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Greek Lessons
- Worse Than an Unbeliever: Conditional Grammar and Denied Faith
- When Darkness Cries Out: The Fear of Holiness in Mark 5:7
- Nets at the Breaking Point: Obedience and Overflow in Luke 5:6
- The Future Passive and the Inheritance of the Earth
- The Parable Begins: Greek Imagery and Eschatological Invitation in Matthew 25:1
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Category
Monthly Archives: March 2025
You Call Me Teacher and Lord: Identity Affirmed in John 13:13
The Verse in Focus (John 13:13) ὑμεῖς φωνεῖτέ με, ὁ διδάσκαλος καὶ ὁ κύριος, καὶ καλῶς λέγετε· εἰμὶ γάρ ὑμεῖς φωνεῖτέ με: Personal Address and Present Action The subject ὑμεῖς (“you”) is emphatic, Study more …..
A Life According to the Strictest Sect: Identity in Acts 26:5
Acts 26:5 προγινώσκοντές με ἄνωθεν, ἐὰν θέλωσι μαρτυρεῖν, ὅτι κατὰ τὴν ἀκριβεστάτην αἵρεσιν τῆς ἡμετέρας θρησκείας ἔζησα Φαρισαῖος προγινώσκοντές με ἄνωθεν: Study more …..
First of All: The Grammar of Intercession in 1 Timothy 2:1
1 Timothy 2:1 Παρακαλῶ οὖν πρῶτον πάντων ποιεῖσθαι δεήσεις, προσευχάς, ἐντεύξεις, εὐχαριστίας, ὑπὲρ πάντων ἀνθρώπων Παρακαλῶ οὖν: A Pastoral Urging The verb Παρακαλῶ is the present Study more …..
2 Thessalonians 1:11 and the Greek of Intercession and Fulfillment
2 Thessalonians 1:11 εἰς ὃ καὶ προσευχόμεθα πάντοτε περὶ ὑμῶν, ἵνα ὑμᾶς ἀξιώσῃ τῆς κλήσεως ὁ Θεὸς ἡμῶν καὶ πληρώσῃ πᾶσαν εὐδοκίαν ἀγαθωσύνης καὶ ἔργον πίστεως Study more …..
The Grammar of Humility: Jesus’ Arrival in Matthew 3:13
Τότε παραγίνεται ὁ Ἰησοῦς ἀπὸ τῆς Γαλιλαίας ἐπὶ τὸν Ἰορδάνην πρὸς τὸν Ἰωάννην τοῦ βαπτισθῆναι ὑπ’ αὐτοῦ Matthew’s language is quiet but deliberate. Jesus doesn’t declare, explain, or teach Study more …..
Comparing Classical Greek and Koine Greek
Classical Greek and Koine Greek represent two major historical stages of the Greek language. Classical Greek, particularly the Attic dialect, was the literary and intellectual language of 5th–4th centuries BC Athens. Koine Greek, which emerged after the conquests of Alexander … Continue reading
Posted in Ancient Greek
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Hebrews 3:6 and the Greek of Sonship and Confidence
Hebrews 3:6 Χριστὸς δὲ ὡς υἱὸς ἐπὶ τὸν οἶκον αὐτοῦ, οὗ οἶκός ἐσμεν ἡμεῖς, ἐὰνπερ τὴν παρρησίαν καὶ τὸ καύχημα τῆς ἐλπίδος μέχρι τέλους βεβαίαν κατάσχωμεν. Literal Study more …..
“μνείαν σου ποιούμενος ἐπὶ τῶν προσευχῶν μου”: Participial Thanksgiving and Remembrance in Philemon 4
Introduction: Gratitude in the Form of Prayer Paul opens his letter to Philemon with this tender line: Εὐχαριστῶ τῷ Θεῷ μου πάντοτε μνείαν σου ποιούμενος ἐπὶ τῶν προσευχῶν μου “I thank my God always, making mention of you Study more … Continue reading
Greek Grammar Lesson from Luke 2:15
Verse in Greek Καὶ ἐγένετο ὡς ἀπῆλθον ἀπ’ αὐτῶν εἰς τὸν οὐρανὸν οἱ ἄγγελοι, καὶ οἱ ἄνθρωποι οἱ ποιμένες εἶπον πρὸς ἀλλήλους· Διέλθωμεν δὴ ἕως Βηθλέεμ καὶ ἴδωμεν Study more …..
