Luke 6:38 Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure,

Spoken to
audience

Jesus begins teaching in the plain of Judea, attracting people from all over wanting to be healed.

KJV

Luke 6:38 Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.

NIV

Luke 6:38 Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.”

LISTENERS HEARD

Give and a good measure will be given to you, having been compressed and having been shaken, having been poured over. They will give into that lap of yours. Because, a measure that you measure? It will be measured in return to you. 

MY TAKE

We are mentally wired for the strategy "tit for tat."

GREEK ORDER

δίδοτε, καὶ δοθήσεται ὑμῖν:          μέτρον καλὸν  πεπιεσμένον                      σεσαλευμένον
Give    and will be given to you, a good measure having been compressed, having been shaken,

ὑπερεκχυννόμενον
having been poured over.

δώσουσιν         εἰς  τὸν  κόλπον   ὑμῶν:
They will give into that lap        of yours.

    γὰρ            μέτρῳ     μετρεῖτε            ἀντιμετρηθήσεται                    ὑμῖν.
that Because, a measure you measure? it will be measured in return to you. 

LOST IN TRANSLATION

Jesus's repeated use of "and" here is one of his humorous techniques, (see this article on Jesus's use of repetition in humor). It can be used to create pauses after interesting words or keep adding to something as a form of exaggeration (see this article on Jesus's humorous exaggeration). We are seeing a lot of this technique in this section of this teaching.

This type of exaggeration is seen in the description of a "good measure" as "having been compressed and having been shaken, having been poured over." In the Greek, the last part is a result of being shaken, there is no "and" before it. This is a "good measure" indeed.

There are many unique, unusual and long words in the verse, many of them used only by Jesus. This is usually a sign of humorous intent. Here both the noun and verb  "measure" are uncommon, and the "poured over" and "measured in return" a both unique to this verse. That last word is mistranslated in both English verses here. It has a the word translated as "measure" with a prefix that means "in return."

# KJV TRANSLATION ISSUES
10
  • WT - Wrong Tense - The "pressed" indicates the past tense but the tense is past perfect.
  • WT - Wrong Tense - The "shaken" indicates the past tense but the tense is past perfect.
  • IW - Inserted Word -- The word "together"  doesn't exist in the source.
  • OS -- Outdated Source -- The Greek word translated as "and " existed in the KJV Greek source but not the source we use today.
  • WT - Wrong Tense - The "running over" indicates the past tense but the tense is past perfect.
  • WW - Wrong Word -- The word translated as "men" should be something more like "they."
  • MW - Missing Word -- The word "the/this" before "bosom" is not shown in the English translation.
  • OS -- Outdated Source -- The Greek word translated as "the same " existed in the KJV Greek source but not the source we use today.
  •   IW - Inserted Word -- The word "withal  "  doesn't exist in the source.
  • WW - Wrong Word -- The word translated as "again" should be something more like "in turn."
# NIV TRANSLATION ISSUES
9
  • WT - Wrong Tense - The "pressed" indicates the past tense but the tense is past perfect.
  • WT - Wrong Tense - The "shaken" indicates the past tense but the tense is past perfect.
  • IW - Inserted Word -- The word "together"  doesn't exist in the source.
  • WT - Wrong Tense - The "running over" indicates the past tense but the tense is past perfect.
  • WV --Wrong Voice - The verb "poured" here is translated as passive but it is active.
  • WW - Wrong Word -- The word translated as "poured" should be something more like "give."
  • MW - Missing Word -- The word "the/this" before "bosom" is not shown in the English translation.
  • WW - Wrong Word -- The word translated as "use" should be something more like "measure."
  • MW - Missing Word -- The word "in use" is not shown in the English translation.
EACH WORD of KJV

Give, -- The verb translated as "give" means "to give," "to grant," "to hand over," "appoint," "establish," and "to describe." It is almost always translated as some form of "give."

