Originally Posted by
dwashbur
Apart from the fact that much of that doesn't make sense, I told you the Greek grammar REQUIRES that "today" modifies "you will be with me" and not "I say to you." Show me any other instance in ancient literature where someone makes a statement like "I say to you today." Well, no duh, you're saying it today. As if someone would say "I say to you day after tomorrow"? It's not only bad Greek grammar, it's substandard English grammar. It's not something people of that time said, because they didn't talk like blithering idiots. Here's the conversation:
"Lord, remember me WHEN you come into your kingdom."
Jesus answered, "I tell you the truth. TODAY you will be with me in paradise."
When am I coming into my kingdom? Today. This stuff happening right now bites the big one, but it won't last long. Just hang on, it's gonna get better. And it'll get better today.
ἀμήν σοι λέγω, σήμερον μετ̓ ἐμοῦ ἔσῃ ἐν τῷ παραδείσῳ
There's what he said. Luke 23:43. ἀμήν σοι λέγω "truly to you I say" is a literal translation. It's a common formula that Jesus used a lot. Without any modifiers like "today" or "to your face" or "so's your mother." It's a basic introductory phrase.
σήμερον
The word in question. It means "today."
μετ̓ ἐμοῦ ἔσῃ ἐν τῷ παραδείσῳ "With me you will be in Paradise." See, it works like this: we have two modifiers, "today" (adverb) and "with me" (prepositional phrase), right together, one right after the other. In typical Greek, they go together as well: "Today with me you will be." If you are going to try and say that "today" belongs with "truly I say to you," then you've got to take "with me" as well. That yields the delightful "Truly, I say to you today with me..." Needless to say, that doesn't make sense. Then again, neither does "truly I say to you today."
That's the explanation based on the Greek grammar of the time and place. Let's hear yours, and don't forget to tell what it's based on.