The Parable of Money Usage: Man returns from a trip and calls men who he gave many to invest.
Luke 19:16 Then came the first, saying, Lord, thy pound hath gained ten pounds.
Luke 19:16 The first one came and said, ‘Sir, your mina has earned ten more.’
But the first came saying, "Lord, that mina of yours worked for itself amounts.
This verse has another unique word, translated as "gained" and "earned" related to the similar unique words in Luke 19:13 and Luke 19:15. The sense here is "worked for itself." This shows what people of the time expected from money. All these words evoke a similar idea but the idea is that the money doesn't work on its own but that we have to work it.
Describing this man as "the first" could mean that he was the first to speak, but it could also mean that he was the "highest" and "best." Certainly, his results would indicate that.
We all wish for a ten times multiple.
Then(WW) came the first, saying, Lord, thy (MW) pound hath(WT) gained ten pounds.
- WW --Wrong Word -- The word translated as "then" should be something more like "but."
- MW - Missing Word -- The word "the/this" before "pound" is not shown in the English translation.
- WT - Wrong Tense - The verb "has" indicates the past perfect tense, but the tense is something that happens at a specific point in time (past, present, or future).
- MW - Missing Word -- The word "but" at the beginning of the sentence is not shown in the English translation.
- IW - Inserted Word-- The "and" doesn't exist in the source.
- WF -- Wrong Form - This is not an active verb but a participle, a verbal adjective, "saying."
- CW --Confusing Word -- This is word not usually translated as "sir."
- MW - Missing Word -- The word "the/this" before "mina" is not shown in the English translation.
- WW --Wrong Word -- The word translated as "more" should be something more like "mina."
Then -- (WW) The Greek word translated as "then" 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. This word doesn't mean "then."
came -- "Came" is a Greek verb that Jesus first uses here that means "to be beside, by, or near", "come to one's side", "stand by", "second", "come", and "arrive". The tense indicates something that happens at some specific point of time, past, present, or future.
the -- 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.
first -- The word translated as "first," takes a lot of different types of "first" meanings from its context. Here, it is an adjective but because it is introduced by an article, "the" acts like a noun.
saying -- The word translated as "saying," is the most common word that means "to say," and "to speak." 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." It is a participle,
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
thy -- The word translated as "your" is the genitive form of the singular, second-person pronoun, which is most commonly the possessive form. This pronoun follows the noun so "of yours."
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. MW - Missing Word -- The word "the/this" before "word" is not shown in the English translation.
pound -- "Pound" is the Greek word for a "a weight", "a sum of money", and the amount of about "100 drachmas". The Greek word mna (μνᾶ) was borrowed from Semitic. Different city states used minae of different weights. The Aeginetan mina weighed 623.7 g (22.00 oz). The Attic mina weighed 436.6 g (15.40 oz).] According to Plutarch, the price of a sheep was one drachma or a (about 40 kg) of wheat. Thus a mina was worth 100 sheep.
hath -- (WT) This helping verb "has" indicates that the verb is the tense indicating an action completed in the past. This is not the tense of the verb here.
gained -- "Gained" is a verb means to "work over and above that Jesus only uses here. It means "earn besides", "make", "earn in addition", and "do work". The root word means "work". The prefix means "over and above". The form is a verb where the subject acts on itself.
ten "Ten" is the Greek word for the numeral "ten".
pounds --"Pounds" is the Greek word for a "a weight", "a sum of money", and the amount of about "100 drachmas". The Greek word mna (μνᾶ) was borrowed from Semitic. Different city states used minae of different weights. The Aeginetan mina weighed 623.7 g (22.00 oz). The Attic mina weighed 436.6 g (15.40 oz).] According to Plutarch, the price of a sheep was one drachma or a (about 40 kg) of wheat. Thus a mina was worth 100 sheep.
missing "but" -- (MW) The untranslated word "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. This word doesn't mean "but."
the -- The word translated as "the...one" 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.
first -- The word translated as "first," takes a lot of different types of "first" meanings from its context. Here, it is an adjective but because it is introduced by an article, "the" acts like a noun.
one -- This "one" come from the definite article which often has the sense of "the one" when used with an adjective.
came -- "Came" is a Greek verb that Jesus first uses here that means "to be beside, by, or near", "come to one's side", "stand by", "second", "come", and "arrive". The tense indicates something that happens at some specific point of time, past, present, or future.
and -- (IW) This word is not in the Greek source.
said-- (WF) The word translated as "said," is the most common word that means "to say," and "to speak." 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." This is not an active verb but a participle, a verbal adjective, "saying."
