Monthly Archives: June 2021

Crasis in New Testament Greek

Definition of Crasis

Crasis (Greek: κρᾶσις) is a linguistic phenomenon in Greek where two adjacent words, especially when one ends in a vowel and the next begins with a vowel, combine to form a single word. The term itself means “mixing” or “blending,” which captures the essence of this contraction process. Crasis primarily occurs to simplify pronunciation, creating a smoother flow of speech by avoiding the need to articulate two consecutive vowel sounds. In New Testament Greek, crasis is most commonly seen with the conjunction καὶ (“and”) blending with pronouns, articles, or particles that begin with vowels.

Function and Importance in New Testament Greek

The presence of crasis in New Testament Greek helps to streamline phrases, making them easier to say and, in some cases, more efficient to write.… Learn Koine Greek

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Anchoring in Ptolemais: The Movement and Fellowship of Acts 21:7

Ἡμεῖς δὲ τὸν πλοῦν διανύσαντες ἀπὸ Τύρου κατηντήσαμεν εἰς Πτολεμαΐδα, καὶ ἀσπασάμενοι τοὺς ἀδελφοὺς ἐμείναμεν ἡμέραν μίαν παρ’ αὐτοῖς (Acts 21:7)

And we, having completed the voyage from Tyre, arrived at Ptolemais; and having greeted the brothers, we stayed one day with them.

Acts 21:7 doesn’t dwell on drama or detail, but its Greek quietly communicates movement, completion, and the warmth of Christian fellowship. From the ship’s journey to the greeting of the brothers, the sentence is rhythmically tight—narrating transitions both geographical and relational.

Grammatical Foundations

The participle διανύσαντες (having completed the voyage) comes from διανύω, a compound verb stressing completion through or across something.… Learn Koine Greek

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