After the Last Supper, Jesus prays for the Apostles. He has defined perpetual life as how long it takes to know the Divine.
John 17:4 I have glorified thee on the earth: I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do.
John 17:4 I have brought you glory on earth by finishing the work you gave me to do.
I myself recognized you on the earth. I accomplished by myself the work which you have given me so that I perform...maybe.
It is better to mock our pomposity than be pompous.
This verse has a distinctly humorous tone of mock pomposity. This continues the tone set by his earlier talking about himself in the third-person (John 17:2) and giving himself a title (John 17:3). Jesus emphasizes himself in the first word, "I myself" and in this verb translated as "finished," which has the sense of "accomplished by myself." This is a little tease of the apostles who are listening.
Of course, the word "glorify" means "recognize" in the normal way of speaking. More about this word in this article.
The translations leave out a lot of surplus verbiage that acts as pause points for humor, the build-up to the punchline, the final verb. The verb is translated as an infinitive "to do," but it isn't. It is a little sentence. The word primary means "to make" and "to perform," but the funny part is how it ends on a note of uncertainty. We translate this uncertainty as "I might perform" but the "might" is at the end of the verb so the sense is "that I perform, maybe."
The verse's punchline
- MW -- Missing Word -- The pronoun repeats the information in the verb so it should be repeated in English like "I myself."
- CW - Confusing Word -- The word translated as "glorify" is more like "recognize."
- WT - Wrong Tense - The verb "have" before "glorify" indicates the past perfect tense, but the tense is something that happens at a specific point in time (past, present, or future).
- WT - Wrong Tense - The verb "have" before "finished" indicates the past perfect tense, but the tense is the present.
- WV -- Wrong Voice -- This verb is a middle voice, which requires a "by/for myself" or a "myself" as an object.
- WT --Wrong Tense - The English verb "gave" is the past tense, but Greek is in the past perfect, "have given.
- MW - Missing Word -- The word "that" is not shown in the English translation.
- IW - Inserted Word -- The word "to" doesn't exist in the source.
- MW -- Missing Word -- This verb is a subjunctive, which requires a "should" or "might" when outside of a when/if clause.
- MW -- Missing Word -- The pronoun repeats the information in the verb so it should be repeated in English like "I myself."
- WT - Wrong Tense - The verb "have" before "brought" indicates the past perfect tense, but the tense is something that happens at a specific point in time (past, present, or future).
- IW - Inserted Word -- The word "brought" doesn't exist in the source.
- WF -- Wrong Form - The "glory" is not a noun but an active verb "recognized."
- CW - Confusing Word -- The word translated as "glory" is more like "recognize."
- MW - Missing Word -- The word "the/this" before "earth" is not shown in the English translation.
- IW - Inserted Word -- The word "by" doesn't exist in the source.
- WF -- Wrong Form - The "finishing" is not a participle but an active verb "I am finishing."
- WV -- Wrong Voice -- This verb is a middle voice, which requires a "by/for myself" or a "myself" as an object.
- MW - Missing Word -- The word "which" is not shown in the English translation.
- WT --Wrong Tense - The English verb "gave" is the past tense, but Greek is in the past perfect,"have given."
- MW - Missing Word -- The word "that" is not shown in the English translation.
- IW - Inserted Word -- The word "to" doesn't exist in the source.
- MW -- Missing Word -- This verb is a subjunctive, which requires a "should" or "might" when outside of a when/if clause.
I -- The pronoun "I" is used here. When it has no verb, the verb "is" or the previous verb is assumed. When the subject of the sentence is part of the verb, its explicit use accentuates who is speaking "I." Saying "I myself" captures this feeling in English.
missing "myself" -- (MW) The subject pronoun repeats the information in the verb so it should be repeated in English like "I myself."
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.
glorified -- (CW) The Greek term translated as "glorified" is a word that primarily means "to imagine" and "to expect." It also means "to honor" in a sense. However, the word that it comes closest to in English is "to recognize" since that word captures both the mental "expectation" and "praising" sense of the word. The verb form also has the sense of spreading someone's good reputation, so "publicized and "proclaimed" also work. More about this word in this article.
thee -- The "thee/you" here is the singular, accusative (objective,) second-person pronoun. It is the object of either the action of the verb or a preposition. As an object of a preposition, it indicates movement or the result of movement.
on -- The word translated as "on" means "on," "over," "upon," "against," "before," "after," "during," "by" "in the case of."
the -- The word translated as "the" is the Greek definite article; without a noun, it has the sense of "the one." The Greek article is much closer to our demonstrative pronouns ("this," "that," "these," "those") than the English "the." See this article for more.
earth: -- The word translated as "earth" means "ground," "land," "country," and "dirt." Translated as "earth," it refers to the physical planet, not society, which Jesus describes as the world. See this article for more on these words.
