Jesus describes the end of Jerusalem.
Luke 21:32 Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass away, till all be fulfilled.
Luke 21:32 Truly I tell you, this generation will certainly not pass away until all these things have happened.
Amen I tell you that never might it pass away, the race itself until when everything happens.
The "verily" phrase is used frequently by Jesus as a catchphrase. Its meaning is discussed in detail in this article. It is a play on words that means both "tell you true" and "To reap, I teach". The word translated as "verily" is from the Hebrew word that means "truly" or "certainly", but it sounds like a Greek word with the same meaning. In Greek, that word also means "to reap".
Jesus seems to be referring to the Jewish people with the word "generation" which means "race". Despite the fall of Jerusalem, they survived as a group until today.
Everything has not yet happened.
Verily I say unto you, (MW) This generation (MW) shall(CW) not(CW) pass away, till all be(WV) fulfilled(WW).
- MW - Missing Word -- The word "when" after "you" is not shown in the English translation.
- MW - Missing Word -- The word "itself" after "generation" is not shown in the English translation.
- CW - Confusing Word - This "shall" does not indicate the future tense, but describes a possibility, the subjunctive voice.
- CW - Confusing Word -- The "not" does not capture the word's specific meaning.
- WV --Wrong Voice - The verb is not passive but in the middle voice, which requires the concept of "yourselves" as its object.
- WW --Wrong Word -- The word translated as "fulfilled" should be something more like "happens".
- MW - Missing Word -- The word "when" after "you" is not shown in the English translation.
- MW - Missing Word -- The word "itself" after "generation" is not shown in the English translation.
- CW - Confusing Word - This "will" does not indicate the future tense, but describes a possibility, the subjunctive voice.
- IW - Inserted Word-- The "these things " doesn't exist in the source.
- WT - Wrong Tense - The verb "have" indicates the past perfect tense, but the tense is something that happens at a specific point in time (past, present, or future).
Verily -- The word translated as "verily" is from the Hebrew word that means "truly" or "certainly", but it sounds like the Greek word with the same meaning. In Greek, the word also means "to reap". See this article discussing this "amen phrase.".
I -- This is from the first-person, singular form of the following verb.
say -- The word translated as "say" is the most common word that means "to say" and "to speak", but it also means "to teach", which seems to be the way Christ uses it more frequently. It also has many ancillary meanings such as "to count" ("to number" or like we might say, "to recount" a story) or "to choose for yourself". Christ usually uses this word to refer to his own speaking or teaching. The form of the verb could also be a possible action, "might say" or "should say".
unto -- This word "unto" comes from the dative case of the following word that requires the addition of a preposition in English, but the translator must decide which preposition to use: a "to" as an indirect object.
you, -- The Greek pronoun "you" here is plural and in the form of an indirect object, "to you", "for you", etc.
missing "when" -- (MW) The untranslated word when" because it indicates more of an expectation of something happening than "if" alone. It can be used after a demonstrative pronoun to mean "that possibly", "whosoever" or "whatsoever".
This - The word translated as "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", "those") than the English "the". See this article for more.
generation -- The word translated as "generation" means "race", "family" and "generation". Christ uses this term frequently in criticism, but that criticism seems more aimed at a certain type of person, or, more narrowly, a certain group among his own people, than it is his generation as we used the term. It is the word from which we get the scientific "genus".
missing "itself" -- (MW) The untranslated word "itself" is the Greek word commonly translated as third-person pronouns in English. The form is the singular subject of the sentence, and it is feminine. Since Greek active verbs include the singular form of the subject, when the subject is clear, this pronoun can be repetitive, emphasizing the subject. This is how we say "itself" to emphasize the subject.
shall -- (CW) This helping verb "shall" does not indicate the future tense, but that the verb describes a possibility, the subjunctive voice. A "might" or "should" in English is more appropriate, but is assumed in an "if/when/whoever/except" clause. Helping verbs are not needed in Greek since the main verb carries this information in its form.
not .-- (CW) The "not" here is both of the Greek negatives used together. Greek has two negatives, one objective, one subjective. The use of both together is more extreme, like saying, "never" or literally, "you cannot really think". When a negative precedes the verb, it affects the whole clause. When it precedes other words, its force is limited to those words.
