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Greek Lessons
- Vindicated at the Table: How Speech Condemns and Grammar Acquits
- Carried, Not Carrying: The Grammar That Topples Boasting
- Spliced into Abundance: The Grammar of Displacement and Participation in ἐνεκεντρίσθης
- When the Heart Expands Toward Ruin: The Grammar of Self-Watchfulness
- Living, Begetting, Dying: The Grammar of Time and Continuity
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Category
Author Archives: New Testament Greek
Great Crowds Followed Him: The Expanding Reach of Jesus in Matthew 4:25
καὶ ἠκολούθησαν αὐτῷ ὄχλοι πολλοὶ ἀπὸ τῆς Γαλιλαίας καὶ Δεκαπόλεως καὶ Ἱεροσολύμων καὶ Ἰουδαίας καὶ πέραν τοῦ Ἰορδάνου
Matthew 4:25 records the early and rapidly growing popularity of Jesus as his ministry begins. The Greek text paints a picture of a broad, regional response—crowds gathering from Jewish and mixed territories alike. The structure emphasizes the vastness and diversity of those who came to hear and see him.
Grammatical Foundationsκαὶ ἠκολούθησαν αὐτῷ—“And they followed him.” The verb ἠκολούθησαν is aorist active indicative, 3rd person plural from ἀκολουθέω—“to follow.” The aorist tense indicates a completed action: large groups actively and decisively began following him.… Learn Koine Greek
Unified Prayer to the Creator: A Confession of Sovereignty in Acts 4:24
οἱ δὲ ἀκούσαντες ὁμοθυμαδὸν ἦραν φωνὴν πρὸς τὸν Θεὸν καὶ εἶπον· δέσποτα, σὺ ὁ ποιήσας τὸν οὐρανὸν καὶ τὴν γῆν καὶ τὴν θάλασσαν καὶ πάντα τὰ ἐν αὐτοῖς
Acts 4:24 records the believers’ immediate response to persecution: unified, reverent, and theologically rich prayer. The Greek grammar powerfully captures corporate unity, divine address, and creation theology. The verse blends narrative with liturgy—what begins as historical report turns into doxology and affirmation of God’s sovereign identity.
Grammatical Foundationsοἱ δὲ ἀκούσαντες—“And when they heard” or “but having heard”—is an aorist active participle, nominative masculine plural, from ἀκούω, functioning temporally. It refers to the community of believers who heard the report about Peter and John.… Learn Koine Greek
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Teaching, Preaching, Healing: The Triple Ministry in Matthew 4:23
The Verse in Focus (Matthew 4:23)
Καὶ περιῆγεν ὅλην τὴν Γαλιλαίαν ὁ Ἰησοῦς, διδάσκων ἐν ταῖς συναγωγαῖς αὐτῶν καὶ κηρύσσων τὸ εὐαγγέλιον τῆς βασιλείας καὶ θεραπεύων πᾶσαν νόσον καὶ πᾶσαν μαλακίαν ἐν τῷ λαῷ
Καὶ περιῆγεν… ὁ Ἰησοῦς: The Traveling Messiah περιῆγεν is the imperfect active indicative of περιάγω, meaning “he went about” or “he traveled around.” The imperfect tense signifies continuous or repeated action in the past — Jesus habitually traveled. ὅλην τὴν Γαλιλαίαν — “all Galilee,” accusative of extent of space.The verb-subject order is emphatic: the action leads, and the subject ὁ Ἰησοῦς comes last, highlighting what he was doing more than who he was.… Learn Koine Greek
Greek Grammatical and Syntactic Analysis of Luke 4:22
καὶ πάντες ἐμαρτύρουν αὐτῷ καὶ ἐθαύμαζον ἐπὶ τοῖς λόγοις τῆς χάριτος τοῖς ἐκπορευομένοις ἐκ τοῦ στόματος αὐτοῦ καὶ ἔλεγον· οὐχ οὗτός ἐστιν ὁ υἱὸς Ἰωσὴφ;
Coordinated Imperfect Verbs: ἐμαρτύρουν and ἐθαύμαζον
ἐμαρτύρουν: imperfect active indicative, 3rd person plural of μαρτυρέω, “they were bearing witness”
ἐθαύμαζον: imperfect active indicative, 3rd person plural of θαυμάζω, “they were marveling”
The use of the imperfect tense for both verbs expresses continuous or repeated action in the past. The verbs are coordinated by καὶ and have the common subject πάντες (“all”), indicating communal response.
Subject: πάντες πάντες: nominative masculine plural of πᾶς, “all (people)”This plural subject governs both imperfect verbs.… Learn Koine Greek
The Grammar of Greeting: Sanctified Salutations in Philippians 4:21
Ἀσπάσασθε πάντα ἅγιον ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ. ἀσπάζονται ὑμᾶς οἱ σὺν ἐμοὶ ἀδελφοί. — Philippians 4:21
The Grammar of Grace-Filled GreetingsIn Paul’s final exhortations and farewells, grammar becomes a vessel for grace. This verse, simple on the surface, reveals layers of theological and communal depth through its verb forms, case usage, and prepositional phrases. The act of greeting (ἀσπάζομαι) becomes a marker of fellowship, unity, and sanctity—anchored firmly in the Messiah, Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ.
