Luke 15:20 And he arose, and came to his father.

KJV: 

Luke 15:20 And he arose, and came to his father. But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him.

LISTENERS HEARD: 

And getting up, he showed up before that father of his own. Yet, however, his far being away, he knew him, that father of his. And it hurt his insides. And running over, he fell over upon the neck of his and kissing him.

GREEK (Each Word Explained Bottom of Page): 

LOST IN TRANSLATION: 

This may be the longest verse in Jesus's longest parable. The vocabulary includes two words Jesus uses nowhere else. Still, the text is pretty straightforward. When telling a story, Jesus creates a little suspense here and there, but he just tells the story, using few of his humorous methods. 

The Greek word translated as "and" is used as the conjunction "and", but it also is used to add emphasis ("also").

"He rose" is a Greek verb that means "to make to stand up", "to raise from the dead", "to rouse to action," and "to make people rise up." The form used here is an adjective, "awakening" or "getting up". 

There is no "and". It is added because the previous verb was made active instead of an adjective. 

The word translated as "came" 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 "come" or "go," but it is more like our phrase "being underway." Our English word "show up" captures both the "start" and "come" ideas. We can see this here: he showed up at his fathers.

The word translated as "to" means "towards", "in front of",  "by reason of (for)," and "against."

"His" is a special reflexive pronoun that means "himself", "herself," and so on. It appears after the "father" and would have the sense of "his own" rather than just "his".  The common word translated as "his" is used five or six times in this verse, so the use of another word here is clearly intentional. 

The Greek word translated as "but" means "but", "however", and "on the other hand". Since it always falls in the second position, translating it as "however" often captures its feeling better. 

There is no "when" in the Greek. 

"He was...off"" is a Greek verb that means "to keep off or away from", "to hold one's hands off or away from", "to hold oneself off a thing", "to abstain or desist from it," "to project", "to extend", "to be far from," and "to receive payment in full." Jesus uses both the "far off" and "paid in full" meanings.

"A great way" is an adverb, not a noun, that means "far," and "long."

Yet" is an adverb that means "yet" and "still", "already",  "longer", "no longer" (with a negative), "still" and "besides". 

The word translated as "his" is the Greek word commonly translated as third-person pronouns in English.  It is not the first "his" used above.

"Father" is the Greek noun that means "father" or any male ancestor so "forefathers". It is the word that Christ uses to address his own Father. The "his father" actually appears after the "he saw him", adding a little internal suspense to the story. 

The verb translated as "saw" means "to see" but it is used like we use the word "see" to mean "to know" or "to perceive." We might say "recognized" here. 

The word translated as "him" is the Greek word commonly translated as third-person pronouns in English.  This is the same words as the "his" before "father". 

The Greek word translated as "and" is used as the conjunction "and", but it also is used to add emphasis ("also"). 

"Had compassion" is a verb that means to "to feel compassion." It is a New Testament word. It is from a word which means one's insides, intestines. So its sense is feeling something in your guts.

The Greek word translated as "and" is used as the conjunction "and", but it also is used to add emphasis ("also"). 

"Ran" is a Greek verb that Jesus only uses here that means to "run", "move quickly", "run over", "run and carry", and "commit." 

"Fell" is a Greek verb that Jesus only uses here that means to "fall upon", "fall over", "accrue", "come on after", and "accumulate".

The word translated as "on" means "on", "over", "upon", "against", "before", "after", "during", "by" or "on."

The word translated as "his" is the Greek word commonly translated as third-person pronouns in English.  

"Neck" is from the Greek word that means "neck" and "throat."

The Greek word translated as "and" is used as the conjunction "and", but it also is used to add emphasis ("also"). 

 The Greek verb translated as "Kissed" means to "kiss" and "caress".  It is from the same root as the "kiss" above. It is in the form of an adjective, "kissing". 

The word translated as "him" is the Greek word commonly translated as third-person pronouns in English.  The word means "the same" when used as an adjective.  

COMPARISON: GREEK to KJV : 

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." --

ἀναστὰς (part sg aor act masc nom) "He arose" is from anistemi, which means "to make stand up", "to raise up", "to raise from sleep", "to wake up", "to raise from the dead", "to rouse to action", "to put up for sale", "to make people rise", "to emigrate", "to transplant," and "to rise and leave the sanctuary." 

ἦλθεν (verb 3rd sg aor ind act) "Come" 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. 

