What Does Luke 14:14 Mean in the King James?
And thou shalt be blessed; for they cannot recompense thee: for thou shalt be recompensed at the resurrection of the just.
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 one who cannot repay you is where generosity stops depending on reciprocity, because the verse places its return at the resurrection.
THE MEANING
Your generosity toward those who cannot repay you is named as flourishing, even when no return comes from them. The verse locates its recompense at the resurrection of the aligned, beyond the recipient’s capacity to repay.
WHAT THIS UNDOES
It undoes the belief that a gift matters only if its recipient can return it in this life.
THE ROOT
ἀνταποδοῦναί
antapodounai
GROWS FROM
δίδωμι (didōmi, give), compounded with ἀντί (anti, in return) and ἀπό (apo, back)
To give back in return; to answer a giving with a return.
“recompense / recompensed” in this verse is antapodounai. The Greek word builds “give back in return” from the verb for giving. The same word family names both what the guests cannot do and the return promised at the resurrection, carrying generosity beyond the human exchange.
ALSO GROWS
didōmi: Give.
δίδωμι
This base verb keeps recompense rooted in giving: what is returned is given back.
apodidōmi: Give back; repay.
ἀποδίδωμι
It adds the direction of return, making the connection between a gift and repayment explicit.
antapodosis: Recompense; return.
ἀνταπόδοσις
This noun from the same word family names the return the verse places at resurrection.
ἀναστάσει
anastasei
GROWS FROM
ἀνίστημι (anistēmi), from ἀνά (ana, up) and ἵστημι (histēmi, stand)
To rise or stand up.
Resurrection carries the image of rising to stand. The promised return is located at the raising of the aligned, giving the word a concrete movement rather than leaving it as an abstract future reward.
ALSO GROWS
histēmi: Stand; set upright.
ἵστημι
This verb supplies the image of standing contained in the word for resurrection.
anistēmi: Rise; stand up.
ἀνίστημι
This verb names the rising movement from which ἀνάστασις (anastasis, resurrection) is formed.
δικαίων
dikaiōn
GROWS FROM
δικ- / δίκη (dikē)
Rightness and justice; alignment.
“the just” in this verse is dikaiōn. The word translated “just” belongs to a family that also names alignment and being set right. The verse places the promised return at the resurrection of the aligned, not at the recipient’s ability to repay.
ALSO GROWS
dikaiosynē: Alignment; righteousness.
δικαιοσύνη
This related noun shows the wider word family’s link to being in right alignment.
dikaioō: Justify; declare or set right.
δικαιόω
This verb carries the family’s movement toward being recognized or made right.
THE PATTERN
A gift beyond the recipient’s power to repay is seen and answered beyond the immediate exchange.
He that hath pity upon the poor lendeth unto the LORD; and that which he hath given will he pay him again.That thine alms may be in secret: and thy Father which seeth in secret himself shall reward thee openly.But love ye your enemies, and do good, and lend, hoping for nothing again; and your reward shall be great, and ye shall be the children of the Highest: for he is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil.THE THREAD
Or who hath first given to him, and it shall be recompensed unto him again?Romans uses the same Greek verb, ἀνταποδοθήσεται (antapodothēsetai, “will be repaid”), as Luke’s promise of recompense. Together, the verses place giving and return beyond the limits of ordinary human repayment.
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