A parable describing a man traveling abroad, turning over his stuff to personal servants.
Matthew 25:19 After a long time the lord of those servants cometh, and reckoneth with them.
Matthew 25:19 After a long time the master of those servants returned and settled accounts with them.
With, however, a long delay, he showed up, the master of those servants there, and he got together an accounting with them.
The most important word in Greek, logos, is usually translated incorrectly as "word" in the Gospels (see this article). Here, its meaning is closer to "accounting," from one of its primary meanings "calculation." though The reason is that its use here doesn't conform to the way it is always translated in the Gospels.
- MW - Missing Word -- The word "however" is not shown in the English translation.
- MW - Missing Word -- The word "the" before "seervants" is not shown in the English translation.
- CW - Confusing Word -- The "reckoneth" does not capture the specific meaning of the word.
- MW - Missing Word -- The word "accounting" is not shown in the English translation.
- MW - Missing Word -- The word "however" is not shown in the English translation.
- MW - Missing Word -- The word "the" before "servants" is not shown in the English translation.
- CW - Confusing Word -- The "settle" does not capture the specific meaning of the word.
After - "After" is from the Greek word that is almost always translated as "with" or a related concept such as "among" or "by the means of." It is not the term usually translated as "after," but it has that sense when used in the context of time.
missing "however" -- (MW) The untranslated word "but" that joins phrases in an adversarial way. Since it always falls in the second position, translating it as "however" often captures its feeling better. This is not the important word I referred
a -- 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.
long - The word translated as "long" means many in number, great in power or worth, long in time, and large in size.
time - The word translated as "time" means "time," "time," "period," "date," "lifetime," "age," "season," "delay," and "tense." Jesus often uses in the general sense of "interval."
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.
lord - The Greek word translated as "lord," means "having power," "being in authority" and "being in possession of." It also means "lord," "master of the house," and "head of the family."
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. However, it can also mean "belonging to," "part of," "which is," "than" (in comparisons), or "for," "concerning" or "about" with transitive verbs. In references to time, it could instead be translated ‘during’, ‘at’, or ‘within’.
those - The word translated as "those" is an adjective that highlights its noun as being in a specific place or time from a word that means "there."
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.
servants - The noun translated as "servant" means "slave." It is translated as "servant" to update the Bible to the sense of the seventeenth century. Today, we would say "employee."
cometh, - The word translated as "cometh" primarily means "to start out," but Christ uses it to mean "come." It indicates movement, especially its beginning, without indicating a direction toward or away from anything, so it works either as "start," "come," or "go," but it is more like our phrase "being underway."
and -- The Greek word translated as "and" is used as the conjunction "and," but it also is used to add emphasis ("also").
reckoneth - (CW) "Reckoneth" is a Greek verb that means "gather in a harvest," "raise or use in helping," and "take part in a thing." It is a homonym, in this form, for another word that means "bring together in a small area." The sense here is "take part together." The idea of "reckon" may come from combining the verb with the missing word following.
missing "accounting" -- (MW) The untranslated Greek word means "calculation," or "reasoning," but it has many, many specific meanings from "deliberation" to "narrative." It is the source of our word "logic" and is the root word for all the English words that end in "-ology." Most biblical translations translated it as "word" for somewhat poetic reasons. However, when applied to people, it means "repute" or "reputation." More about this word in this article. In English, we would say "idea" to describe it but it also means the communication of various types, so "message" often works better. Here, however, it seems to refer to an "accounting."
with -- "With" is the Greek word that usually means "with" or a related concept such as "among" or "by the means of." It also refers to "after" or "behind" when referring to a place, time, or pursuit.
them. -- The word translated as "them" is the Greek word commonly translated as third-person pronouns in English.
After - "After" is from the Greek word that is almost always translated as "with" or a related concept such as "among" or "by the means of." It is not the term usually translated as "after," but it has that sense when used in the context of time.
missing "however" -- (MW) The untranslated word "but" that joins phrases in an adversarial way. Since it always falls in the second position, translating it as "however" often captures its feeling better. This is not the important word I referred
a -- 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.
long - The word translated as "long" means many in number, great in power or worth, long in time, and large in size.
time - The word translated as "time" means "time," "time," "period," "date," "lifetime," "age," "season," "delay," and "tense." Jesus often uses in the general sense of "interval."
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.
master - The Greek word translated as "master ," means "having power," "being in authority" and "being in possession of." It also means "lord," "master of the house," and "head of the family."
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. However, it can also mean "belonging to," "part of," "which is," "than" (in comparisons), or "for," "concerning" or "about" with transitive verbs. In references to time, it could instead be translated ‘during’, ‘at’, or ‘within’.
those - The word translated as "those" is an adjective that highlights its noun as being in a specific place or time from a word that means "there."