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."In a series, it can be translated as "not only...but also." After words implying sameness "as."

it -- This is from the third-person, singular form of the verb.

shall -- This helping verb "shall" indicates that the verb is the future tense. Helping or auxiliary verbs are needed to translate the Greek verb forms into English.

be -- This helping verb "be" indicates that the verb is passive. Helping or auxiliary verbs are needed to translate the Greek verb forms into English.

given -- The verb translated as "given" means "to give," "to grant," "to hand over," "appoint," "establish," and "to describe." It is almost always translated as some form of "give."

unto -- This word "to" comes from the dative case of the following word that requires the addition of a preposition in English. The most common is a "to" for the English indirect object.

you-- The Greek pronoun "you" here is plural and in the form of an indirect object, "to you," "for you," etc. As the object of a preposition, this form implies no movement, but in a fixed position or events occur at a specified time or while the action was being performed. With the "to be," it acts as a possessive, "yours."

; good . -- The word translated as "good means "good," "beautiful," "noble," or "of good quality."    It is most often translated as "good" juxtaposed with "evil" in the New Testament, but the two ideas are closer to "wonderful" and "worthless," "noble" and "base."  See this article on the Greek words translated as "good." -- As an adverb,the word translated as "well" means, "well," "rightly,"  "happily,"  "thoroughly," "altogether," and "deservedly." 

measure, -- The word translated as "measure" means any measurement scale, not a specific scale. We use the word "standard" to capture the general idea of a measurement. However, this is another noun form of the following verb, so only the term "measure" worked in English.

pressed down, - (WT) "Pressed down"  means  to "compress", "squeeze", "press or weigh down (weight)", "press hard (army)", "repress", "stifle", "outweigh", "to be exhausted in the heat of the sun", and "determine precisely". This is the past perfect tense, a participle, and passive, so "having been pressed down. 

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."In a series, it can be translated as "not only...but also." After words implying sameness "as."

shaken --(WT) "Shaken" is a verb which means "to cause to rock," "to vibrate," and has the metaphorical meaning of "being tempest-tossed" It is in the form which indicates that subject acting on themselves. In English, we describe someone shaking themselves as "trembling."

together,  -- (IW) There is nothing that can be translated as "together" in the Greek source

and -- (OS) There is nothing in the Greek that can be translated as "and " in the source we use today but it does exist in the source that the KJV translators used.

running over, --(WT) "Running over" is means "to run over" from a root that means to "spill" and "pour out" and a prefix that means "over" and above."

shall -- This helping verb "shall" indicates that the verb is the future tense. Helping or auxiliary verbs are needed to translate the Greek verb forms into English.

men -- -- (WW) This should me "they" from the third-person, plural form of the verb.

give -- The verb translated as "given" means "to give," "to grant," "to hand over," "appoint," "establish," and "to describe." It is almost always translated as some form of "give."

into -- The word translated as "unto" 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.

your -- The word translated as "your" is a plural, second-person pronoun in the genitive case. This pronoun follows the noun so the possessive "of yours."

missing "the/this"  -- (MW) The untranslated word is the Greek definite article," the," which usually precedes a noun and, without a noun, takes the meaning of "the one." Before an adjective, participle, or infinitive it changes the following word to act like a noun. The Greek article is much closer to our demonstrative pronouns ("this," "that," "these," and "those"). See this article for more. 

bosom. - "Bosom" is the Greek noun that means "bosom", "lap", "fold of a garment", "womb", and, of the sea, "bay".  It is closer to the "lap" or "belly" than the chest. Jesus only uses this term three times.

For --The word translated as "for" introduces a reason or explanation so "because" and, in questions, "why." However, since this word always appears in the second position, it is more like an aside remark like, "consequently" or "as a cause." 

with -- This word "to" comes from the dative case 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.

the same -- (OS) There is nothing in the Greek that can be translated as "the same " in the source we use today but it does exist in the source that the KJV translators used.

measure -- The word translated as "measure" means any measurement scale, not a specific scale. We use the word "standard" to capture the general idea of a measurement. However, this is another noun form of the following verb, so only the term "measure" worked in English.

that  -- The word translated as "that" is a demonstrative pronoun ("this" "that"), but it often acts as a pronoun, "he," "she," "it," "which," "what," "who," "whosoever," "where," "for which reason," and many similar meanings.

