What Does Luke 20:33 Mean in the King James?
Therefore in the resurrection whose wife of them is she? for seven had her to wife.
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 question treats resurrection as a replay of present life, as though a new life must preserve the old arrangement.
THE MEANING
This question exposes the limit of measuring life beyond death by the arrangements that shape life here. The woman is defined through the men who “had” her, as if resurrection must simply extend that pattern. The question reaches its edge where life beyond death cannot be reduced to present relations.
WHAT THIS UNDOES
Resurrection is not merely present life continued under the same arrangements.
THE ROOT
ἀναστάσει
anastasei
GROWS FROM
ἀνά (ana) + ἵστημι (histēmi)
Up + stand: a standing up, a rising.
The word carries the image of standing up into life, not simply continuing as before. Its root makes the question’s assumption visible: resurrection names a rising into life, not necessarily a replay of the arrangements already known.
ALSO GROWS
anistēmi: Rise, stand up.
ἀνίστημι
The verb shares the standing-up root and makes the movement within resurrection concrete.
stasis: Standing, position.
στάσις
This related word preserves the image of standing that is held inside “resurrection.”
ἔσχον
eschon
GROWS FROM
ἔχω
echō
Have, hold.
The Greek verb is a form of ἔχω, “to have or hold,” so the sentence frames the woman through a relation the seven men had with her. That is the question’s hinge: it assumes resurrection must settle her place in the same relational arrangement.
ALSO GROWS
katechō: Hold fast, retain.
κατέχω
The compound extends the same having-and-holding root, making the question’s focus on an ongoing relation easier to see.
metechō: Partake, share in.
μετέχω
The same root can describe sharing in something, showing that “having” carries a range of relational senses beyond simple possession.
THE PATTERN
Resurrection is a raising into transformed life, not merely the continuation of present mortal conditions.
Neither can they die any more: for they are equal unto the angels; and are the children of God, being the children of the resurrection.So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption; it is raised in incorruption:Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.THE THREAD
So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption; it is raised in incorruption:The same Greek word for “resurrection” appears here and in 1 Corinthians 15:42. There, what is raised is changed from corruption to incorruption, showing why the question’s assumption that resurrection simply preserves present arrangements cannot contain the word.
Read the SDV Bible.
Every verse has a Deep Dive in the app.
The iPhone Bible app with the Selah Decoded Version.
Does something in this reading look wrong? Tell us