After a parable about caring for worldly goods..
Luke 12:21 So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.
Luke 12:21 This is how it will be with whoever stores up things for themselves but is not rich toward God.
So, this one? Hoarding for himself and not being rich as far as divinity
The self is temporary; the divine eternal.
The verse has no active verb. The "is" and "it will be" are added by the translators with nothing in the Greek to justify them. All the verbs are participles, verbal adjective, so it describes a person, "the one hoarding and not being rich toward divinity." The word for "God" is used without a definite article, "the Divine" so it refers less to the title and more toward the nature of God. It is a great example of the difference between a spoken statement versus a written one. The word "being rich" is used nowhere else by Jesus.
Notice how Jesus emphasizes "self" by adding the "for himself" after the verb. This emphasis has been hidden in the previous two verse, since Luke 12:19, and is hidden again in the following verse. This is a great example of Jesus's humor by repetition.
This is a great example of
The negative used here is the Greek negative of a subjective opinion, commands, and requests. The sense is that "you don't want" to do something, not that it isn't done. So, this "being rich as far as the divine" is a choice.
- IW - Inserted Word-- The "is" doesn't exist in the source.
- WF -- Wrong Form - This "laying up treasure" is not an active verb but a participle, a verbal adjective, ending with "-ing" in the present and "-ed," "en," etc. in the past.
- CW --Confusing Word -- The "divinity" doesn't precisely mean "God" in this context.
- IP - Inserted Phrase-- The "it will be with whoever " doesn't exist in the source. This is counted as 3 translation issues, not 1.
- WF -- Wrong Form - This "stores up treasure" is not an active verb but a participle, a verbal adjective, ending with "-ing" in the present and "-ed," "en," etc. in the past.
- WN --Wrong Number- The word "themselves " is translated as plural but the Greek word is singular.
- WW --Wrong Word -- The word translated as "but" should be something more like "and."
- CW --Confusing Word -- The "divinity" doesn't precisely mean "God" in this context.
So -- The word translated in KJV as "so" is in its adverbial form, so it means "in this manner," "so much," or "in this way."
is -- (IW) This word is not in the Greek source.
he -- This is from the third-person, singular form of the verb.
that -- The word translated as "that" 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.
layeth up --(WF) The word translated as "lay up" means "storage", "hoard", "lay up treasure." It is from a root verb that means "to lay up" "stockpile," or "store." Our noun "stockpile" works best for translation. This is not an active verb but a participle, a verbal adjective, ending with "-ing" in the present and "-ed," "en," etc. in the past.
treasure- This completes the meaning of the verb. It is from the prefix.
for -- This word "for" 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. However, the translator can choose other prepositions: "with," "in," "of," "as," "by," "for," "at," or "on" depending on the context.
himself, -- The word translated as "himself" is the Greek adjective that acts like our third-person, indirect object pronoun.
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."
is -- This helping verb indicates the present tense of the verb. It is used here to form the present, progressive tense, which doesn't exist in Greek but which can smooth the flow of English sentences.
not -- The negative used here is the Greek negative of a subjective opinion, commands, verbs of possibility, and requests. It applies to will, feeling, and thought.
rich -- (WF) This word means to "be rich", "to be wealthy", "becomes rich", and "to be rich" in a thing".
toward -- The word translated as "toward" means "into" a place, "towards" as a direction, "in" (a position), "as much as (of measure or limit)," "in regards to" a subject, "up to" limits in measures, "until" in reference to time, "within" a time limit, and "for" a purpose or object.
God. -- (CW) The word translated as "God" means "God" and "deity." Since it is not introduced by a definite article, "the Divine," it refers more generally to "divinity," the nature of God.
