Strong's # 1303 & # 1242 Greek words
Is the new covenant, of which Jesus
is the mediator, the same as "the
covenant" for a kingdom that Jesus made with his disciples on the last night
with them? According to the New World Translation Jesus
said: “However, YOU are the ones that have stuck with me in my trials; and I
make a covenant with YOU, just as my Father has made a covenant with me, for a
kingdom, that YOU may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom, and sit on
thrones to judge the twelve tribes of Israel." (Luke 22:28-30) Only Luke
mentions this conversation. It is of significance that the
Greek word that is commonly translated as covenant
(διαθήκη) does not appear in this case, although
Jesus used it a moment earlier
when he talked of the "blood of the covenant." (Luke 22:20; Matt. 26:28)
The word translated as covenant in the NWT at Luke 22:29 is the Greek word
διατίθεμαι [diatithemi],
and is rendered in other
Bible Translations as: to give (BBE, CEV, ERV, GW, NIRV); grant (NetB,
NLT, TLB); appoint (ASVB, Darby, KJV, Litv, RV, Tyndale, Young);
confer (AMP, ISV, NIV, NRSV, TNIV); assign (ESV); bestow (Holman);
dispose (Douay).
Below is presented an examination of the two Greek words
διατίθεμαι
and διαθήκη in all the places they appear in the
Greek Scriptures (Matthew to Revelation). The New World Translation does
not differentiate between the two words. I have color-coded them to easily tell
them apart. Please note that although the two words are related they do not
mean the same, nor are
they used interchangeably in the Bible. For example, this is how
Hebrews 8:10 reads in the Greek: “this
is the covenant
(η
διαθήκη)
that I will make (διαθήσομαι)
with the house of Israel after those days”
["ὅτι αὕτη
ἡ διαθήκη ἣν
διαθήσομαι
τῷ οἴκῳ Ἰσραὴλ μετὰ τὰς ἡμέρας ἐκείνας"].
Note that the word διατίθεμαι (διαθήσομαι
= I will make) refers
to the act of
making a new covenant with the house of Israel.
Διατίθεμαι is not
a
covenant! Διαθήκη is!
In Jeremiah 31:31-33 the New World Translation
says that God will "conclude"
a covenant, whereas in Hebrews 8:10 [where Paul quotes from Jeremiah] the same
Translation renders that verse as “the covenant that I shall covenant with the house of Israel after those days.”
(see also Heb. 10:16)
In Luke 22:29 Jesus assures his disciples that he will give them the kingdom, a promise he had made them on earlier occasions. (Matt.
19:28; Luke
12:32) There is no mention of a covenant
(διαθήκη),
otherwise Jesus would have said: "και εγώ κάνω διαθήκη με εσάς, όπως ο
Πατέρας μου έχει κάνει διαθήκη με εμένα" ["and I
make a covenant with YOU, just as my Father has made a covenant with me"].
Interestingly,
that is how it appears in the New World Translation in the modern Greek
language (published by the Society and available since 1997). It is a
word for word translation from English back into Greek. But it is dishonest, for
in the original Greek the word "covenant"
does not appear in that place.
Check your own
Interlinear Translation.
This is
an example of how interpolations have found their way into the holy Scriptures.
διατίθεμαι
(diatíthemai)
-
Etymology: middle
voice from 1223 and 5087;
- Definition: to put apart, i.e. (figuratively) dispose (by assignment, compact,
or bequest)
- KJV usage::--appoint, make, testator.
Word origin:
διά (dia)
-
through, on account of, because of
NASB
word usage: account (4), after (2), afterward (1), always* (2), because
(111), between* (1), briefly* (1), charge* (1), constantly (1), continually*
(6), during (1), forever* (1), gives (1), means (3), over (1), presence (1),
reason (40), sake (41), sakes (5), since (1), so then* (1), so* (1), therefore*
(16), this reason* (1), this* (1), though (1), through (225), through the agency
(1), through* (1), view (2), way (3), what (1), why (3), why* (27).
τίθημι
(tithémi)
-
to
place, lay, set
NASB word usage: appointed (6), assign (2), committed (1), conceived (1),
destined (1), down* (4), falling (1), fixed (1), kept (1), kneeling* (2), knelt*
(3), laid (22), laid aside (1), laid down (1), lay (4), lay...down (2), lay down
(8), laying (2), lays down (1), made (4), make (4), offer (1), placed (4),
present (1), purposed (1), put (15), puts (2), puts...away (1), putting (1),
reached (1), serves (1), set...down (1), set down (1), sink (1).
