The lawyer asked," Who is my neighbor?" Jesus tells the Parable of the Good Samaritan.
Luke 10:33 But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was: and when he saw him, he had compassion on him,
Luke 10:33 But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him.
A Samaritan, however, someone wayfaring, came opposite him and, seeing [him], felt pity.
We act on our gut emotions not our mental posturing.
Σαμαρείτης δέ τις ὁδεύων ἦλθεν κατ᾽ αὐτὸν καὶ ἰδὼν ἐσπλαγχνίσθη,
A Samaritan, however, someone wayfaring, came opposite him and, seeing [him], felt pity.
The Greek word translated as "certain" in the KJV and left out of the NIV, is a word that means "anybody" or "somebody." This is the third time Jesus uses it, for the man robbed and for the priest. In these earlier verse, Jesus uses it to emphasize in a humorous way someone's importance but here he changes how it works. Its serves as the subject of a participle clause, "someone traveling."
The word translated as "journey" and "traveled" is an uncommon word, the verb form of the noun meaning "way" or "road." It is not an active verb but a participle so "wayfaring."
Jesus also changes the punchline here. It is still and uncommon, complicated word but it means to "feel pity." It is only used in the New Testament and only three times in Jesus's words. It doesn't exist elsewhere in Greek literature. It is based on the general Greek term for the inner organs. It is connected to the idea that the inner organs are one seat of human feelings. The English terms "eating one's heart out" and having "gut feelings" or having one's "insides ache" carry a similar sensibility. There is also a religious side that has no parallel in English because the term is also linguistically related to the idea of eating the inner organs of an altar sacrifice.
- WW - Wrong Word -- The word translated as "certain" should be something more like "somebody."
- IW - Inserted Word -- The "as" doesn't exist in the source.
- WF -- Wrong Form - This "journeyed" is not an active verb but a participle, a verbal adjective, ending with "-ing."
- WW --Wrong Word -- The word translated as "where" should be something more like "opposite."
- WF -- Wrong Form - This "he" is not a subject but an object.
- IW - Inserted Word -- The "was" doesn't exist in the source.
- IW - Inserted Word -- The "when" doesn't exist in the source.
- WF -- Wrong Form - This "saw" is not an active verb but a participle, a verbal adjective, ending with "-ing."
- WT - Wrong Tense - The verb "had" 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 "certain" should be something more like "somebody."
- IW - Inserted Word -- The "as" doesn't exist in the source.
- WF -- Wrong Form - This "traveled" is not an active verb but a participle, a verbal adjective, ending with "-ing."
- WW --Wrong Word -- The word translated as "where" should be something more like "opposite."
- WW --Wrong Word -- The word translated as "the" should be something more like "him."
- IP - Inserted Phrase-- The "man was" doesn't exist in the source..
- IW - Inserted Word -- The "when" doesn't exist in the source.
- WF -- Wrong Form - This "saw" is not an active verb but a participle, a verbal adjective, ending with "-ing."
But -- The Greek word translated as "but" means "but," "however," and "on the other hand." It joins phrases in an adversarial way. Since it always falls in the second position, translating it as "however" often captures its feeling better.
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.
certain -- (WW) The Greek word translated as "certain" in the singular means "anyone," "someone," "something," and "anything." The same forms are used both for the masculine or feminine so "anyone" works best for a person. In the plural, it means "everyone," "some," "they," and "those." Jesus often uses it to start a question so it means "who," "what," or even "why."
Samaritan, "Samaritan" is from the Greek form of the Hebrew word for the people and region. The Samaritans shared much of Jewish religion and culture but felt Judaism had been changed during the exile in Assyria and Babylon and they kept the original faith.
as -- (IW) This word is not in the Greek source. It was added because the next verb was translated as active rather than as a participle.
he -- This is from the third-person, singular form of the verb.
journeyed, - The Greek word translated as "as he journeyed" is a verb used only here in the NT. It means to "go" or "travel". It is the verb form of the word translated as "way" or "road". It is in the form of an adjective, "traveling". This is not an active verb but a participle, a verbal adjective, ending with "-ing."
came -- The word translated as "come" primarily means "to start out" but Christ usually uses it to mean "come" but not always. It indicates movement, especially its beginning, without indicating a direction toward or away from anything, so it works either as "start," "come," or "go," but it is more like our phrase "being underway." Our English word "show up" captures both the "start" and "come" ideas. See this article for more.
