What Does Matthew 10:42 Mean in the King James?
And whosoever shall give to drink unto one of these little ones a cup of cold water only in the name of a disciple, verily I say unto you, he shall in no wise lose his reward.
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 cup is given because of the disciple’s nature, so even the smallest act of refreshment carries the weight of that identity.
THE MEANING
A cup of cold water is enough to carry the weight of a real welcome when the giver recognizes the recipient as a disciple. What looks slight remains seen, and its reward is not lost.
WHAT THIS UNDOES
The verse undoes the belief that only grand or costly acts matter.
THE ROOT
ὄνομα
onoma
GROWS FROM
ὀνομ-
onom-
Name, designation, recognized identity.
“in the name” in this verse is onoma. The phrase makes the disciple’s identity the reason for the act: the cup is given because this person is a disciple. The word opens “name” beyond a sound spoken aloud, toward the nature and identity the person bears.
ALSO GROWS
onomazō: To name or call by name.
ὀνομάζω
This verb shows the same word family at work when an identity is spoken or recognized.
onomastos: Named, renowned.
ὀνομαστός
A name can carry the identity by which someone is known, giving depth to the phrase “in the name of a disciple.”
ποτίσῃ
potisē
GROWS FROM
ποτ-
pot-
The Greek word family of drinking and giving drink.
“give to drink” in this verse is potisē. The act of giving water and the vessel that holds it belong to the same drinking word family. The verse’s smallest offering is concrete refreshment, not an abstract gesture.
ALSO GROWS
potos: Drink, drinking.
πότος
It shares the drinking family behind the act of giving someone water.
potērion: Cup, drinking vessel.
ποτήριον
The cup itself belongs to the same family, binding the vessel and the act of giving drink together.
μισθός
misthos
GROWS FROM
μισθ-
misth-
Wage, pay, recompense.
The word for reward carries the concrete sense of recompense. The promise gives the small act durable weight: it is not lost.
ALSO GROWS
misthoō: To hire for wages.
μισθόω
This verb preserves the family’s sense of pay or recompense.
misthios: Hired worker.
μίσθιος
The word describes one who receives pay, echoing the concrete force behind “reward.”
THE PATTERN
A small act of material care can carry the weight of a larger welcome.
And she said, Drink, my lord: and she hasted, and let down her pitcher upon her hand, and gave him drink.And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.THE THREAD
For whosoever shall give you a cup of water to drink in my name, because ye belong to Christ, verily I say unto you, he shall not lose his reward.Mark uses the same Greek word for giving drink, ποτίζω (potizō), and the same word for name, ὄνομα (onoma), while also repeating the promise that the reward is not lost. Together, the verses reveal how a cup of water becomes an act that honors the identity the recipient bears.
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