-
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
-
Category
Author Archives: New Testament Greek
Worse Than an Unbeliever: Conditional Grammar and Denied Faith
This verse delivers one of the strongest rebukes in the Pastoral Epistles, using a conditional sentence and comparative structure to express the moral gravity of neglecting one’s family: εἰ δέ τις τῶν ἰδίων καὶ μάλιστα τῶν οἰκείων οὐ προνοεῖ, τὴν πίστιν ἤρνηται καὶ ἔστιν ἀπίστου χείρων from 1 Timothy 5:8. The grammar is forceful and deliberate, linking provision with faith, and contrasting the believer’s failure with even the moral baseline of the unbeliever.
The Greek Text in Focusεἰ δέ τις τῶν ἰδίων καὶ μάλιστα τῶν οἰκείων οὐ προνοεῖ, τὴν πίστιν ἤρνηται καὶ ἔστιν ἀπίστου χείρων (1 Timothy 5:8)
“But if anyone does not provide for his own, and especially for those of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.”… Learn Koine Greek
When Darkness Cries Out: The Fear of Holiness in Mark 5:7
Mark 5:7 occurs in the account of Jesus’ confrontation with the Gerasene demoniac — a man possessed by a legion of unclean spirits (Mark 5:1–20). After running to Jesus and falling before Him, the possessed man (or rather the spirit within him) speaks. This verse captures the moment of spiritual tension where evil recognizes divine authority and recoils. It is a rare moment in the Gospels when a demon articulates theology with unsettling clarity.
Structural Analysisκαὶ κράξας φωνῇ μεγάλῃ λέγει· τί ἐμοὶ καὶ σοί, Ἰησοῦ, υἱὲ τοῦ Θεοῦ τοῦ ὑψίστου; ὁρκίζω σε τὸν Θεόν, μή με βασανίσῃς.
The verse contains three coordinated parts: (1) the possessed man’s scream and speech introduction, (2) a rhetorical question expressing dread and distance, and (3) a solemn adjuration begging Jesus not to torment him.… Learn Koine Greek
Nets at the Breaking Point: Obedience and Overflow in Luke 5:6
Luke 5:6 belongs to the account of the miraculous catch of fish — a pivotal moment in Jesus’ early Galilean ministry. After teaching from Simon’s boat, Jesus instructs him to let down the nets. Though the disciples had caught nothing all night, they obey — and the result is overwhelming. This verse describes the moment of divine abundance. It precedes Peter’s confession of unworthiness (v. 8) and the call to discipleship (v. 10). Thus, Luke 5:6 bridges the mundane world of labor with the inbreaking power of the kingdom.
Structural Analysisκαὶ τοῦτο ποιήσαντες συνέκλεισαν πλῆθος ἰχθύων πολύ· διερρήγνυτο δὲ τὸ δίκτυον αὐτῶν.… Learn Koine Greek
The Future Passive and the Inheritance of the Earth
Few verses in the New Testament glow with the serene promise and grammatical richness of μακάριοι οἱ πραεῖς, ὅτι αὐτοὶ κληρονομήσουσιν τὴν γῆν (Matthew 5:5). Nestled in the Beatitudes, this verse delivers its reward through a future indicative passive verb — κληρονομήσουσιν — that demands more attention than its soft rhythm might suggest. Beyond the comfort of divine blessing lies a grammatical nuance: the future indicative in Koine Greek can subtly encode both volition and divine appointment, often through passive forms that retain an active meaning. This phenomenon opens a door into the linguistic theology of the Gospel, where agency and passivity converge in sacred inheritance.… Learn Koine Greek
The Parable Begins: Greek Imagery and Eschatological Invitation in Matthew 25:1
Matthew 25:1 opens the final block of Jesus’ eschatological discourse in the Gospel of Matthew, often called the Olivet Discourse (Matthew 24–25). The verse introduces the parable of the ten virgins — a narrative exclusive to Matthew — which follows warnings about the suddenness and unpredictability of the Son of Man’s return. The language of likeness, preparedness, and meeting the bridegroom in this verse sets the thematic and theological tone for the parable that follows.
Structural AnalysisΤότε ὁμοιωθήσεται ἡ βασιλεία τῶν οὐρανῶν δέκα παρθένοις, αἵτινες λαβοῦσαι τὰς λαμπάδας ἑαυτῶν ἐξῆλθον εἰς ἀπάντησιν τοῦ νυμφίου.
