John 13:19 Now I tell you before it come

Spoken to
Apostles

Jesus washes everyone's feet and puts on his clothes and tells them to learn what he has done for them.

KJV

John 13:19 Now I tell you before it come, that, when it is come to pass, ye may believe that I am he.

NIV

John 13:19 I am telling you now before it happens, so that when it does happen you will believe that I am who I am.

LISTENERS HEARD

From now on, I tell you before the occurrence so that you might trust me when it occurs because I myself exist.

MY TAKE

Things happen but Jesus and the Divine simply exist.

LOST IN TRANSLATION

The preposition phrase in the opening phrase means "from now on" or "from this point in time onward." The Greek verb translated as "come/come to pass" (KJV) and "happen" means "happen" or "occur" when referring to events. Its first use is an infinite used a verb describing the action. It is preceded by an article so it means "the happening" or "the occurrence." Interestingly, this is singular, referring to a single event. The word translated as "believe" does not mean religious faith as much as it means trusting a person, specifically in their words.

The final "I am" is better translated as "I myself exist." The "myself" captures the use of the subject  pronoun, which emphasizes the subject, and the "exist" because the verb "to be" means "exist" when refers to a person and doesn't connect the subject to another word. The meaning of this final phrase  is perhaps more easily understood as a contrast with verb "happens." This "happens" verb means a change from on state to another. It is the opposite of the verb to be, which indicates a static state. In other words, he is the opposite of changing. 

# KJV TRANSLATION ISSUES
8
  • MW - Missing Word -- The word "from" is not shown in the English translation.
  • CW - Confusing Word -- The "now" is not the common word usually translated as "now."
  • WW - Wrong Word -- The word translated as "it" should be something more like "the."
  • WW - Wrong Word -- The word translated as "come" should be something more like "become."
  • WF - Wrong Form -  The "come" is not an active verb but an infinitive used as a noun describing the action, "the happening" or "the occurrences."
  • CW - Confusing Word -- The "come to pass" is translated as "come" above.
  • MW -- Missing Word  -- The pronoun repeats the information in the verb so it should be repeated in English like "I myself."
  • IW - Inserted Word -- The word "he" doesn't exist in the source.
# NIV TRANSLATION ISSUES
6
  • MW - Missing Word -- The word "from" is not shown in the English translation.
  • CW - Confusing Word -- The "now" is not the common word usually translated as "now."
  • WW - Wrong Word -- The word translated as "it" should be something more like "the."
  • WF - Wrong Form -  The "happens" is not an active verb but an infinitive used as a noun describing the action, "the happening" or "the occurrences."
  • MW -- Missing Word  -- The pronoun repeats the information in the verb so it should be repeated in English like "I myself."
  • IP - Inserted Phrase-- The "who I am" doesn't exist in the source.
EACH WORD of KJV

missing "from"  -- (MW) The untranslated word "from" means "from" in both locations and when referring to a source or a cause. It also means the instrument "by" which a thing is done and "away from."

Now -- (CW) The Greek word translated as "now" means "just" or "exactly and "now" in the sense of "just now" when applied to time. It is not the common adverb usually translated as "now" but one that means "just now" or "as yet" implying a change in the future.

I -- This is from the first-person, singular form of the verb.

tell -- The word translated as "I tell" is the most common word that means "to say," "to tell," and "to speak,"  but when used with an objective noun or pronoun, the sense is "say of" or "speak of."  When two accusative objects are used, the sense is  "say of him this," or "call him this." The form Jesus uses to describe his own speaking can be either indicative, "I say/tell" or subjunctive, "I should/could say/tell."  It also has many ancillary meanings such as "to count" ("to number" or like we might say, "to recount" a story) or "to choose for yourself."

