John 21:18

Linguistic Bible Translation from Source Texts

'Truly, truly, I tell you, when you were younger, you dressed yourself and walked where you wanted; but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will dress you and lead you where you do not want to go.'

📖 Grammatical Analysis

Original Text

Ἀμὴν, ἀμὴν, λέγω σοι, Ὅτε ἦς νεώτερος, ἐζώννυες σεαυτόν, καὶ περιεπάτεις ὅπου ἤθελες: ὅταν δὲ γηράσῃς, ἐκτενεῖς τὰς χεῖράς σου, καὶ ἄλλος σε ζώσει, καὶ οἴσει ὅπου οὐ θέλεις.

Transliteration

Amēn, amēn, legō soi, When ēs neōteros, ezōnnyes seauton, and periepateis where ētheles: when de gērasēs, ekteneis the cheiras of-you, and allos you zōsei, and oisei where not theleis.

Grammar Details

• *Amēn*: Hebrew term - truly/verily
• *legō*: present active indicative, 1st person singular - I say/tell
• *soi*: dative, singular - to you
• *Hote*: temporal conjunction - when
• *ēs*: imperfect active indicative, 2nd person singular - you were
• *neōteros*: comparative adjective, nominative, masculine, singular - younger
• *ezōnnyes*: imperfect active indicative, 2nd person singular - you were girding
• *seauton*: reflexive pronoun, accusative, masculine, singular - yourself
• *periepateis*: imperfect active indicative, 2nd person singular - you were walking
• *hopou*: adverb - where
• *ētheles*: imperfect active indicative, 2nd person singular - you were wanting
• *hotan*: temporal conjunction - when/whenever
• *de*: postpositive particle - but/and
• *gērasēs*: aorist active subjunctive, 2nd person singular - you grow old
• *ekteneis*: future active indicative, 2nd person singular - you will stretch out
• *cheiras*: accusative, feminine, plural - hands
• *sou*: genitive, singular - of you/your
• *allos*: nominative, masculine, singular - another
• *se*: accusative, singular - you
• *zōsei*: future active indicative, 3rd person singular - will gird
• *oisei*: future active indicative, 3rd person singular - will carry/bring
• *ou*: negative particle - not
• *theleis*: present active indicative, 2nd person singular - you want/wish

Word Meanings

• *neōteros*: younger/more youthful
• *ezōnnyes*: you were girding/dressing/clothing
• *periepateis*: you were walking/going about
• *ētheles*: you were wanting/wishing/desiring
• *gērasēs*: you grow old/become aged
• *ekteneis*: you will stretch out/extend
• *zōsei*: will gird/dress/clothe
• *oisei*: will carry/bring/lead

Other Translations

• King James Version 1769 (Standard Version)

  Verily, verily, I say unto thee, When thou wast young, thou girdedst thyself, and walkedst whither thou wouldest: but when thou shalt be old, thou shalt stretch forth thy hands, and another shall gird thee, and carry thee whither thou wouldest not.

• KJV1611 – Modern English

  Truly, truly, I say to you, When you were young, you dressed yourself and walked where you wanted; but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will dress you and carry you where you do not want to go.

• King James Version 1611 (Original)

  Verily, verily, I say unto thee, When thou wast young, thou girdedst thyself, and walkedst whither thou wouldest: but when thou shalt be old, thou shalt stretch forth thy hands, and another shall gird thee, and carry thee whither thou wouldest not.

• American Standard Version with Strong's Numbers

  Verily,{G281} verily,{G281} I say{G3004} unto thee,{G4671} When{G3753} thou wast{G2258} young,{G3501} thou girdedst{G2224} thyself,{G4572} and{G2532} walkedst{G4043} whither{G3699} thou wouldest:{G2309} but{G1161} when{G3752} thou shalt be old,{G1095} thou shalt stretch forth{G1614} thy{G4675} hands,{G5495} and{G2532} another{G243} shall gird{G2224} thee,{G4571} and{G2532} carry{G5342} thee whither{G3699} thou wouldest{G2309} not.{G3756}

• King James Version with Strong's Numbers

  Verily{G281}, verily{G281}, I say{G3004}{(G5719)} unto thee{G4671}, When{G3753} thou wast{G2258}{(G5713)} young{G3501}, thou girdedst{G2224}{(G5707)} thyself{G4572}, and{G2532} walkedst{G4043}{(G5707)} whither{G3699} thou wouldest{G2309}{(G5707)}: but{G1161} when{G3752} thou shalt be old{G1095}{(G5661)}, thou shalt stretch forth{G1614}{(G5692)} thy{G4675} hands{G5495}, and{G2532} another{G243} shall gird{G2224}{(G5692)} thee{G4571}, and{G2532} carry{G5342}{(G5692)} thee whither{G3699} thou wouldest{G2309}{(G5719)} not{G3756}.