I -- This is from the first-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.
finished " - - This verb means "to make perfect", "to make complete", "make perfect", "to bring to consummation," and "to bring fruit to maturity."
missing "by/for myself"-- (WV) A phrase is necessary because the form of the previous verb is a middle voice, which means that the subject is to act on "myself," "for myself" or "by myself."
the -- The word translated as "the" is the Greek definite article; without a noun, it has the sense of "the one." The Greek article is much closer to our demonstrative pronouns ("this," "that," "these," "those") than the English "the." See this article for more.
work -- The Greek word translated as "work" means "deeds," "actions," and "things" in the sense of "every thing."
which -- The word translated as "which" is a demonstrative pronoun ("this" "that"), but it often acts as a pronoun "which," "what," "who," "whosoever," "where," "for which reason," and many similar meanings.
thou -- This is from the second-person, singular form of the verb.
missing "have" -- (WT) The helping vcrb "have" is needed to show the past perfect tense of the verb.
gavest -- The verb translated as "gavest" means "to give," "to grant," "to hand over," "appoint," "establish," and "to describe." It is almost always translated as some form of "give."
me -- The "me" is in the indirect object form of the first-person pronoun, so usually "to me," "for me," and "by me."
missing "that" -- (MW) The untranslated word "that" is a conjunction that starts a subordinate clause "that," "when," "in order that" "when," or "because." It is used as an introduction to a command, where it isn't translated.
to -- (IW) This "to" is added because the infinitive form of the verb requires a "to" in English. That is not the form of the word.
missing "should" or "might"-- (MW) A helping verb is necessary because the following verb is a verb of possibility, a subjunctive, something that "should" or "might" occur. The helping verb is not needed in a clause beginning with an "if" or a "when."
do. -- The Greek word translated as "do" has the primary meaning of "making" or producing" something or "causing" or "performing" as service. It describes a productive action. It is in the first-person, subjunctive, active, "I might perform."
I -- The pronoun "I" is used here. When it has no verb, the verb "is" or the previous verb is assumed. When the subject of the sentence is part of the verb, its explicit use accentuates who is speaking "I." Saying "I myself" captures this feeling in English.
missing "myself" -- (MW) The subject pronoun repeats the information in the verb so it should be repeated in English like "I myself."
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.
brought -- (IW) There is nothing that can be translated as "brought" in the Greek source. IW - Inserted Word -- The word "brought" doesn't exist in the source.
you-- The "thee/you" here is the singular, accusative (objective,) second-person pronoun. It is the object of either the action of the verb or a preposition. As an object of a preposition, it indicates movement or the result of movement.
glory -- (WF, CW) The Greek term translated as "glory" is a word that primarily means "to imagine" and "to expect." It also means "to honor" in a sense. However, the word that it comes closest to in English is "to recognize" since that word captures both the mental "expectation" and "praising" sense of the word. The verb form also has the sense of spreading someone's good reputation, so "publicized and "proclaimed" also work. More about this word in this article. This is not the noun but the verb.
on -- The word translated as "on" means "on," "over," "upon," "against," "before," "after," "during," "by" "in the case of."
the -- The word translated as "the" is the Greek definite article; without a noun, it has the sense of "the one." The Greek article is much closer to our demonstrative pronouns ("this," "that," "these," "those") than the English "the." See this article for more.
missing "the/this" -- (MW) The untranslated word is the Greek definite article," the," which usually precedes a noun and, without a noun, takes the meaning of "the one." The Greek article is much closer to our demonstrative pronouns ("this," "that," "these," and "those"). See this article for more.
earth: -- The word translated as "earth" means "ground," "land," "country," and "dirt." Translated as "earth," it refers to the physical planet, not society, which Jesus describes as the world. See this article for more on these words.
by -- (IW) There is nothing that can be translated as "by" in the Greek source.
finishing " - - (WF) As a verb, it means "finishing", "to make complete", "make perfect", "to bring to consummation," and "to bring fruit to maturity." It would be in the form where the subject acts on themselves, "you might make yourself perfect." The word is an active verb not a participle.
missing "by/for myself"-- (WV) A phrase is necessary because the form of the previous verb is a middle voice, which means that the subject is to act on "myself," "for myself" or "by myself."
the -- The word translated as "the" is the Greek definite article; without a noun, it has the sense of "the one." The Greek article is much closer to our demonstrative pronouns ("this," "that," "these," "those") than the English "the." See this article for more.
work -- The Greek word translated as "work" means "deeds," "actions," and "things" in the sense of "every thing."
missing "which" -- (MW) The untranslated word "which" is a demonstrative pronoun ("this" "that"), but it often acts as a pronoun "which," "what," "who," "whosoever," "where," "for which reason," and many similar meanings.
you -- This is from the second-person, singular form of the verb.
missing "have" -- (WT) The helping vcrb "have" is needed to show the past perfect tense of the verb.