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.

before -- The Greek word translated as "before" means (of place) "before," "in front of," (of time) "before," (of preference), "rather than," "more than," and so on.

it -- (WW) The word translated as "it" 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. This article makes the infinitive acts like a noun.

come, -- (WW, WF) The word translated as "come" means "to become," that is, to enter into a new state. In Greek, especially as used by Jesus, it is the opposite of "being," which is existence in the current state. When applied to events, this word means "to happen," "to occur," or "take place." This is not an active verb but an infinitive used as a noun describing the action, "the happening" or "the occurrences.".

that, -- The word translated as "that" introduces a statement of fact or cause, "for what," "because," "since," and "wherefore."

when -- The Greek word translated as "when" introduces a phrase that explains a certain condition so "whenever" or "since."

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

is -- This helping verb "be" seems to indicate that the verb is the present tense but it isn't. It is a verb form that indicates an action at sometime, past , present, or future.

come to pass, --  (CW) The word translated as "come to pass" means "to become," that is, to enter into a new state. In Greek, especially as used by Jesus, it is the opposite of "being," which is existence in the current state. When applied to events, this word means "to happen," "to occur," or "take place." The "come to pass" has a similar meaning, but it confuses the actual vocabulary.

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

may -- This helping verb "may" indicates that the verb indicates a possibility, the subjunctive. Helping or auxiliary verbs are needed to translate the Greek verb forms into English.

believe-- The Greek word translated as "believe" does not apply to religious belief as much but trusting or relying upon other people, especially their words. Jesus usually uses it in contexts, such as the one here, that apply to trusting words.

that -- The word translated as "that" introduces a statement of fact or cause, "for what," "because," "since," and "wherefore."
I -- The pronoun "I" is used here. Since, as the subject of the sentence, it is part of the verb, its explicit use accentuates who is speaking "I." Saying "I myself" captures this feeling in English.

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

am -- The verb "am" here is the common form of "to be" in Greek. It means to have a certain characteristic or remain in a certain condition. It also equates terms or assigns characteristics.

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

EACH WORD of NIV

missing "from"  -- (MW) The untranslated word "from" means "from" in both locations and when referring to a source or a cause. It also means the instrument "by" which a thing is done and "away from."

I -- This is from the first-person, singular form of the verb.

am -- This helping verb indicates the present tense of the verb. It is used here to form the present, progressive tense, which doesn't exist in Greek but which can smooth the flow of English sentences..

telling -- The word translated as "telling" is the most common word that means "to say," "to tell," and "to speak,"  but when used with an objective noun or pronoun, the sense is "say of" or "speak of."  When two accusative objects are used, the sense is  "say of him this," or "call him this." The form Jesus uses to describe his own speaking can be either indicative, "I say/tell" or subjunctive, "I should/could say/tell."  It also has many ancillary meanings such as "to count" ("to number" or like we might say, "to recount" a story) or "to choose for yourself."

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.

now -- (CW) The Greek word translated as "now" means "just" or "exactly and "now" in the sense of "just now" when applied to time. It is not the common adverb usually translated as "now" but one that means "just now" or "as yet" implying a change in the future.

before -- The Greek word translated as "before" means (of place) "before," "in front of," (of time) "before," (of preference), "rather than," "more than," and so on.

it -- (WW) The word translated as "it" 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. This article makes the infinitive acts like a noun.

happens, -- (WF) The word translated as "happens" means "to become," that is, to enter into a new state. In Greek, especially as used by Jesus, it is the opposite of "being," which is existence in the current state. When applied to events, this word means "to happen," "to occur," or "take place." This is not an active verb but an infinitive used as a noun describing the action, "the happening" or "the occurrences.".

so that , -- The word translated as "so that" introduces a statement of fact or cause, "for what," "because," "since," and "wherefore."

when -- The Greek word translated as "when" introduces a phrase that explains a certain condition so "whenever" or "since."

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

does -- This English helping verb is used to create questions, commands, negative statements, and smooth word flow in translation from Greek

happen, --  The word translated as "happen" means "to become," that is, to enter into a new state. In Greek, especially as used by Jesus, it is the opposite of "being," which is existence in the current state. When applied to events, this word means "to happen," "to occur," or "take place."

