What Does John 2:5 Mean in the King James?
His mother saith unto the servants, Whatsoever he saith unto you, do it.
The analysis reads the King James wording.
King James Version The King James Version, first published in 1611. Selah Verse shows the standard text.
THE KEY
The servants’ hands are ready before they know what the instruction will be.
THE MEANING
A word you trust reaches beyond hearing and takes shape in your response. Readiness comes before the specific instruction is known; “whatsoever” leaves the next act open. The verse holds speech and action together as one movement.
WHAT THIS UNDOES
The verse undoes the idea that hearing a word is the same as receiving it: here, the word reaches its purpose in the doing.
THE ROOT
ποιήσατε
poiēsate
GROWS FROM
ποιέω
poieō
to do, make, or bring about
The Greek verb behind “do” shares its root with words for a doer and a thing made. The instruction does not remain sound: through the servants’ response, it takes form.
ALSO GROWS
poiētēs: a doer, one who acts
ποιητής
This branch makes explicit that the root behind “do” also names the person who acts.
poiēma: a thing made, a work
ποίημα
This branch shows the same root reaching from action to what that action brings into form.
THE PATTERN
A spoken word reaches its full expression when it becomes action.
And all the people answered together, and said, All that the LORD hath spoken we will do. And Moses returned the words of the people unto the LORD.Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock:And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?THE THREAD
But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.James’s “doers” is ποιηταί (poiētai), from the same Greek root, ποιέω (poieō), as “do” here. The shared root links hearing a word with the action that gives it form.
This reading is from Selah Verse.
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