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The truth about a lying baby
1. Baby
What is a baby?
What does Luke say about the baby John and baby Jesus, both before and after being born?
The ancient Greek word
"βρέφος" ≈ "unborn baby, baby, infant".
Luke uses the Greek word «
βρέφος» four times, the only time in the Greek NT or LXX. The word is used by 'Herodotus, Plutarch, Josephus, Homer, and others in ancient Greek writings.
The modern Greek word
"βρέφος" (VREH-fos) ≈ "baby, infant" has the same meaning today as in Bible times.
2. Luke 1:41
KJV: And it came to pass, that, when Elisabeth heard the salutation of Mary, the babe leaped in her womb; and Elisabeth was filled with the Holy Ghost:
Greek: και εγενετο ως ηκουσεν η ελισαβετ τον ασπασμον της μαριας η ελισαβετ εσκιρτησεν το βρεφος εν τη κοιλια αυτης και επλησθη πνευματος αγιου η ελισαβετ
Latin: et factum est ut audivit salutationem Mariae Elisabeth exultavit infans in utero eius et repleta est Spiritu Sancto Elisabeth
Wessex: Ða waes ge-worðen. þa helisabeth ge-herde maRie gretinge. þa ge-fagene þaet chyld on hire innoðe. aend þa warð elisabeth halgen gaste ge-fylled.
Luther: Und es begab sich, als Elisabeth den Gruß Marias hörete, hüpfete das Kind in ihrem Leibe. Und Elisabeth ward des Heiligen Geistes voll
3. Luke 1:44
KJV: For, lo, as soon as the voice of thy salutation sounded in mine ears, the babe leaped in my womb for joy.
Greek: ιδου γαρ ως εγενετο η φωνη του ασπασμου σου εις τα ωτα μου εσκιρτησεν εν αγαλλιασει το βρεφος εν τη κοιλια μου
Latin: ecce enim ut facta est vox salutationis tuae in auribus meis exultavit in gaudio infans in utero meo
Wessex: Sone swa þinre gretinge stefne on minan earen ge-worðan waes. þa fagenede min chyld on minen innoðe.
Luther: Siehe, da ich die Stimme deines Grußes hörete, hüpfete mit Freuden das Kind in meinem Leibe.
4. Infant
5. Middle English
6. German Christkind
With the date change from December 5 to December 24 (Christmas Eve), many Christian leaders of Europe, especially Martin Luther, did not want Saint Nicholas overshadowing Jesus at Christmas. In Germany parents were to use terms like "
Christkindl".
The German word
"das Kind" ≈ "the child". A "
kindergarten" is a "
garden for children". The lowercase "
L" at the end of "
Christkindl" is a form of
diminutive.
Going through Dutch, "
Kriskind" becomes "
Kris Kringle".
[grammatical gender]
7. Matthew 7:28
KJV: And it came to pass, when Jesus had ended these sayings, the people were astonished at his doctrine:
Greek: και εγενετο οτε συνετελεσεν ετελεσεν ο ιησους τους λογους τουτους εξεπλησσοντο οι οχλοι επι τη διδαχη αυτου
Wessex: Ða waes ge-worðen þa se haelend þas word laerde & ge-endode. þa wundrede þaet folc. hys lare.
Wycliffe: And it was doon, whanne Jhesus hadde endid these wordis, the puple wondride on his techyng;
Luther: Und es begab sich, da Jesus diese Rede vollendet hatte, entsetzte sich das Volk über seine Lehre.
8. Baby
The above uses are for an unborn baby. The next uses are for the newly born baby.
9. Luke 2:12
Luke 2:12 And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. [kjv]
και τουτο υμιν σημειον ευρησετε βρεφος εσπαργανωμενον και κειμενον εν φατνη [gnt]
… infantem … praesepio [v]
… chyld … binne … [wes]
… yong child … cratche. [wy]
… Kind … Krippe … [lu]
The Latin word
"praesepio" ≈ "manger, stall" but can also mean obstacle or barricade.
The Old English word
"binne" ≈ "bin, manger".
The Middle English word
"cratche" ≈ "manger" (other meanings relate to "
scratch").
The German word
"Krippe" ≈ "crib" and is related to the English word
"crib".
10. Luke 2:12
KJV: And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.