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

will -- (WW) This helping verb "may" indicates that the verb indicates a possibility, the subjunctive. Helping or auxiliary verbs are needed to translate the Greek verb forms into English.

believe-- The Greek word translated as "believe" does not apply to religious belief as much but trusting or relying upon other people, especially their words. Jesus usually uses it in contexts, such as the one here, that apply to trusting words.

that -- The word translated as "that" introduces a statement of fact or cause, "for what," "because," "since," and "wherefore."
I -- The pronoun "I" is used here. Since, as the subject of the sentence, it is part of the verb, its explicit use accentuates who is speaking "I." Saying "I myself" captures this feeling in English.

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

am -- The verb "am" here is the common form of "to be" in Greek. It means to have a certain characteristic or remain in a certain condition. It also equates terms or assigns characteristics.

similar meaning, but it confuses the actual vocabulary.

who I am. -- (IP) There is nothing that can be translated as "who I am. " in the Greek source.

COMPARISON: GREEK to KJV

ἀπ᾽ [190 verses]​(prep) Untranslated is apo, a preposition of separation which means "from" or "away from" from when referring to place or motion, "from" or "after" when referring to time, "from" as an origin or cause. It also means the instrument "by" which a thing is done.  Usually takes the genitive object.

ἄρτι [13 verses](adv) "Now" is arti, which means "just," "exactly," and "just now."

λέγω [264 verses](1st sg pres ind act) "I tell" is lego, which means "to recount," "to tell over," "to say," "to speak," "to teach," "to mean," "boast of," "tell of," "recite," nominate," and "command." When used with an object is has the sense of "call by name."  It has a secondary meaning "pick out," "choose for oneself," "pick up," "gather," "count," and "recount." A less common word that is spelled the same means "to lay," "to lay asleep" and "to lull asleep."

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

πρὸ [12 verses](prep) "Before" is pro, which means (of place) "before," "in front of," (of time) "before," (of preference) "before" in time, "rather than," "more than," and so on.

τοῦ [821 verses](article sg masc nom)  "It" is the Greek definite article, hos, ("the"). 

γενέσθαι, [117 verses](verb aor inf mid) "It comes to pass" is ginomai, which means "to become," "to come into being," "to happen," of things "to be produced," of events "happen," "take place," "come to pass," "to be engaged in," math "to be multiplied into," "become one of," "turn into."and "to be." It means changing into a new state of being. When the participle takes a predicate, the sense is "coming into" something. It is the complementary opposite of the verb "to be" (eimi) which indicates existence in the same state.

ἵνα [134 verses](adv/conj) "That" is hina, which means "in that place," "there," "where," "when,"  but when beginning a phrase "that," "in order that," "when," and "because." -- The word translated as "that" is a conjunction that starts a subordinate clause  "that," "when," "in order that" or "because." -- The word translated as "there" is an adverb "in that place," "there," "where," or "when."

πιστεύητε [69 verses](verb 2nd pl pres subj act) "Ye may believe" is pisteuo, which means "to trust, put faith in, or rely on a person," "to believe in someone's words," "to comply," "to feel confident in a thing," and "to entrust in a thing."

ὅταν [70 verses](adv/conj) "When" is from hotan, which means "whenever (as a condition)," and "since (as a cause)."

γένηται [117 verses](verb 3rd sg aor subj mid) "It is come to pass" is ginomai, which means "to become," "to come into being," "to happen," of things "to be produced," of events "happen," "take place," "come to pass," "to be engaged in," math "to be multiplied into," "become one of," "turn into."and "to be." It means changing into a new state of being. When the participle takes a predicate, the sense is "coming into" something. It is the complementary opposite of the verb "to be" (eimi) which indicates existence in the same state.

ὅτι [332 verses](adv/conj) "That" 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."

ἐγὼ [162 verses](pron 1st sg masc nom) "I" is ego, which is the first-person singular pronoun meaning "I." It also means "I at least," "for my part," "indeed," and for myself.

εἰμι. .[614 verses]( 1st sg pres ind act) "Am" is eimi, which means "to be," "to exist," "to be the case," of circumstance and events "to happen,"  and "is possible." With the genitive object, the sense is "belongs to." It can also mean "must" with a dative.

Wordplay

 A play of the Greek meaning of "becoming" against the Greek meaning of "being." 

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