Number of
occurrences:
7
Here are the 7 occurrences of the word
διατίθεμαι
(diatíthemai)
in the Greek Scriptures, as translated by the New World Translation, the
English Standard Version, and the Amplified Bible:
LUKE 22:29 - κἀγὼ
διατίθεμαι ὑμῖν
καθὼς διέθετό
μοι ὁ πατήρ μου βασιλείαν,
NWT -
and
I make a
covenant
with YOU, just as my Father has
made a
covenant
with me, for
a kingdom,
ESV - and
I assign
to you,
as my Father assigned
to me, a kingdom,
AMP - And as My Father has appointed a kingdom and conferred it on Me, so do I confer on you [the privilege and decree],
●
Note that in Luke 22:29 the word
covenant (διαθήκη)
does not appear.
ACTS 3:25 - ὑμεῖς ἐστε οἱ υἱοὶ τῶν προφητῶν
καὶ
τῆς διαθήκης
ἧς διέθετο
ὁ θεὸς πρὸς τοὺς πατέρας ἡμῶν, λέγων πρὸς Ἀβραάμ, καὶ ἐν τῷ σπέρματί σου
ἐνευλογηθήσονται πᾶσαι αἱ πατριαὶ τῆς γῆς.
NWT
- YOU
are the sons of the prophets and of
the covenant which God
covenanted with YOUR forefathers, saying to Abraham, ‘And in your seed all
the families of the earth will be blessed.’
ESV - You are the sons of the prophets and of the covenant that God made with your fathers, saying to Abraham, 'And in your offspring shall all the families of the earth be blessed.'
AMP - You are the descendants (sons) of the
prophets and the heirs of
the covenant which God
made and gave to your forefathers, saying to Abraham, And in
your Seed (Heir) shall all the families of the earth be blessed and benefited.
HEBREWS
8:10 - ὅτι αὕτη
ἡ διαθήκη ἣν
διαθήσομαι
τῷ οἴκῳ Ἰσραὴλ μετὰ τὰς ἡμέρας ἐκείνας, λέγει κύριος, διδοὺς νόμους μου εἰς τὴν
διάνοιαν αὐτῶν, καὶ ἐπὶ καρδίαν αὐτῶν ἐπιγράψω αὐτούς, καὶ ἔσομαι αὐτοῖς εἰς
θεὸν καὶ αὐτοὶ ἔσονταί μοι εἰς λαόν.
NWT - “‘For this is the covenant that I shall covenant with the house of Israel after those days,’ says Jehovah. ‘I will put my laws in their mind, and in their hearts I shall write them. And I will become their God, and they themselves will become my people.
ESV - For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the Lord: will put my laws into their minds, and write them on their hearts, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.
AMP - For this is the covenant
that I will make with the house of Israel after
those days, says the Lord: I will imprint My laws upon their minds, even upon
their innermost thoughts and understanding, and engrave them upon their hearts;
and I will be their God, and they shall be My people.
HEBREWS 9:16
- ὅπου γὰρ διαθήκη,
θάνατον ἀνάγκη φέρεσθαι τοῦ διαθεμένου.
NWT - For where there is a covenant, the death of the [human] covenanter needs to be furnished.
ESV - For where a will is involved, the death of the one who made it must be established.
AMP - For where there is a [last]
will and testament involved, the death of the one
who made it must be established,
HEBREWS 9:17
- διαθήκη
γὰρ ἐπὶ νεκροῖς βεβαία, ἐπεὶ μήποτε ἰσχύει ὅτε ζῇ ὁ
διαθέμενος.
NWT - For a covenant is valid over dead [victims], since it is not in force at any time while the [human] covenanter is living.
ESV - For a will takes effect only at death, since it is not in force as long as the one who made it is alive.
AMP - For a will and testament is valid and takes effect only at death, since it has no force or legal power as long as the one who made it is alive.
●
What does Paul mean in the above two verses where he says,
according to the NWT, "where there is a covenant, the death of the
[human] covenanter needs to be furnished," and "a covenant is valid over dead
[victims], since it is not in force at any time while the [human] covenanter is
living" (the word "human" being added by the translators)? Since the Greek word
for covenant also means a will, Paul is illustrating how the new covenant works.
When someone makes a will and thereby bequeaths his possessions to others, the
will does not
come into effect while he is still alive.
The beneficiaries have no legal claim to his possessions until after his death.
That is how it works with the new covenant. God is the source and maker
(covenanter, NWT) of the new covenant. Obviously it is not God who needs
to die in order to validate it, but rather it is the "blood of the
covenant," provided by Jesus, for "unless blood is poured out no forgiveness takes place."
Moses did not die in
order to bring into force the old covenant.
It was
validated over animal sacrifices, "the blood of goats and of bulls." (Matt.