Greek: και τουτο υμιν το σημειον ευρησετε βρεφος εσπαργανωμενον και κειμενον εν τη φατνη
Latin: et hoc vobis signum invenietis infantem pannis involutum et positum in praesepio
Wessex: And þis taken eow beoð. Ge findað an chyld raeglen be-wunden. & on binne aleigð.
Wycliffe: And this is a tokene to you; ye schulen fynde a yong child wlappid in clothis, and leid in a cratche.
Luther: Und das habt zum Zeichen: Ihr werdet finden das Kind in Windeln gewickelt und in einer Krippe liegen.
11. Commas
Luke 2:16 And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger. [kjv]
και ηλθαν σπευσαντες και ανευραν την τε μαριαμ και τον ιωσηφ και το βρεφος κειμενον εν τη φατνη [gnt]
[shepherds leaving the sheep, compare 1 of 99 sheep leaving the man/shepherd]
In English,
commas can be important. In the above verse, without the commas one might interpret the verse as meaning that "
Mary, Joseph and the baby were (all) lying in the manger".
| Luke 2:16 |
| Strong |
Used |
Unique |
Word |
Part of speech |
| G2532 |
8954 |
8954 |
και |
conjunction |
| G2064 |
624 |
7 |
ηλθαν |
verb 2nd person aorist active indicative 3rd person plural |
| G4692 |
6 |
1 |
σπευσαντες |
verb aorist active participle nominative plural masculine |
| G2532 |
8954 |
8954 |
και |
conjunction |
| G429 |
2 |
1 |
ανευραν |
verb 2nd person aorist active indicative 3rd person plural |
| G3588 |
19706 |
1518 |
την |
article accusative singular feminine |
| G5037 |
214 |
214 |
τε |
participle |
| G3137 |
54 |
28 |
μαριαμ |
noun Primary |
| G2532 |
8954 |
8954 |
και |
conjunction |
| G3588 |
19706 |
1561 |
τον |
article accusative singular masculine |
| G2501 |
35 |
34 |
ιωσηφ |
noun Primary |
| G2532 |
8954 |
8954 |
και |
conjunction |
| G3588 |
19706 |
1690 |
το |
article accusative singular neuter |
| G1025 |
8 |
4 |
βρεφος |
noun accusative singular neuter |
| G2749 |
23 |
3 |
κειμενον |
verb present middle or passive deponent participle accusative singular neuter |
| G1722 |
2735 |
2735 |
εν |
preposition |
| G3588 |
19706 |
878 |
τη |
article dative singular feminine |
| G5336 |
4 |
3 |
φατνη |
noun dative singular feminine |
12. Luke 2:16
KJV: And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger.
Greek: και ηλθον ηλθαν σπευσαντες και ανευρον ανευραν την τε μαριαμ και τον ιωσηφ και το βρεφος κειμενον εν τη φατνη
Latin: et venerunt festinantes et invenerunt Mariam et Ioseph et infantem positum in praesepio
Wessex: & hyo efstende comen & ge-metton marian & Ioseph aend þaet chyld on binne aleigd.
Wycliffe: And thei hiyynge camen, and founden Marie and Joseph, and the yong child leid in a cratche.
Luther: Und sie kamen eilend und fanden beide, Maria und Joseph, dazu das Kind in der Krippe liegen.
13. Luke 2:12
KJV: And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.
Greek: και τουτο υμιν το σημειον ευρησετε βρεφος εσπαργανωμενον και κειμενον εν τη φατνη
Latin: et hoc vobis signum invenietis infantem pannis involutum et positum in praesepio
Wessex: And þis taken eow beoð. Ge findað an chyld raeglen be-wunden. & on binne aleigð.
Wycliffe: And this is a tokene to you; ye schulen fynde a yong child wlappid in clothis, and leid in a cratche.
14. John 20:5
KJV: And he stooping down, and looking in, saw the linen clothes lying; yet went he not in.
Greek: και παρακυψας βλεπει κειμενα τα οθονια ου μεντοι εισηλθεν
15. John 20:6
KJV: Then cometh Simon Peter following him, and went into the sepulchre, and seeth the linen clothes lie,
Greek: ερχεται ουν και σιμων πετρος ακολουθων αυτω και εισηλθεν εις το μνημειον και θεωρει τα οθονια κειμενα
16. Disambiguation
Thus, the ending used disambiguates, to use a Wikipedia term, the intended meaning.
The Greek «κειμενον» is 3rd person singular.
