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Greek Lessons
- Freedom from Decay: The Passive Voice of Hope
- Money into Perdition: Optatives, Infinitives, and the Value of the Gift
- Following the Teacher: Aorist Participles, Future Intentions, and Conditional Clauses
- Two Witnesses: Pronouns, Participles, and Present Tense in John 8:18
- Blind Minds and Hardened Hearts: Koine Simplicity versus Classical Subtlety
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Author Archives: New Testament Greek
Synonyms: True and False Divine Speech: προφητεύω and μαντεύομαι in the Greek New Testament
Among the various Greek terms for divine communication, προφητεύω and μαντεύομαι stand as a deliberate contrast between true prophetic revelation and false, pagan divination. Though both relate to utterances about the divine or the future, their sources, motives, and theological implications are worlds apart. The New Testament—and especially Luke in Acts—employs both terms strategically to draw a stark line between the Spirit of God and demonic oracles. This article explores their definitions, historical background, usage, and theological significance.
Lexical Origins and Core Meaning προφητεύω – From πρό (“before”) and φημί (“to speak”). Literally: “to speak before,” but idiomatically, it means to speak on behalf of a deity—especially the God of Israel.… Learn Koine GreekSynonyms: Holy Devotion or Divine Curse? ἀνάθημα and ἀνάθεμα in the Greek New Testament
The Greek words ἀνάθημα and ἀνάθεμα are among the most striking examples of near-homographs with completely different meanings in the New Testament. Though both stem from the root ἀνατίθημι (“to set up, to dedicate”), their divergence in usage and theological weight is profound. One refers to what is dedicated to God, the other to what is devoted for destruction. This article explores the lexical history, scriptural usage, and spiritual significance of these two potent terms.
Lexical Forms and Etymological Roots ἀνάθημα – From ἀνατίθημι (“to set up”), this form denotes something offered or dedicated to a deity, often placed in a temple as a votive offering.… Learn Koine GreekFleeing the Fires of Youth: A Grammatical Journey through 2 Timothy 2:22
Τὰς δὲ νεωτερικὰς ἐπιθυμίας φεῦγε, δίωκε δὲ δικαιοσύνην, πίστιν, ἀγάπην, εἰρήνην μετὰ τῶν ἐπικαλουμένων τὸν κύριον ἐκ καθαρᾶς καρδίας.
(2 Timothy 2:22)
Flee youthful desires, but pursue righteousness, faith, love, peace with those who call upon the Lord from a pure heart.
Verbal Commands: The Grammar of UrgencyThe verse is structured around two main imperatives:
φεῦγε – “flee!” (present active imperative, 2nd person singular from φεύγω) δίωκε – “pursue!” (present active imperative, 2nd person singular from διώκω)The use of present imperative suggests ongoing, habitual action. Paul isn’t commanding Timothy to flee once and be done—it is a constant fleeing and a continual chasing.… Learn Koine Greek
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The Gospel in Motion: Participles and Divine Partnership in Mark 16:20
ἐκεῖνοι δὲ ἐξελθόντες ἐκήρυξαν πανταχοῦ, τοῦ Κυρίου συνεργοῦντος καὶ τὸν λόγον βεβαιοῦντος διὰ τῶν ἐπακολουθούντων σημείων. ἀμήν. — Mark 16:20
Participles with PurposeThis final verse of the Gospel of Mark is a crescendo of action and cooperation. The disciples go out and preach, but they are not alone. Three present participles—συνεργοῦντος, βεβαιοῦντος, and ἐπακολουθούντων—describe the active role of the Lord and the confirming signs that follow. The Greek grammar weaves human obedience and divine response into a single tapestry of mission.
Temporal Sequencing in GreekThe verse opens with the aorist participle ἐξελθόντες (“having gone out”), followed by the aorist main verb ἐκήρυξαν (“they preached”).… Learn Koine Greek
Synonyms: Corrective Language in the Greek New Testament: ἐπιτιμάω and ἐλέγχω
The Greek New Testament uses various terms to express rebuke, correction, conviction, and exposure of wrongdoing. Among these, ἐπιτιμάω and ἐλέγχω emerge as two major verbs associated with verbal discipline or moral judgment. While both can involve confrontation, they differ in tone, function, and theological nuance. This study also incorporates the related noun forms αἰτία and ἔλεγχος, which contribute to the semantic field of accusation, evidence, and moral proof.