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.
servants - The noun translated as "servant" means "slave." It is translated as "servant" to update the Bible to the sense of the seventeenth century. Today, we would say "employee."
returned, - (CW) The word translated as "returned " primarily means "to start out," but Christ uses it to mean "come." It indicates movement, especially its beginning, without indicating a direction toward or away from anything, so it works either as "start," "come," or "go," but it is more like our phrase "being underway."
and -- The Greek word translated as "and" is used as the conjunction "and," but it also is used to add emphasis ("also").
settled - (CW) "Settled " is a Greek verb that means "gather in a harvest," "raise or use in helping," and "take part in a thing." It is a homonym, in this form, for another word that means "bring together in a small area." The sense here is "take part together."
accounts -- The Greek word means "calculation," or "reasoning," but it has many, many specific meanings from "deliberation" to "narrative." It is the source of our word "logic" and is the root word for all the English words that end in "-ology." Most biblical translations translated it as "word" for somewhat poetic reasons. However, when applied to people, it means "repute" or "reputation." More about this word in this article. In English, we would say "idea" to describe it but it also means the communication of various types, so "message" often works better. Here, however, it seems to refer to an "accounting."
with -- "With" is the Greek word that usually means "with" or a related concept such as "among" or "by the means of." It also refers to "after" or "behind" when referring to a place, time, or pursuit.
them. -- The word translated as "them" is the Greek word commonly translated as third-person pronouns in English.
μετὰ [103 verses](prep) "After" is from meta, which means "with," "in the midst of," "among," "between," "in common," "along with," "by the aid of," "in one's dealings with," "into the middle of," "coming into," "in pursuit of," "after," "behind," "according to," and "next afterward."
δὲ [446 verses](conj) Untranslated is the Greek word usually translated as "but" from de which means "but" and "on the other hand." It is the particle that joins sentences in an adversarial way but can also be an explanation of cause ("so").
πολὺν [61 verses](adj sg masc acc) "Long" is polys, which means "many (in number)," "great (in size or power or worth)," and "large (of space)." As an adverb, it means "far," "very much," "a great way," and "long." --
χρόνον [9 verses](noun sg masc acc) "Time" is chronos, which means "time," "a definite period of time," "period," "date," "term," "lifetime," "age," "season," "delay," and "tense."
ἔρχεται [198 verses](verb 3rd sg pres ind mp) "Cometh" is erchomai, which means "to start," "to set out," "to come," "to go," and any kind of motion. It means both "to go" on a journey and "to arrive" at a place. --
ὁ [821 verses](article sg masc nom) "The" is the Greek definite article, hos,
κύριος (noun sg masc nom) "Lord" is from kyrios (kurios), which means "having power," "being in authority" and "being in possession of." It also means "lord," "master of the house," and "head of the family."
τῶν [821 verses](article pl masc gen) Untranslated is the Greek definite article, hos, ("the").
δούλων [56 verses](noun pl masc gen) "Of...servant" is from doulos, which means a "slave," a "born bondsman," or "one made a slave."
ἐκείνων [107 verses](adj pl masc gen) "Those" is ekeinos, which means "the person there," "that person," "that thing," "in that case," "in that way," "at that place," and "in that manner."
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."
συναίρει [3 verses](verb 3rd sg pres ind act) "Reckoneth" is from synairo, which means to "take up together," "gather in" (a harvest), "celebrate together," "take part in" a thing raise, "use in helping," "help," "assist,""raise up together," "bind together," or "yoke together." Or "Reckoneth" is from synaireo, which means which means "grasp or seize together," "bring together in a small area," "shorten," "make away with," "destroy all trace of," "annihilate," "make short work of." and "help to take or conquer."
λόγον [80 verses](noun sg masc acc) Untranslated is the word usually translated as "word" from logos, which means "word," "computation," "relation," "explanation," "law," "rule of conduct," "continuous statement," "tradition," "discussion," "reckoning," and "value."
μετ᾽ [103 verses](prep) "With" is from meta, which means "with," "in the midst of," "among," "between," "in common," "along with," "by the aid of," "in one's dealings with," "into the middle of," "coming into," "in pursuit of," "after," "behind," "according to," and "next afterward." -- "After" is from the Greek word that is almost always translated as "with" or a related concept such as "among" or "by the means of." It is not the term usually translated as "after."
αὐτῶν. [720 verses] (adj pl masc gen ) "Them" is from autos, which means "the same," and the reflexive pronouns, "myself," "yourself," "himself," "herself," "itself," or the oblique case of the pronouns, "him," "her," and "it." It also means "one's true self," that is, "the soul" as opposed to the body and "of one's own accord." -- The word translated as "him" is the Greek word commonly translated as pronouns in English, but it has a few shades of meaning our pronouns do not have. The word technically means "the same," and when used as a pronoun can mean "the true self" as opposed to appearances.
"With a long delay," he said, walking around like a lord, "he makes his way back, the master of the servants there."
He indicated the three followers who were playing the parts of the three servants.
"And he takes up together an explanation," he said, gather with the three, "with them.