John the Baptist, description
Matthew 11:14 And if ye will receive it, this is Elias, which was for to come.
Matthew 11:14 And if you are willing to accept it, he is the Elijah who was to come.
And, if you all wanted to welcome him, he is Elijah, the one being destined to show up for himself.
A prediction come true is more interesting than a simple prediction.
The first part of this verse reads very differently in Greek from the KJV. It says literally, "if you all wanted to welcome him. The NIV is closer but it still missing the point, which seems somewhat humorous. Jesus says that we can only understand John if we want to welcome the idea the he was Elijah who was predicted to returned. This idea, which speaks of reincarnation, is still one that many Christians will definately not welcome.
- CW - Confusing Word -- The "will" does not mean the future tense. It means "want" or "desire.
- WT - Wrong Tense - The verb "will" is in the past tense, "wanted."
- CW - Confusing Word -- The "receive" is not the common word usually translated as "receive." It means "welcome"
- WF - Wrong Form - The "receive" is not an active verb but an infinitive, "to welcome."
- IW - Inserted Word -- The word "it" doesn't exist in the source.
- WW - Wrong Word -- The word translated as "this" should be something more like "he."
- WW - Wrong Word -- The word translated as "was" should be something more like "being destined."
- WT - Wrong Tense - The verb "was" is not the past tense but present "being destined."
- IW - Inserted Word -- The word "for" doesn't exist in the source.
- MW - Missing Word -- The word "by himself" or "for himself" is not shown in the English translation but it is needed because of the middle voice of the previous verb.
- CW - Confusing Word -- The "will" does not mean the future tense. It means "want" or "desire.
- WT - Wrong Tense - The verb "are" is in the past tense, "were."
- CW - Confusing Word -- The "receive" is not the common word usually translated as "receive." It means "welcome"
- IW - Inserted Word -- The word "it" doesn't exist in the source.
- IW - Inserted Word -- The word "the" doesn't exist in the source.
- WW - Wrong Word -- The word translated as "was" should be something more like "being destined."
- WT - Wrong Tense - The verb "was" is not the past tense but present "being destined."
- IW - Inserted Word -- The word "for" doesn't exist in the source.
- MW - Missing Word -- The word "by himself" or "for himself" is not shown in the English translation but it is needed because of the middle voice of the previous verb.
And -- 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 can be translated as "not only...but also." After words implying sameness "as."
if - -- The "if" here expresses a condition but it means nothing regarding whether that condition is met or not. It also means "if ever" and "whenever."
ye -- This is from the second-person, plural form of the verb.
will - (CW, WT) The Greek word translated as "will" is not the same as the helper verb "will" in English, which primarily expresses consent and even a delight in doing something. It means "to consent" and "to be resolved to a purpose." As a participle, it can mean "willingly" and "gladly."
receive -- (CW, WF) "Receive" is a word, which, when applied to people as it does here, means "to welcome," "to grant access," or "to receive with hospitality. It is no the word usually translated as "receive" in the NT, that word means "to get" something. It is in the form of an infinitive.
it,- (IW) There is nothing that can be translated as "it" in the Greek source.
this --(WW) The word translated as "this" is the Greek word commonly translated as third-person pronouns in English. "he." It is not the Greek word for "this."
is - "Is" is the Greek verb "to be" and in the third person singular of the verb "to be." This could be read as "He is" or "Elijah is." The position of the subject has a different meaning in Greek.
Elias, - "Elias" is the Greek form of the biblical name referring to the prophet Elijah.
which -- The word translated as "which" is the Greek definite article, which when not preceding a noun, takes the meaning of "the one" or, in the plural, "the ones." The Greek article is much closer to our demonstrative pronouns ("this," "that," "these," "those"). See this article for more.
was -- (WW, WT) "Was" is a Greek verb, which means "to be destined or likely to," "to be about to do something," or "to intend to" or "to have in mind to." It is in the form of a participle, uses as a noun. So "the one being destined to." It is not the verb "to be."
for- (IW) There is nothing that can be translated as "for" in the Greek source.
to -- This "to" is added because the infinitive form of the verb requires a "to" in English.
come. - "To come" is from a Greek verb which means "to come" and "to go." It primarily means "to start," "to set out," "to walk," "to arrive." It does not indicate movement "to" or "from" a given direction so it can mean either "to come" or "to go. It is a lot like our word "to show up." It is a present infinitive, "to show up."
missing "by/for himself"-- (WV) A phrase is necessary because the form of the previous verb is a middle voice, which means that the subject is to act "for himself" or "by himself."
