- *G2903 *4 κράτιστος (krat'-is-tos) : superlative of a derivative of G2904; strongest, i.e. (in dignity) very honorable:--most excellent (noble).
- κρατιστε *3
- Luke 1:3 ... to write unto thee in order, most excellent Theophilus,
- Acts 24:3 ... always, and in all places, most noble Felix, with all thankfulness.
- Acts 26:25 ... I am not mad, most noble Festus; but speak forth ...
- κρατιστω
- Acts 23:26 Claudius Lysias unto the most excellent governor Felix sendeth greeting.
24. Luke 1:3 Most excellent
Luke 1:3 It seemed good to me also, having had perfect understanding of all things from the very first, to write unto thee in order, most excellent Theophilus, [kjv]
εδοξεν καμοι παρηκολουθηκοτι ανωθεν πασιν ακριβως καθεξης σοι γραψαι κρατιστε θεοφιλε [gnt]
The ancient Greek word
"κράτιστε" ≈ "most excellent" and is sometimes translated in the
KJV as
"noble".
25. Luke 1:3
KJV: It seemed good to me also, having had perfect understanding of all things from the very first, to write unto thee in order, most excellent Theophilus,
Greek: εδοξεν καμοι παρηκολουθηκοτι ανωθεν πασιν ακριβως καθεξης σοι γραψαι κρατιστε θεοφιλε
Latin: visum est et mihi adsecuto a principio omnibus diligenter ex ordine tibi scribere optime Theophile
26. Psalms 23:5 Septuagint
Psalms 23:5 Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. [kjv]
… כוסירויה [he]
ητοιμασας ενωπιον μου τραπεζαν εξ εναντιας των θλιβοντων με ελιπανας εν ελαιω την κεφαλην μου και το ποτηριον σου μεθυσκον ως κρατιστον [lxx]
An interesting part of the
LXX in this verse is the ancient Greek word
"σου" ≈ "you" as in something like the following.
... your cup inebriates me excellently.
... the cup, you inebriates me excellently.
That is, the cup appears to be addressed as
"you" as if one can talk to the cup or it might be someone else's cup - such as a cup of the enemy (or enemies).
Here are some translations that are based on the
LXX (or different from the traditional translations).
27. Psalms 23:5 Brenton Septuagint
Psalms 23:5 Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. [kjv]
… כוסירויה [he]
ητοιμασας ενωπιον μου τραπεζαν εξ εναντιας των θλιβοντων με ελιπανας εν ελαιω την κεφαλην μου και το ποτηριον σου μεθυσκον ως κρατιστον [lxx]
The
Brenton Septuagint has the following translation.
Thou has prepared a table before me in presence of them that afflict me: thou hast thoroughly anointed my head with oil; and thy cup cheers me like the best wine.
The
"thy" in
"thy" "cup" fits the Greek
"you". Whose
"cup" might it be?
28. Psalms 23:5 Douay-Rheims
Psalms 23:5 Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. [kjv]
… כוסירויה [he]
ητοιμασας ενωπιον μου τραπεζαν εξ εναντιας των θλιβοντων με ελιπανας εν ελαιω την κεφαλην μου και το ποτηριον σου μεθυσκον ως κρατιστον [lxx]
The
Douay-Rheims has the following translation.
Thou hast prepared a table before me against them that afflict me. Thou hast anointed my head with oil; and my chalice which inebriateth me, how goodly is it!
29. Psalms 23:5 Aramaic Bible in Plain English
Psalms 23:5 Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. [kjv]
… כוסירויה [he]
ητοιμασας ενωπιον μου τραπεζαν εξ εναντιας των θλιβοντων με ελιπανας εν ελαιω την κεφαλην μου και το ποτηριον σου μεθυσκον ως κρατιστον [lxx]
The
Aramaic Bible in Plain English has the following translation.
You have prepared tables in front of me opposite my enemies; you have anointed my head with oil and my cup overflows as if it were alive.
It is not clear if this might be a Hebrew idiom or a Greek idiom.
30. Strongs - method
31. Usage - method
- *G3180 *0 μεθοδεία (meth-od-i'-ah) : from a compound of G3326 and G3593 (compare "method"); travelling over, i.e. travesty (trickery):--wile, lie in wait.
