What Does Luke 20:38 Mean in the King James?
For he is not a God of the dead, but of the living: for all live unto him.
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
God’s relationship, not the body’s visible end, defines who is living to him.
THE MEANING
Your visible life does not mark the limit of your life before God. The verse says that all live unto him: every life is present to God, even where death appears to end the story.
WHAT THIS UNDOES
The belief that death makes a person disappear from God’s relationship.
THE ROOT
ζώντων
zōntōn
GROWS FROM
ζάω
zaō
to live, to be alive
“living / live” in this verse is zōntōn. The Greek repeats one word family: God is called the God of the ζώντων (zōntōn, “living ones”), because all ζῶσιν (zōsin, “live”) unto him. English makes “living” and “live” look like separate ideas, while the Greek ties them together as one continuing life in relation to God.
ALSO GROWS
zōn: living; one who lives
ζῶν
This is the participle behind “the living,” naming people by the life God sees in them.
zōē: life
ζωή
This related noun names life itself, carrying the same root beyond the description of someone as living.
THE PATTERN
God’s relationship names life as present even where death appears to end it.
Moreover he said, I am the God of thy father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. And Moses hid his face; for he was afraid to look upon God.Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live:For whether we live, we live unto the Lord; and whether we die, we die unto the Lord: whether we live therefore, or die, we are the Lord’s.THE THREAD
Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live:Luke’s ζῶσιν (zōsin, “they live”) and John’s ζήσεται (zēsetai, “he will live”) share the root ζάω (zaō, “to live”). John also uses ζωή (zōē, “life”), showing the same word family hold life across the apparent boundary of death.
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