The Parable of Money Usage: First servant made ten times the money.
Luke 19:17 And he said unto him, Well, thou good servant: because thou hast been faithful in a very little, have thou authority over ten cities.
Luke 19:17 ‘Well done, my good servant!’ his master replied. ‘Because you have been trustworthy in a very small matter, take charge of ten cities.’
And, he told him, "Well done, worthy servant! Because in a minimum you turned out to be trustworthy. Be a sovereign, having more than ten cities.
There is a "become" here that is difficult to translate. The biblical translators give us "been faithful" but Jesus said "become faithful. The sense is "turned out to be" which is a "becoming" in the eyes of the king.
The word translated as "very little/small" is also a bit of a problem. It means "smallest," "tiniest," and so on because it is a superlative form. In English we use a "the" before a superlative but there is not definite article here. It works as "a minimum." The king does not seem to be referring to the amount of money, which is feminine while this word is masculine. My sense is that he is referring to the "turned out to be faithful." The sense seems to be that he not only turned out to be faithful but very successful and then very honest for reporting all his earnings.
In the end, the kind tells him "Be an authority" which means "be a sovereign" describing him as "having more than ten cities." The word translated as "over" in the KJV and ignored in the NIV means "more than." At this point, we understand the king's purpose in the tense of giving these men money: to see which of them were fit to manage parts of his new kingdom. This is the first punchline of the story.
Good management in this life qualifies us for bigger challenges.
And he said unto him, Well, thou good servant: because thou hast(WT) been(WW) faithful in a very little, have(WF) thou(WW) authority over ten cities.
- 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).
- WW --Wrong Word -- The word translated as "been" should be something more like "become."
- WF -- Wrong Form - This is not an active verb but a participle, a verbal adjective, "having."
- WW --Wrong Word -- The word translated as "thou" should be something more like "be."
(MW) ‘Well done, my(IW) good servant!’ his master(IP) replied(CW). ‘Because you have(WT) been(WW) trustworthy in a very small matter(IW), [take charge of(PP3)] ten cities.’
- MW - Missing Word -- The word "and" at the beginning of the sentence is not shown in the English translation.
- IW - Inserted Word-- The "my" doesn't exist in the source.
- IP - Inserted Phrase-- The "his master " doesn't exist in the source.
- CW --Confusing Word -- This is word not usually translated as "replied."
- MP - Missing Phrase - The phrase "to him" exists 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).
- WW --Wrong Word -- The word translated as "been" should be something more like "become."
- IW - Inserted Word-- The "matter" doesn't exist in the source.
- PP -- Paraphrase - The phrase "be an authority, having over" exists in the source but "take charge of" doesn't. This should be counted as three errors.
And -- The Greek word translated as "and" is used as the conjunction "and", but it also is used to add emphasis ("also").
he -- This is from the third-person, singular form of the verb.
said -- "He said" is from the Greek verb that means "to say" and "to speak" also.
unto -- This word "to" comes from the indirect object form of the following word that requires the addition of a preposition in English. The most common is a "to" for the English indirect object.
him -- The word translated as "unto him" is the Greek word commonly translated as third-person pronouns in English.
Well -- "Well" is from an adverb that means "well", "rightly", and without a verb, "good!", " well said!" and "well done!" This is a stronger form of the "good" used in the similar verse in Matthew 25:21.
thou - This is from the vocative form of the noun that means it names the person being talked to. The "thou" comes from the form of addressed used for the word "servant".
good The adjective translated as "good" means "useful", "worthwhile," and "of high quality. As a noun, the word "valuables" makes the idea clearer than "goods". See this article on the real Greek meaning of the terms translated as "good" and "evil."
servant -- The noun translated as "servant" means "bondsman" and "slave." It is translated as "servant" to update the Bible.
because -- The word translated as "because" introduces a statement of fact or cause.
thou -- This is from the second-person, singular form of the verb.
hast -- (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.
been -- (WW) The word translated as "been" means "to become," 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. This word doesn't mean "been."
faithful -- The word translated as "faithful" means "trusting" and "trustworthy." This is a good example of how it means not only trusting others but being worthy of trust.
in -The word translated as "in" also means "within", "with," or "among."
a -- There is no indefinite article in Greek, but when a noun doesn't have a definite article, the indefinite article can be added in English translation.
very little -- The word translated as "a very little" also means "smallest", "shortest", "the fewest", and similar ideas.
have -- (WF) The word translated as "have" means to "have", "possess", "bear", "keep close", "have means to do", "to have due to one", or "keep" and many specific uses. It is an adjective, "having" and it applies to the ten cities, not to "authority". This is not an active verb but a participle, a verbal adjective, "having."
thou -- (WW)The "thou" here is really the verb that mean "be you!". It is the common form of "to be" in Greek. It means to have a certain characteristic or remain in a certain condition. It is in the form of a command to the man, "Be!"
authority -- The term translated as "authority" means control, and the ability to choose. It is the power of authority.
over -- The word "over" is from a preposition meaning both "on" and "in front of", but it doesn't mean "over" in the sense used here. When used with numbers, as it is here, it means "more than".
ten -- "Ten" is the number ten.
cities -- The Greek word for "city" meant not only a city but a nation, culture, or a society. It worked something like the word "community" today.
missing "And " -- (MW) The untranslated word This word "and" comes from the indirect object form of the following preposition. The word translated as "him" is the Greek word commonly translated as third-person pronouns in English. The Greek word translated as "and" is used as the conjunction "and", but it also is used to add emphasis ("also").
