What Does Luke 4:5 Mean in the King James?
And the devil, taking him up into an high mountain, shewed unto him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time.
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 whole world appears in an instant, but the one displaying it is the Slanderer.
THE MEANING
A sweeping vision can arrive all at once: every kingdom appears before you in a single instant. The scene comes from the Slanderer, whose name carries the sense of accusation; its scale alone does not establish rightful authority.
WHAT THIS UNDOES
A view that seems total is not a title to rule: seeing every kingdom at once does not make the one displaying them their rightful owner.
THE ROOT
διάβολος
diabolos
GROWS FROM
διαβάλλω (diaballō), from διά (dia, across) + βάλλω (ballō, throw)
To slander or accuse; literally, to throw across.
“devil” in this verse is diabolos. The Greek name carries the action of casting accusation across. Here the display of all kingdoms comes from the Slanderer, so the vision’s vastness does not itself certify the authority behind it.
ALSO GROWS
diaballō: To slander or accuse.
διαβάλλω
It makes explicit the accusing action carried in the name used for the one showing the kingdoms.
diabolē: Slander or accusation.
διαβολή
This branch names the charge itself, linking the figure’s name to the way a claim can be presented.
βασιλείας
basileias
GROWS FROM
βασιλευ-
basileu-
Kingship, rule, or sovereignty.
“kingdoms” in this verse is basileias. The word reaches beyond territories to the exercise of rule. The sight is a display of competing governance, not merely a landscape full of places.
ALSO GROWS
basileus: King.
βασιλεύς
The king is the person who holds or exercises the rule named by this word family.
basileuō: To reign or rule as king.
βασιλεύω
This branch makes the kingdoms’ governing action visible beneath the English noun.
οἰκουμένης
oikoumenēs
GROWS FROM
οἰκέω (oikeō), related to οἶκος (oikos)
To inhabit; the inhabited world.
The word pictures the world as the place people inhabit, not only a globe viewed from outside. The same Greek word returns in Hebrews 2:5 for “the world to come,” opening this momentary display onto a horizon beyond the instant.
ALSO GROWS
oikos: House or household.
οἶκος
It carries the sense of an inhabited place and helps show the human dwelling implied by the word for world.
oikeō: To dwell or inhabit.
οἰκέω
This verb makes the world’s inhabited character explicit.
THE PATTERN
A claim to rule the whole inhabited world is measured against dominion that belongs to God and endures.
A Psalm of David. The earth is the LORD’s, and the fulness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein.And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed.And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever.THE THREAD
For unto the angels hath he not put in subjection the world to come, whereof we speak.“World” here and “world” in Luke 4:5 translate the same Greek word, οἰκουμένη (oikoumenē), the inhabited world. Hebrews names a world to come, placing the instant’s sweeping display within a horizon that extends beyond what appears in that moment.
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