ye -- This is from the second-person, plural form of the verb.

mete   - The Greek verb translated as "ye measure" and "it shall be measured" means primarily the measurement of size, but it can means any sort of measurement.

withal  -- (IW) There is nothing that can be translated as "withal  " in the Greek source.

it -- This is from the third-person, singular form of the verb.

shall -- This helping verb "shall" indicates that the verb is the future tense. Helping or auxiliary verbs are needed to translate the Greek verb forms into English.

be -- This helping verb "be" indicates that the verb is passive. Helping or auxiliary verbs are needed to translate the Greek verb forms into English.

measured -- "Measured" if from a verb that means "measure out in turn. It is a combination of the prefix which means "over against",  "equal to" "opposite" and "in return for" and the root verb, used above, which means to "to measure space", "to pass over space", "to traverse space", "to count size or worth", "to measure size or worth," and "to measure out" an amount.

to -- This word "to" comes from the dative case of the following word that requires the addition of a preposition in English. The most common is a "to" for the English indirect object.

you -- The Greek pronoun "you" here is plural and in the form of an indirect object, "to you," "for you," etc. As the object of a preposition, this form implies no movement, but in a fixed position or events occur at a specified time or while the action was being performed. With the "to be," it acts as a possessive, "yours."

again. (WW)  This is from the prefix of the verb which means "in turn," "over against",  "equal to" "opposite" and "in return for"

 

EACH WORD of NIV

Give, -- The verb translated as "give" means "to give," "to grant," "to hand over," "appoint," "establish," and "to describe." It is almost always translated as some form of "give."

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."In a series, it can be translated as "not only...but also." After words implying sameness "as."

it -- This is from the third-person, singular form of the verb.

will -- This helping verb "shall" indicates that the verb is the future tense. Helping or auxiliary verbs are needed to translate the Greek verb forms into English.

be -- This helping verb "be" indicates that the verb is passive. Helping or auxiliary verbs are needed to translate the Greek verb forms into English.

given -- The verb translated as "given" means "to give," "to grant," "to hand over," "appoint," "establish," and "to describe." It is almost always translated as some form of "give."

to -- This word "to" comes from the dative case of the following word that requires the addition of a preposition in English. The most common is a "to" for the English indirect object.

you-- The Greek pronoun "you" here is plural and in the form of an indirect object, "to you," "for you," etc. As the object of a preposition, this form implies no movement, but in a fixed position or events occur at a specified time or while the action was being performed. With the "to be," it acts as a possessive, "yours."

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.

good . -- The word translated as "good means "good," "beautiful," "noble," or "of good quality."    It is most often translated as "good" juxtaposed with "evil" in the New Testament, but the two ideas are closer to "wonderful" and "worthless," "noble" and "base."  See this article on the Greek words translated as "good." -- As an adverb,the word translated as "well" means, "well," "rightly,"  "happily,"  "thoroughly," "altogether," and "deservedly."

measure, -- The word translated as "measure" means any measurement scale, not a specific scale. We use the word "standard" to capture the general idea of a measurement. However, this is another noun form of the following verb, so only the term "measure" worked in English.

pressed down, - (WT) "Pressed down"  means  to "compress", "squeeze", "press or weigh down (weight)", "press hard (army)", "repress", "stifle", "outweigh", "to be exhausted in the heat of the sun", and "determine precisely". This is the past perfect tense, a participle, and passive, so "having been pressed down.

shaken --(WT) "Shaken" is a verb which means "to cause to rock," "to vibrate," and has the metaphorical meaning of "being tempest-tossed" It is in the form which indicates that subject acting on themselves. In English, we describe someone shaking themselves as "trembling."

together,  -- (IW) There is nothing that can be translated as "together" 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."In a series, it can be translated as "not only...but also." After words implying sameness "as."

running over, --(WT) "Running over" is means "to run over" from a root that means to "spill" and "pour out" and a prefix that means "over" and above."

will -- This helping verb "will" indicates that the verb is the future tense. Helping or auxiliary verbs are needed to translate the Greek verb forms into English.