Sir, -- The word translated as "Sir" 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. This is word not usually translated as "sir."
your -- The word translated as "your" is the genitive form of the singular, second-person pronoun, which is most commonly the possessive form. This pronoun follows the noun so "of yours."
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.
mina -- "Mina " is the Greek word for a "a weight", "a sum of money", and the amount of about "100 drachmas". The Greek word mna (μνᾶ) was borrowed from Semitic. Different city states used minae of different weights. The Aeginetan mina weighed 623.7 g (22.00 oz). The Attic mina weighed 436.6 g (15.40 oz).] According to Plutarch, the price of a sheep was one drachma or a (about 40 kg) of wheat. Thus a mina was worth 100 sheep.
has -- (WT) This helping verb "has" indicates that the verb is the tense indicating an action completed in the past. This is not the tense of the verb here.
earned -- "Gained" is a verb means to "work over and above" that Jesus only uses here. It means "earn besides", "make", "earn in addition", and "do work". The root word means "work". The prefix means "over and above". The form is a verb where the subject acts on itself.
ten "Ten" is the Greek word for the numeral "ten".
more -- (WW) "Pounds" is the Greek word for a "a weight", "a sum of money", and the amount of about "100 drachmas". The Greek word mna (μνᾶ) was borrowed from Semitic. Different city states used minae of different weights. The Aeginetan mina weighed 623.7 g (22.00 oz). The Attic mina weighed 436.6 g (15.40 oz).] According to Plutarch, the price of a sheep was one drachma or a (about 40 kg) of wheat. Thus a mina was worth 100 sheep.This word doesn't mean "more."
παρεγένετο [4 verses](verb 3rd sg aor ind mid) "They came" is from paraginomai, which means "to be beside, by, or near", "come to one's side", "stand by", "second", "come", and "arrive". - "I am come" is a Greek verb that Jesus rarely uses that means "to be beside, by, or near", "come to one's side", "stand by", "second", "come", and "arrive".
δὲ (conj/adv) "Then" 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").
ὁ [821 verses](article sg masc nom) "The" 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."
πρῶτος (adj sg masc nom) "First" is protos. In place, this means "before", "in front," and, as a noun, "the foremost." Of time, it means "former", "earlier," and, as a noun, "the initial." In order, it means "the first." In math, it means the prime numbers. Of rank or degree, it means "superior" or, as a noun, "the highest" or "the best." --
λέγων (part sg pres act masc nom) "Saying" is 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 spelled the same means "to lay", "to lay asleep" and "to lull asleep."
Κύριε, (noun sg masc voc) "Lord" is kyrios (kurios), 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."
ἡ [821 verses](article sg fem nom) "The" 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."
μνᾶ (noun sg fem nom) "Pound" is mna, which means "a weight", "a sum of money", and "100 drachmas".
σου (adj sg masc gen) "Thy" is sou which means "of you" and "your."
δέκα (numeral) "Ten" is from deka, which means the number ten.
προσηργάσατο [1 verse](verb 3rd sg aor ind mp) "Hath gained" is prosergazomai, which means to "work besides", "make", "earn in addition", and "do work". -- "Hath gained" is a verb means to "work over and above that Jesus only uses here. It means "earn besides", "make", "earn in addition", and "do work". The root word means "work". The prefix means "over and above". The form is a verb where the subject acts on itself.
μνᾶς. (noun pl fem acc) "Pound" is mna, which means "a weight", "a sum of money", and "100 drachmas". -- "Pounds" is the Greek word for a "a weight", "a sum of money", and the amount of about "100 drachmas".