And -- 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 can be translated as "not only...but also." After words implying sameness "as."
if - -- The "if" here expresses a condition but it means nothing regarding whether that condition is met or not. It also means "if ever" and "whenever."
you -- This is from the second-person, plural form of the verb.
are -- (WT) This helping verb indicates the present tense of the verb but the tense is hte simple past.
willing - The Greek word translated as "willing" expresss consent and even a delight in doing something. It means "to consent" and "to be resolved to a purpose." As a participle, it can mean "willingly" and "gladly."
to -- This "to" is added because the infinitive form of the verb requires a "to" in English.
accept -- (CW) "Accept " is a word, which, when applied to people as it does here, means "to welcome," "to grant access," or "to receive with hospitality. It is no the word usually translated as "receive" in the NT, that word means "to get" something. It is in the form of an infinitive.
it,- (IW) There is nothing that can be translated as "it" in the Greek source.
he - The word translated as "this" is the Greek word commonly translated as third-person pronouns in English. "he." It is not the Greek word for "this."
is - "Is" is the Greek verb "to be" and in the third person singular of the verb "to be." This could be read as "He is" or "Elijah is." The position of the subject has a different meaning in Greek.
the - (IW) There is nothing that can be translated as "the" in the Greek source.
Elias, - "Elias" is the Greek form of the biblical name referring to the prophet Elijah.
he is Elijah who was to come.
who -- The word translated as "who " is the Greek definite article, which when not preceding a noun, takes the meaning of "the one" or, in the plural, "the ones." The Greek article is much closer to our demonstrative pronouns ("this," "that," "these," "those"). See this article for more.
was -- (WW, WT) "Was" is a Greek verb, which means "to be destined or likely to," "to be about to do something," or "to intend to" or "to have in mind to." It is in the form of a participle, uses as a noun. So "the one being destined to." It is not the verb "to be."
to -- This "to" is added because the infinitive form of the verb requires a "to" in English.
come. - "To come" is from a Greek verb which means "to come" and "to go." It primarily means "to start," "to set out," "to walk," "to arrive." It does not indicate movement "to" or "from" a given direction so it can mean either "to come" or "to go. It is a lot like our word "to show up." It is a present infinitive, "to show up."
missing "by/for himself"-- (WV) A phrase is necessary because the form of the previous verb is a middle voice, which means that the subject is to act "for himself" or "by himself."
καὶ (conj) "And" is from 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."
εἰ (conj) "If" is from ei, which is the particle used to express conditions "if" (implying nothing about its fulfillment) or indirect questions, "whether." It also means "if ever," "in case," and "whenever." It is combined with various conjunctions to create derivative conditions.
θέλετε (2nd pl imperf ind) "Ye will" is from thelo, which as a verb means "to be willing (of consent rather than desire)," "to wish," "to ordain," "to decree," "to be resolved to a purpose" "to maintain," "to hold," "to delight in, and "will (too express a future event)." As an adverb, "willingly," and "gladly." and "to desire." As an adjective, it means "wished for" and "desired."
δέξασθαι, (aor inf mid ) "Receive" is from dechomai, which means "welcome," "accept," and "entertain" when applied to people and "take," "accept," and "receive" when applied to things.
αὐτός (adj sg masc nom ) "It" is from autos, which means "the same," and the reflexive pronouns, "myself," "yourself," "himself," "herself," "itself," or the oblique case of the pronouns, "him," "her," and "it." It also means "one's true self," that is, "the soul" as opposed to the body and "of one's own accord."
ἐστιν (verb 3rd sg pres ind act) "Is" is from eimi, which means "to be," "to exist," "to be the case," and "is possible."
Ἠλείας (noun sg masc nom) "Elias" is from Elias, the Greek spelling of the name
ὁ (article sg neut dat) "Which" is the Greek definite article, hos, ("the").
μέλλων (part sg pres act masc nom) "Was" is from mello, which means to "be destined or likely to," "might have, " "must surely have," "to be about to," "to be always going to do," "delay," and "to put off."
ἔρχεσθαι. (pres inf mp) "To come" is from 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.
“And John was something more,” guessed the woman, “He was something predicted.”
The Master laughed and nodded in agreement.
“And, if you all wanted to welcome him,” the Master announced, “he is Elijah, the one being destined to show up for himself.”