be -- (WV) This helping verb "be" seems to indicate that the verb is passive but it isn't.

poured --(WW)  The verb translated as "given" means "to give," "to grant," "to hand over," "appoint," "establish," and "to describe." It is almost always translated as some form of "give."

into -- The word translated as "unto" 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.

your -- The word translated as "your" is a plural, second-person pronoun in the genitive case. This pronoun follows the noun so the possessive "of yours."

missing "the/this"  -- (MW) The untranslated word is the Greek definite article," the," which usually precedes a noun and, without a noun, takes the meaning of "the one." Before an adjective, participle, or infinitive it changes the following word to act like a noun. The Greek article is much closer to our demonstrative pronouns ("this," "that," "these," and "those"). See this article for more. 

lap. - "Lap" is the Greek noun that means "bosom", "lap", "fold of a garment", "womb", and, of the sea, "bay".  It is closer to the "lap" or "belly" than the chest. Jesus only uses this term three times.

For --The word translated as "for" introduces a reason or explanation so "because" and, in questions, "why." However, since this word always appears in the second position, it is more like an aside remark like, "consequently" or "as a cause." 

with -- This word "to" comes from the dative case 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

measure -- The word translated as "measure" means any measurement scale, not a specific scale. We use the word "standard" to capture the general idea of a measurement. However, this is another noun form of the following verb, so only the term "measure" worked in English.

that  -- The word translated as "that" is a demonstrative pronoun ("this" "that"), but it often acts as a pronoun, "he," "she," "it," "which," "what," "who," "whosoever," "where," "for which reason," and many similar meanings.

you -- This is from the second-person, plural form of the verb.

use- (WW) The Greek verb translated as "use" and "it shall be measured" means primarily the measurement of size, but it can means any sort of measurement.

it -- This is from the third-person, singular form of the verb.

will -- This helping verb "will" indicates that the verb is the future tense. Helping or auxiliary verbs are needed to translate the Greek verb forms into English.

be -- This helping verb "be" indicates that the verb is passive. Helping or auxiliary verbs are needed to translate the Greek verb forms into English.

measured -- "Measured" if from a verb that means "measure out in turn. It is a combination of the prefix which means "over against",  "equal to" "opposite" and "in return for" and the root verb, used above, which means to "to measure space", "to pass over space", "to traverse space", "to count size or worth", "to measure size or worth," and "to measure out" an amount.

missing "in turn"  -- (MW) The untranslated word  is from the prefix of the verb which means "in turn," "over against",  "equal to" "opposite" and "in return for"

to -- This word "to" comes from the dative case of the following word that requires the addition of a preposition in English. The most common is a "to" for the English indirect object.

you -- The Greek pronoun "you" here is plural and in the form of an indirect object, "to you," "for you," etc. As the object of a preposition, this form implies no movement, but in a fixed position or events occur at a specified time or while the action was being performed. With the "to be," it acts as a possessive, "yours."

COMPARISON: GREEK to KJV

,δίδοτε, [147 verses] (verb 2nd pl pres imperat act ) "Give" is didomi, which means "to give," "to grant," "to hand over," "appoint," "establish," and "to describe."

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." -

δοθήσεται [147 verses](3rd sg fut ind pass) "Shall be given" is didomi, which means "to give," "to grant," "to hand over," "appoint," "establish," and "to describe." -- The verb translated as "given" means "to give," "to grant," "to hand over," "appoint," "establish," and "to describe." It is almost always translated as some form of "give."

ὑμῖν [289 verses](pron 2nd pl dat) "To you" is humin the plural form of su the pronoun of the second person, "you."

μέτρον [4 verses] (noun sg neut nom) "Measure" is metron, which means "that by which anything is measured", "measure", "rule", "measure of content", "any space of measurable length", "limit," and "due measure."

καλὸν  [48 verses](adj sg neut nom) "Good" is kalos, which means "beautiful," "good," "of fine quality," "noble," and "honorable." Referring to parts of the body, "fair" and "shapely."As an adverb, kalos, the word translated as "well" means, "well," "rightly,"  "happily,"  "thoroughly," "altogether," and "deservedly."  The comparative form, "better" is κάλλιον (kallion), which only appears once in the NT (Act 25:10).

