Sermon on Mount, law and fulfillment, visible and hidden, debts and repayment, virtue and virtue signaling, the Lord's Prayer
Matthew 6:14 For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you:
Matthew 6:14 For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.
Matthew 6:14 If you forgive those who sin against you, your heavenly Father will forgive you.
Because if you should let go for these people those blunders of theirs, he is going to let them go also for you, that Father of yours, the heavenly one.
Letting go of other's shortcomings is the basis for our conquering our own shortcomings.
The Greek word translated as "trespasses" and "sins" means "missteps" and "blunders." However, it is not the word translated commonly as "sin" that means "missing the mark." The word translated as "forgive" has the sense of letting something go or dropping it (see this article on "sin" and "forgive").
The Greek words are structured in a humorous way. The words "blunders of yours" and "father of yours" play the role of a punchline at the end. The line "the heavenly one" plays the role of a followup punchline, implying that your earthly father might not let go of your shortcomings.
- MW - Missing Word -- The word "the" is not shown in the English translation.
- MW - Missing Word -- The word "the" is not shown in the English translation.
- WW - Wrong Word -- The word translated as "trespasses" means "missteps."
- MW - Missing Word -- The word "the" is not shown in the English translation.
- WP -- Wrongly Placed -- The word "heavenly" doesn't appear as part of the "father" phrase but with its own article afterward, "the heavenly one."
- MW - Missing Word -- The word "the" is not shown in the English translation.
- MW - Missing Word -- The word "for" is not shown in the English translation.
- WW - Wrong Word -- The word translated as "other" means "the."
- IW - Inserted Word -- The word "when" doesn't exist in the source.
- WF - Wrong Form - The "they" is not a subject but a possessive, "of their."
- MW - Missing Word -- The word "the" is not shown in the English translation.
- WW - Wrong Word -- The word translated as "trespasses" means "missteps."
- WF - Wrong Form - The "sin" is not a verb, but a noun.
- IP - Inserted phrase-- The phrase "against you" doesn't exist in the source.
- MW - Missing Word -- The word "the" is not shown in the English translation.
- WP -- Wrongly Placed -- The word "heavenly" doesn't appear as part of the "father" phrase but with its own article afterward, "the heavenly one."
- MW - Missing Word -- The word "the" is not shown in the English translation.
- MW - Missing Word -- The word "for" is not shown in the English translation.
- MW - Missing Word -- The word "for" is not shown in the English translation.
- MW - Missing Word -- The word "men" is not shown in the English translation.
- WF - Wrong Form - The "who" is not a subject but a possessive, "of their."
- MW - Missing Word -- The word "the" is not shown in the English translation.
- WW - Wrong Word -- The word translated as "trespasses" means "missteps."
- WF - Wrong Form - The "sin" is not a verb, but a noun.
- IP - Inserted phrase-- The phrase "against you" doesn't exist in the source.
- MW - Missing Word -- The word "the" is not shown in the English translation.
- WP -- Wrongly Placed -- The word "heavenly" doesn't appear as part of the "father" phrase but with its own article afterward, "the heavenly one."
- MW - Missing Word -- The word "the" is not shown in the English translation.
- MW - Missing Word -- The word "for" is not shown in the English translation.
For -- The word translated as "for" can be treated as supporting a dependent clause, or, the prevent a run-on sentence, as a "this is because..." to start a new sentence. Despite this role, it always appears in the second position.
if -- The Greek word meaning "when" indicates more of an expectation of something happening than "if" alone. This is often how we use the word "when." "Letting go of others mistakes" is a something that might happen but it doesn't guarantee the result.
ye -- This is from the second-person, plural form of the verb.
forgive-- The word translated as "ye forgive" primarily means "to let go," "to allow," or even "to send forth." This same word is usually translated as "leave," "forgive," "suffer," and "let" in the New Testament. This article discusses this word and the other words related to evil and sin.
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.
men -- The Greek word for "men" in the plural means "people" and "humanity" in general. The form makes it the indirect object of letting go but the sense is that you do this for the benefit of others.
their -- The word translated as "their" is the Greek word commonly translated as third-person pronouns in English. This pronoun follows the noun so "of theirs."
