After Jesus reads at the meeting house in Nazareth and everyone is staring at him.
Luke 4:21 This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears.
Luke 4:21 Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.”
Today, it has been fulfilled, that writing there, in those ears of yours.
Words fill our ears and ideas fill our heads.
The humor here depends of the double meaning of the verb translated as "is fulfilled." It means both "fulfilling" a prophecy and "filling up"something." The "in the ears" is unnecessary if the point is the prophecy fulfilled. What makes the verse funny is the final phrase, "in those ears of yours" which changes the verb to meaning "filling up." "In" also can mean "between" to things, and "ears" also meant the "handles of a jug," so the implication is that their heads are jugs that have been filled full.
This day is(WT) this scripture(CW) (MW) fulfilled in your (MW) ears.
- WT - Wrong Tense - The "is" indicates the present tense but the tense is past perfect.
- CW --Confusing Word -- CW --Confusing Word -- The word "scripture" has a religious meaning that the Greek word didn't have.
- MW - Missing Word -- The word "there" before "fulfilled" is not shown in the English translation.
- MW - Missing Word -- The word "the/this" before "ears" is not shown in the English translation.
Today this scripture(CW) is(WT) (MW fulfilled in your (MW) hearing(WW).”
- CW --Confusing Word -- The "scripture" is more specific than the word's general meaning.
- MW - Missing Word -- The word "there" before "fulfilled" is not shown in the English translation.
- WT - Wrong Tense - The "is" indicates the present tense but the tense is past perfect.
- MW - Missing Word -- The word "the/this" before "ears" is not shown in the English translation.
- WW --Wrong Word -- The word translated as "hearing" should be something more like "ears."
This day -- The Greek word translated as "this day" is an adverb that means "for today" and "on this day." Jesus sometimes uses it as a noun by adding an article before it.
is -- (WT) This helping verb indicates the passive form of the verb. This verb is in the past, perfect tense so "has been" is correct.
this -- The word translated as "this" is the Greek definite article, "the," which usually precedes a noun. 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.
scripture - - (CW) "Scripture" is a noun that means "writing", "the art of writing," and "that which is written," so, the "writings." It doesn't have the specific sense of religious writing that "scriptures" does. It might also be worth noting that the Greek word translated as "scriptures" literally means "a drawing." For the Greeks, both drawings and words created a "picture" or a man-made, artificial representation of reality. The word "scripture" has a religious meaning that the Greek word didn't have.
missing "there" -- (MW) The untranslated word could be the singular adjective used as the subject pronoun in the feminine but since there is already a subject, this is more likely the adverbial form meaning "there."
fulfilled -- "Fulfilled" is a verb that means "to fill," "to fulfill," and "to fill full." However, its has a very strong sense of "making" something "full" or "complete."
in -- The word translated as "in" means "in," "within," "with" (an instrument), "by" (near), "by" (means of), "during" (time), or "among" with a dative object as the one here. When referring to time, it means "during." It can mean "on," "at," or "by" in the sense of "near."
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." The Greek article is much closer to our demonstrative pronouns ("this," "that," "these," and "those"). See this article for more.
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."
ears. -- The term translated as "ears" means "ear," things resembling a handle and is a metaphor for understanding.
Today -- The Greek word translated as "this day" is an adverb that means "for today" and "on this day." Jesus sometimes uses it as a noun by adding an article before it.
this -- The word translated as "this" is the Greek definite article, "the," which usually precedes a noun. 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.
scripture - - (CW) "Scripture" is a noun that means "writing", "the art of writing," and "that which is written," so, the "writings." It doesn't have the specific sense of religious writing that "scriptures" does. It might also be worth noting that the Greek word translated as "scriptures" literally means "a drawing." For the Greeks, both drawings and words created a "picture" or a man-made, artificial representation of reality. Its translation as "scripture" is more specific than the word's more general meaning.
missing "there" -- (MW) The untranslated word could be the singular adjective used as the subject pronoun in the feminine but since there is already a subject, this is more likely the adverbial form meaning "there."
is -- (WT) This helping verb indicates the passive form of the verb. This verb is in the past, perfect tense so "has been" is correct.
fulfilled -- "Fulfilled" is a verb that means "to fill," "to fulfill," and "to fill full." However, its has a very strong sense of "making" something "full" or "complete."
in -- The word translated as "in" means "in," "within," "with" (an instrument), "by" (near), "by" (means of), "during" (time), or "among" with a dative object as the one here. When referring to time, it means "during." It can mean "on," "at," or "by" in the sense of "near."
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." The Greek article is much closer to our demonstrative pronouns ("this," "that," "these," and "those"). See this article for more.
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."
hearing -- (WW) The term translated as "ears" means "ear," things resembling a handle and is a metaphor for understanding.
Σήμερον (adv) [14 verses](adv) "This day" is semeron, which is an adverb that means "for today" and "on this day."
πεπλήρωται [21 verses] (verb 3rd sg perf ind mp) "is fulfilled" is pleroo, which mean "to fill," "to fulfill," "to make full," "to make complete," "to pay in full," "to make pregnant," and "to fill full." With a genitive object, it means "full of." With a dative object, it means "filled with."
ἡ [821 verses](article sg fem nom) "This" is the Greek definite article, hos, ("the").
γραφὴ [13 verses](noun sg fem nom) "Scripture" is graphe, which means "representing by means of lines," "a drawing," "writing," "the art of writing," and "that which is written." -
αὕτη[42 verses] (adv, adj sg fem nom) Untanslated is aute, which could be the singular adjective used as the subject pronoun in the feminine but since there is already a subject, this is more likely the adverbial form meaning "there."
ἐν [413 verses](prep) "In" is en, which means, with an usual indirect (dative) object, "in," "on," "at," "by," "among," "within," "surrounded by," "in one's hands," "in one's power," "during," and "with." With a direct (accusative) object, it means "into," "on," and "for." Referring to time, it means. "in the course of" or "during."
τοῖς [821 verses](article pl neut dat) Untranslated is the Greek definite article, hos, ("the"). -
ὠσὶν [15 verses](noun pl neut dat) "Ears" is from ous, which means "ear" and things that resemble an ear, such as a handle on pitchers, cups, etc.
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.
There is a humorous feel to this because of the "filling in your ears" remark.