Luke 23:29 For, behold, the days are coming, in the which they shall say, Blessed are the barren, and the wombs that never bare, and the paps which never gave suck.
Because, voila! They are showing up, days in which they are going to say, "Fortunate, the barren and the wombs that do not give birth and breasts that do not swell.
This verse seems to be a response to something said to him. Somewhat shockingly, the verse uses a number of words and clauses that Jesus usually uses only when he is being lighthearted. It could be that one of his common phrases "fortunate the ..." was used against him and his is responding.
The word translated as "For" introduces a statement of fact or cause. The use of this word often indicates the Jesus is answering a question asked of him.
"Behold" is a verbal command meaning "See!" and "Look!" It is from the most common word meaning "to see" in Greek. In a humorous vein, it is also an adverbial exclamation like we use the phrase "tah-dah" in a magic show, or "voila" in French. "Look!" or "See!" comes closest in English. Jesus uses it both ways. This is an exclamation Jesus commonly uses and we can easily imagined that it is used against him after he is condemned.
The Greek word translated as "days" also means "time," in general, and refers specifically to the "daytime."
The word translated as "are coming" 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 "come" or "go," but it is more like our phrase "being underway." Our English word "show up" captures both the "start" and "come" ideas.
The word translated as "in" also means "within", "with," or "among."
The word translated as "the which" is a demonstrative pronoun ("this" "that"), but it often acts as a pronoun ("the one that), especially a connective pronoun ("the one that") introducing a dependent clause.
"They shall say, " is from the Greek verb that means "to say" and "to speak" also. It is in the future tense.
The word "blessed" in Greek is an adjective a noun meaning "happy" or "fortunate" but with the sense of favored by God. It can also mean "wealthy" with in the sense of "the wealthy" (men with a fortune). This is the word that Jesus used in his teaching, often coupling it with a group of unfortunate. as in the Beatitudes
There is no "are" in the Greek. It is added here as it is added in the Beatitudes.
"The barren" is a verb that Jesus used unique here that means "has not brought forth young", "barren", "not having had offspring", and "virgin".
The Greek word translated as "and" is used as the conjunction "and", but it also is used to add emphasis ("also").
"The womb" is from the Greek noun that means the "cavity within the body" (from the Greek, koilos, for "hollow"). It means both the belly, the intestines, and the womb. The word is also used to mean "excrement," which fills the hollow.
The word translated as "that" is a demonstrative pronoun ("this" "that"), but it often acts as a pronoun ("the one that), especially a connective pronoun ("the one that") introducing a dependent clause.
The Greek word translated as "never" is the Greek negative used to deny objective facts, not opinions. It makes a negative statement of fact. It is not the combination of negatives that are usually translated as never.
"Bare" is from a Greek verb that means "to beget", "to bring forth", "to produce from oneself", "to create," and "to engender."
The Greek word translated as "and" is used as the conjunction "and", but it also is used to add emphasis ("also").
"Paps" is from another noun that Jesus uses nowhere else. It means "a woman's breast", "udder", "round hill". and round, breast-shaped object.
The word translated as "which" is a demonstrative pronoun ("this" "that"), but it often acts as a pronoun ("the one that), especially a connective pronoun ("the one that") introducing a dependent clause.
The Greek word translated as "never" is the Greek negative used to deny objective facts, not opinions. It makes a negative statement of fact. It is not the combination of negatives that are usually translated as never.
The word translated as "gave suck" doesn't mean feed as much as the idea of "thicken" or "fatten" or "cause to grow." It can also mean for a liquid to congeal. It hits me as a rather lighthearted word given the context.
ὅτι (adv/conj) "For" is hoti, which introduces a statement of fact "with regard to the fact that", "seeing that," and acts as a causal adverb meaning "for what", "because", "since," and "wherefore." -- The word translated as "that" introduces a statement of fact or cause.