26:28; Ex. 24:8; Heb. 9:13-22) In the same way, the new covenant could not come
into effect until after the death of the one who provided the blood of the
covenant. Only then could we inherit that which he bestowed on us, namely,
forgiveness of sins and everlasting life. And for a few of his disciples, chosen
by God, the privilege of ruling with Christ in his kingdom. (Rev. 20:6)
HEBREWS
10:16 - αὕτη
ἡ διαθήκη ἣν
διαθήσομαι
πρὸς αὐτοὺς μετὰ τὰς ἡμέρας ἐκείνας,
λέγει κύριος, διδοὺς νόμους μου ἐπὶ καρδίας αὐτῶν, καὶ ἐπὶ τὴν διάνοιαν αὐτῶν
ἐπιγράψω αὐτούς,
NWT
- “‘This is the covenant that
I shall covenant toward them after those days,’
says Jehovah. ‘I will put my laws in their hearts, and in their minds I shall
write them,’
ESV - "This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, declares the Lord: I will put my laws on their hearts, and write them on their minds,"
AMP - This is the agreement (testament, covenant) that I will set up and conclude with them after those days, says the Lord: I will imprint My laws upon their hearts, and I will inscribe them on their minds (on their inmost thoughts and understanding),
διαθήκη (diathēkē)
Definition:
a disposition, arrangement, of any sort, which one wishes to be
valid, the last disposition which one makes of his earthly possessions after his
death, a testament or will
a compact, a covenant, a testament
God's covenant with Noah, etc.
Translated Words
KJV (33) - covenant, 20; testament, 13;
NAS (33) - covenant, 30; covenants, 3;
This word is used 33
times in the King James Version and New American Standard Bible:
Matthew 26:28: "of the new testament (διαθήκη), which is shed for many for"
Mark 14:24: "of the new testament (διαθήκη), which is shed for many."
Luke 1:72: "to remember his holy covenant (διαθήκη);"
Luke 22:20: "cup is the new testament (διαθήκη) in my blood, which is shed"
Acts 3:25: "prophets, and of the covenant (διαθήκη) which God made (διατίθεμαι) with"
Acts 7:8: "And he gave him the covenant (διαθήκη) of circumcision: and so Abraham begat"
Romans 9:4: "glory, and the covenants (διαθήκη), and the giving of the law, and"
Romans 11:27: "this is my covenant (διαθήκη) unto them, when I shall take away their"
1 Corinthians 11:25: "is the new testament (διαθήκη) in my blood: this"
2 Corinthians 3:6: "hath made us able ministers of the new testament (διαθήκη); not of the letter, but"
2 Corinthians 3:14: "the reading of the old testament (διαθήκη); which veil is done away in"
Galatians 3:15: "of men; Though it be but a man's covenant (διαθήκη), yet if it be confirmed, no man disannulleth, or"
Galatians 3:17: "And this I say, that the covenant (διαθήκη), that was confirmed before of God in"
Galatians 4:24: "are the two covenants (διαθήκη); the one from the mount"
Ephesians 2:12: "and strangers from the covenants (διαθήκη) of promise, having no hope,"
Hebrews 7:22: "made a surety of a better testament (διαθήκη)."
Hebrews 8:6: "he is the mediator of a better covenant (διαθήκη), which was established upon better"
Hebrews 8:8: "when I will make a new covenant (διαθήκη) with the house of Israel"
Hebrews 8:9: "Not according to the covenant (διαθήκη) that I made with their fathers"
Hebrews 8:9: "not in my covenant (διαθήκη), and I regarded them not, saith"
Hebrews 8:10: "For this is the covenant (διαθήκη) that I will make (διατίθεμαι) with the house"
Hebrews 9:4: "the ark of the covenant (διαθήκη) overlaid round about with gold, wherein"
Hebrews 9:4: "and the tables of the covenant (διαθήκη);"
Hebrews 9:15: "for this cause he is the mediator of the new testament (διαθήκη), that by means of death,"
Hebrews 9:15: "of the transgressions that were under the first testament (διαθήκη), they which are called might receive"
Hebrews 9:16: "For where a testament (διαθήκη) is, there must also of necessity be the death of the testator (διαθεμένου, the one who makes it)."
Hebrews 9:17: "For a testament (διαθήκη) is of force after men are dead (διαθέμενος, the one who makes it): otherwise it is of no strength at all"
Hebrews 9:20: "is the blood of the testament (διαθήκη) which God hath enjoined unto"
Hebrews 10:16: "This is the covenant (διαθήκη) that I will make (διατίθεμαι) with them after"
Hebrews 10:29: "the blood of the covenant (διαθήκη), wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing,"
Hebrews 12:24: "to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant (διαθήκη), and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh"
Hebrews 13:20: "through the blood of the everlasting covenant (διαθήκη),"
Revelation 11:19:
"the ark of his testament (διαθήκη):
and there were lightnings, and"
For further information on the new covenant click
here!