pass away -- The phrase "pass away" is from a verb that means "go by", "pass by", "outstrip" (in speed), "pass over", "outwit", "past events" (in time), "disregard" and "pass without heading". The sense here could be "pass by" or "surpass", but the sense of "pass away" as in "die" is not at all clear. The word means to pass the time and can refer to times past, but it also means to "outwit" and "elude" and "be superior". It also means to "pass by" a place or to "arrive" at a place. In the Latin Vulgate, this verb was translated as "transit" which is the future, plural, active form of the word that means "to cross". The form is not the future tense, as translated, but in a form that means something is possible. This idea is emphasized by a word that appears in some good Greek sources, but which is not translated in the KJV.
till -- The word translated as "until" means "until" but it also means "in order that".
all - The word translated as "all" is the Greek adjective meaning "all", "the whole", "every" and similar ideas. When it is used as a noun, we would say "everything".
be -- (WV) This helping verb "be" seems to indicate that the verb is passive but it isn't. It is a verb form that indicates the subject is acting on itself.
fulfilled -- (WW) The word translated as "shall come to pass" means "to become" and "to happen", that is, to enter into a new state. In Greek, especially as used by Jesus, it is the opposite of "being". which is existence in the current state. It is also not in the future tense, but the form that indicates something that might happen. Since it refers to events, the sense is "happen". The form is that of things acting on themselves, which is captured by our word "happen", which doesn't suggest an outside force. This word doesn't mean "fulfilled".
Truly -- The word translated as "truly " is from the Hebrew word that means "truly" or "certain but it sounds like the Greek word with the same meaning. In Greek, the word also means "to reap". See this article discussing this "amen phrase."
I -- This is from the first-person, singular form of the following verb.
tell -- The word translated as "say" is the most common word that means "to say" and "to speak", but it also means "to teach", which seems to be the way Christ uses it more frequently. It also has many ancillary meanings such as "to count" ("to number" or like we might say, "to recount" a story) or "to choose for yourself". Christ usually uses this word to refer to his own speaking or teaching. The form of the verb could also be a possible action, "might tell" or "should tell".
you, -- The Greek pronoun "you" here is plural and in the form of an indirect object, "to you", "for you", etc.,
missing "when" -- (MW) The untranslated word "when" because it indicates more of an expectation of something happening than "if" alone. It can be used after a demonstrative pronoun to mean "that possibly", "whosoever" or "whatsoever".
This - The word translated as "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", "those") than the English "the". See this article for more.
generation -- The word translated as "generation" means "race", "family" and "generation". Christ uses this term frequently in criticism, but that criticism seems more aimed at a certain type of person, or, more narrowly, a certain group among his own people, than it is his generation as we used the term. It is the word from which we get the scientific "genus".
missing "itself" -- (MW) The untranslated word "itself" is the Greek word commonly translated as third-person pronouns in English. The form is the singular subject of the sentence, and it is feminine. Since Greek active verbs include the singular form of the subject, when the subject is clear, this pronoun can be repetitive, emphasizing the subject. This is how we say "itself" to emphasize the subject.
will -- (CW) This helping verb "will" does not indicate the future tense, but that the verb describes a possibility, the subjunctive voice. A "might" or "should" in English is more appropriate, but is assumed in an "if/when/whoever/except" clause. Helping verbs are not needed in Greek since the main verb carries this information in its form.
certainly not .-- The "certainly not" here is both of the Greek negatives used together. Greek has two negatives, one objective, one subjective. The use of both together is more extreme, like saying, "never" or literally, "you cannot really think". When a negative precedes the verb, it affects the whole clause. When it precedes other words, its force is limited to those words.
pass away -- The phrase "pass away" is from a verb that means "go by", "pass by", "outstrip" (in speed), "pass over", "outwit", "past events" (in time), "disregard" and "pass without heading". The sense here could be "pass by", "surpass", but the sense of "pass away" as in "die" is not at all clear. The word means to pass the time and can refer to times past, but it also means to "outwit" and "elude" and "be superior". It also means to "pass by" a place or to "arrive" at a place. In the Latin Vulgate, this verb was translated as "transit" which is the future, plural, active form of the word that means "to cross". The form is not the future tense, as translated, but in a form that means something is possible. This idea is emphasized by a word that appears in some good Greek sources, but which is not translated in the KJV.