• Tyndale Bible (1526/1534)

  Verely verely I saye vnto the when thou wast yonge thou gerdedst thy selfe and walkedst whyther thou woldest: but when thou arte olde thou shalt stretche forthe thy hondes and a nother shall gyrde ye and leade the whyther thou woldest not.

• Coverdale Bible (1535)

  Verely verely I saye vnto the: Whan thou wast yoge, thou gerdedst thyselfe, and walkedst whither thou woldest. But wha thou art olde, thou shalt stretch forth thy handes, and another shal gyrde the, and lede the whither thou woldest not.

• Geneva Bible (1560)

  Verely, verely I say vnto thee, When thou wast yong, thou girdedst thy selfe, and walkedst whither thou wouldest: but when thou shalt be olde, thou shalt stretch foorth thine hands, and another shall gird thee, and lead thee whither thou wouldest not.

• Bishops' Bible (1568)

  Ueryly veryly I say vnto thee, when thou wast young, thou gyrdedst thy selfe, and walkedst whither thou wouldest: but when thou shalt be olde, thou shalt stretch foorth thy handes, and another shall gyrde thee, and leade thee whither thou wouldest not.

• Authorized King James Version (1611)

  ‹Verily, verily, I say unto thee, When thou wast young, thou girdedst thyself, and walkedst whither thou wouldest: but when thou shalt be old, thou shalt stretch forth thy hands, and another shall gird thee, and carry› [thee] ‹whither thou wouldest not.›

• Webster's Bible (1833)

  Most assuredly I tell you, when you were young, you dressed yourself, and walked where you wanted to. But when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will dress you, and carry you where you don't want to go."

• Young's Literal Translation (1862/1898)

  verily, verily, I say to thee, When thou wast younger, thou wast girding thyself and wast walking whither thou didst will, but when thou mayest be old, thou shalt stretch forth thy hands, and another will gird thee, and shall carry `thee' whither thou dost not will;'

• American Standard Version (1901)

  Verily, verily, I say unto thee, When thou wast young, thou girdedst thyself, and walkedst whither thou wouldest: but when thou shalt be old, thou shalt stretch forth thy hands, and another shall gird thee, and carry thee whither thou wouldest not.

• American Standard Version (1901)

  Verily, verily, I say unto thee, When thou wast young, thou girdedst thyself, and walkedst whither thou wouldest: but when thou shalt be old, thou shalt stretch forth thy hands, and another shall gird thee, and carry thee whither thou wouldest not.

• Bible in Basic English (1941)

  Truly I say to you, When you were young, you made yourself ready and went wherever you had a desire to go: but when you are old, you will put out your hands and another will make you ready, and you will be taken where you have no desire to go.

• World English Bible (2000)

  Most certainly I tell you, when you were young, you dressed yourself, and walked where you wanted to. But when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will dress you, and carry you where you don't want to go."

• NET Bible® (New English Translation)

  I tell you the solemn truth, when you were young, you tied your clothes around you and went wherever you wanted, but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and others will tie you up and bring you where you do not want to go.”

Referenced Verses

• John 13:36 : 36 Simon Peter said to Him, 'Lord, where are You going?' Jesus answered, 'Where I am going, you cannot follow Me now, but you will follow later.'
• Acts 12:3-4 : 3 When he saw that this pleased the Jews, he proceeded to arrest Peter as well. (It was during the days of Unleavened Bread.) 4 After arresting him, he placed him in prison, handing him over to be guarded by four squads of soldiers, intending to bring him out to the people after the Passover.
• Acts 21:11 : 11 He came to us, took Paul’s belt, and tied his own hands and feet with it. He said, “The Holy Spirit says: ‘This is how the Jews in Jerusalem will bind the man who owns this belt and hand him over to the Gentiles.’”
• 2 Cor 5:4 : 4 For while we are in this tent, we groan and are burdened, because we do not wish to be unclothed but to be clothed instead with our heavenly dwelling, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life.
• John 12:27-28 : 27 Now My soul is troubled. And what shall I say? 'Father, save Me from this hour'? But this is why I came to this hour. 28 Father, glorify Your name." Then a voice came from heaven: "I have glorified it, and I will glorify it again."