You - Singular or Plural?

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pake

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Could anyone tell me what the different instances of the word “you” in the following passage are, singular or plural? I understand the greek has these different forms but they both translate to the same “you” in english.

Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesare’a Philip’pi, he asked his disciples, “Who do men say that the Son of man is?” And they said, “Some say John the Baptist, others say Eli’jah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” Simon Peter replied, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” And Jesus answered him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jona! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven. And I tell you, you are Rock, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.” Then he strictly charged the disciples to tell no one that he was the Christ. Matt 13-20.
 
According to the Greek NT I have:

*Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesare’a Philip’pi, he asked his disciples, “Who do men say that the Son of man is?” And they said, “Some say John the Baptist, others say Eli’jah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” *
PLURAL

Simon Peter replied, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”
SINGULAR

And Jesus answered him, "Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jona!
In the Greek a different word is used here. The interlinear translation is “self” - (“Self blessed be Simon bar-Jonas.” ) “Self” is SINGULAR.

*For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven. And I tell you, you are Rock, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, *
**SINGULAR **(all four)

*and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven." *
Different word used in both instances - the Greek word used is translated as “who” — (and who if bind… and who if loose…)
SINGULAR of “who” in both instances.

Nita
 
Check a King James. It uses you and ye for the plural and thou and thee for the singular. The Douai may also, but I don’t have my copy at hand.
 
Nita said:
According to the Greek NT I have:

and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven."
Different word used in both instances - the Greek word used is translated as “who” — (and who if bind… and who if loose…)
SINGULAR of “who” in both instances.

Nita
Click to expand...
What that be something like “and whoever binds on earth it will be bound in heaven”? What about the same phrase in Matt 18:18 " Truly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven." Is the same word for you used there as in Matt 16?

I’m trying to figure out if in Matt 16:19 if he was switching back to addressing them all or in particular to Peter.
 
There are some errors in my post that need correcting:
Nita said:
And Jesus answered him, "Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jona!
In the Greek a different word is used here. The interlinear translation is “self” - (“Self blessed be Simon bar-Jonas.” ) “Self” is SINGULAR.
Click to expand...
The word “self” is the one that is translated “him” in English (And Jesus answered him,)
“You” is included in the Greek verb of “be” (ei) and is translated “are you” (Blessed are you, Simon…). The verb is 2nd person, SINGULAR.
and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven."
Different word used in both instances - the Greek word used is translated as “who” — (and who if bind… and who if loose…)
SINGULAR of “who” in both instances.
Click to expand...
Same type of error.
The root word translated in my interlinear as “who” also means “which, what, or that”. It is the word translated as “whatever” in the above passage.
“You” is included in the verb forms for “bind” and “loose”. The verbs are 2nd person, SINGULAR.

Nita

Sorry about the errors. :o
Went too fast, without doing enough comparing of texts. Very necessary since I do not know Greek!

Nita
 
pake said:
What that be something like “and whoever binds on earth it will be bound in heaven”? What about the same phrase in Matt 18:18 " Truly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven." Is the same word for you used there as in Matt 16?

I’m trying to figure out if in Matt 16:19 if he was switching back to addressing them all or in particular to Peter.
Click to expand...
I’ll respond to your last question first.
In Matt 16:19 “you” is SINGULAR. Jesus is addressing Peter only.

Matt 18:18 is different. The context is excommunication (verse 17). Jesus is addressing all the disciples.
In “Truly, I say to you,…” - the word “you” is PLURAL.
In “whatever you bind…whatever you loose”, “you” is incorporated in the verb forms - and in both instances the verb form is 2nd person PLURAL.

Nita
 
Nita said:
There are some errors in my post that need correcting:

The word “self” is the one that is translated “him” in English (And Jesus answered him,)
“You” is included in the Greek verb of “be” (ei) and is translated “are you” (Blessed are you, Simon…). The verb is 2nd person, SINGULAR.
Click to expand...
Same type of error.
The root word translated in my interlinear as “who” also means “which, what, or that”. It is the word translated as “whatever” in the above passage.
“You” is included in the verb forms for “bind” and “loose”. The verbs are 2nd person, SINGULAR.

Sorry about the errors. :o
Went too fast, without doing enough comparing of texts. Very necessary since I do not know Greek!

Nita
 
I’d like to second the citations of you “singular” in Nita’s post from my resource at NETBible.

The following passage is also an interesting study because Jesus shifts from the plural to the singular:Luke 22:31–32 Simon, Simon, behold, Satan demanded to have you (plural), that he might sift you (plural) like wheat, but I have prayed for you (singular) that your (singular) faith may not fail; and when you (singular) have turned again, strengthen your (singular) brethren.
 
I thought I read somewhere here on Catholic Answers site that in Matt 16:19 the you in “whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven” was plural.
 
The easiest way to deal with this question (and also Mt 18:18) is to use the KJV. (Not the NKJV!) If you are dealing with Protestants, they should find it an acceptable translation, for one thing. 👍

In the English of that time, “thee” and “thou” were the singular form of “you.” The plural was “You” or “ye.”

Assuming the KJV translators were correct, then in Mt 16, Jesus is speaking directly to Peter, and in Mt 18 to the disciples.

HTH, Ruthie
 
pake said:
I thought I read somewhere here on Catholic Answers site that in Matt 16:19 the you in “whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven” was plural.
Click to expand...
Matt 16:19:
And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.
Click to expand...
It’s singular. Jesus was still speaking just to Peter. This agrees with the Greek. The pronouns aren’t used in the Greek, but the verbs are definitely 2nd person singular.

DaveBj
 
In Matthew 16, the you is singular, indicating the binding and loosing authority and the keys given to Peter.

In Matthew 18, the you is plural, giving the power to bind and loose to the college of apostles.

Both these passages clearly show how the Church works even today. The Pope has a singular power to bind and loose, and so do all the Bishops when assembled as a college, i.e. in Ecumenical Council.

But note. Only Peter was given the keys. There is no parallel key-duplication in Matthew 18.
 
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