What Does Luke 21:32 Mean in the King James?

Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass away, till all be fulfilled.

Luke 21:32 · KJV

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

“Generation” and “be fulfilled” share the language of coming into being: this generation does not pass until everything comes to be.

THE MEANING

The generation in view does not pass before all the named things come to be. Here, “be fulfilled” carries the sense of happening, of arriving into reality. The sentence holds that sequence together without narrowing what “all” contains.

WHAT THIS UNDOES

It dissolves the fear that the generation named can disappear before the whole of what is spoken comes to be.

THE ROOT

γένηται

genetai

GROWS FROM

γεν-

gen-

Be born, come into being, happen.

The verb translated “be fulfilled” means “come to be” or “happen.” It belongs to the same word family as “generation,” so the line joins the generation’s passing to the coming-into-being of all that is named.

ALSO GROWS

genea: Generation, lineage, or age.

γενεά

This is the word translated “generation,” tying the one that passes to what is coming into being.

genesis: Birth, origin, or coming into being.

γένεσις

This branch makes the verse’s fulfillment sound like arrival into reality, not merely completion on a list.

THE PATTERN

What is spoken has its appointed coming-to-be; passing does not outrun it.

For the vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it shall speak, and not lie: though it tarry, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry.

Habakkuk 2:3 · KJVThe vision has a set time to arrive, and its seeming delay does not prevent its coming.

But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law,

Galatians 4:4 · KJVThe fullness of time arrives before the promised sending takes place.

Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall not pass away.

Luke 21:33 · KJVEven as what seems enduring passes, the spoken word remains.

THE THREAD

All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.

John 1:3 · KJV

“Be fulfilled” here is ⁨γένηται⁩, from the word family of ⁨γίνομαι⁩: to come to be. John uses the same verb family to describe all things coming into being, opening the verse’s “all” onto the language of creation.

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