Matthew 12:20

American Standard Version (1901)

A bruised reed shall he not break, And smoking flax shall he not quench, Till he send forth judgment unto victory.

📖 Grammatical Analysis

Original Text

Κάλαμον συντετριμμένον οὐ κατεάξει, καὶ λίνον τυφόμενον οὐ σβέσει, ἕως ἂν ἐκβάλῃ εἰς νῖκος τὴν κρίσιν.

Transliteration

Kalamon syntetrimmenon not he will kateaxei, and linon typhomenon not he will sbesei, until an he ekbalē unto nikos the krisin.

Grammar Details

• *Kalamon*: accusative, masculine, singular - reed/staff
• *syntetrimmenon*: perfect passive participle, accusative, masculine, singular - having been bruised/broken
• *kateaxei*: future active indicative, 3rd person singular - will break
• *linon*: accusative, neuter, singular - flax/wick
• *typhomenon*: present passive participle, accusative, neuter, singular - smoking/smoldering
• *sbesei*: future active indicative, 3rd person singular - will quench/extinguish
• *an*: particle indicating contingency - would/might
• *ekbalē*: aorist active subjunctive, 3rd person singular - might bring forth/lead out
• *nikos*: accusative, neuter, singular - victory/triumph
• *krisin*: accusative, feminine, singular - judgment/justice

Word Meanings

• *Kalamon*: reed/staff/measuring rod
• *syntetrimmenon*: bruised/broken/crushed
• *kateaxei*: will break/will snap/will shatter
• *linon*: flax/wick/linen
• *typhomenon*: smoking/smoldering/dimly burning
• *sbesei*: will quench/will extinguish/will put out
• *ekbalē*: might bring forth/might lead out/might send out
• *nikos*: victory/triumph/success
• *krisin*: judgment/justice/decision

Referenced Verses

• Isa 42:3-4 : 3 A bruised reed will he not break, and a dimly burning wick will he not quench: he will bring forth justice in truth. 4 He will not fail nor be discouraged, till he have set justice in the earth; and the isles shall wait for his law.
• Isa 61:1-3 : 1 The Spirit of the Lord Jehovah is upon me; because Jehovah hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the broken-hearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening [of the prison] to them that are bound; 2 to proclaim the year of Jehovah's favor, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn; 3 to appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them a garland for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they may be called trees of righteousness, the planting of Jehovah, that he may be glorified.
• Luke 4:18 : 18 The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, Because he anointed me to preach good tidings to the poor: He hath sent me to proclaim release to the captives, And recovering of sight to the blind, To set at liberty them that are bruised,
• Ps 147:3 : 3 He healeth the broken in heart, And bindeth up their wounds.
• Isa 40:11 : 11 He will feed his flock like a shepherd, he will gather the lambs in his arm, and carry them in his bosom, [and] will gently lead those that have their young.
• 2 Kgs 18:21 : 21 Now, behold, thou trustest upon the staff of this bruised reed, even upon Egypt; whereon if a man lean, it will go into his hand, and pierce it: so is Pharaoh king of Egypt unto all that trust on him.
• Ps 51:17 : 17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: A broken and contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.
• Ps 98:1-3 : 1 [A Psalm]. Oh sing unto Jehovah a new song; For he hath done marvellous things: His right hand, and his holy arm, hath wrought salvation for him. 2 Jehovah hath made known his salvation: His righteousness hath he openly showed in the sight of the nations. 3 He hath remembered his lovingkindness and his faithfulness toward the house of Israel: All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God.
• Lam 3:31-34 : 31 For the Lord will not cast off for ever. 32 For though he cause grief, yet will he have compassion according to the multitude of his lovingkindnesses. 33 For he doth not afflict willingly, nor grieve the children of men. 34 To crush under foot all the prisoners of the earth,
• Ezek 34:16 : 16 I will seek that which was lost, and will bring back that which was driven away, and will bind up that which was broken, and will strengthen that which was sick: but the fat and the strong I will destroy; I will feed them in justice.
• Matt 11:28 : 28 Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
• Rom 15:17-19 : 17 I have therefore my glorifying in Christ Jesus in things pertaining to God. 18 For I will not dare to speak of any things save those which Christ wrought through me, for the obedience of the Gentiles, by word and deed, 19 in the power of signs and wonders, in the power of the Holy Spirit; so that from Jerusalem, and round about even unto Illyricum, I have fully preached the gospel of Christ;
• 2 Cor 2:7 : 7 so that contrariwise ye should rather forgive him and comfort him, lest by any means such a one should be swallowed up with his overmuch sorrow.
• 2 Cor 2:14 : 14 But thanks be unto God, who always leadeth us in triumph in Christ, and maketh manifest through us the savor of his knowledge in every place.
• 2 Cor 10:3-5 : 3 For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh 4 (for the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but mighty before God to the casting down of strongholds), 5 casting down imaginations, and every high thing that is exalted against the knowledge of God, and bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ;
• Heb 12:12-13 : 12 Wherefore lift up the hands that hang down, and the palsied knees; 13 and make straight paths for your feet, that that which is lame be not turned out of the way, but rather be healed.
• Rev 6:2 : 2 And I saw, and behold, a white horse, and he that sat thereon had a bow; and there was given unto him a crown: and he came forth conquering, and to conquer.
• Rev 19:11-21 : 11 And I saw the heaven opened; and behold, a white horse, and he that sat thereon called Faithful and True; and in righteousness he doth judge and make war. 12 And his eyes [are] a flame of fire, and upon his head [are] many diadems; and he hath a name written which no one knoweth but he himself. 13 And he [is] arrayed in a garment sprinkled with blood: and his name is called The Word of God. 14 And the armies which are in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white [and] pure. 15 And out of his mouth proceedeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness of the wrath of God, the Almighty. 16 And he hath on his garment and on his thigh a name written, KINGS OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS. 17 And I saw an angel standing in the sun; and he cried with a loud voice, saying to all the birds that fly in mid heaven, Come [and] be gathered together unto the great supper of God; 18 that ye may eat the flesh of kings, and the flesh of captains, and the flesh of mighty men, and the flesh of horses and of them that sit thereon, and the flesh of all men, both free and bond, and small and great. 19 And I saw the beast, and the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against him that sat upon the horse, and against his army. 20 And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought the signs in his sight, wherewith he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast and them that worshipped his image: they two were cast alive into the lake of fire that burneth with brimstone: 21 and the rest were killed with the sword of him that sat upon the horse, [even the sword] which came forth out of his mouth: and all the birds were filled with their flesh.
• Isa 57:15 : 15 For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy: I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite.