What Does Luke 20:47 Mean in the King James?
Which devour widows’ houses, and for a shew make long prayers: the same shall receive greater damnation.
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
A long prayer can cover the hands consuming a widow’s home, but it cannot keep that harm from judgment.
THE MEANING
The verse speaks now wherever devotion becomes a polished face over the taking of someone’s home or security. The harm remains material: a widow’s house is consumed, and the long prayer does not cancel what has been done. The same shall receive greater damnation.
WHAT THIS UNDOES
It undoes the belief that a display of devotion makes exploitation unseen or excusable.
THE ROOT
κρίμα
krima
GROWS FROM
κριν- (krin-, from κρίνω)
To distinguish, decide, or judge.
Here κρίμα (krima) gives “damnation” the additional weight of a verdict or judicial decision. It belongs to the same word family as judgment and judge, so the prayer and the consumed household are both within what is weighed.
ALSO GROWS
krisis: judgment, decision
κρίσις
This branch makes the verdict sense in “greater damnation” audible: the harm is subject to judgment.
kritēs: judge
κριτής
This branch names the one who judges, linking the verdict to an active judge.
anakrinō: examine, investigate
ἀνακρίνω
This branch adds the sense of scrutiny: what the prayer appears to say does not hide what the hands have done.
THE PATTERN
When religious display covers the taking of another’s livelihood, the hidden harm remains visible to judgment.
And when ye spread forth your hands, I will hide mine eyes from you: yea, when ye make many prayers, I will not hear: your hands are full of blood.And I will come near to you to judgment; and I will be a swift witness against the sorcerers, and against the adulterers, and against false swearers, and against those that oppress the hireling in his wages, the widow, and the fatherless, and that turn aside the stranger from his right, and fear not me, saith the LORD of hosts.Behold, the hire of the labourers who have reaped down your fields, which is of you kept back by fraud, crieth: and the cries of them which have reaped are entered into the ears of the Lord of sabaoth.THE THREAD
Grudge not one against another, brethren, lest ye be condemned: behold, the judge standeth before the door.James uses the same κριν- (krin-) word family in “condemned” and “judge.” The judge at the door opens Luke’s warning further: the prayer and the household consumed are both within judgment.
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