Matthew 27:40

Linguistic Bible Translation from Source Texts

'You who would destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days, save Yourself! If You are the Son of God, come down from the cross!'

📖 Grammatical Analysis

Original Text

Καὶ λέγοντες, Ὁ καταλύων τὸν ναὸν, καὶ ἐν τρισὶν ἡμέραις οἰκοδομῶν, σῶσον σεαυτόν. Εἰ Υἱὸς εἶ τοῦ Θεοῦ, κατάβηθι ἀπὸ τοῦ σταυροῦ.

Transliteration

And legontes, The one katalyōn the naon, and in three hēmerais oikodomōn, sōson yourself. If Huios you are of Theou, katabēthi from the staurou.

Grammar Details

• *legontes*: present active participle, nominative, masculine, plural - saying
• *katalyōn*: present active participle, nominative, masculine, singular - destroying
• *naon*: accusative, masculine, singular - temple/sanctuary
• *hēmerais*: dative, feminine, plural - days
• *oikodomōn*: present active participle, nominative, masculine, singular - building
• *sōson*: aorist active imperative, 2nd singular - save
• *Huios*: nominative, masculine, singular - Son
• *Theou*: genitive, masculine, singular - of God
• *katabēthi*: aorist active imperative, 2nd singular - come down
• *staurou*: genitive, masculine, singular - cross/stake

Word Meanings

• *legontes*: saying/stating/speaking
• *katalyōn*: destroying/demolishing/taking down
• *naon*: temple/sanctuary [inner structure, not whole complex]
• *oikodomōn*: building/constructing/rebuilding
• *sōson*: save/rescue/deliver [command]
• *Huios*: Son [title of special relationship]
• *Theou*: of God/deity/divine being
• *katabēthi*: come down/descend [command]
• *staurou*: cross/execution stake

Other Translations

• King James Version 1769 (Standard Version)

  And saying, Thou that destroyest the temple, and buildest it in three days, save thyself. If thou be the Son of God, come down from the cross.

• KJV1611 – Modern English

  And saying, You who destroy the temple and build it in three days, save yourself. If you are the Son of God, come down from the cross.

• King James Version 1611 (Original)

  And saying, Thou that destroyest the temple, and buildest it in three days, save thyself. If thou be the Son of God, come down from the cross.

• American Standard Version with Strong's Numbers

  and saying, Thou that destroyest the temple, and buildest it in three days, save thyself: if thou art the Son of God, come down from the cross.

• King James Version with Strong's Numbers

  And saying, Thou that destroyest the temple, and buildest it in three days, save thyself. If thou be the Son of God, come down from the cross.

• Tyndale Bible (1526/1534)

  and sayinge: Thou that destroyest the temple of God and byldest it in thre dayes save thy sylfe. If thou be ye sonne of God come doune from the crosse.

• Coverdale Bible (1535)

  and sayde: Thou that breakest downe the teple of God, and buyldest it in thre dayes, helpe thyself. Yf thou be the sonne of God, come downe from the crosse.

• Geneva Bible (1560)

  And saying, Thou that destroyest ye Temple, & buildest it in three dayes, saue thy selfe: if thou be ye Sonne of God, come downe fro ye crosse.

• Bishops' Bible (1568)

  And saying: Thou that destroyedst the temple, & buyldest it in three dayes, saue thy selfe. If thou be the sonne of God, come downe from the crosse.

• Authorized King James Version (1611)

  And saying, Thou that destroyest the temple, and buildest [it] in three days, save thyself. If thou be the Son of God, come down from the cross.

• Webster's Bible (1833)

  and saying, "You who destroy the temple, and build it in three days, save yourself! If you are the Son of God, come down from the cross!"

• Young's Literal Translation (1862/1898)

  and saying, `Thou that art throwing down the sanctuary, and in three days building `it', save thyself; if Son thou art of God, come down from the cross.'

• American Standard Version (1901)

  and saying, Thou that destroyest the temple, and buildest it in three days, save thyself: if thou art the Son of God, come down from the cross.

• American Standard Version (1901)

  and saying, Thou that destroyest the temple, and buildest it in three days, save thyself: if thou art the Son of God, come down from the cross.

• Bible in Basic English (1941)

  You who would give the Temple to destruction and put it up again in three days, get yourself free: if you are the Son of God, come down from the cross.

• World English Bible (2000)

  and saying, "You who destroy the temple, and build it in three days, save yourself! If you are the Son of God, come down from the cross!"

• NET Bible® (New English Translation)

  and saying,“You who can destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days, save yourself! If you are God’s Son, come down from the cross!”

Referenced Verses

• Matt 26:61 : 61 They declared, "This man said, 'I can destroy the temple of God and rebuild it in three days.'"
• Matt 4:3 : 3 Then the tempter approached Him and said, 'If You are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.'
• Matt 4:6 : 6 He said to Him, 'If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down, for it is written: He will command His angels concerning You, and they will lift You up in their hands so that You will not strike Your foot against a stone.'
• John 2:19-22 : 19 Jesus answered them, 'Destroy this temple, and I will raise it again in three days.' 20 They replied, 'It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and You are going to raise it in three days?' 21 But He was speaking about the temple of His body. 22 After He was raised from the dead, His disciples remembered that He had said this, and they believed the Scripture and the words that Jesus had spoken.
• Rev 11:10 : 10 The inhabitants of the earth will rejoice over them and celebrate, sending gifts to one another, because these two prophets had tormented those who dwell on the earth.
• Matt 26:63-64 : 63 But Jesus remained silent. Then the high priest said to Him, "I charge You under oath by the living God: Tell us if You are the Christ, the Son of God." 64 Jesus said to him, "You have said so. But I tell you, from now on you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of Power and coming on the clouds of heaven."
• Matt 27:42 : 42 'He saved others, but He cannot save Himself. He is the King of Israel; let Him come down now from the cross, and we will believe in Him.
• Matt 27:54 : 54 When the centurion and those with him who were guarding Jesus saw the earthquake and all that had happened, they were terrified and said, 'Truly this was the Son of God!'
• Luke 14:29-30 : 29 Otherwise, if he lays the foundation and is not able to finish it, everyone who sees it will ridicule him, 30 saying, ‘This man began to build and was not able to finish.’
• Luke 16:31 : 31 But Abraham said to him, 'If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.'
• Matt 16:4 : 4 An evil and adulterous generation seeks a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of Jonah the prophet." Then He left them and went away.
• Gen 37:19-20 : 19 They said to one another, "Look, here comes the dreamer!" 20 Come now, let’s kill him and throw him into one of the pits. We can say that a wild animal devoured him. Then we’ll see what becomes of his dreams."