The Dual Direction of GreetingTwo greetings appear here: one from Paul’s companions to the Philippians (ἀσπάζονται), and one from the Philippians to every holy one (Ἀσπάσασθε). Both verbs derive from the same root, creating a rhetorical inclusio that brackets the community in shared spiritual affection.… Learn Koine Greek
Stumbling Blocks and Subjunctives: Volitional Grammar in 1 Corinthians 8:13
διόπερ εἰ βρῶμα σκανδαλίζει τὸν ἀδελφόν μου, οὐ μὴ φάγω κρέα εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα, ἵνα μὴ τὸν ἀδελφόν μου σκανδαλίσω. — 1 Corinthians 8:13
The Syntax of Self-DenialIn this verse, Paul concludes his argument on eating food offered to idols with a striking personal resolution. The Greek grammar provides a powerful rhetorical structure: a conditional clause, a strong negative with the subjunctive, and a purpose clause—all carefully interwoven to express sacrificial love through precise syntax.
εἰ βρῶμα σκανδαλίζει…: The Conditional ClauseThe sentence begins with a first-class conditional clause: εἰ βρῶμα σκανδαλίζει τὸν ἀδελφόν μου—“if food causes my brother to stumble.”… Learn Koine Greek
Divine Encounters in Aorist and Indicative: A Grammatical Glimpse into Matthew 19:2
καὶ ἠκολούθησαν αὐτῷ ὄχλοι πολλοί, καὶ ἐθεράπευσεν αὐτοὺς ἐκεῖ. — Matthew 19:2
Opening the Scene: Syntax in Action
This short yet vivid verse from the Gospel of Matthew paints a moment of intense public response and divine intervention. Two verbs dominate the sentence: ἠκολούθησαν (“they followed”) and ἐθεράπευσεν (“he healed”). Both are in the aorist active indicative tense, conveying actions that are complete and significant. Through the simplicity of the Greek structure, we are drawn into a movement from crowd action to divine response—all within a single breath.
The Aorist: A Tense of Completed RealityThe Greek aorist tense does not correspond precisely to the English simple past.… Learn Koine Greek
The Origin of the Date of Pascha: A Historical and Theological Examination
The determination of the date of Pascha—known as Easter in English-speaking countries—has been one of the most historically significant and controversial issues in Christian liturgical history. Despite its centrality in Christian faith—as the commemoration of the resurrection of Jesus the Messiah—Christians around the world often celebrate this foundational feast on different days. This article explores the origin of the Paschal date, the divergent calendars and calculations of Eastern Orthodox, Roman Catholic, and Protestant churches, and how these differences emerged and persist to this day. Finally, we reflect on the profound spiritual message of unity found in the Greek text of Ephesians 4:3.… Learn Koine Greek
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Judge for Yourselves: Divine Obedience in Acts 4:19
The Verse in Focus (Acts 4:19)
ὁ δὲ Πέτρος καὶ Ἰωάννης ἀποκριθέντες πρὸς αὐτοὺς εἶπον· εἰ δίκαιόν ἐστιν ἐνώπιον τοῦ Θεοῦ ὑμῶν ἀκούειν μᾶλλον ἢ τοῦ Θεοῦ, κρίνατε
ὁ δὲ Πέτρος καὶ Ἰωάννης… εἶπον: A Unified ReplyThe verse begins with a coordinated subject and response:
– ὁ δὲ Πέτρος καὶ Ἰωάννης — “But Peter and John.” The δὲ is contrastive, introducing their response to the Sanhedrin’s command to stop preaching. – ἀποκριθέντες — aorist passive participle of ἀποκρίνομαι, “having answered,” used deponently here. – πρὸς αὐτοὺς — “to them,” referring to the Jewish council. – εἶπον — aorist active indicative of λέγω, “they said.”… Learn Koine Greek
Forgiveness Amid Cruelty in Luke 23:34: Imperatives, Ignorance, and Irony in Crucifixion Greek
ὁ δὲ Ἰησοῦς ἔλεγε· Πάτερ, ἄφες αὐτοῖς· οὐ γὰρ οἴδασι τί ποιοῦσι. διαμεριζόμενοι δὲ τὰ ἱμάτια αὐτοῦ ἔβαλον κλῆρον.
Imperfective Prayer of the Crucified: ὁ δὲ Ἰησοῦς ἔλεγε– ὁ δὲ Ἰησοῦς: Nominative with article—”but Jesus.” – δὲ: Coordinating conjunction, continuing narrative with mild contrast. – ἔλεγε: Imperfect active indicative, 3rd person singular of λέγω, “he was saying.” – The imperfect tense here suggests ongoing or repeated action—Jesus may have uttered this more than once. – This phrase introduces a statement of immense theological and emotional weight.
Cruciform Intercession: Πάτερ, ἄφες αὐτοῖς– Πάτερ: Vocative singular—”Father.” – Intimate address to God, echoing Jesus’ consistent filial relationship.… Learn Koine Greek