Well done -- This is from the vocative form of the noun that means it names the person being talked to. The "thou" comes from the form of addressed used for the word "servant".
my -- (IW) This word is not in the Greek source.
good -- (WF) The adjective translated as "good" means "useful", "worthwhile," and "of high quality. As a noun, the word "valuables" makes the idea clearer than "goods". See this article on the real Greek meaning of the terms translated as "good" and "evil."
servant -- The noun translated as "servant" means "bondsman" and "slave." It is translated as "servant" to update the Bible.
his master -- (IP) There is nothing that can be translated as this phrase in the Greek source.
replied -- (CW) "Replied" is from the Greek verb that means "to say" and "to speak" also. This is word not usually translated as "replied."
missing "to him" -- (MW) The untranslated word This word "to him" comes from the indirect object form of the following preposition. The word translated as "him" is the Greek word commonly translated as third-person pronouns in English.
Because -- The word translated as "because" introduces a statement of fact or cause.
you -- This is from the second-person, singular form of the verb.
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.
been -- (WW) The word translated as "been" means "to become," 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. This word doesn't mean "been."
trustworthy -- The word translated as "trustworthy " means "trusting" and "trustworthy." This is a good example of how it means not only trusting others but being worthy of trust.
in -The word translated as "in" also means "within", "with," or "among."
a -- There is no indefinite article in Greek, but when a noun doesn't have a definite article, the indefinite article can be added in English translation.
very small -- The word translated as "small" also means "smallest", "shortest", "the fewest", and similar ideas.
matter-- (IW) This word is not in the Greek source.
take charge of -- (PP) The Greek words meaning "be an authority, having over" here are not translated but instead their assumed meaning is paraphrased into different words. "Be !". It is the common form of "to be" in Greek. It means to have a certain characteristic or remain in a certain condition. It is in the form of a command to the man, "Be!" The term translated as "authority" means control, and the ability to choose. It is the power of authority. The word "over" is from a preposition meaning both "on" and "in front of", but it doesn't mean "over" in the sense used here. When used with numbers, as it is here, it means "more than".- The word "over" is from a preposition meaning both "on" and "in front of", but it doesn't mean "over" in the sense used here. When used with numbers, as it is here, it means "more than".
ten -- "Ten" is the number ten.
cities -- The Greek word for "city" meant not only a city but a nation, culture, or a society. It worked something like the word "community" today.
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."
εἶπεν ( verb 3rd sg aor ind act ) "He said" is eipon, which means "to speak", "to say", "to recite", "to address", "to mention", "to name", "to proclaim", "to plead", "to promise," and "to offer." --
αὐτῷ (adj sg masc dat) "Unto 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."
Εὖγε, [1 verse](adv) "Well" is euge, the word for "well", "rightly", and without a verb, "good!", " well said!" and "well done!" -- "Well" is from an adverb that means "well", "rightly", and without a verb, "good!", " well said!" and "well done!" This is a stronger form of the "good" used in the similar verse in Matthew 25:21.
ἀγαθὲ (adj sg masc voc) "Good" is from agathos which means "good" and, when applied to people, "well-born", "gentle", "brave," and "capable." When applied to things, it means "serviceable", "morally good," and "beneficial." --
δοῦλε, (noun sg masc voc) "Servant" is from doulos, which means a "slave," a "born bondsman," or "one made a slave."
ὅτι (adv/conj) "Because" is 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."
ἐν (prep) "In" is en, which means "in", "on", "at", "by", "among", "within", "surrounded by", "in one's hands", "in one's power," and "with".
ἐλαχίστῳ ( adj sg masc dat ) "A very little" is from elachistos, which is the superlative form of elachus which means "small", "little," and "short." It means "the smallest", "the shortest", "the least," and "the fewest." -
πιστὸς ( adj sg masc nom ) "Faithful" is pistos means "believing", "trustful", "obedient," "genuine", "deserving belief", "credible", "unmistakable", "believing", "relying on", "obedient", and "loyal."
ἐγένου, ( verb 2nd sg aor ind mid ) "thou hast been" is ginomai, which means "to become", "to come into being", "to happen", of things "to be produced," of events "take place", "come to pass", "to be engaged in", math "to be multiplied into", "become one of", "turn into".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. --
ἴσθι ( verb 2nd sg pres imperat act ) "Thou" is eimi, which means "to be", "to exist", "to be the case," of circumstance and events "to happen", and "is possible." (The future form is esomai. The 3rd person present indicative is "esti.") --
ἐξουσίαν ( noun sg fem acc ) "Authority" is exousia which means "control", "the power of choice", "permission", "the power of authority", "the right of privilege", "abundance of means," and "abuse of power."
ἔχων (part sg pres act masc nom ) "Have" is echo, which means "to have", "to hold", "to possess", "to keep", "to have charge of", "to have due to one", "to maintain", "to hold fast", "to bear", "to carry", "to keep close", "to keep safe," and "to have means to do."
ἐπάνω (adv) "Over" is from epano, which is an adverb meaning "above", "on the upper side", "[former] times", "more [of numbers]", "in front of," and "in the presence of." --
δέκα (numeral) "Ten" is from deka, which means the number ten. -- "Ten" is the Greek word for the numeral "ten".
πόλεων. ( noun pl fem gen ) "City" is polis, which means "city", "citadel", "one's city", "one's country", "community", "state", "state affairs," and "civic duties." --