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.
trespasses, -- (WW) The uncommon (for Jesus) Greek word translated as "trespasses" here really means "false step," "misstep," or "blunder," though it also has an economic meaning of "an error in payment." It meant tresspass only in the sense of stepping into another's territory, not the most general meaning we have in English. It is a different word that gets translated as "trespasses" in Matthew 6:12 ("And forgive us our trespasses") in more recent translations. Again, the KJV stresses a moral meaning of the word that isn't there, but not as much as more recent translations, which sometimes translate this word in this verse as "sin" even though this is not the word normally translated as "sin" in biblical translations. For more about all these words, you may want to read this article (same as the one above) that explains their use. This word is used to mean going off the right path, or, more specifically, stumbling off that path. It means literally means "falling beside" the path.
your - The word translated as "your" is a plural, second-person pronoun in the genitive case. This pronoun follows the noun so "of yours."
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.
heavenly -- (WP) "Heavenly" is the adjective, "sky" introduced by an article, "the sky one" or "the heavenly one." This phrase appears after "the Father of yours" The word translated as "heaven" was the word used by the Greeks to refer to the universe outside of the planet. See this article for more perspective on the word and how Jesus uses it.
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.
Father -- The "Father" here is in the standard form Jesus uses, "the Father of yours." Christ seems to consider this form of the possessive somewhat distinctive because it is not that form he uses when he is pretending to speak for another.
will -- This helping verb "will" indicates that the verb is the future tense. Helping or auxiliary verbs are needed to translate the Greek verb forms into English.
also -- The Greek word translated as "and" is used as the conjunction "and," but it also is used to add emphasis ("also").
forgive -- The Greek word translated as "forgive" primarily means "to let go." Here it is in the future tense. Unlike the first phrase, it has no object, that is, the word "trespasses" is not repeated.
missing"for"-- (MW) The untranslated word comes from the dative case of the following word that requires the addition of a preposition in English, but the translator must decide which preposition to use: a "to" as an indirect object, a "with" for instruments, an "in" for locations, an "as" for purposes, an "of" for possession, a "by" for agents, an "as" for comparisons, "at" or "on" a time, and an "in" for area of effect.
you: The "you" is not the object of the "let go" or "forgiven" in this sentence. The "you" here is in a form that indicates an indirect object.
For -- The word translated as "for" can be treated as supporting a dependent clause, or, the prevent a run-on sentence, as a "this is because..." to start a new sentence. Despite this role, it always appears in the second position.
if -- The word translated as "if" makes reference to a time and event in the future that introduces but does not determine its outcome. "Letting go of others mistakes" is a requirement that might happen but it doesn't guarantee the result.
you -- This is from the second-person, plural form of the verb.
forgive-- The word translated as "ye forgive" primarily means "to let go," "to allow," or even "to send forth." This same word is usually translated as "leave," "forgive," "suffer," and "let" in the New Testament. This article discusses this word and the other words related to evil and sin.
other -- (WW) The word here 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.
people -- The Greek word for "people" in the plural means "people" and "humanity" in general. The form makes it the indirect object of letting go but the sense is that you do this for the benefit of others.
when -- -- (IW) There is no Greek word that can be translated as "when" in the Greek source.
they -- (WF) The word translated as "their" is the Greek word commonly translated as third-person pronouns in English. This pronoun follows the noun so "of theirs."
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.
sin , -- (WW, WF) The uncommon (for Jesus) Greek word translated as "sin" here really means "false step," "misstep," or "blunder," though it also has an economic meaning of "an error in payment." It is a noun, not a verb. It is a different word that gets translated as "trespasses" in Matthew 6:12 ("And forgive us our trespasses") in more recent translations. Again, the KJV stresses a moral meaning of the word that isn't there, but not as much as more recent translations, which sometimes translate this word in this verse as "sin" even though this is not the word normally translated as "sin" in biblical translations. For more about all these words, you may want to read this article (same as the one above) that explains their use. This word is used to mean going off the right path, or, more specifically, stumbling off that path. It means literally means "falling beside" the path.
against you, - (IP) There are no Greek words that can be translated as "against you" in the Greek source.
your - The word translated as "your" is a plural, second-person pronoun in the genitive case. This pronoun follows the noun so "of yours."
