Matthew 14:04
For John said unto him,
It is not lawful for thee to have her.
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Other translations
New International Version
for John had been saying to him: “It is not lawful for you to have her.”
New Living Translation
John had been telling Herod, “It is against God’s law for you to marry her.”
English Standard Version
because John had been saying to him, “It is not lawful for you to have her.”
Berean Study Bible
because John had been telling him, “It is not lawful for you to have her.”
Berean Literal Bible
For John had been saying to him, “It is not lawful for you to have her.”
New King James Version
Because John had said to him, “It is not lawful for you to have her.”
New American Standard Bible — NASB 1995 — NASB 1977
For John had been saying to him, “It is not lawful for you to have her.”
Amplified Bible
for John had said to him, “It is not lawful (morally right) for you to have her [living with you as your wife].”
Word by word
For John said unto him
A Jewish historian states more generally that Antipas was afraid lest some popular outbreak should be the result of the preaching of the Baptist, working on the excitable peasantry of Galilee.
It is not lawful for you to have her
This Herodias was a granddaughter of Herod the Great.
She was first married to Herod Philip, by whom she had a daughter, Salome, probably the one that danced and pleased Herod.
Josephus says that this marriage of Herod Antipas with Herodias took place while he was on a journey to Rome. He stopped at his brother’s; fell in love with his wife; agreed to put away his own wife, the daughter of Aretas, King of Petraea; and Herodias agreed to leave her own husband and live with him.
They were living, therefore, in adultery; and John, in faithfulness, though at the risk of his life, had reproved them for their crimes. Herod was guilty of two crimes in this act:
- Of “adultery,” since she was the wife of another man.
- Of “incest,” since she was a near relation, and such marriages were expressly forbidden (Leviticus 18:16).
Greek
because
γὰρ (gar)
Conjunction
For. A primary particle; properly, assigning a reason.
John
Ἰωάννης» (Iōannēs)
Noun – Nominative Masculine Singular
Of Hebrew origin; Joannes, the name of four Israelites.
had been telling
ἔλεγεν (elegen)
Verb – Imperfect Indicative Active – 3rd Person Singular
Answer, bid, bring word, command. A primary verb; to speak or say.
him
αὐτῷ (autō)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun – Dative Masculine 3rd Person Singular
He, she, it, they, them, same. From the particle au; the reflexive pronoun self, used of the third person, and of the other persons.
“It is not lawful
ἔξεστίν (exestin)
Verb – Present Indicative Active – 3rd Person Singular
It is permitted, lawful, possible.
for you
σοι (soi)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun – Dative 2nd Person Singular
You. The person pronoun of the second person singular; thou.
to have
ἔχειν (echein)
Verb – Present Infinitive Active
To have, hold, possess. Including an alternate form scheo skheh’-o; a primary verb; to hold.
her.
αὐτήν (autēn)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun – Accusative Feminine 3rd Person Singular
He, she, it, they, them, same. From the particle au; the reflexive pronoun self, used of the third person, and of the other persons.
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