Matthew 21:38

KJV1611 – Modern English

But when the vine dressers saw the son, they said among themselves, This is the heir; come, let us kill him and seize his inheritance.

📖 Grammatical Analysis

Original Text

Οἱ δὲ γεωργοὶ ἰδόντες τὸν υἱὸν, εἶπον ἐν ἑαυτοῖς, Οὗτός ἐστιν ὁ κληρονόμος· δεῦτε, ἀποκτείνωμεν αὐτὸν, καὶ κατάσχωμεν τὴν κληρονομίαν αὐτοῦ.

Transliteration

The de geōrgoi idontes the huion, eipon among themselves, This estin the klēronomos; deute, let us apokteinōmen him, and let us kataschōmen the klēronomian of him.

Grammar Details

• *de*: postpositive particle - but/and
• *geōrgoi*: nominative masculine plural - farmers
• *idontes*: aorist active participle, nominative masculine plural - having seen
• *huion*: accusative masculine singular - son
• *eipon*: aorist active indicative, 3rd person plural - they said
• *estin*: present active indicative, 3rd person singular - is
• *klēronomos*: nominative masculine singular - heir
• *deute*: adverb/imperative - come
• *apokteinōmen*: aorist active subjunctive, 1st person plural - let us kill
• *kataschōmen*: aorist active subjunctive, 1st person plural - let us seize
• *klēronomian*: accusative feminine singular - inheritance

Word Meanings

• *geōrgoi*: farmers/tenant farmers/vinedressers
• *idontes*: having seen/observed/noticed
• *huion*: son/male descendant
• *eipon*: said/spoke/told
• *klēronomos*: heir/inheritor
• *deute*: come/come here/come now
• *apokteinōmen*: let us kill/slay/put to death
• *kataschōmen*: let us seize/take possession of/lay hold of
• *klēronomian*: inheritance/property/possession

Other Translations

• Linguistic Bible Translation from Source Texts

  But when the tenant farmers saw the son, they said to one another, 'This is the heir. Come, let us kill him and take his inheritance!'

• King James Version 1769 (Standard Version)

  But when the husbandmen saw the son, they said among themselves, This is the heir; come, let us kill him, and let us seize on his inheritance.

• American Standard Version with Strong's Numbers

  But the husbandmen, when they saw the son, said among themselves, This is the heir; come, let us kill him, and take his inheritance.

• King James Version with Strong's Numbers

  But when the husbandmen saw the son, they said among themselves, This is the heir; come, let us kill him, and let us seize on his inheritance.

• Tyndale Bible (1526/1534)

  But when the husbandmen sawe the sonne they sayde amoge the selves: This is the heyre: come let vs kyll him and let vs take his inheritaunce to oure selves.

• Coverdale Bible (1535)

  But whe the hussbandme sawe the sonne, they sayde amonge the selues: This is the Heyre, come, let us kyl hym, and take his inheritauce vnto oure selues.

• Geneva Bible (1560)

  But when the husbandmen saw the sonne, they saide among themselues, This is the heire: come, let vs kil him, & let vs take his inheritance.

• Bishops' Bible (1568)

  But when the husband men sawe the sonne, they sayde among them selues: this is the heire, come, let vs kyll hym, and let vs enioy his inheritaunce.

• Authorized King James Version (1611)

  ‹But when the husbandmen saw the son, they said among themselves, This is the heir; come, let us kill him, and let us seize on his inheritance.›

• Webster's Bible (1833)

  But the farmers, when they saw the son, said among themselves, 'This is the heir. Come, let's kill him, and seize his inheritance.'

• Young's Literal Translation (1862/1898)

  and the husbandmen having seen the son, said among themselves, This is the heir, come, we may kill him, and may possess his inheritance;

• American Standard Version (1901)

  But the husbandmen, when they saw the son, said among themselves, This is the heir; come, let us kill him, and take his inheritance.

• American Standard Version (1901)

  But the husbandmen, when they saw the son, said among themselves, This is the heir; come, let us kill him, and take his inheritance.