where -- (WW) The word translated as "where" means "down from," "down into," "against," "opposite," "separately," "at a time," "towards," "in accordance with," "concerning," "corresponding with," "during the course of a period," and "severally." This word doesn't mean "where."
he -- (WF) The word translated as "him" is the Greek adjective that acts like our third-person pronoun. The form is the third person, singular, masculine as a direct object of a verb or preposition. This is not a subject but an object.
was: (IW) This word is not in the Greek source. IW - Inserted Word -- The "was" doesn't exist in the source.
and -- The Greek word translated as "and" is used as the conjunction "and," but it also is used to add emphasis, "even," "also," and "just."
when (IW) This word is not in the Greek source.
he -- This is from the third-person, singular form of the verb.
saw -- - (WF) The verb translated as "saw" means "to see" but it is used like we use the word "see" to mean "to know" or "to perceive."In the past perfect tense, it means "to know," and that sense of knowing gives this word a sense of seeing and understanding. " This is not an active verb but a participle, a verbal adjective, ending with "-ing."
him -- There is no Greek pronoun here, but Greek does not need pronouns when the object can be assumed from the context. In English, they are added for the subject-verb-object form of our sentences.
he -- This is from the third-person, singular form of the verb.
had -- (WT) This helping verb "had" indicates that the verb is the tense indicating an action completed in the past. This is not the tense of the verb here.
compassion - "Had compassion" is from a verb that means to "to feel compassion."It is a New Testament word. It is from a word which means one's insides, intestines. So its sense is feeling something in your guts.
on him, -- There is no Greek pronoun here, but Greek does not need pronouns when the object can be assumed from the context. In English, they are added for the subject-verb-object form of our sentences.
But -- The Greek word translated as "but" means "but," "however," and "on the other hand." It joins phrases in an adversarial way. Since it always falls in the second position, translating it as "however" often captures its feeling better.
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.
missing "somebody" -- (MW) The untranslated word MW - Missing Word -- The word "somebody" is not shown in the English translation. "somebody" in the singular means "anyone," "someone," "something," and "anything." The same forms are used both for the masculine or feminine so "anyone" works best for a person. In the plural, it means "everyone," "some," "they," and "those." Jesus often uses it to start a question so it means "who," "what," or even "why."
Samaritan, "Samaritan" is from the Greek form of the Hebrew word for the people and region. The Samaritans shared much of Jewish religion and culture but felt Judaism had been changed during the exile in Assyria and Babylon and they kept the original faith.
as -- (IW) This word is not in the Greek source. It was added because the next verb was translated as active rather than as a participle.
he -- This is from the third-person, singular form of the verb.
traveled, - The Greek word translated as "as he traveled" is a verb used only here in the NT. It means to "go" or "travel". It is the verb form of the word translated as "way" or "road". It is in the form of an adjective, "traveling". This is not an active verb but a participle, a verbal adjective, ending with "-ing."
came -- The word translated as "come" primarily means "to start out" but Christ usually uses it to mean "come" but not always. It indicates movement, especially its beginning, without indicating a direction toward or away from anything, so it works either as "start," "come," or "go," but it is more like our phrase "being underway." Our English word "show up" captures both the "start" and "come" ideas. See this article for more.
where -- (WW) The word translated as "where" means "down from," "down into," "against," "opposite," "separately," "at a time," "towards," "in accordance with," "concerning," "corresponding with," "during the course of a period," and "severally." This word doesn't mean "where."
the -- (WW) The word translated as "the" is the Greek adjective that acts like our third-person pronoun. The form is the third person, singular, masculine as a direct object of a verb or preposition. This is not a subject but an object.
man was: -- (IP) There is nothing that can be translated as this phrase in the Greek source.
and -- The Greek word translated as "and" is used as the conjunction "and," but it also is used to add emphasis, "even," "also," and "just."
when (IW) This word is not in the Greek source.
he -- This is from the third-person, singular form of the verb.
saw -- - (WF) The verb translated as "saw" means "to see" but it is used like we use the word "see" to mean "to know" or "to perceive."In the past perfect tense, it means "to know," and that sense of knowing gives this word a sense of seeing and understanding. " This is not an active verb but a participle, a verbal adjective, ending with "-ing."
him -- There is no Greek pronoun here, but Greek does not need pronouns when the object can be assumed from the context. In English, they are added for the subject-verb-object form of our sentences.
he -- This is from the third-person, singular form of the verb.
took pity - "Took pity" is from a verb that means to "to feel compassion."It is a New Testament word. It is from a word which means one's insides, intestines. So its sense is feeling something in your guts.
on him, -- There is no Greek pronoun here, but Greek does not need pronouns when the object can be assumed from the context. In English, they are added for the subject-verb-object form of our sentences.
