This verse uses a number of words that Jesus uses rarely. The word translated as "praise" means a "story" usually with a moral lesson so "fable," or "proverb." Jesus is quoting the Greek Septuagint, Psalm 8:2. Both the KJV and NIV translations of this verse, however, d translate the word translated here as "praise" as "strength." The Greek word primarily means "story" or "tale."
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
The Chief priests and scribes complain that children are cheering Jesus in the temple calling him "the son of David."
Spoken to
audience
KJV Verse
Matthew 21:16 Yea; have ye never read, Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings thou hast perfected praise?
NIV Verse:
Matthew 21:16 “Yes, haven’t you ever read the Scriptures? For they say, ‘You have taught children and infants to give you praise.’
What His Listeners Heard:
Yes, don't you ever recognize that "out of a mouth of children and those nursing you prepared a saga."
Lost In Translation:
KJV w/Translation Issues :
Yea; have(WT) ye never(CW) read(WW), Out of the(WW) mouth of babes and sucklings thou hast(WT) perfected(CW) praise?
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.
Christ's Words in Matthew as a Guide to 40 Days of Prayer.