πεπιεσμένον [1 verse] (part sg perf mp neut nom/acc) "Pressed down" is from piezo, which means  to "compress", "squeeze", "press or weigh down (weight)", "press hard (army)", "repress", "stifle", "outweigh", "to be exhausted in the heat of the sun", and "determine precisely". 

σεσαλευμένον  [3 verses](part sg perf mp neut nom/acc )"Shaken "is saleusô, which means "to cause to rock," "to vibrate," "to wave to and frow, "move up and down," "roll," "toss," and metaphorically, "toss like a ship at sea," "to be tempest-tossed," and "be in sore distress."

ὑπερεκχυνόμενον [1 verse] (part sg pres mp neut nom) "Running overs" is hyperekchyno, which means "to run over". A combination of the prefix hyper and ekcheo, the verb "to run out". This prefix is hyper which means "over" (of place), "above' (in a state of rest), "off' (ships at sea), "over" and "across (in a state of motion), "over", "beyond" and so on. "Run out" is from ἐκχεῖταιekcheo, which means to "pour out", "pour away", " spill", "squander", "waste", "spread out", "throw down," and, as a metaphor, "to be cast away", "forgotten", "give oneself up to any emotion," and "to be overjoyed." 

δώσουσιν  [147 verses] (verb 3rd pl fut ind act or ) "Shall men give" is didomi, which means "to give," "to grant," "to hand over," "appoint," "establish," and "to describe."

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)."

τὸν [821 verses](article sg masc acc)  Untranslated is the Greek definite article, hos, ("the"). When not preceding a noun, takes the meaning of "the one" or, in the plural, "the ones."  Proper nouns do normally not take articles but they are needed when the noun ending cannot be changed to show the noun's role in the sentence as an object, indirect object, or genitive (possessive) form. However, the Greek article is very close to "this" so the purpose of an article like this can also be demonstrative. See this article.   -

κόλπον [3 verses](noun sg masc acc) "Bosom" is from kolpos, which means "bosom", "lap", "fold of a garment", "womb", and, of the sea, "bay".  

ὑμῶν [168 verses](pron 2nd pl gen) "Your/you" is humon, the plural possessive form of su the pronoun of the second person, "you." It is either a possessive pronoun or the object of a preposition.

 [294 verses](pron sg masc dat) "That" is hos, which means "this," "that," "he," "she," "it," "which," "what," "who," "whosoever," "where," "for which reason," and many similar meanings.

γὰρ [205 verses](partic) "For" comes from gar which is the introduction of a clause explaining a reason or explanation: "for," "since," and "as." In an abrupt question, it means "why" and "what."

μέτρῳ  [4 verses] (noun sg neut dat ) "Measure" is metron, which means "that by which anything is measured", "measure", "rule", "measure of content", "any space of measurable length", "limit," and "due measure."

μετρεῖτε  [3 verses](verb 2nd pl pres ind act) "Ye mete" is metreo, which means to "to measure space", "to pass over space", "to traverse space", "to count size or worth", "to measure size or worth," and "to measure out" an amount.  -

ἀντιμετρηθήσεται [ 1 verse] (verb 3rd sg fut ind pass) "It shall be measured again" is from antimetreo, which means "measure out in turn", "give". It is a combination of the prefix anti, which means "over against",  "equal to" "opposite" and "in return for" and  metreo, which means to "to measure space", "to pass over space", "to traverse space", "to count size or worth", "to measure size or worth," and "to measure out" an amount.

ὑμῖν [289 verses](pron 2nd pl dat) "To you" is humin the plural form of su the pronoun of the second person, "you."

Wordplay

Three verbs used as adjectives are used in a row, in  a form creating a series of rhymes. Since these words are all uncommon in Greek and two unique in Christ's words, this seems intentional. 

A noun "give" is followed by two verbs from the same root. One a common word and the other an invented word.  

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