LUKE 12:49 Interlinear View

1. Greek word
2. Greek lemma
3. OET-LV words
4. OET-RV words
5. Strongs
6. Role/Morphology
7. OET Gloss
8. VLT Gloss
9. CAPS codes
10. Confidence
11. OET tags
12. OET word #
1. Πῦρ
2. pur
3. Fire
4. -
5. 44420
6. N····ANS
7. fire
8. fire
9. PS
10. Y33; F51256
11. 51244
1. ἦλθον
2. erχomai
3. I came
4. came
5. 20640
6. VIAA1··S
7. ˱I˲ came
8. ˱I˲ came
9. -
10. Y33
11. 51245
1. βαλεῖν
2. ballō
3. to throw
4. throw
5. 9060
6. VNAA····
7. ˓to˒ throw
8. ˓to˒ cast
9. -
10. Y33
11. 51246
1. ἐπί
2. epi
3. on
4. -
5. 19090
6. P·······
7. on
8. on
9. -
10. Y33
11. 51247
1. εἰς
2. eis
3. -
4. -
5. 15190
6. P·······
7. on
8. on
9. -
10. -
11. 51248
1. τήν
2. ho
3. the
4. -
5. 35880
6. E····AFS
7. the
8. the
9. -
10. Y33
11. 51249
1. γῆν
2. gē
3. earth
4. earth
5. 10930
6. N····AFS
7. earth
8. earth
9. -
10. Y33
11. 51250
1. καί
2. kai
3. and
4. and
5. 25320
6. C·······
7. and
8. and
9. -
10. Y33
11. 51251
1. τί
2. ti
3. how
4. -
5. 50845
6. D·······
7. how
8. how
9. -
10. Y33
11. 51252
1. θέλω
2. thelō
3. I am wanting
4. -
5. 23090
6. VIPA1··S
7. ˱I˲ ˓am˒ wanting
8. ˱I˲ ˓am˒ wanting
9. -
10. Y33
11. 51253
1. εἰ
2. ei
3. if
4. -
5. 14870
6. C·······
7. if
8. if
9. -
10. Y33
11. 51254
1. ἤδη
2. ēdē
3. already
4. already
5. 22350
6. D·······
7. already
8. already
9. -
10. Y33
11. 51255
1. ἀνήφθη
2. anaptō
3. it was kindled
4. it kindled
5. 3810
6. VIAP3··S
7. ˱it˲ ˓was˒ kindled
8. ˱it˲ ˓was˒ kindled
9. -
10. Y33; R51244
11. 51256

SIL Open Translator’s Notes:

Section 12:49–53: Jesus’ message will cause divisions among people

In this section Jesus was still talking to his disciples. He told them that a difficult time was coming. He warned them that in many families, some family members would follow him and some would not. This would cause family members to disagree and separate.

Some other headings for this section are:

Jesus Causes Division (NCV)

Not Peace but Division (NIV)

There is a parallel passage for this section in Matthew 10:34–36.

12:49a

I have come to ignite a fire on the earth,

¶ Jesus also told the people this illustration. He said, “My purpose in coming to the world is to cause a fire to burn among people.
¶ Then Jesus said, “I have come to bring judgment like fire on the people of the earth,

This is the first verse in a new section. Jesus continued to speak, and he used a metaphor. In some languages it may be helpful to make this information explicit. For example:

Then Jesus said, using an illustration

I have come to ignite a fire on the earth: In this verse fire is a complex metaphor. It may symbolize several things in this context:

It may symbolize judgment. Jesus came to prepare people to face God’s judgment, and he himself was punished by God on behalf on those who would repent.
It may symbolize purification. God would purify and remove evil from his people.
It may symbolize division. Jesus came with a message that caused people to disagree with one another and separate from one another.

In some languages people may not understand that Jesus was using fire in a figurative way. If that is true in your language, you may be able to keep the figure of fire by using a simile. For example:

What I came to bring to the earth is like fire.

In other languages, the meaning of fire in this context may not be understood. If that is true in your language, you may need to make the meaning more explicit. Try to use a general expression that could imply any of the meanings listed above. If that is not possible, use an expression that refers to judgment. For example:
I came to bring judgment like fire on the earth.
If the meaning is still not clear, translate the meaning without the figure of speech. For example:
I came to bring judgment and division on the earth.

You may also want to put the possible interpretations in a footnote.A fourth interpretation is that fire symbolizes faith or spiritual enthusiasm. This interpretation does not fit the context as well as the other three interpretations. A possible footnote is:

There are several ways to interpret “fire” in this verse: (1) Most scholars think it symbolizes God’s judgment on sin (as in Luke 3:16–17). This could refer to Jesus’ death on the cross or to the future judgment of unbelievers. (2) Other scholars think that it is a symbol of people being divided or in conflict. (3) Other scholars think that it is a symbol of God purifying people. It is probable that fire symbolizes more than one thing here.

I have come to ignite: The phrase I have come to ignite indicates purpose. In some languages it may be more natural to use an explicit purpose statement. For example:

I came to this earth in order to cause something like fire to burn among people.