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.
heavenly -- (WP) The Father here is joined with an adjective form of "heaven" used as a noun so the sense is "the heavenly" or "the heavenly one." It appears after "the Father of yours"
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.
Father -- The "Father" here is in the standard form Jesus uses, "the Father of yours." Christ seems to consider this form of the possessive somewhat distinctive because it is not that form he uses when he is pretending to speak for another.
will -- This helping verb "will" indicates that the verb is the future tense. Helping or auxiliary verbs are needed to translate the Greek verb forms into English.
also -- The Greek word translated as "and" is used as the conjunction "and," but it also is used to add emphasis ("also").
forgive -- The Greek word translated as "forgive" primarily means "to let go." Here it is in the future tense. Unlike the first phrase, it has no object, that is, the word "trespasses" is not repeated.
missing"for"-- (MW) The untranslated word comes from the dative case of the following word that requires the addition of a preposition in English, but the translator must decide which preposition to use: a "to" as an indirect object, a "with" for instruments, an "in" for locations, an "as" for purposes, an "of" for possession, a "by" for agents, an "as" for comparisons, "at" or "on" a time, and an "in" for area of effect.
you: The "you" is not the object of the "let go" or "forgiven" in this sentence. The "you" here is in a form that indicates an indirect object.
missing "for"-- (MW) The untranslated word "for" can be treated as supporting a dependent clause, or, the prevent a run-on sentence, as a "this is because..." to start a new sentence. Despite this role, it always appears in the second position.
If -- The word translated as "if" makes reference to a time and event in the future that introduces but does not determine its outcome. "Letting go of others mistakes" is a requirement that might happen but it doesn't guarantee the result.
you -- This is from the second-person, plural form of the verb.
forgive-- The word translated as "ye forgive" primarily means "to let go," "to allow," or even "to send forth." This same word is usually translated as "leave," "forgive," "suffer," and "let" in the New Testament. This article discusses this word and the other words related to evil and sin.
those -- The word here 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.
missing "men"-- (MW) The untranslated word "men" in the plural means "people" and "humanity" in general. The form makes it the indirect object of letting go but the sense is that you do this for the benefit of others.
who -- (WF) The word translated as "who" is the Greek word commonly translated as third-person pronouns in English. This pronoun follows the noun so "of theirs."
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.
sin , -- (WW, WF) The uncommon (for Jesus) Greek word translated as "sin" here really means "false step," "misstep," or "blunder," though it also has an economic meaning of "an error in payment." It is a noun, not a verb. It is a different word that gets translated as "trespasses" in Matthew 6:12 ("And forgive us our trespasses") in more recent translations. Again, the KJV stresses a moral meaning of the word that isn't there, but not as much as more recent translations, which sometimes translate this word in this verse as "sin" even though this is not the word normally translated as "sin" in biblical translations. For more about all these words, you may want to read this article (same as the one above) that explains their use. This word is used to mean going off the right path, or, more specifically, stumbling off that path. It means literally means "falling beside" the path.
against you, - (IP) There are no Greek words that can be translated as "against you" in the Greek source.
your - The word translated as "your" is a plural, second-person pronoun in the genitive case. This pronoun follows the noun so "of yours."
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.
heavenly -- (WP) The Father here is joined with an adjective form of "heaven" used as a noun so the sense is "the heavenly" or "the heavenly one." It appears after "the Father of yours"
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.
Father -- The "Father" here is in the standard form Jesus uses, "the Father of yours." Christ seems to consider this form of the possessive somewhat distinctive because it is not that form he uses when he is pretending to speak for another.
will -- This helping verb "will" indicates that the verb is the future tense. Helping or auxiliary verbs are needed to translate the Greek verb forms into English.
missing "also"-- (MW) The untranslated word is "and" is used as the conjunction "and," but it also is used to add emphasis ("also").
forgive -- The Greek word translated as "forgive" primarily means "to let go." Here it is in the future tense. Unlike the first phrase, it has no object, that is, the word "trespasses" is not repeated.
missing"for"-- (MW) The untranslated word comes from the dative case of the following word that requires the addition of a preposition in English, but the translator must decide which preposition to use: a "to" as an indirect object, a "with" for instruments, an "in" for locations, an "as" for purposes, an "of" for possession, a "by" for agents, an "as" for comparisons, "at" or "on" a time, and an "in" for area of effect.
you: The "you" is not the object of the "let go" or "forgiven" in this sentence. The "you" here is in a form that indicates an indirect object.
