Matthew 23:32 Fill you up then the measure of your fathers.

Spoken to
audience

A long condemnation of the religious leaders of the time, honoring the righteous when dead.

KJV

Matthew 23:32 Fill ye up then the measure of your fathers.

NIV

Matthew 23:32 Go ahead, then, and complete what your ancestors started!

LISTENERS HEARD

And you yourselves fulfill the standard of those fathers of yours.

MY TAKE

You measure down to your fathers.

LOST IN TRANSLATION

In terms of humor, this verse is another punchline, one rubbing in the message. A "standard" is supposedly something difficult to meet, especially in Judean culture where forefathers were revered.

In most translations, the verb, meaning "fill" not "go ahead," is translated as a command, but it is difficult to see why. The sentence structure, beginning with "and you yourselves" is all wrong for a command.

The NIV version here is as bad as a New Living Translation or Message Bible version, having little to do with the Greek, as many translation problems as Greek words. More a reaction to an English translation than an actual translation.

# KJV TRANSLATION ISSUES
4
  • MW - Missing Word -- The word "and" is not shown in the English translation.
  • MW -- Missing Word  -- The pronoun repeats the information in the verb so it should be repeated in English like "you yourselves."
  • IW - Inserted Word -- The word "then" doesn't exist in the source.
  • MW - Missing Word -- The word "the" before "father" is not shown in the English translation.
# NIV TRANSLATION ISSUES
8
  • IP - Inserted Phrase-- The phrase "go ahead them" doesn't exist in the source.
  • CW - Confusing Word -- The "complete" does not capture the specific meaning of the word.
  • IW - Inserted Word -- The word "what" doesn't exist in the source.
  • MW - Missing Word -- The word "the" before "measure" is not shown in the English translation.
  • MW - Missing Word -- The word  "measure" is not shown in the English translation.
  • MW - Missing Word -- The word "the" before "ancestors" is not shown in the English translation.
  • WF - Wrong Form -  The "ancestors" is not in the form of a subject but a possessive.
  • IW - Inserted Word -- The word "started" doesn't exist in the source.
EACH WORD of KJV

missing "and"  -- (MW) The untranslated word "and." This is translated here as "then," which is very unusual. When the conjunction isn't used as "and" it means something like "also," but it usually appears after the verb.

Next, in the Greek, comes the pronoun "you." Again, this doesn't usually appear with a command or most other forms of a verb. Since it is already part of the verb, it is used explicitly only to create emphasis on the "you." It is plural.

Fill  - "Fill" is from a verb that means "to fill," "to fulfill," and "to fill full." The form would normally be seen as just as an active verb. The tense is at some specific point in time, which is usually translated as past in English. "You have fulfilled." The form could be a command, but more likely indicative because of the conjunction and pronoun that begin the sentence.

ye " -- The pronoun "you" is used explicitly as the subject of the sentence. Since it is already part of the verb, its use here creates emphasis on the "you" as we might say "you yourselves." It is plural.

missing "yourselves" -- (MW)  The subjective pronoun repeats the information in the verb so it should be repeated in English like "you yourselves."

up -- This completes the idea of the verb.

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

the -- The word translated as "the" is the Greek definite article, without a noun, it has the sense of "the one." The Greek article is much closer to our demonstrative pronouns ("this," "that," "these," "those") than the English "the." See this article for more. 

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 measurement. However, this is another noun form of the following verb, so only the term "measure" worked in English.

of -- This word "of"  comes from the genitive case of the following word that requires the addition of a preposition in English.  The most common is the "of" of possession.

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

missing "the"  -- (MW) The untranslated word is the Greek definite article, which usually precedes a noun and, without a noun, takes the meaning of "the one." The Greek article is much closer to our demonstrative pronouns ("this," "that," "these," "those"). See this article for more. 

fathers. -- "Father" is the common word that Christ uses to address his own Father, though it can mean any male ancestor. When talking to others, Christ uses it to refer to their ancestors.

EACH WORD of NIV

Go ahead then -- (IP) There is nothing that can be translated as "go ahead then" 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 ("also").

complete - (CW) "Complete " is from a verb that means "to fill," "to fulfill," and "to fill full." The form would normally be seen as just an active verb. The tense is at some specific point in time, which is usually translated as past in English.

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

missing "the"  -- (MW) The untranslated word is the Greek definite article, without a noun, it has the sense of "the one." The Greek article is much closer to our demonstrative pronouns ("this," "that," "these," "those") than the English "the." See this article for more. 

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

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

missing "the"  -- (MW) The untranslated word is the Greek definite article, which usually precedes a noun and, without a noun, takes the meaning of "the one." The Greek article is much closer to our demonstrative pronouns ("this," "that," "these," "those"). See this article for more. 

ancestors -- (WF) "Ancestors " is the common word that Christ uses to address his own Father, though it can mean any male ancestor. When talking to others, Jesus uses it to refer to their ancestors. The form is not a subject, but a possessive modifying an untranslated word.

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

COMPARISON: GREEK to KJV

καὶ [1089 verses](conj/adv) "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."

ὑμεῖς [92 verses](pron 2nd pl nom) "You" is from hymeis (humeis), which is the plural nominative form of the second person, "you." --

πληρώσατε [21 verses](verb 2nd pl aor imperat or verb 2nd pl aor ind act) "Fill" is pleroo, which mean "to fill," "to fulfill," "to make complete," "to pay in full," "to make pregnant," and "to fill full."

τὸ [821 verses](article sg neut acc)  "The" is the Greek definite article, hos, ("the"). 

μέτρον [4 verses] (noun sg neut acc) "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."

τῶν [821 verses](article pl masc gen)  Untranslated is the Greek definite article, hos, ("the")

πατέρων [191 verses](noun pl masc gen) "The Father" is from pater, which means "father," "grandfather," "author," "parent," and "forefathers."

ὑμῶν. [168 verses](pron 2nd pl gen) "Your" is from humon, the plural possessive form of su the pronoun of the second person, "you."

Unimportant Opinions and Imaginings

"And," he added, pointing at his accusers. "You.

"You have measured up," he said, standing up stiffly with his hand over his head as if being measured.

Then indicating a very low height.

"To the standards," he continued, indicating his hand.

"Of your forefathers," he finished, flashing that hand across his throat.

The crowd laughed at the idea of measuring up to the standards of murderers. His accusers protested angrily.

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