gave -- The verb translated as "gave " means "to give," "to grant," "to hand over," "appoint," "establish," and "to describe." It is almost always translated as some form of "give."
me -- The "me" is in the indirect object form of the first-person pronoun, so usually "to me," "for me," and "by me."
missing "that" -- (MW) The untranslated word "that" is a conjunction that starts a subordinate clause "that," "when," "in order that" "when," or "because." It is used as an introduction to a command, where it isn't translated.
to -- (IW) This "to" is added because the infinitive form of the verb requires a "to" in English. That is not the form of the word.
missing "should" or "might"-- (MW) A helping verb is necessary because the following verb is a verb of possibility, a subjunctive, something that "should" or "might" occur. The helping verb is not needed in a clause beginning with an "if" or a "when."
do. -- The Greek word translated as "do" has the primary meaning of "making" or producing" something or "causing" or "performing" as service. It describes a productive action. It is in the first-person, subjunctive, active, "I might perform."
ἐγὼ [162 verses](pron 1st sg masc nom) "I" is ego, which is the first-person singular pronoun meaning "I." It also means "I at least," "for my part," "indeed," and for myself.
σε: [48 verses](pron 2nd sg acc) "You" is from se the objective form of the second-person, singular pronoun. --
ἐδόξασα [18 verses] (1st sg aor ind act) "Glorify" is doxazo, which primarily means "to think", "to expect", "to imagine," or "to suppose." Secondarily, it means "to magnify" or "to extol," which is where we get the "glorify" used most often in NT translation. The English term "to recognize" carries the same sense of both seeing a person in the mind and honoring them.
ἐπὶ [138 verses](prep) "On" is from epi which means "on," "upon," "at," "by," "before," "across," and "against." With a noun in the possessive, genitive, it means "upon," "on" but not necessarily of Place, "by (of persons)," "deep (with numbers)," "in the presence of," "towards," "in the time of," and "over (referring to a person of authority)." With a noun indirect object, dative, it means of place: "upon," "on," or "over," of people: "against (in a hostile sense)," regarding a situation: "towards" or "in reference to," of an accumulation: "upon," "after," "addition to," and "besides," of position: "after," "behind," "in dependence upon," and "in the power of," of time: "by," and "after," and. in a causal sense: "of the occasion or cause," "of an end or purpose," "of the condition upon which a thing is done," "on condition that," and "of price." With the objective noun, an accusative, it means of place: "upon or on to a height," "up to," "as far as," "a little way," "a little," "towards," "to," in hostile sense: "against," of extension: "over," "over (a space)," of time: "for," "during," "up to" or "till," in a causal sense: "of (the object)," for (this purpose)," "as regards," "according to," and "by (this cause)." With verbs of perceiving, observing, judging, it means "in the case of."
τῆς [821 verses](article sg masc nom) "The" is the Greek definite article, hos, ("the").
γῆς,[59 verses](noun sg fem gen) "Earth" is ge, which means "the element of earth," "land (country)," "arable land," "the ground," and "the world" as the opposite of the sky. Like our English word "earth," it means both dirt and the planet.
τὸ [821 verses](article sg neut acc) "The" is the Greek definite article, hos, ("the").
ἔργον [31 verses] (noun sg neut acc) "Work" is ergon, which means "works," "tasks," "deeds," "actions," "thing," and "matter."
τελειώσας [5 verses](verb 1st sg pres ind mp) "Perfect" is teleioo, which is a verb that means "to make perfect", "to complete", "to bring to consummation," and "to bring fruit to maturity.
ὃ [294 verses](pron sg neut acc) "Which" is hos, which means "this," "that," "he," "she," "which," "what," "who," "whosoever," "where," "for which reason," and many similar meanings.
δέδωκάς [147 verses](2nd sg perf ind act) "Thou gavest" is didomi, which means "to give," "to grant," "to hand over," "appoint," "establish," and "to describe."
μοί, [96 verses](pron 1st sg masc/fem dat) "Me" is moi (emoi) , which can be the object of some prepositions and as the object of a verb means "to me" "for me," and "by me."
ἵνα [134 verses](adv/conj) Untranslated is hina, which means "in that place," "there," "where," "when," but when beginning a phrase "so that," "in order that," "when," and "because."
ποιήσω: [168 verses](verb 1st sg aor subj act) "Do" is poieo, which means "to make," "to produce," "to create," "to bring into existence," "to bring about," "to cause," "to perform," "to render," "to consider," "to prepare," "to make ready," and "to do." The accusative object is what is made. Double accusative is to do something to someone. When it has a genitive object, it means "made from." When it doesn't have an object, the verb is translated as "perform" or simply "do." When used with an accusative infinitive, it means to "cause" or "bring about." A dative object means "made with." With the preposition "into" (eis) it means "made into."