Luke 23:28 Daughters of Jerusalem, weep not for me,

KJV

Luke 23:28 Daughters of Jerusalem, weep not for me, but weep for yourselves, and for your children.

LISTENERS HEARD

Daughters of Jerusalem,  no, don't cry over me instead over yourselves cry and those children of yours.

LOST IN TRANSLATION

This verse is very straight forward. It is interesting, however, that Jesus often tell people not to weep. This is the only verse where he suggests they should.

The word translated as "daughters" means any female descendant and was used to address female servants and slaves. It doesn't not start the sentence, but the following word does.

 The word "of Jerusalem" denotes the city or its inhabitants. Two different forms of this word appear in the NT. This is the only time this form is used in Matthew. It is only used once in Mark, but not in Christ's words. It isn't used at all in John. This version is used most heavily in Luke, mostly in his narration, but a few times in Christ's words. It seems to be the more formally Greek version of the name.

The verb translated as "weep" means "to weep", "to lament," and "to cry". The form is either a command or a simple statement.

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 or don't think something that might be true. If it wasn't done or wasn't true, the objective negative of fact would be used.

The word translated as "for" means "on", "over", "upon", "against", "before", "after", "during", "by" or "on." The sense is "over", just was we say: "don't cry over spilt milk."

"Me" is the regular first-person pronoun in Greek.

The word translated as "but" is a less common preposition used like a conjunction that means "except", "save", "besides," and "in addition to."

The verb translated as "weep" means "to weep", "to lament," and "to cry". The form is either a command or a simple statement.

The word translated as "for" means "on", "over", "upon", "against", "before", "after", "during", "by" or "on." The sense is "over", just was we say: "don't cry over spilt milk."

"Yourselves" is a special reflexive pronoun that means "himself", "herself," and so on.

The Greek word translated as "and" is used as the conjunction "and", but it also is used to add emphasis ("also"). In a series, it is best translated as "not only...but also." After words implying sameness "as".

The word translated as "for" means "on", "over", "upon", "against", "before", "after", "during", "by" or "on." The sense is "over", just was we say: "don't cry over spilt milk."

The word translated as "your" is plural addressing a group of Jesus's listeners.

The word translated as "son" means "child" but in the most general sense of "offspring." Christ does not use it to refer specifically to children under seven, which is another term. See this article more about these words for "child."

 

COMPARISON: GREEK to KJV

Θυγατέρες (noun pl fem voc) "Daughters" is the Greek, thygater, which is generally a female descendant, "maidservant", "female slave," and "villages dependent on a city." --

Ἰερουσαλήμ,  (Aramaic noun) "Of Jerusalem" is Ierousalēmwhich is a form of word that denotes the city or its inhabitants. Two different forms, this form and Hierosolyma, appear in the NT. --

μὴ (partic) "Not" is me , which is the negative used in prohibitions and expressions of doubt meaning "not" and "no." As οὐ (ou) negates fact and statement; μή rejects, οὐ denies; μή is relative, οὐ absolute; μή subjective, οὐ objective. --

κλαίετε ( verb 2nd pl pres imperat act or  verb 2nd pl pres ind act ) "Weep" is from klaiowhich means "to weep", "to cry", "to lament," and "to wail." - 

ἐπ᾽ (prep) "For" is epi, which means "on", "over",  "upon", "at", "by", "before", "across," "after" in position, "during", and "against." --

ἐμέ: (noun sg masc acc) "Me" is eme, which means "I", "me", and "my". --

πλὴν (prep) "But" is from plen, which is a preposition meaning "except", "save", "besides," and "in addition to." Often used with the negative as a conjunction, "except not." -- 

ἐφ᾽ (prep) "For" is epi, which means "on", "over",  "upon", "at", "by", "before", "across," "after" in position, "during", and "against." -

ἑαυτὰς (pron pl fem acc) "Yourselves" is heautou, is a reflexive pronoun that means "himself", "herself", "itself" "themselves," and "ourselves." It is an alternative to autos. -- 

κλαίετε verb 2nd pl pres imperat act or  verb 2nd pl pres ind act ) "Weep" is from klaiowhich means "to weep", "to cry", "to lament," and "to wail."

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." --

ἐπὶ (prep) "For" is epi, which means "on", "over",  "upon", "at", "by", "before", "across," "after" in position, "during", and "against." -- The word translated as "unto" means "on", "over", "upon", "against", "before", "after", "during", "by" or "on."

τὰ τέκνα (noun pl neut acc) "Children" is teknon, which means "that which is born", "child," and "the young." --

ὑμῶν, (pron 2nd pl gen) "Your" is humon, the plural possessive form of su the pronoun of the second person, "you." --

Front Page Date