The subject is ἡ βασιλεία τῶν οὐρανῶν (“the kingdom of heaven”), and the verb ὁμοιωθήσεται (“will be likened”) introduces a comparison.… Learn Koine Greek
Why Have You Lied to God? Divine Ownership and Integrity in Acts 5:4
οὐχὶ μένον σοι ἔμενε καὶ πραθὲν ἐν τῇ σῇ ἐξουσίᾳ ὑπῆρχε; τί ὅτι ἔθου ἐν τῇ καρδίᾳ σου τὸ πρᾶγμα τοῦτο; οὐκ ἐψεύσω ἀνθρώποις, ἀλλὰ τῷ Θεῷ
In this solemn confrontation from Acts 5:4, Peter rebukes Ananias for his deception—not merely against people, but against God. The Greek phrasing draws attention to both the freedom Ananias had and the severity of his decision to misrepresent his gift. This verse emphasizes personal responsibility, divine sovereignty, and the weight of spiritual hypocrisy.
Grammatical Foundationsοὐχὶ μένον σοι ἔμενε—“While it remained, did it not remain yours?”
οὐχὶ—emphatic form of οὐ, introducing a rhetorical question expecting a “yes.”… Learn Koine GreekBoasting in Affliction: A Greek Look at Romans 5:3
Romans 5:3
οὐ μόνον δέ, ἀλλὰ καὶ καυχώμεθα ἐν ταῖς θλίψεσιν, εἰδότες ὅτι ἡ θλῖψις ὑπομονὴν κατεργάζεται,
And not only this, but we also boast in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces endurance,
From Peace to Perseverance οὐ μόνον δέ, ἀλλὰ καὶ – “And not only that, but also…” This phrase introduces a progression of thought from peace and hope (Rom 5:1–2) into the paradox of joy in suffering. It’s a rhetorical structure common in both Classical and Pauline Greek to intensify the next claim. Rejoicing in Pressureκαυχώμεθα ἐν ταῖς θλίψεσιν – “we boast in tribulations.”
καυχώμεθα – present middle indicative of καυχάομαι, “to boast, exult.”… Learn Koine Greek
Posted in Grammar
Leave a comment
The Stillness Before the Call: Greek Grammar in a Moment of Transition
In this scene from the calling of the first disciples, Luke captures a quiet but significant moment by the lakeshore using vivid participles, perfect tenses, and spatial prepositions: καὶ εἶδε δύο πλοῖα ἑστῶτα παρὰ τὴν λίμνην· οἱ δὲ ἁλιεῖς ἀποβάντες ἀπ’ αὐτῶν ἀπέπλυνον τὰ δίκτυα from Luke 5:2. The grammar here sets the stage for divine encounter by portraying ordinary activity with precise and poetic construction.
The Greek Text in Focusκαὶ εἶδε δύο πλοῖα ἑστῶτα παρὰ τὴν λίμνην· οἱ δὲ ἁλιεῖς ἀποβάντες ἀπ’ αὐτῶν ἀπέπλυνον τὰ δίκτυα (Luke 5:2)
“And he saw two boats standing by the lake; but the fishermen, having disembarked from them, were washing the nets.”… Learn Koine Greek
Ascending to Teach: Grammatical Setting and Theological Foreshadowing in Matthew 5:1
The Mountain Scene: Literary and Theological Context of Matthew 5:1
Matthew 5:1 — Ἰδὼν δὲ τοὺς ὄχλους ἀνέβη εἰς τὸ ὄρος· καὶ καθίσαντος αὐτοῦ προσῆλθαν αὐτῷ οἱ μαθηταὶ αὐτοῦ· (“And seeing the crowds, he went up on the mountain; and when he sat down, his disciples came to him.”)
This verse opens the famous Sermon on the Mount (Matt. 5–7), establishing both its setting and its theological significance. The grammar of Matthew 5:1—through participial sequencing, narrative aorists, and dative constructions—frames Jesus’ action in ways that recall Mosaic imagery, highlight his authoritative teaching role, and invite the reader into a scene of eschatological instruction.… Learn Koine Greek
Rhetorical Inquiry and Comparative Teaching in Mark 4:30: Hortatory Subjunctives and Parabolic Framing in Greek Narrative
καὶ ἔλεγε· πῶς ὁμοιώσωμεν τὴν βασιλείαν τοῦ Θεοῦ, ἢ ἐν τίνι παραβολῇ παραβάλωμεν αὐτὴν; (Mark 4:30)
Introduction to Teaching Discourse: καὶ ἔλεγε– καὶ: Coordinating conjunction—”and,” linking to the preceding teaching activity. – ἔλεγε: Imperfect active indicative, 3rd person singular of λέγω, “he was saying.” – The imperfect tense indicates ongoing or repeated speech during Jesus’ parabolic instruction. – This phrase opens a reflective question within Jesus’ public teaching ministry.
First Hortatory Question: πῶς ὁμοιώσωμεν τὴν βασιλείαν τοῦ Θεοῦ– πῶς: Interrogative adverb—”how.” – ὁμοιώσωμεν: Aorist active subjunctive, 1st person plural of ὁμοιόω, “we liken,” “compare.” – Hortatory subjunctive expressing deliberation: “How shall we compare…?”… Learn Koine Greek