πρὸς (prep) "To" is pros, which means "on the side of", "in the direction of", "from (place)", "towards" "before", "in the presence of", "in the eyes of", "in the name of", "by reason of", "before (supplication)", "proceeding from (for effects)", "dependent on", "derivable from", "agreeable,""becoming", "like", "at the point of", "in addition to", "against," and "before." --

τὸν πατέρα (noun sg masc acc) "The Father" is pater, which means "father", "grandfather", "author", "parent," and "forefathers." -- "Father" is the Greek noun that means "father" or any male ancestor so "forefathers". It is the word that Christ uses to address his own Father. 

ἑαυτοῦ. (adj sg masc gen) "His" is heautou, is a reflexive pronoun that means "himself", "herself", "itself" "themselves," and "ourselves." It is an alternative to autos. -- 

 ἔτι (adv) "Yet" is eti, which means "yet" and "still" (with the Present), "already" (with the Past), "yet" and "longer" (with the Future), "no longer" (with a negative), and"still" and "besides" (of degree).

δὲ (conj/adv) "But" 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"). 

αὐτοῦ (adj sg masc gen) Untranslated is autos, which means "the same," and the reflexive pronouns, "myself", "yourself", "himself", "herself", "itself," or the oblique case of the pronouns, "him", "her," and "it." It also means "one's true self," that is, "the soul" as opposed to the body and "of one's own accord." In the adverbial form, it  means "just here" or "exactly there." 

μακρὰν [uncommon](adv) "A great way" is from makran, which means "far," and "long."

 ἀπέχοντος (part sg pres act masc gen) "He was off"" is apecho, which means "to keep off or away from", "to hold one's hands off or away from", "to hold oneself off a thing", "to abstain or desist from it," "to project", "to extend", "to be far from," and "to receive payment in full."

εἶδεν (verb 3rd sg aor ind act) "Saw" is eido which means "to see", "to examine", "to perceive", "to behold", "to know how to do", "to see with the mind's eye," and "to know." -

αὐτὸν (adj sg masc acc) "Him" is autos, which means "the same," and the reflexive pronouns, "myself", "yourself", "himself", "herself", "itself," or the oblique case of the pronouns, "him", "her," and "it." It also means "one's true self," that is, "the soul" as opposed to the body and "of one's own accord." In the adverbial form, it  means "just here" or "exactly there." 

πατὴρ (noun sg masc nom) "The Father" is pater, which means "father", "grandfather", "author", "parent," and "forefathers."

αὐτοῦ (adj sg masc gen) "His" is autos, which means "the same," and the reflexive pronouns, "myself", "yourself", "himself", "herself", "itself," or the oblique case of the pronouns, "him", "her," and "it." It also means "one's true self," that is, "the soul" as opposed to the body and "of one's own accord." In the adverbial form, it  means "just here" or "exactly there." -- 

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."

ἐσπλαγχνίσθη  [uncommon](verb 3rd sg aor ind mp) "Had compassion" is from splagchnizomai, which means to "to feel great compassion." This is a New Testament word. It is from splanchnon which means ones insides, inner organs, which were seen as the seat of feelings among the Greeks, the "chest" the higher feelings and the belly the lower. It is also is related to splanchneuô, which means eating the inner organs of a sacrifice or prophesying from those innards organs.

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." 

δραμὼν [unique] (part sg aor act masc nom) "Ran" is trecho, which means to "run", "move quickly", "run over", "run and carry", and "commit." 

ἐπέπεσεν [unique](verb 3rd sg aor ind act ) "Fell" is epipipto, which means to "fall upon", "fall over", "accrue", "come on after", and "accumulate".

ἐπὶ (prep) "On" is epi, which means "on", "over",  "upon", "at", "by", "before", "across," "after" in position, "during", and "against." 

τὸν τράχηλον  (noun sg masc acc) "Neck" is from trachêlos, which means "neck", "parts resembling a neck," and "throat." 

αὐτοῦ (adj sg masc gen) "His"  is autos, which means "the same," and the reflexive pronouns, "myself", "yourself", "himself", "herself", "itself," or the oblique case of the pronouns, "him", "her," and "it." It also means "one's true self," that is, "the soul" as opposed to the body and "of one's own accord." In the adverbial form, it  means "just here" or "exactly there." 

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." 

κατεφίλησεν  [uncommon](part sg pres act fem nom) "Kissed" is from katapheleo, which means to "kiss" and "caress".  

αὐτόν. (adj sg masc acc) "Him"  is autos, which means "the same," and the reflexive pronouns, "myself", "yourself", "himself", "herself", "itself," or the oblique case of the pronouns, "him", "her," and "it." It also means "one's true self," that is, "the soul" as opposed to the body and "of one's own accord." In the adverbial form, it  means "just here" or "exactly there." 

Front Page Date: 

Jul 25 2018