Matthew 24:25 Behold, I have told you before.

Spoken to
Apostles

A long section about "the end of the world" or, more precisely, "the culmination of an era."

KJV

Matthew 24:25 Behold, I have told you before.

NIV

Matthew 24:25 See, I have told you ahead of time.

 

LISTENERS HEARD

Look! I have told you before.

MY TAKE

The ability to predict the future demonstrates our understanding of the present.

GREEK (Each Word Explained Bottom of Page)
LOST IN TRANSLATION

Jesus used the exclamation "Behold," in Matthew 24:23 to describe others making claims about Christ. He will do this again in the following verse, Matthew 24:26. By using the same exclamation himself, he seems to be making fun of the use of that phrase by false prophets or playfully equating himself with them.

The Greek word translated as "told before" is only twice by Jesus, here and in the parallel verse in Mark. In Mark it is translated as "foretold" and is Jesus's only reference to making prophecies.

 

# KJV TRANSLATION ISSUES
0
# NIV TRANSLATION ISSUES
1
  • IW - Inserted Word -- The word "of time" doesn't exist in the source.
EACH WORD of KJV

Behold, "Behold" is from a verb meaning "Lo! Behold!" and "See there!" In a humorous vein, this about how Christ uses this like we use the phrase "ta-da" in a magic show, or perhaps more like "see!" in French. It is in the form of a command.

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

have -- This helping verb "have" indicates that the following verb is the tense indicating an action competed in the past.

told -- The Greek verb translated as "told...before" it is a compound word, using the common word for "to say" and "to speak" with the prefix meaning "before." It is used here in the sense saying something before.

you -- This form of you could be a simple indirect object, but the form can also mean "for your benefit."

before. -- -- This is from the prefix that means "before"of the previous verb.

EACH WORD of NIV

See,  - "See" is from a verb meaning "Lo! Behold!" and "See there!" In a humorous vein, this about how Christ uses this like we use the phrase "ta-da" in a magic show, or perhaps more like "see!" in French. It is in the form of a command.

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

have -- This helping verb "have" indicates that the following verb is the tense indicating an action competed in the past.

told -- The Greek verb translated as "told...before" it is a compound word, using the common word for "to say" and "to speak" with the prefix meaning "before." It is used here in the sense saying something before.

you -- This form of you could be a simple indirect object, but the form can also mean "for your benefit."

ahead. -- -- This is from the prefix that means "before" of the previous verb.

of time.  - (IW) These words aren't in the verse, but added to clarify what "before" means.

COMPARISON: GREEK to KJV

ἰδοὺ [52 verses]((verb 2nd sg aor imperat) "Behold is from idou, which means "to behold," "to see," and "to perceive." It acts as an adverbial phrase in this form meaning "Lo! Behold!" and "See there!' It is a form of the verb eido, which means "to see." --

προείρηκα [2 verses](verb 1st sg perf ind act) "I have told...before" is prolego, which means to "say beforehand," or "say by way of preface."

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

Unimportant Opinions and Imaginings

"See!" he said, the same gesture uncovering something hidden that he used when mimicking those making claims about Christ. "I have forewarned, you!

Front Page Date