For those who want to know what Jesus really said, how he said it, why crowds came to hear him, and shades of meaning lost or hidden in translation.

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Today's Verse Analysis

A parable comparing the realm of the skies to hiring workers throughout the day.

Spoken to
audience
KJV Verse

Matthew 20:14 Take that thine is, and go thy way: I will give unto this last, even as unto thee.

NIV Verse:

Matthew 20:14 Take your pay and go. I want to give the one who was hired last the same as I gave you.

What His Listeners Heard:

Pick up this of yours and go away! I desire, however, to these, the last to give just as much as to you.

Lost In Translation:

Jesus here sets out the principles of private property. First, you are entitled to compensation for your efforts, but only for what you have agreed. Second, you are entitled to do with your property whatever you want. Just like other people cannot say what is "fair" for you, other people cannot say what you should do with what you have.

There is no simple standard for economic value. Every person is free to say what their effort is worth. Every person is free to say what they find valuable.

KJV w/Translation Issues :

Take that thine is(IW), and go [thy way(IP)]: I will(CW) (MW) give(WF) unto this (MW) last, even as unto thee.

KJV List (See full page for word-by-word analysis):
For analysis of each word of original Greek and biblical verses, click here.

Constantly Updated

My analysis standards and methods are constantly improving. New information on each verse is provided as articles are updated. It requires approximately two years for me to work through updating each of Jesus's verses.

What Jesus's Listeners Heard

The everyday meanings of the Greek words Jesus used were different than the definitions they have been given over time in biblical translation. The word translations here are based upon documents of his time such as the Greek Septuagint, not ideas unknown in his time.

About this Site

See what Jesus said in Greek and see how his words are changed in English translation. My goal is to translate Jesus's words as they were heard when he taught, not the way they are interpreted today. The work here resurrects the humor and cleverness of Jesus's words lost in translation.

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Each article provides detailed information on all the Greek words in each verse with links simplifying your own research. It compares the Greek to popular translations to show where words are confused, changed, left out, and added. This site offers research available nowhere else, such as how often Jesus uses a specific Greek word and links to a list of every verse in which he uses a given word.