- μεθοδιαν
- Ephesians 4:14 ... cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;
- μεθοδιας
- Ephesians 6:11 ... may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.
32. Ephesians 4:14 Deceptions
Ephesians 4:14 That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; [kjv]
ινα μηκετι ωμεν νηπιοι κλυδωνιζομενοι και περιφερομενοι παντι ανεμω της διδασκαλιας εν τη κυβεια των ανθρωπων εν πανουργια προς την μεθοδειαν της πλανης [gnt]
Paul talks of
deception in various ways in Ephesians 4:14. The ancient Greek word
"μέθοδος" ≈ "following after, pursuit, trick, ruse" and is used here for as "
deception". The
KJV translates this as
"lie in wait". Who are the "
they"?
The ancient Greek word
"πλάνη" ≈ "wandering, roaming" and, figuratively,
"going astray" or
"in error". as in wandering off-target.
The ancient Greek word
"πανοῦργος" ≈ "ready to try anything" and is often translated as
"crafty".
33. Ephesians 4:14 Play on words
Ephesians 4:14 That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; [kjv]
ινα μηκετι ωμεν νηπιοι κλυδωνιζομενοι και περιφερομενοι παντι ανεμω της διδασκαλιας εν τη κυβεια των ανθρωπων εν πανουργια προς την μεθοδειαν της πλανης [gnt]
The following is conducive to a play on words in the Greek. Paul appears to do this once in Ephesians 4:14. The Greek for "
doctrine" is that of "
teaching".
"ἄνεμος" ≈ "wind, breeze, gale" and often used in verses with Satan or the devil as "accuser" throwing/breathing accusations.
"ἄνομος" ≈ "without law" which could be "lawless", "impious", "unmusical", "illegal", etc.
English: ... carried about by every wind of teaching.
Play on words: ... carried about by every without-law teaching.
Any teaching that goes against "
Loving God" or "
Loving neighbor as yourself" would be "
without-law" or "
against-law".
34. Ephesians 6:11 Methods of the devil
Ephesians 6:11 Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. [kjv]
ενδυσασθε την πανοπλιαν του θεου προς το δυνασθαι υμας στηναι προς τας μεθοδειας του διαβολου [gnt]
The ancient Greek word
"μέθοδος" ≈ "following after, pursuit, trick/ruse" and is the source of the English word
"method"
"μετά" ≈ "after, with".
"ὁδός" ≈ "threshold, way, trip" as in the lost part of "exodus".
The
"wiles" of the
"devil" might be thought of as the
"methods" of the
"devil" as in a
trap to
deceive those. In both cases in Ephesians, the word for
"method" is not used in a positive light. Deception has been an important part of military operations since time began.
The Greek word translated as "
against" is that of "
towards".
This analogy would be familiar to any soldier of the time as deception was common in military operations. Alexander the Great made great use of deception since he usually had a much smaller force than his opponents. The Romans were deceived at a devastating ambush at Teuteburg Forest about 9 A.D.
35. Matthew 5:25 In the way with the adversary
Matthew 5:25 Agree with thine adversary quickly, whiles thou art in the way with him; lest at any time the adversary deliver thee to the judge, and the judge deliver thee to the officer, and thou be cast into prison. [kjv]
ισθι ευνοων τω αντιδικω σου ταχυ εως οτου ει μετ αυτου εν τη οδω μηποτε σε παραδω ο αντιδικος τω κριτη και ο κριτης τω υπηρετη και εις φυλακην βληθηση [gnt]
The ancient Greek word
"μέθοδος" ≈ "following after, pursuit, trick, ruse" and has a connotation of a "
deception". This is one place in the
GNT (Greek New Testament) where Jesus uses the two words (in order and near) that make up the Greek word for "
method" as in "
deception".
"μετ" ≈ "with, after".
"οδω" ≈ "way, path" (dative case)
English: ... in a way with him ...
Greek: with him in the way
The English word order is more natural, even in the Greek. Greek allows word order to be changed to accommodate, for example, play on words. This play on words requires the Greek word used. Might this be
subliminal message suggesting "
deception" by the "
adversary"?