Comparing Modern Greek and Koine Greek
Modern Greek and Koine Greek, though genetically related, differ in numerous linguistic and historical respects. Koine Greek, the dialect of the Greek New Testament, emerged in the Hellenistic period as a common dialect (κοινή διάλεκτος) that unified various Greek dialects … Continue reading
Posted in Modern Greek
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Acts 20:10 and the Urgency of Apostolic Action
Original Text καταβὰς δὲ ὁ Παῦλος ἐπέπεσεν αὐτῷ καὶ συμπεριλαβὼν εἶπε· Μὴ θορυβεῖσθε· ἡ γὰρ ψυχὴ αὐτοῦ ἐν αὐτῷ ἐστιν. Literal English Translation But Paul went down, fell upon him, and embracing Study more …..
Comparative Greek Analysis: James 3:2 in Koine vs. Classical Greek
Original Text (James 3:2) πολλὰ γὰρ πταίομεν ἅπαντες. εἴ τις ἐν λόγῳ οὐ πταίει, οὗτος τέλειος ἀνήρ, δυνατὸς χαλιναγωγῆσαι καὶ ὅλον τὸ σῶμα. Literal English Translation For we all stumble Study more …..
Not in Vain: Participles and Persuasion in 2 Corinthians 6:1
The Verse in Focus (2 Corinthians 6:1) Συνεργοῦντες δὲ καὶ παρακαλοῦμεν μὴ εἰς κενὸν τὴν χάριν τοῦ Θεοῦ δέξασθαι ὑμᾶς· The Present Participle: Συνεργοῦντες The participle συνεργοῦντες comes from Study more …..
Joy Beyond Measure: Exploring Greek Intensification in Matthew 2:10
The Verse in Focus Ἰδόντες δὲ τὸν ἀστέρα ἐχάρησαν χαρὰν μεγάλην σφόδρα This verse from Matthew 2:10 is rich in both grammatical beauty and expressive emotion. A Closer Look at the Structure This vivid sentence from Matthew 2:10 captures the … Continue reading
Greek Verbal Nuance, Syntax, and Semantic Tension in John 21:16
Λέγει αὐτῷ πάλιν δεύτερον· Σίμων Ἰωνᾶ, ἀγαπᾷς με; Λέγει αὐτῷ· ναί κύριε, σὺ οἶδας ὅτι φιλῶ σε. Λέγει αὐτῷ· ποίμαινε τὰ πρόβατά μου. Introduction John 21:16 is the second of three similar Study more …..
“ἵνα φάγωσιν οὗτοι”: Purpose Clause and Aorist Subjunctive in John 6:5
Introduction: Bread for the Multitude John 6:5 introduces the setting for the feeding of the 5,000. Jesus looks up and sees the crowd approaching: Ἐπάρας οὖν ὁ Ἰησοῦς τοὺς ὀφθαλμοὺς, καὶ θεασάμενος ὅτι πολὺς ὄχλος ἔρχεται Study more …..
“τοῦ Ἰωανάν, τοῦ Ῥησά…”: Patronymic Genitives and Ellipsis in Luke 3:27
Introduction: A Lineage Without Verbs In Luke 3:23–38, the evangelist presents the genealogy of Jesus in reverse, going from Jesus all the way back to Adam. Each generation is presented in a minimalist formula: τοῦ [Name] — “of [Name]” Our … Continue reading
When Three Men Appeared: Acts 11:11 in the Light of Classical Greek
Καὶ ἰδού, ἐξαυτῆς τρεῖς ἄνδρες ἐπέστησαν ἐπὶ τὴν οἰκίαν ἐν ᾗ ἤμην, ἀπεσταλμένοι ἀπὸ Καισαρείας πρός με. And behold, immediately three men stood near the house in which I was, having been sent from Caesarea Study more …..
“ἐξετίθετο”: The Imperfect Middle of Reasoned Defense in Acts 11:4
Introduction: Unfolding the Account Acts 11:4 says: Ἀρξάμενος δὲ ὁ Πέτρος ἐξετίθετο αὐτοῖς καθεξῆς, λέγων· “But Peter, having begun, began to explain to them in order, saying…” The main verb here is ἐξετίθετο {exetítheto}, Study more …..
“Ἀρξάμενος… ἐξετίθετο”: Participial Introduction and Imperfect Exposition in Acts 11:4
Introduction: Peter Begins to Speak Acts 11:4 sets the stage for Peter’s explanatory defense before the Jerusalem believers: Ἀρξάμενος δὲ ὁ Πέτρος ἐξετίθετο αὐτοῖς καθεξῆς, λέγων· “But Peter, having begun, explained to them in order, saying…” This Study more …..
