What Does Matthew 26:17 Mean in the King James?

Now the first day of the feast of unleavened bread the disciples came to Jesus, saying unto him, Where wilt thou that we prepare for thee to eat the passover?

Matthew 26:17 · 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.

This verse in the Selah Decoded Version

THE KEY

Preparation begins before the table is set: the disciples ask where Jesus wills the Passover to be made ready.

THE MEANING

This verse meets you before the meal, while its place is still undecided. The disciples bring that open question to Jesus: where are they to make the Passover ready? Here, preparation begins with a question about place and desire.

WHAT THIS UNDOES

It loosens the belief that readiness requires every detail to be settled in advance: the disciples begin preparing while the place is still unknown.

THE ROOT

ἑτοιμάσωμεν

hetoimasōmen

GROWS FROM

ἑτοιμ-

hetoim-

ready; prepared

The verb for “prepare” belongs to the same Greek word family as “ready” and “readiness.” English can separate the act from the state, while this family holds them together: the disciples ask where the meal is to be made ready.

ALSO GROWS

hetoimos: ready; prepared

ἕτοιμος

This adjective shares the same stem and links the act of preparing with the state of being ready.

hetoimasia: readiness; preparation

ἑτοιμασία

This noun comes from the same word family and makes the shared idea of readiness explicit.

ἀζύμων

azymōn

GROWS FROM

ζυμ-

zym-

leaven; yeast; fermentation

The Greek word for “unleavened” contains the word for leaven, marked by a prefix meaning “without.” The feast’s bread is named by the absence of what would ferment it.

ALSO GROWS

zymē: leaven; yeast

ζύμη

This is the leaven named within “unleavened,” exposing the contrast held inside the word.

zymoō: to leaven; to ferment

ζυμόω

This verb shares the same root and names the process absent from the unleavened bread.

θέλεις

theleis

GROWS FROM

θελ-

thel-

wish; will; desire

“wilt” in this verse is theleis. The question asks not only where the meal can be prepared, but where Jesus wills it to be. The Greek word family connects willing with the desire that gives the practical question its direction.

ALSO GROWS

thelō: to wish; to will

θέλω

This is the verb’s lexical form and carries the same sense of desire or intention.

thelēma: will; desire

θέλημα

This noun shares the ⁨θελ-⁩ stem and names the will that the disciples ask about.

THE PATTERN

A prepared way or place makes room for what is coming.

The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the LORD, make straight in the desert a highway for our God.

Isaiah 40:3 · KJVThe way is made ready before the LORD’s arrival, just as the meal’s place is settled before it is eaten.

In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.

John 14:2 · KJVA place is prepared in advance for those who are to come into it.

But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city.

Hebrews 11:16 · KJVThe prepared city gives a destination to the longing described in the verse.

THE THREAD

And the disciples did as Jesus had appointed them; and they made ready the passover.

Matthew 26:19 · KJV

The same Greek word family for making ready carries the question in verse 17 into the action in verse 19. The disciples’ question about where to prepare the meal opens the preparation that follows.

Read the SDV Bible.

Every verse has a Deep Dive in the app.

Get Selah Verse

The iPhone Bible app with the Selah Decoded Version.

Does something in this reading look wrong? Tell us