What Does Luke 8:14 Mean in the King James?
And that which fell among thorns are they, which, when they have heard, go forth, and are choked with cares and riches and pleasures of this life, and bring no fruit to perfection.
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 word is heard, yet divided concerns crowd around its fruit before it can reach maturity.
THE MEANING
The word reaches you, and growth begins; then cares, riches, and pleasures pull at your attention until the fruit is choked before it matures. Hearing is real, but hearing alone does not carry that fruit to completion.
WHAT THIS UNDOES
This undoes the assumption that hearing the word guarantees mature fruit regardless of what occupies your attention.
THE ROOT
μερίμναις
merimnais
GROWS FROM
μερίζω
merizō
To divide or apportion; the Greek word for cares is traditionally connected with this root.
The word-family carries the sense of being divided among concerns. Here, cares join riches and pleasures as competing claims on the one who has heard, crowding the fruit before it reaches maturity.
ALSO GROWS
merizō: To divide or apportion.
μερίζω
This root makes visible how competing concerns can divide a person’s attention.
meros: A part or share.
μέρος
Each concern can claim its share, leaving the word’s fruit crowded by divided attention.
merismos: A division or distribution.
μερισμός
This related word echoes the division that the verse depicts as the seed’s fruit is choked.
THE PATTERN
Fruit matures where life remains nourished and competing pressures do not choke its growth.
And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.For he shall be as a tree planted by the waters, and that spreadeth out her roots by the river, and shall not see when heat cometh, but her leaf shall be green; and shall not be careful in the year of drought, neither shall cease from yielding fruit.I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.THE THREAD
And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things:The word translated “careful” belongs to the same Greek word-family as the “cares” that choke the seed here. Martha’s many concerns make the divided pull explicit, showing how the thorny ground can operate in an ordinary day.
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