Ἐὰν (conj) "If" is from ean, which is a conditional particle, derived from ei ("if") and the particle an (indicating the possibility of something, i.e. "might"), so it literally it means "if might," but the "might" is often omitted because the possibility of the situation is often obvious from the "if" alone.
γὰρ (adv) "For" comes from gar which is the introduction of a clause explaining a reason or explanation: "for," "since," and "as." In an abrupt question it means "why" and "what."
ἀφῆτε (2nd pl aor subj act) "Ye forgive" is from aphiemi, which means "to let fall," "to send away," "give up," "hand over," "to let loose," "to get rid of," "to leave alone," "to pass by," "to permit," and "to send forth from oneself."
τοῖς (article pl masc dat) Untranslated is the Greek definite article, hos, ("the"), which usually precedes a noun and, without a noun, takes the meaning of "the one" or, in the plural, "the ones."
ἀνθρώποις (noun pl masc dat) "Men" is from anthropos, which is "man," and, in plural, "mankind." It also means "humanity" and that which is human and opposed to that which is animal or inanimate.
τὰ (article pl neut acc) Untranslated is the Greek definite article, hos, ("the"), which usually precedes a noun and, without a noun, takes the meaning of "the one" or, in the plural, "the ones."
παραπτώματα [2 verses] (noun pl neut acc) "Trespasses" is from paraptoma, which means "false step," "slip," "blunder," "defeat," "transgression," "trespass," and "error in amount of payments."
αὐτῶν, (adj pl masc gen) "Their" 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."
ἀφήσει (3rd sg fut ind act) "will forgive" is from aphiemi, which means "to let fall," "to send away," "give up," "hand over," "to let loose," "to get rid of," "to leave alone," "to pass by," "to permit," and "to send forth from oneself." .
καὶ (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."
ὑμῖν (pron 2nd pl dat) "You" is from humas and humon, which is a plural form of su the pronoun of the second person, "you."
ὁ (article sg masc nom) Untranslated is the Greek definite article, hos, ("the"), which usually precedes a noun and, without a noun, takes the meaning of "the one" or, in the plural, "the ones."
πατὴρ (noun sg masc nom) "Father" is from pater, which means "father," "grandfather," "author," "parent," and "forefathers."
ὑμῶν (pron 2nd pl gen) "Your" is from humon, which is a plural form of su the pronoun of the second person, "you."
ὁ (article sg masc nom) Untranslated is the Greek definite article, hos, ("the"), which usually precedes a noun and, without a noun, takes the meaning of "the one" or, in the plural, "the ones."
οὐράνιος: [7 verses](adj sg masc nom) "Heaven" is ouranios, which is the adjective form of heaven meaning means "heavenly," dwelling in heaven " and as a metaphor, "colossal." -
The "your Father, the universal one" is a play on words contrasting the private "your Father" is also the public "universal Father." The "blunders" are omitted in the second part of this verse because the Father has "let them go."
“You surely don’t mean for us to let go of lending based upon good business decisions,” Tamar’s father, Enoch, said with assurance, but then he asked gruffly, “But why should we let those people go who slipup, make mistakes, in their social or business judgment?”
The Nazarene nodded happily at this question.
“Because when you all let go,” he said, addressing everyone, “of those people...”
He said, “those people,” in the same gruff tone used by Enoch as he had said it using the aristocratic accent of Abbiah earlier.
We laughed.
As the Master walked toward Enoch, he stumbled of the protruding stone he had rested his foot on earlier. He gave the rock a dirty look.
We laughed again.
“Those missteps of theirs,” the Teacher continued with a shrug. “He will let you go as well, that Father of yours, the sky one.”