Σαμαρείτης [2 verses](noun sg masc nom) "Samaritans" is from Samarites, which means a "Samaritan." -
δὲ [446 verses](conj) "But" 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 an explanation of indirect cause ("so"). In an "if" (εἰ ) clause or temporal "when" (ὅταν) clause the sense is "if/when... then." In a series begun by men, its means "on the other hand." In a listing, the sense is "then" or "yet." After an interruption, "so then." It can also be an explanation of cause ("so"). When used with a conditional starting a clause, the sense is "if/when...then." When used with a particle meaning "indeed" the sense is "on one hand...on the other hand." In a listing, the sense is "then" or "yet." After an interruption, "so then."
τις [252 verses] (pron sg masc nom) "Certain" is tis, which can mean "someone," "something," "any one," "everyone," "they [indefinite]," "many a one," "whoever," "anyone," "anything," "some sort," "some sort of," "each," "any," "the individual," "such," and so on. In a question, it can mean "who," "why," or "what." Plural, "who are" is τίνες ἐόντες. It has specific meanings with certain prepositions, διὰ τί; for what reason? ἐκ τίνος; from what cause? ἐς τί; to what point? to what end? -- The Greek word translated as "any" in the singular means "anyone," "someone," "something," and "anything." The same forms are used both for the masculine or feminine so "anyone" works best for a person. In the plural, it means "everyone," "some," "they," and "those." Jesus often uses it to start a question so it means "who," "what," or even "why."
ὁδεύων [1 verse](part sg pres act masc nom) "As he journeyed" is from hodeuo, which means "go", "travel", and "travel over".
ἦλθεν[198 verses] (verb 3rd sg aor ind act) "Came" is erchomai, which means "to start," "to set out," "to come," "to go," and any kind of motion. It means both "to go" on a journey and "to arrive" at a place.
κατ᾽ [60 verses](prep/adv) "Where" is kata can be a preposition or an adverb. As a preposition with the genitive, it means, means "downwards," "down from," "down into," "against," "down toward," "down (from)," "by," and, or time, "for." With the accusative, it means "down (to)," "according to," "about," "by," " during," of motion, "on," "over," "throughout a space," "opposite," "separately," "individually," "at a time," "towards," "in accordance with," "concerning," "corresponding with," "during the course of a period," and "severally." As an adverb, it means "according as," "just as," "in so far as," "wherefore," "like as if" and "exactly as." As an adverb is means "downward" or "down."
αὐτὸν [124 verses](pron/adj sg masc acc) "Him/It" is auton, is the masculine, accusative case of the third-person, singular adjective that is used as a pronoun. Masculine pronouns can refer to things as well as people, so it can be it." The word also means "the same," and "of one's own accord." An accusative object of a preposition indicates movement towards something or a position reached as a result of that movement. Events may show the amount of time. However, masculine pronouns refer to masculine nouns, not just masculine people so this word can mean "it" as well as "he." As a preposition's object indicates movement towards something or a position reached as a result of that movement. Events may show the amount of time.
καὶ [1089 verses](conj/adv) "And" is kai, which is the conjunction joining phrases and clauses, "and," or "also." 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." In a series, it can be translated as "not only...but also." After words implying sameness "as."
ἰδὼν [166 verses](part sg pres act masc nom) "When he saw"is eido which means "to see," "to examine," "to perceive," "to behold," "to know how to do," "to see with the mind's eye," and "to know."
ἐσπλαγχνίσθη, [5 verses](verb 3rd sg aor ind mp) "He had compassion" is splagchnizomai, which means to "feel pity, compassion, or mercy." It is a New Testament word. It is from splanchnon which means ones insides, intestines.