The Greek «κειμενα» is 3rd person plural.
Thus only one of Mary, Joseph or the baby were lying in the manger. The closest noun is "
baby". In English,
Since English uses the same word sense of "
lying" for both cases, the comma helps disambiguate the intended meaning, limiting the mis-interpretation of the text.
17. Matthew 23:17
KJV: Ye fools and blind: for whether is greater, the gold, or the temple that sanctifieth the gold?
Greek: μωροι και τυφλοι τις γαρ μειζων εστιν ο χρυσος η ο ναος ο αγιαζων αγιασας τον χρυσον
Latin: stulti et caeci quid enim maius est aurum an templum quod sanctificat aurum
Wessex: Eale ge desigen & blindan hwaeðer ys mare ðe þt gold þe þt tempel þe þt gold halgað.
Wycliffe: Ye foolis and blynde, for what is grettere, the gold, or the temple that halewith the gold?
Tyndale: Ye foles and blinde? whether is greater the golde or the teple that sanctifieth ye golde.
18. Foolish and moronic babies
19. English words related to moron
Here are some English words related to the ancient Greek "
μωρός" for "
foolish".
"moron" as someone who is slow and not very bright and often considered a synonym of "fool".,
"oxymoron" as "sharply stupid" as in a contradiction of terms, where the "oxy" is the source of the "oxy" in "oxygen"
"sophomore" as "wise fool" as the second year student (high school, college) who knows enough to appear foolish
The ancient Greek words
"μωρός" (mo-ROS) ≈ "dull, stupid, foolish" and
"σοφός" (so-FOS) ≈ "wise" appear together in a verse in two places in the Bible, the second in a negative sense as "
not wise".
20. Kid goats
Might the Greek word for "
moron" which became "
baby" have any relationship to an understanding of the kid goats in the parable of the sheep and goats?
21. 1 Corinthians 1:25
KJV: Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men.
Greek: οτι το μωρον του θεου σοφωτερον των ανθρωπων εστιν και το ασθενες του θεου ισχυροτερον των ανθρωπων εστιν
Latin: quia quod stultum est Dei sapientius est hominibus et quod infirmum est Dei fortius est hominibus
Wycliffe: For that that is foli thing of God, is wiser than men; and that that is the feble thing of God, is strengere than men.
Tyndale: For the folishnes of God is wyser then me: and the weakenes of God is stronger then men.
22. 1 Corinthians 3:18
KJV: Let no man deceive himself. If any man among you seemeth to be wise in this world, let him become a fool, that he may be wise.
Greek: μηδεις εαυτον εξαπατατω ει τις δοκει σοφος ειναι εν υμιν εν τω αιωνι τουτω μωρος γενεσθω ινα γενηται σοφος
Latin: nemo se seducat si quis videtur inter vos sapiens esse in hoc saeculo stultus fiat ut sit sapiens
Wycliffe: No man disseyue hym silf. If ony man among you is seyn to be wiys in this world, be he maad a fool, that he be wijs.
Tyndale: Let no man deceave him silfe. Yf eny man seme wyse amonge you let him be a fole in this worlde that he maye be wyse.
Luther: Niemand betrüge sich selbst! Welcher sich unter euch dünkt, weise zu sein, der werde ein Narr in dieser Welt, daß er möge weise sein.
23. Deuteronomy 32:6
KJV: Do ye thus requite the LORD, O foolish people and unwise? is not he thy father that hath bought thee? hath he not made thee, and established thee?
Hebrew: ה ליהוה תגמלו זאת עם נבל ולא חכם הלוא הוא אביך קנך הוא עשך ויכננך׃
Greek: ταυτα κυριω ανταποδιδοτε ουτω λαος μωρος και ουχι σοφος ουκ αυτος ουτος σου πατηρ εκτησατο σε και εποιησεν σε και εκτισεν σε
Latin: haecine reddis Domino popule stulte et insipiens numquid non ipse est pater tuus qui possedit et fecit et creavit te
24. Jeremiah 1:5 Life
Jeremiah 1:5 Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations. [kjv]
προ του με πλασαι σε εν κοιλια επισταμαι σε και προ του σε εξελθειν εκ μητρας ηγιακα σε προφητην εις εθνη τεθεικα σε [lxx]
… formarem … utero … vulva … [v]
When does life begin?
When does life end?
What exactly is time?
25. End of page