This is how -- The word translated in KJV as "so" is in its adverbial form, so it means "in this manner," "so much," or "in this way."
it will be with whoever -- (IP) There is nothing that can be translated as this phrase in the Greek source.
he -- This is from the third-person, singular form of the verb.
stores up --(WF) The word translated as "stores up" means "storage", "hoard", "lay up treasure." It is from a root verb that means "to lay up" "stockpile," or "store." Our noun "stockpile" works best for translation. This is not an active verb but a participle, a verbal adjective, ending with "-ing" in the present and "-ed," "en," etc. in the past.
things - (WW) This completes the meaning of the verb. It is from the prefix, which means "treasure."
for -- This word "for" 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. However, the translator can choose other prepositions: "with," "in," "of," "as," "by," "for," "at," or "on" depending on the context.
themselves , -- (WN) The word translated as "themselves " is the Greek adjective that acts like our third-person, indirect object pronoun. This word is not plural but singular. WN --Wrong Number- The word "believe" is translated as plural but the Greek word is singular.
but -- (WW) The Greek word translated as "but" is used as the conjunction "and," but it also is used to add emphasis, "even," "also," and "just." (WW) This word doesn't mean "but."
is -- This helping verb indicates the present tense of the verb. It is used here to form the present, progressive tense, which doesn't exist in Greek but which can smooth the flow of English sentences.
not -- The negative used here is the Greek negative of a subjective opinion, commands, verbs of possibility, and requests. It applies to will, feeling, and thought.
rich -- (WF) This word means to "be rich", "to be wealthy", "becomes rich", and "to be rich" in a thing".
toward -- The word translated as "toward" means "into" a place, "towards" as a direction, "in" (a position), "as much as (of measure or limit)," "in regards to" a subject, "up to" limits in measures, "until" in reference to time, "within" a time limit, and "for" a purpose or object.
God. -- (CW) The word translated as "God" means "God" and "deity." Since it is not introduced by a definite article, "the Divine," it refers more generally to "divinity," the nature of God.
[Οὕτως (adv) [54 verses](adv) "So" is houtos, an adverb that means "in this way," "therefore," "so much" w/gen., "to such an extent," "so very," "so excessively," and "that is why. With an imperative "just," "without more ado."
ὁ [821 verses](article sg masc nom) "He that" 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."
θησαυρίζων [3 verses] (part sg pres act masc nom) "Layeth up treasure" is thesaurizo, is a noun which means "storage", "hoard", "lay up treasure", or "laid-up treasure, and in the middle voice, "storage for oneself," and in the passive, "to be reserved." It is from a verb, tithemi, that means "to lay up" "stockpile," or "store."
αὐτῷ [106 verses](pron/adj sg masc/neut dat) "For himself" is is auto, the dative case of the third-person, singular adjective that is used as a pronoun. The word also means "the same,""one's true self," and "the soul" as opposed to the body. It also means "of one's own accord." The form is the third person, plural as an indirect object of the verb or the object of a preposition. When used as a noun, it is preceded by a definite article, and it means "the same."A dative object of a preposition implies no movement but in a fixed position. With the "to be," it acts as a possessive, "his."
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."
μὴ [447 verses](conj) "Not" is me , which is the negative used in prohibitions and expressions of doubt meaning "not" and "no." The negative, μή, rejects, is relative, and subjective. It is used with verbs of subjective action: thinking, feeling, seeing, etc. It is used in imperative and subjunctive clauses because both express opinions. With pres. or aor. subjunctive, it is used in a warning or statement of fear, "take care." The combination of ἵνα μή means "lest." The combination of ὅτι μή, means "except." Used before tis with an imperative to express a will or wish for something in independent sentences and, with subjunctives, to express prohibitions. It is used with infinitives that express a purpose. When used with verbs of physical action, its sense is that "not wanting" or "thinking" something, not that it isn't done or thought. With these verbs, the sense is rejecting the action, rather than simply not doing it. With the verb "to be," the sense is "doesn't seem." When a negative precedes the verb, it affects the whole clause. When it precedes other words, its force is limited to those words. Used with an imperative to express a will or wish. Used in negative conditional "when/if/whoever" clauses. With "have," the sense is "lacks" or "wants."
εἰς [325 verses](prep) "Into" is eis, which means "into (of place)," "up to (of time)," "until (of time)," "in" (a position), "as much as (of measure or limit)," "as far as (of measure or limit)," "towards (to express relation)," "in regard to (to express relation)," "of an end or limit," and "for (of purpose or object)."With verbs of speaking, it is the person spoken "to." With time, a limit "until," or a duration "for," "throughout," or a date, "on," "at." Used with ek, it means "from...to."
θεὸν [144 verses](noun sg masc acc) "God" is theos, which means "God," "divine," and "Deity."
πλουτῶν.] [1 verse] (part sg pres act masc nom) "Is...rich" is plouteo, which