Lexical Definitions and Etymology ἐπιτιμάω – A compound of ἐπί (“upon”) and τιμάω (“to value, honor”), but in Koine usage it evolved to mean “to rebuke,” “to censure,” or “to command sternly.”… Learn Koine GreekGreek Grammar Lesson from 1 Corinthians 12:8
Verse in Greek
ᾧ μὲν γὰρ διὰ τοῦ Πνεύματος δίδοται λόγος σοφίας, ἄλλῳ δὲ λόγος γνώσεως κατὰ τὸ αὐτὸ Πνεῦμα,
Focus Topic: Dative of Advantage and Correlative Conjunctions (μὲν…δὲ)This verse presents a classic example of Paul’s use of balanced structure and rhetorical parallelism, centered around the correlative pair μὲν…δὲ and the use of the dative case to indicate indirect recipients of spiritual gifts.
Dative Personal Recipients: ᾧ μὲν … ἄλλῳ δὲThe datives ᾧ (“to one”) and ἄλλῳ (“to another”) indicate personal recipients of divine gifts. These are examples of the dative of advantage or indirect object, showing to whom something is given.… Learn Koine Greek
Synonyms: The Temple in Two Dimensions: ἱερόν and ναός in the Greek New Testament
In the Greek New Testament, the terms ἱερόν and ναός both refer to the “temple,” yet they carry significantly different nuances and theological implications. Both terms are rooted in Greek religious vocabulary, yet when employed by New Testament writers—especially in the Gospels and Pauline Epistles—their meanings are sharpened to reflect both Jewish worship and Christian theology. This article explores their etymology, usage, and theological weight, distinguishing between the physical temple complex and the innermost dwelling place of God.
Lexical Definitions and Origins ἱερόν – A neuter noun from ἱερός (“sacred, holy”). It refers broadly to the sacred precincts or temple complex, including all buildings, courts, and outer areas surrounding the sanctuary in Jerusalem.… Learn Koine Greek“Ἰδόντες”: Aorist Participle of Perception and Fulfillment in Matthew 2:10
Introduction: The Joy of Seeing
Matthew 2:10 opens with a participle of perception—ἰδόντες {idontes}, from ὁράω, “to see.” The clause reads: “Ἰδόντες δὲ τὸν ἀστέρα ἐχάρησαν χαρὰν μεγάλην σφόδρα” —“And when they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceedingly great joy.”
This participle establishes causal sequence and narrative momentum. The magi have been guided by the star; its reappearance or confirmation now triggers an emotional response. In this lesson, we explore how the aorist active participle functions grammatically and theologically within the clause.
Ἰδόντες δὲ τὸν ἀστέρα ἐχάρησαν χαρὰν μεγάλην σφόδρα.Let’s focus on the aorist participle ἰδόντες—the opening word of Matthew 2:10.… Learn Koine Greek
New Testament Greek Grammar Analysis of John 1:2
Οὗτος ἦν ἐν ἀρχῇ πρὸς τὸν Θεόν.
Greek Syntax and Sentence Structure in John 1:2
The verse John 1:2 follows the highly structured and theologically rich opening of the Gospel of John. It is a short but dense statement that reaffirms the identity and eternal nature of the Λόγος (Word) as introduced in John 1:1.
This sentence consists of a demonstrative pronoun as the subject (Οὗτος), an imperfect indicative verb (ἦν), a prepositional phrase indicating a temporal setting (ἐν ἀρχῇ), and a prepositional phrase indicating directionality or relationship (πρὸς τὸν Θεόν).
The Use of Οὗτος as a Demonstrative PronounThe pronoun Οὗτος (nominative singular masculine of οὗτος) refers back to the subject of the previous verse, ὁ Λόγος (the Word).… Learn Koine Greek
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New Testament Greek Grammar Analysis of John 21:25
Ἔστι δὲ καὶ ἄλλα πολλὰ ὃσα ἐποίησεν ὁ Ἰησοῦς, ἅτινα ἐὰν γράφηται καθ’ ἕν, οὐδὲ αὐτὸν οἶμαι τὸν κόσμον χωρῆσαι τὰ γραφόμενα βιβλία.
Greek Syntax and Sentence Structure in John 21:25The sentence in John 21:25 exhibits an intricate syntactical structure characteristic of Johannine Greek. The presence of Ἔστι δὲ καὶ suggests a narrative continuation with a postpositive conjunction (δὲ) that softens the transition rather than signaling a strong contrast. The subject is unstated but implied, following a common Greek syntactical pattern where Ἔστι (a present form of εἰμί) introduces existential statements.
The sentence consists of multiple clauses with a mix of relative, conditional, and resultative constructions.… Learn Koine Greek
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