12:49b

and how I wish it were already kindled!

And I very much wish that this fire had already started!
and I wish it were already burning now!

how I wish it were already kindled: The expression how I wish it were already kindled means “I want very much for the fire to begin burning.” This implies that the fire had not yet begun. Another way to translate this is:

and I wish it were already burning (NCV)

If you made the meaning more explicit in 12:49a, you may need to do that here, as well. For example:

and I wish that the judgment had already begun!

uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

πῦρ ἦλθον βαλεῖν ἐπὶ τὴν γῆν

(Some words not found in SR-GNT: Πῦρ ἦλθον βαλεῖν ἐπί τήν γῆν καί τί θέλω εἰ ἤδη ἀνήφθη)

Jesus is speaking of the effects of his ministry and teaching. In context, since he says contrastingly in [12:51](../12/51.md) that he did not come to bring peace to the earth, fire likely represents the passionate responses to him, both favorable and unfavorable, that would lead to the divisions he describes in [12:52–53](../12/52.md). Alternate translation: [My coming will lead to conflict among people]

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / metonymy

τὴν γῆν

(Some words not found in SR-GNT: Πῦρ ἦλθον βαλεῖν ἐπί τήν γῆν καί τί θέλω εἰ ἤδη ἀνήφθη)

Jesus says the earth to mean the people living on the earth. Alternate translation: [people]

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / exclamations

τί θέλω εἰ ἤδη ἀνήφθη

how ˱I˲_˓am˒_wanting if already ˱it˲_˓was˒_kindled

This exclamation emphasizes how much Jesus wants this to happen. Alternate translation: [I wish very much that this fire were already lit]

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

τί θέλω εἰ ἤδη ἀνήφθη

how ˱I˲_˓am˒_wanting if already ˱it˲_˓was˒_kindled

This exclamation continues the metaphor of fire as conflict. Alternate translation: [how I wish that people were already taking sides]

Note 5 topic: figures-of-speech / activepassive

ἤδη ἀνήφθη

already ˱it˲_˓was˒_kindled

If it would be helpful in your language, you could express this with an active form. Alternate translation: [the fire were already burning] or [people were already taking sides]

OET-LV English word order (‘Reverse’ interlinear)

1. OET-LV words
2. OET-RV words
3. Strongs
4. Greek word
5. Greek lemma
6. Role/Morphology
7. OET Gloss
8. VLT Gloss
9. CAPS codes
10. Confidence
11. OET tags
12. OET word #
1. I came
2. came
3. 20640
5. erχomai
6. V-IAA1··S
7. ˱I˲ came
8. ˱I˲ came
9. -
10. Y33
11. 51245
1. to throw
2. throw
3. 9060
5. ballō
6. V-NAA····
7. ˓to˒ throw
8. ˓to˒ cast
9. -
10. Y33
11. 51246
1. Fire
2. -
3. 44420
4. PS
5. pur
6. N-····ANS
7. fire
8. fire
9. PS
10. Y33; F51256
11. 51244
1. on
2. -
3. 19090
5. epi
6. P-·······
7. on
8. on
9. -
10. Y33
11. 51247
1. the
2. -
3. 35880
5. ho
6. E-····AFS
7. the
8. the
9. -
10. Y33
11. 51249
1. earth
2. earth
3. 10930
5. gē
6. N-····AFS
7. earth
8. earth
9. -
10. Y33
11. 51250
1. and
2. and
3. 25320
5. kai
6. C-·······
7. and
8. and
9. -
10. Y33
11. 51251
1. how
2. -
3. 50845
5. ti
6. D-·······
7. how
8. how
9. -
10. Y33
11. 51252
1. I am wanting
2. -
3. 23090
5. thelō
6. V-IPA1··S
7. ˱I˲ ˓am˒ wanting
8. ˱I˲ ˓am˒ wanting
9. -
10. Y33
11. 51253
1. if
2. -
3. 14870
5. ei
6. C-·······
7. if
8. if
9. -
10. Y33
11. 51254
1. it was
2. it kindled
3. 3810
5. anaptō
6. V-IAP3··S
7. ˱it˲ ˓was˒ kindled
8. ˱it˲ ˓was˒ kindled
9. -
10. Y33; R51244
11. 51256
1. already
2. already
3. 22350
5. ēdē
6. D-·······
7. already
8. already
9. -
10. Y33
11. 51255
1. kindled
2. it kindled
3. 3810
5. anaptō
6. V-IAP3··S
7. ˱it˲ ˓was˒ kindled
8. ˱it˲ ˓was˒ kindled
9. -
10. Y33; R51244
11. 51256

Note: The OET-RV is still only a first draft, and so far only a few words have been (mostly automatically) matched to the Hebrew or Greek words that they’re translated from.

Acknowledgements: The SR Greek text, lemmas, morphology, and VLT gloss are all thanks to the CNTR.

OET interlinear LUKE 12:49

SR Greek word order (including unused variant words in grey)

Section 12:49–53: Jesus’ message will cause divisions among people

12:49a

12:49b

OET-LV English word order (‘Reverse’ interlinear)