Luke 18:27 The things which are impossible with men

KJV

Luke 18:27  The things which are impossible with men are possible with God.

LISTENERS HEARD

These possibilities from people, these impossibles from the Divine, it is.

LOST IN TRANSLATION

In response to Jesus's statement about the problem with wealth, the apostles ask how anyone can be saved, specifically meaning "saved from death". In Greek, what we describe as "possibility" is about having certain powers or abilities. A shorter, pithier version of Matthew 19:26 and Mark 10:27. The KJV makes it less pithy and more like the other versions. All use the same basic vocabulary, except that Matthew and Mark both reference "all" in relation to divine power.

"The things which...impossible" " is from an adjective that means "unable to do a thing", "without power," and "powerless." Of things, it means "impossible," and "unrealizable." It comes from the negative of the word means "having power." This word is only used by Jesus here and in the similar quotes in Matthew and Mark.  The adjective is used as a plural, neutral noun being introduced by an article ("the"), which is where the "things" comes from. A very different word is translated as "impossible" in Luke 17:1. 

There is no Greek verb "are" in this part of the sentence. There is only one "are" and it comes at the very end of the verse here.

"With" is from a preposition that means "besides", "from", "near," and "by the side of."

The Greek word for "men" means "person" and "humanity" in the singular and "people" and "peoples" in the plural. Here it is plural.

The verb "are" here is the common form of "to be" in Greek. It means to have a certain characteristic or remain in a certain condition. It also equates terms or assigns characteristics.

"Possible" is from an adjective that means "strong", "mighty," and "practicable." Of things, it means "possible." It is the noun form of the verb means "having power." A verb is often translated as "can" in the Greek. The form of the word is again used as a plural neutral noun, being introduced by an article.

"With" is from a preposition that means "besides", "from", "near," and "by the side of."

The word translated as "God" means "God" and "deity." It is introduced with an article, so "the God." Jesus often uses it this way perhaps to indicate the one God as opposed to the pagan gods.

COMPARISON: GREEK to KJV

Τὰ ἀδύνατα [uncommon] ( adj pl neut nom) "The things which...impossible " is from adynatos, which means "unable to do a thing", "without power", "powerless", "without strength", "without skill," "(of things) impossible," and "unrealizable." As an adverb, "weakly," and "feebly."

παρὰ (prep) "With" is from para, which means "beside", "from the side of", "from beside,", "from", "issuing from", "near", "by", "with", "along", "past", "beyond", "parallel (geometry)", "like (metaphor)", "a parody of (metaphor)", "precisely at the moment of (time)," and "throughout (time)."

ἀνθρώποις  (noun pl masc dat) "Man" is from anthropos, which is "man," and, in plural, "mankind." It also means "humanity" and that which is human and opposed to that which is animal or inanimate.

δυνατὰ  ” (adj pl neut nom) "Possible" is from dynatos, which means "strong", "mighty," (of things) "possible," "powerful," "influential", "able to produce", "productive," (of things) "possible," and "practicable."

παρὰ "With" is from para, which means "beside", "from the side of", "from beside,", "from", "issuing from", "near", "by", "with", "along", "past", "beyond", "parallel (geometry)", "like (metaphor)", "a parody of (metaphor)", "precisely at the moment of (time)," and "throughout (time)."

τῷ θεῷ  (noun sg masc dat) "God" is from theos, which means "God," "divine," and "Deity."

ἐστιν, (verb 3rd sg pres ind act) "Is" is from eimi, which means "to be", "to exist", "to be the case," and "is possible." (The future form is esomai. The 3rd person present indicative is "esti.")
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