function to show date passed after posts publish

hello guys
i create a function to show how many days or months or years passed after posts published but its not work, what im done wrong?

<?php
if( !function_exists('property_published_date') ) {
    function property_published_date(){
        $publish_date = the_date('Ymd','','',false);
        $current_date = date_i18n('Ymd');
        ?>
        <div class=property-published-date>
        <?php
        _e('Registration date of the property: ','inspiry');
        if (!empty($publish_date)){
            $years = substr($publish_date,0,4);$months = substr($publish_date,4,2);$days = substr($publish_date,6,2);
            $property_published_date = "$years/$months/$days";
            echo $property_published_date;
        }
        if (empty($publish_date)) {
            _e(' (Unknown)','inspiry');
        }else{
            $c_years = substr($current_date,0,4);$c_months = substr($current_date,4,2);$c_days = substr($current_date,6,2);
            $yearsresult = $years - $c_years; $monthsresult = $months - $c_months; $daysresult = $days - $c_days;
            if ($yearsresult == 0 && $monthsresult == 0 && $daysresult == 0){
                _e(' (Today)','inspiry');
            }elseif($yearsresult == 0 && $monthsresult == 0 && $daysresult < 31){
                if ($daysresult < 7 and $daysresult > 1){
                    _e(' (less than a week)','inspiry');
                }elseif ($daysresult > 7 and $daysresult < 14){
                    _e(' (less than two weeks)','inspiry');
                }elseif ($daysresult == 14){
                    _e(' (two weaks ago)','inspiry');
                }elseif ($daysresult > 14 && $daysresult < 21){
                    _e(' (more than two weeks)','inspiry');
                }elseif ($daysresult == 21){
                    _e(' (three weeks ago)','inspiry');
                }elseif($daysresult > 21 && $daysresult < 28){
                    _e(' (more than three weeks)','inspiry');
                }elseif($daysresult >= 28 ){
                    _e(' (more than four weeks)','inspiry');
                }
            }elseif($yearsresult == 0 && $monthsresult < 12){
                if ($monthsresult == 1){
                    _e(' (one month ago)','inspiry');
                }elseif($monthsresult == 2){
                    _e(' (two months ago)','inspiry');
                }elseif($monthsresult == 3){
                    _e(' (three months ago)','inspiry');
                }elseif($monthsresult > 3 && $monthsresult < 6){
                    _e(' (more than three months)','inspiry');
                }elseif($monthsresult == 6){
                    _e(' (six months ago)','inspiry');
                }elseif($monthsresult < 9 && $monthsresult > 6){
                    _e(' (more than six months)','inspiry');
                }elseif($monthsresult == 9){
                    _e(' (nine months ago)','inspiry');
                }elseif($monthsresult > 9){
                    _e(' (more than nine months ago)','inspiry');
                }
            }elseif($yearsresult > 1){
                if ($yearsresult == 1){
                    _e(' (one year ago)','inspiry');
                }elseif($yearsresult == 2){
                    _e(' (two years ago)','inspiry');
                }elseif($yearsresult == 3){
                    _e(' (three years ago)','inspiry');
                }elseif($yearsresult > 3){
                    _e(' (more than three years ago)','inspiry');
                }
            }
        }
        ?>
        </div>
        <?php
    }
}

Thanks in advanced!