORDER: 

μακάριος    δοῦλος ἐκεῖνος, ὃν      ἐλθὼν               κύριος αὐτοῦ εὑρήσει         ποιοῦντα     οὕτως:
Lucky     that slave    there:    whom showing up that master of his  will discover performing so excessively.

LOST IN TRANSLATION: 

Great example of how translation spoils Jesus's punchline. The punchline is the last word in Greek, but it is moved and translated blandly as "so." The word means "so excessively." Jesus sets this up by asking his followers if any of them are wise and faithful managers. We imagined they all enthusiastically agreed they were. Then he says "Fortunate...if he comes and finds him performing so excessively" referring to their excited assurances. This could only be said with a laugh.

# KJV TRANSLATION ISSUES: 

6

Blessed(CW) is that(CW) (MW) servant, whom (MW) his lord when(IW) he cometh shall find so doing.

  • CW - Confusing Word -- The "blessed" means "blessed" primarily in the sense of "lucky" or "fortunate" without a sense of a "blessing."
  • CW --Confusing Word -- The "that" is the common word that should be translated as "here" or "there."
  • MW - Missing Word -- The word "the/this" before "servant" is not shown in the English translation.
  • MW - Missing Word -- The word "the/this" before "lord" is not shown in the English translation.
  • IW - Inserted Word-- The "when" after "lord" doesn't exist in the source.
  • WF -- Wrong Form -  This is not an active verb but a participle, a verbal adjective, "coming."

# NIV TRANSLATION ISSUES: 

10

[It will(WT) be good(CW)] for(IW) that (MW) servant whom (MW) the master finds(WT) doing so when(IW) he returns(WW).

  • CW - Confusing Word -- The "it will be good" means "lucky" or "fortunate."
  • WT -- Wrong Tense -- There is no future tense verb here.
  • IW - Inserted Word-- The "for" doesn't exist in the source.
  • MW - Missing Word -- The word "the/this" before "servant" is not shown in the English translation.
  • CW --Confusing Word -- The "that" is the common word that should be translated as "here" or "there."
  • MW - Missing Word -- The word "his" before "lord" is not shown in the English translation.
  • WT -- Wrong Tense -- This verb is the future tense, which requires a "will" before the verb "finds."
  • IW - Inserted Word-- The "when" after "lord" doesn't exist in the source.
  • WW --Wrong Word -- The word translated as "returns" should be something more like "comes."
  •  WF -- Wrong Form -  This "returns" is not an active verb but a participle, a verbal adjective, "coming."

EACH WORD of KJV : 

Blessed  -- (CW) The word "blessed" in Greek is an adjective a noun meaning "happy" or "fortunate" but with the sense of being favored by God. However, it does not refer to a religious blessing. It can also mean "wealthy" with in the sense of "the wealthy" (men with a fortune).

is -- There is no verb "is" here in the Greek source but it is implied by the noun in the form of a subject having no verb associated with it.

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.

that -- CW) The word translated as "that" is an adjective that highlights its noun as being in a specific place or time from a word that means "there." So it means "there," "here," or "then." Used a pronoun, the sense is "that one there" or "this one here." "

servant, -- The noun translated as "servant" means "slave." It is translated as "servant" to update the Bible.

whom -- The word translated as "whom" is a demonstrative pronoun ("this" "that"), but it often acts as a pronoun, "he," "she," "it," "which," "what," "who," "whosoever," "where," "when," "for which reason," and many similar meanings. In the neuter, plural, its sense is "these things."

his -- The word translated as "his" is the Greek word correctly translated as third-person "his/him" in English.  The word appears after the noun so the sense is "of his." - In its adverbial form, this means "just here" or "exactly there." 

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.

lord -- The word translated as "lord" is the same word that is often translated as "Lord" or "the Lord" in the NT. It also means "lord," "master of the house," and "head of the family." It is the specific terms for the master of slaves or servants, but it was a common term of respect both for those in authority and who were honored. It was the term people used to address Christ, even though he had no formal authority. Today, we would say "boss" or "chief." For the sake of consistency, this should be the Greek word translated as "master."

when -- (IW) This word is not in the Greek source.

he -- This is from the third-person, singular form of the verb.

cometh -- (WF) The word translated as "come" primarily means "to start out" but Christ usually uses it to mean "come" but not always. It indicates movement, especially its beginning, without indicating a direction toward or away from anything, so it works either as "start," "come," or "go," but it is more like our phrase "being underway." Our English word "show up" captures both the "start" and "come" ideas. See this article for more. This is not an active verb but a participle, a verbal adjective, "coming."

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.

find -- The term used for "find" is the source of our word, "heuristic," meaning enabling a person to find out something for themselves. It means "find out" and "discover."

so  -- The word translated in KJV as "so" is in its adverbial form, so it means "in this manner," "so much," "so," "so much," "so very," "so excessively" or "in this way."

doing. -- The Greek word translated as "do" has the primary meaning of "making" or producing" something or "causing" or "performing" as service. It describes a productive action.  In English, "do" is also frequently a helper verb. This Greek word is not used as broadly.

EACH WORD of NIV : 

It will be good- (CW,WT) The word "it will be good-" in Greek is an adjective a noun meaning "happy" or "fortunate" but with the sense of being favored by God. However, it does not refer to a religious blessing. It can also mean "wealthy" with in the sense of "the wealthy" (men with a fortune). There is no future tense verb here.
for  -- (IW) This word is not in the Greek source.

that -- CW) The word translated as "that" is an adjective that highlights its noun as being in a specific place or time from a word that means "there." So it means "there," "here," or "then." Used a pronoun, the sense is "that one there" or "this one here." "

servant, -- The noun translated as "servant" means "slave." It is translated as "servant" to update the Bible.

whom -- The word translated as "whom" is a demonstrative pronoun ("this" "that"), but it often acts as a pronoun, "he," "she," "it," "which," "what," "who," "whosoever," "where," "when," "for which reason," and many similar meanings. In the neuter, plural, its sense is "these things."

missing "his/of his"  -- (MW) The word translated as "his" is the Greek word correctly translated as third-person "his/him" in English.  The word appears after the noun so the sense is "of his." - In its adverbial form, this means "just here" or "exactly there." 

the - - The "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," and "those"). See this article for more.