until -- The word translated as "until" means "until" but it also means "in order that."
all -- The word translated as "all" is the Greek adjective meaning "all", "the whole", "every" and similar ideas. When it is used as a noun, we would say "everything".
these things -- (IW) This word is not in the Greek source.
have -- (WT) This helping verb "have" indicates that the verb is the tense indicating an action completed in the past. This is not the tense of the verb here.
happened-- The word translated as "happened" means "to become" and "to happen", that is, to enter into a new state. In Greek, especially as used by Jesus, it is the opposite of "being", which is existence in the current state. It is also not in the future tense, but the form that indicates something that might happen. Since it refers to events, the sense is "happen". The form is that of things acting on themselves, which is captured by our word "happen", which doesn't suggest an outside force. Though the subject (all) is plural, the verb is singular because neuter, plural nouns usually take singular verbs
ἀμὴν (adv) "Verily" is from amen, which is from the Hebrew, meaning "truly", "of a truth" and "so be it". It has no history in Greek of this meaning before the NT. However, this is also the infinitive form of the Greek verb amao, which means "to reap" or "to cut".
λέγω (1st sg pres ind act) "I say" is from lego, which means "to recount", "to tell over", "to say", "to speak", "to teach", "to mean", "boast of", "tell of", "recite", nominate" and "command". It has a secondary meaning "pick out", "choose for oneself", "pick up", "gather", "count" and "recount". A less common word that is spelt the same means "to lay", "to lay asleep" and "to lull asleep".
ὑμῖν (pron 2nd pl dat) "To you" is from humin the plural form of su the pronoun of the second person, "you".
ὅτι " (adv/conj) That" is from hoti, which introduces a statement of fact "with regard to the fact that", "seeing that" and acts as a causal adverb meaning "for what", "because", "since" and "wherefore".
οὐ μὴ [39 verses](partic) "Never" is ou me, the two forms of Greek negative used together. Ou is the negative adverb for facts and statements, negating both single words and sentences. Mê (me) is the negative used in prohibitions and expressions of doubt meaning "not" and "no". As οὐ (ou) negates fact and statement; μή rejects, οὐ denies; μή is relative, οὐ absolute; μή subjective, οὐ objective.
αρέλθῃ (verb 3rd sg aor subj act) "Shall...pass" is from parerchomai, which means "go by", "pass by", "outstrip" (in speed), "pass over", "outwit", "past events" (in time), "disregard" and "pass without heeding".
ἡ [821 verses](article sg fem nom) "This" 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 word that can become a noun, takes the meaning of "the one" or, in the plural, "the ones".
γενεὰ (noun sg fem nom/acc) "Generation" is from genea, which means "race", "family", "generation", "class", and "kind". It is a from of the word that we get the scientific "genus" from.
αὐτὴ [42 verses]( adv/adj sg fem nom ) "She" is aute, which is the singular adjective used as the subject pronoun in the feminine. It also means "it" because feminine pronouns refer to things or ideas as much as to people. This is also the adverbial form meaning "there". When used as a noun, it is preceded by a definite article, and it means "the same". However, feminine pronouns refer to feminine nouns, not just feminine people so this word can mean "it" as well as "she."
ἕως "Till" is from heos which means "until", "till" and "in order that" and "up to the point that"
.[ἂν][163 verses](conj) Untranslated is ean, which is a conditional particle (derived from ei (if) and an (possibly), which makes reference to a time and experience in the future that introduces but does not determine an event. This is how we use the word "when". It can be used after a demonstrative pronoun hos or hostis meaning "that possibly", "whosoever" or "whatsoever".
πάντα (adj pl neut nom) "All" is from pas which means "all", "the whole", "every", "anyone", "all kinds" and "anything".
γένηται. (verb 3rd sg aor subj mid) "Shall come to pass" is from ginomai, which means "to become", "to come into being", "to happen", "to be produced" and "to be". It means changing into a new state of being. It is the complementary opposite of the verb "to be" (eimi)which indicates existence in the same state.