36. Matthew 24:49 Drunken trick
Matthew 24:49 And shall begin to smite his fellowservants, and to eat and drink with the drunken; [kjv]
και αρξηται τυπτειν τους συνδουλους αυτου εσθιη δε και πινη μετα των μεθυοντων [gnt]
"μεθυόντων" ≈ "drunken".
"μεθόδων" ≈ "following after, pursuit, trick, ruse" and the source of the English word "method".
The Greek, the "
nt" sound has the same sound as the ancient "
d" sound. Try saying the sounds to hear and fell (through the lips) the result.
Greek: ... and to eat and drink after the drunken.
Play: ... and to eat and drink after the trick/ruse.
There appears to be the same play on words using the two Greek words before,
"μετά" ≈ "after" and
"των" ≈ "of". However, this play on words does not fit in other usages of these two words by Jesus and the play on words is already present here.
37. Matthew 6:19 Mythical serpents
38. End of page
Psalms 23:5 Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. [kjv]
Psalms 23:5 Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. [kjv]
ητοιμασας ενωπιον μου τραπεζαν εξ εναντιας των θλιβοντων με ελιπανας εν ελαιω την κεφαλην μου και το ποτηριον σου μεθυσκον ως κρατιστον [lxx]
Matthew 23:26 Thou blind Pharisee, cleanse first that which is within the cup and platter, that the outside of them may be clean also. [kjv]
φαρισαιε τυφλε καθαρισον πρωτον το εντος του ποτηριου και της παροψιδος ινα γενηται και το εκτος αυτου καθαρον [gnt]
Psalms 23:5 Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. [kjv]
… כוסירויה [he]
ητοιμασας ενωπιον μου τραπεζαν εξ εναντιας των θλιβοντων με ελιπανας εν ελαιω την κεφαλην μου και το ποτηριον σου μεθυσκον ως κρατιστον [lxx]
… calix … inebrians [v]
Psalms 23:5 Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. [kjv]
… כוסירויה [he]
ητοιμασας ενωπιον μου τραπεζαν εξ εναντιας των θλιβοντων με ελιπανας εν ελαιω την κεφαλην μου και το ποτηριον σου μεθυσκον ως κρατιστον [lxx]
Psalms 23:5 Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. [kjv]
… כוסירויה [he]
ητοιμασας ενωπιον μου τραπεζαν εξ εναντιας των θλιβοντων με ελιπανας εν ελαιω την κεφαλην μου και το ποτηριον σου μεθυσκον ως κρατιστον [lxx]
Matthew 26:27 And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all of it; [kjv]
και λαβων ποτηριον και ευχαριστησας εδωκεν αυτοις λεγων πιετε εξ αυτου παντες [gnt]
… calicem gratias … bibite … omnes [v]
John 2:10 And saith unto him, Every man at the beginning doth set forth good wine; and when men have well drunk, then that which is worse: but thou hast kept the good wine until now. [kjv]
και λεγει αυτω πας ανθρωπος πρωτον τον καλον οινον τιθησιν και οταν μεθυσθωσιν τον ελασσω συ τετηρηκας τον καλον οινον εως αρτι [gnt]
… inebriati … [v]
Acts 2:15 For these are not drunken, as ye suppose, seeing it is but the third hour of the day. [kjv]
ου γαρ ως υμεις υπολαμβανετε ουτοι μεθυουσιν εστιν γαρ ωρα τριτη της ημερας [gnt]
non enim sicut vos aestimatis hii ebrii sunt cum sit hora diei tertia [v]
Psalms 23:5 Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. [kjv]
… כוסירויה [he]
ητοιμασας ενωπιον μου τραπεζαν εξ εναντιας των θλιβοντων με ελιπανας εν ελαιω την κεφαλην μου και το ποτηριον σου μεθυσκον ως κρατιστον [lxx]
Mark 15:23 And they gave him to drink wine mingled with myrrh: but he received it not. [kjv]
και εδιδουν αυτω εσμυρνισμενον οινον ο ος δε ουκ ελαβεν [gnt]
… vinum … accepit [v]
A common use of "grapes", that grow on a vine, is to make "wine".
Matthew 6:19 Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: [kjv]
μη θησαυριζετε υμιν θησαυρους επι της γης οπου σης και βρωσις αφανιζει και οπου κλεπται διορυσσουσιν και κλεπτουσιν [gnt]