• Bible in Basic English (1941)

  But when the workmen saw the son, they said among themselves, This is he who will one day be the owner of the property; come, let us put him to death and take his heritage.

• World English Bible (2000)

  But the farmers, when they saw the son, said among themselves, 'This is the heir. Come, let's kill him, and seize his inheritance.'

• NET Bible® (New English Translation)

  But when the tenants saw the son, they said to themselves,‘This is the heir. Come, let’s kill him and get his inheritance!’

Referenced Verses

• Gen 37:18-20 : 18 And when they saw him afar off, even before he came near to them, they conspired against him to kill him. 19 And they said one to another, Behold, this dreamer comes. 20 Come now therefore, and let us kill him, and cast him into some pit, and we will say, Some evil beast has devoured him: and we shall see what will become of his dreams.
• Ps 2:2-8 : 2 The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD, and against his anointed, saying, 3 Let us break their bonds apart, and cast away their cords from us. 4 He who sits in the heavens shall laugh: the Lord shall have them in derision. 5 Then shall he speak to them in his wrath, and distress them in his deep displeasure. 6 Yet I have set my king upon my holy hill of Zion. 7 I will declare the decree: the LORD has said to me, 'You are my Son; this day I have begotten you.' 8 Ask of me, and I shall give you the nations for your inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for your possession.
• Matt 2:13-16 : 13 And when they had departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream, saying, Arise, take the young child and his mother, and flee into Egypt, and be there until I bring you word: for Herod will seek the young child to destroy him. 14 When he arose, he took the young child and his mother by night, and departed into Egypt: 15 And was there until the death of Herod: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying, Out of Egypt I have called my son. 16 Then Herod, when he saw that he was mocked by the wise men, was exceedingly angry, and sent forth and killed all the children that were in Bethlehem and in all its coasts, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had diligently inquired of the wise men.
• Matt 26:3-4 : 3 Then assembled together the chief priests, and the scribes, and the elders of the people, to the palace of the high priest, who was called Caiaphas, 4 And consulted that they might take Jesus by stealth, and kill him.
• Matt 27:1-2 : 1 When morning came, all the chief priests and elders of the people took counsel against Jesus to put him to death. 2 And when they had bound him, they led him away, and delivered him to Pontius Pilate, the governor.
• Mark 12:7-8 : 7 But those farmers said among themselves, 'This is the heir. Come, let us kill him, and the inheritance will be ours.' 8 So they took him, killed him, and threw him out of the vineyard.
• Luke 20:14 : 14 But when the tenant farmers saw him, they reasoned among themselves, saying, This is the heir: come, let us kill him, that the inheritance may be ours.
• John 11:47-53 : 47 Then the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered a council and said, What shall we do? for this man does many miracles. 48 If we let him alone like this, everyone will believe in him, and the Romans will come and take away both our place and nation. 49 And one of them, named Caiaphas, being high priest that year, said to them, You know nothing at all, 50 Nor do you consider that it is better for us that one man should die for the people, and not that the whole nation should perish. 51 Now this he did not say on his own authority: but being high priest that year, he prophesied that Jesus would die for the nation; 52 And not for that nation only, but also that he would gather together in one the children of God who were scattered abroad. 53 Then from that day on, they plotted to put him to death.
• Acts 4:27-28 : 27 For truly against Your holy servant Jesus, whom You anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles and the people of Israel, were gathered together 28 To do whatever Your hand and Your purpose determined before to be done.
• Acts 5:24-28 : 24 Now when the high priest and the captain of the temple and the chief priests heard these things, they were perplexed about them, wondering what this would lead to. 25 Then one came and told them, saying, Look, the men whom you put in prison are standing in the temple and teaching the people. 26 Then the captain went with the officers and brought them without violence, for they feared the people, lest they should be stoned. 27 And when they had brought them, they set them before the council, and the high priest asked them, 28 Saying, Did we not strictly command you that you should not teach in this name? And look, you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching, and intend to bring this man's blood upon us.
• Heb 1:2 : 2 Has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the worlds;