ἰδοὺ (adv, verb 2nd sg aor imperat mid) "Behold is idou, which means "to behold", "to see," and "to perceive." It acts as an adverbial phrase in this form meaning "Lo! Behold!" and "See there!' It is a form of the verb eido, which means "to see." --
ἔρχονται ( verb 3rd pl pres ind mp ) "Are coming" 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. --
ἡμέραι ( noun pl fem nom ) "Days" is hemera, which, as a noun, means "day" "a state or time of life", "a time (poetic)", "day break" and "day time." It is also and also has a second meaning, of "quiet", "tame (animals)", "cultivated (crops)," and "civilized (people)." --
ἐν (prep) "In" is en, which means "in", "on", "at", "by", "among", "within", "surrounded by", "in one's hands", "in one's power," and "with". --
αἷς ( pron pl fem dat ) "The which" is hos, which means "this", "that", "he", "she", "which", "what", "who", "whosoever", "where", "for which reason," and many similar meanings.
ἐροῦσιν ( verb 3rd pl fut ind act ) "They shall say" is eipon, which means "to speak", "to say", "to recite", "to address", "to mention", "to name", "to proclaim", "to plead", "to promise," and "to offer." --
Μακάριαι (adj pl fem nom) "Blessed" is makarios which means "blessed", "prosperous", "happy", "fortunate," and "blissful." --
αἱ στεῖραι [unique]( noun pl fem nom ) "The barren" is steira, which means "has not brought forth young", "barren", "not having had offspring", and "virgin".
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." --
αἱ κοιλίαι (noun pl fem nom) "The wombs" is from the Greek, koilia, which means the "cavity within the body" (from the Greek, koilos, for "hollow"). It means both the belly, the intestines, and the womb. The word is also used to mean "excrement," which fills the hollow.
αἳ (pro pl fem nom) "That" is hos, which means "this", "that", "he", "she", "which", "what", "who", "whosoever", "where", "for which reason," and many similar meanings. --
οὐκ (partic) "Not" is ou which is the negative adverb for facts and statements, negating both single words and sentences. The other negative adverb, μή applies to will and thought; οὐ denies, μή rejects; οὐ is absolute, μή relative; οὐ objective, μή subjective. --
ἐγέννησαν [uncommon]( verb 3rd pl aor ind act ) "Bare" is from gennaô (gennao), which means "to beget", "to bring forth", "to produce from oneself", "to create," and "to engender." This is the causal form of gignomai, which is translated as "done" in the NT, but which comes closer in meaning to "become."
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."
μαστοὶ [unique] ( noun pl masc nom ) "Paps" is mastos, which means "a woman's breast", "udder", "round hill". and round, breast-shaped object.
οἳ (pro pl masc nom) "This" is hos, which means "this", "that", "he", "she", "which", "what", "who", "whosoever", "where", "for which reason," and many similar meanings. -- The word translated as "who" is a demonstrative pronoun ("this" "that"), but it often acts as a pronoun ("the one that), especially a connective pronoun ("the one that") introducing a dependent clause.
οὐκ (partic) "Not" is ou which is the negative adverb for facts and statements, negating both single words and sentences. The other negative adverb, μή applies to will and thought; οὐ denies, μή rejects; οὐ is absolute, μή relative; οὐ objective, μή subjective. -- The Greek word translated as "not" is the Greek negative used to deny objective facts, not opinions. It makes a negative statement of fact. Adding "really" to the sentence captures the same idea.
ἔθρεψαν. [uncommon]( verb 3rd pl aor ind act )"Gave suck" is from trepho, which means primarily, to "thicken or congeal [a liquid]", "cause to grow or increase", "bring up", "rear", "rear and keep [animals, slaves]", "tend", "cherish," "let grow (of parts of the body)", "cherish", "foster", "breed", "produce", "teem [of earth and sea]", "have within oneself", "contain", "maintain", "support," .Pass. "to be bred," and "reared."
After he warned the crying women, one of the Pharisees mocked him using his own words, "Voila, the condemned false prophet!"
Another mocked him using another of his common phrases, "Fortunate, the condemned false prophet!"
Ignoring them, one of the weeping women asked, "How can you console us and our children when these self-righteous are mocking you?"
The Nazarene answered, "Because, voila! They are showing up, days in which they are going to say, 'Fortunate, the barren and the wombs that do not give birth and breasts that do not swell.'"
Jesus ignored them