Upon meeting Nathaniel Batholomew
John 1:47 Behold an Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile!
John 1:47 Here truly is an Israelite in whom there is no deceit.
Look, actually an Israelite in whom deceit does not exist.
Deceit is more common the honesty.
This line is phrased like a joke about how deceitful most of his fellow countrymen are. The joke is hidden because the word order is changed and the key setup word is translated as the clunky "indeed." Final word is "exist." The actual word order is "Look, really, an Israelite in whom deceit does not exist."
- CW - Confusing Word -- The "indeed" is not the common word usually translated as "indeed."
- IW - Inserted Word -- The first word "is" doesn't exist in the source.
- IW - Inserted Word -- The word "there" doesn't exist in the source.
Behold -- "Behold" is a verbal command meaning "See!" and "Look!" It is from the most common word meaning "to see" in Greek. In a humorous vein, it is also an adverbial exclamation like we use the phrase "ta-da" in a magic show, or "voila" in French which means "see there". "Look here!" or "See there!" comes closest in English. Jesus uses it both ways.
an -- There is no indefinite article in Greek, but when a word doesn't have a definite article, the indefinite article can be added in English translation.
Israelite - The Greek word is the source of the English word, but originally from Hebrew. The Greek word is spelled the same as the English but with Greek noun endings. Jesus only uses this word once.
indeed, -- (CW) "Indeed" means "unconcealed," "so true," "real," "true," [as an adverb] "actually," "really." It is a Greek adverb not commonly used by Jesus in the other Synoptic Gospels. Luke it to replace the Aramaic word amen ("truly").
in -- The word translated as "in" means "in," "within," "with," "during" (time), or "among" with a dative object as the one here. With the accusative, it means "into," "on," and "for." When referring to time, it means "during." It can mean "on," "at," or "by" in the sense of "near."
whom -- The word translated as "whom" is a demonstrative pronoun ("this" "that"), but it often acts as a pronoun ("the one that), especially a connective pronoun ("the one that") introducing a dependent clause.
is -- The verb "is" 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
no -- The Greek word translated as "not" is the Greek negative used to deny objective facts, not opinions. It means "no," "not," or"no truly." It makes a negative statement of fact.
guile! -- "Deceit" is a noun that means "bait," "a cunning contrivance," "treachery," "trick," and "stratagem." It is only used in two other places by Jesus.
Here -- (WW) -- "Here" is a verbal command meaning "See!" and "Look!" It is from the most common word meaning "to see" in Greek. In a humorous vein, it is also an adverbial exclamation like we use the phrase "ta-da" in a magic show, or "voila" in French which means "see there". "Look here!" or "See there!" comes closest in English. Jesus uses it both ways.
truly, -- "Truly" means "unconcealed," "so true," "real," "true," [as an adverb] "actually," "really." It is a Greek adverb not commonly used by Jesus in the other Synoptic Gospels. Luke it to replace the Aramaic word amen ("truly").
is -- -- (IW) There is nothing that can be translated as "it" here in the Greek source. It appears in the following clause.
an -- There is no indefinite article in Greek, but when a word doesn't have a definite article, the indefinite article can be added in English translation.
Israelite - The Greek word is the source of the English word, but originally from Hebrew. The Greek word is spelled the same as the English but with Greek noun endings. Jesus only uses this word once.
in -- The word translated as "in" means "in," "within," "with," "during" (time), or "among" with a dative object as the one here. With the accusative, it means "into," "on," and "for." When referring to time, it means "during." It can mean "on," "at," or "by" in the sense of "near."
whom -- The word translated as "whom" is a demonstrative pronoun ("this" "that"), but it often acts as a pronoun ("the one that), especially a connective pronoun ("the one that") introducing a dependent clause.
there -- (IW) There is nothing that can be translated as "there" here in the Greek source. When the verb "to be" appears early in the clause before the subject, the sense is more like "it is" or, in the plural, "there are" but the verb "to be" appears at the end of the sentence as the punchline.
is -- The verb "is" 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.
no -- The Greek word translated as "not" is the Greek negative used to deny objective facts, not opinions. It means "no," "not," or"no truly." It makes a negative statement of fact.
guile! -- "Guile" is a noun that means "bait," "a cunning contrivance," "treachery," "trick," and "stratagem." It is only used in two other places by Jesus.
Ἴδε [166 verses](verb 2nd sg aor imperat act) "Behold" is eido which means "to see," "to examine," "to perceive," "to behold," "to know how to do," "to see with the mind's eye," and "to know.
ἀληθῶς [8 verses](adv) "Indeed" is alethos, which means "unconcealed," "so true," "real," "true," [as an adverb] "actually," "really," "realizing itself," "coming to fulfillment," "not forgetting," and "careful." --
Ἰσραηλείτης [1 verse](noun sg masc acc) "Israelite" is from the Greek word Israelites, which means "Israelite."
ἐν (prep) "In" is en, which means "in," "on," "at," "by," "among," "within," "surrounded by," "in one's hands," "in one's power," "during," and "with."With the accusative, it means "into," "on," and "for."
ᾧ (pron sg masc dat) This" is hos, which means "this," "that," "he," "she," "which," "what," "who," "whosoever," "where," "for which reason," and many similar meanings.
δόλος [3 verses]( noun sg masc nom ) "Guile" is from dolos, which means "bait," "a cunning contrivance," "treachery," "trick," and "stratagem."
οὐκ (partic) "Not" is ou ( οὒ ) which is the negative adverb for facts and statements, negating both single words and sentences. The other negative adverb, μή applies to will and thought; οὐ denies, μή rejects; οὐ is absolute, μή relative; οὐ objective, μή subjective.
ἔστιν (3rd sg pres ind act) "Is" is eimi, which means "to be," "to exist," "to be the case," of circumstance and events "to happen," and "is possible."