Master -- The word translated as "master" is the same word that is often translated as "Lord" or "the Lord" in the NT. It also means "lord," "master of the house," and "head of the family." It is the specific terms for the master of slaves or servants, but it was a common term of respect both for those in authority and who were honored. It was the term people used to address Christ, even though he had no formal authority. Today, we would say "boss" or "chief." For the sake of consistency, this should be the Greek word translated as "master."

missing "will"  -- (WT) The helping vcrb, "will," is needed to show the future tense of the verb.

finds -- The term used for "find" is the source of our word, "heuristic," meaning enabling a person to find out something for themselves. It means "find out" and "discover."

doing. -- The Greek word translated as "do" has the primary meaning of "making" or producing" something or "causing" or "performing" as service. It describes a productive action.  In English, "do" is also frequently a helper verb. This Greek word is not used as broadly.

so  -- The word translated in KJV as "so" is in its adverbial form, so it means "in this manner," "so much," "so," "so much," "so very," "so excessively" or "in this way."

when -- (IW) This word is not in the Greek source.

he -- This is from the third-person, singular form of the verb.

returns -- (WW, WF) The word translated as "returns" primarily means "to start out" but Christ usually uses it to mean "come" but not always. It indicates movement, especially its beginning, without indicating a direction toward or away from anything, so it works either as "start," "come," or "go," but it is more like our phrase "being underway." Our English word "show up" captures both the "start" and "come" ideas. See this article for more This word doesn't mean "returns." 

COMPARISON: GREEK to KJV : 

μακάριός [25 verses](adj sg masc nom ) "Blessed" is makarios which means "blessed," "prosperous," "happy," "fortunate," and "blissful."

[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 a word that can become a noun, takes the meaning of "the one" or, in the plural, "the ones."  --

δοῦλος [56 verses](noun sg masc nom) "Servant" is doulos, which means a "slave," a "born bondsman," or "one made a slave." -- The noun translated as "servant" means "slave." It is translated as "servant" to update the Bible.

ἐκεῖνος [107 verses](adj sg masc nom) "That" is ekeinos, which refers to that which has gone immediately before and  means "the person there," "that person," "that thing," and "the nearer." However, when οὗτος and ἐκεῖνος refer to two things ἐκεῖνος, prop. belongs to the more remote, "the latter" in time, place, or thought, οὗτος to "the nearer". In the form of an adverb, "in that case," "in that way," "at that place," and "in that manner." With certain preposition, it has a specific meaning:ἐξ ἐκείνου from that time, κατ᾽ ἐκεῖνα in that place, there, μετ᾽ ἐκεῖνα afterwards.

ὃν [294 verses]  (pron sg masc acc) "Whom" is hos, which means "this," "that," "he," "she," "it," "which," "what," "who," "whosoever," "where," "when," " "for which reason," and many similar meanings. In the neuter, plural, its sense is "these things."

ἐλθὼν [198 verses(part sg aor act masc nom) "When he cometh" is  erchomai, which means "to start," "to set out," "to come," "to go," and any kind of motion. It means both "to go" on a journey and "to arrive" at a place.

[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 a word that can become a noun, takes the meaning of "the one" or, in the plural, "the ones."  --

κύριος [92 verses](noun sg masc nom) "Lord" is kyrios, which means "having power," "being in authority" and "being in possession of." It also means "lord," "master of the house," and "head of the family."

αὐτοῦ [142 verses](adv/adj sg masc gen) "His/" is autou, which means is the singular adjective used as the genitive pronoun, which is used as a possessive form or the object of prepositions and sometimes verbs as opposed to the body and "of one's own accord." In its adverbial form, this means "just here" or "exactly there." This form is often used as the object of a preposition, him." This form of an object of a preposition means a movement away from something or a position away from something else. The time sense of a genitive object is that the event occurred within a specified time. Though the form is masculine, it refers to masculine words, not people.  The masculine form is used to refer to people in general, not just men.

εὑρήσει [43 verses](3rd sg fut ind act) "Shall find" is heurisko, which means "to find," "to find out," "to discover," "to devise," "to invent," "to get," and "to gain."

ποιοῦντα: [168 verses] (part sg pres act masc acc) "Doing" is poieo, which means "to make," "to produce," "to create," "to bring into existence," "to bring about," "to cause," "to perform," "to render," "to consider," "to prepare," "to make ready," and "to do." The accusative object is what is made. Double accusative is to do something to someone. When it has a genitive object, it means "made from." When it doesn't have an object, the verb is translated as  "perform" or simply "do." When used with an accusative infinitive, it means to "cause" or "bring about." A dative object means "made with."  With the preposition "into" (eis) it means "made into."

οὕτως [54 verses](adv) "So" is houtos, an adverb that means "in this way," "therefore," "so much" ("for" w/gen.), "to such an extent," "so very," "so excessively," and "that is why. With an imperative "just," "without more ado." At beginning of a story, "once upon a time."

Related Verses: 

parallel comparison: 

Identical to Matthew 24:46 except for one interesting transposition: the last two words are switched into a different order. This is only important because in Greek, the most important words come first but in the way Jesus speaks, the most important word often comes at the end, like a punchline.

Front Page Date: 

Jul 19 2024