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Greek Lessons
- The Question of Eternal Life: Syntax of Testing and Inquiry in Luke 10:25
- The Grammar of Astonishment and Difficulty
- The Urgency of Flight: Syntax, Eschatology, and the Grammar of Mission in Matthew 10:23
- Provoking the Lord: The Peril of Presumption
- The Great Priest Over God’s House: The Foundation of Confident Access
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Category
Author Archives: Classical Greek
When Crowds Overwhelm: Grammatical Currents Between Classical and Koine in Mark 3:20
Καὶ ἔρχονται εἰς οἶκον· καὶ συνέρχεται πάλιν ὄχλος, ὥστε μὴ δύνασθαι αὐτοὺς μηδὲ ἄρτον φαγεῖν. (Mark 3:20)
And they come into a house; and again a crowd gathers, so that they were not able even to eat bread.
1. Key Grammatical Features in Koine Greek Καὶ ἔρχονται: Use of the present tense for vividness in narration (historic present), a hallmark of Koine narrative style that brings immediacy. εἰς οἶκον: Simple preposition (εἰς) with accusative noun (οἶκον) showing direction or goal. Koine tends to prefer fewer compounded or sophisticated expressions of motion compared to Classical Greek. καὶ συνέρχεται: Repetition of καὶ at the start of clauses is a stylistic feature of Koine called parataxis—short, coordinate clauses connected by simple conjunctions.… Learn Koine GreekHumility in Greek: A Grammatical Bridge from Classical to Koine in Philippians 2:3
Μηδὲν κατὰ ἐριθείαν ἢ κενοδοξίαν, ἀλλὰ τῇ ταπεινοφροσύνῃ ἀλλήλους ἡγούμενοι ὑπερέχοντας ἑαυτῶν. (Philippians 2:3)
Nothing according to selfish ambition or vain-glory, but in humility considering one another as surpassing themselves.
1. Key Grammatical Features in Koine Greek μηδὲν: A neuter accusative pronoun often used with implied verbs (like “do”)—a feature increasingly common in Koine, where elliptical constructions are more accepted. κατὰ + accusative: This construction expresses measure or standard (“according to”). It exists in Classical Greek but gains moral-ethical nuance in Koine writings. ἢ: Classical and Koine Greek both use this as “or,” but in Koine, it more frequently connects moral or rhetorical contrasts (ἐριθεία vs.… Learn Koine GreekMatthew 11:29 and the Language of Invitation
Ἄρατε τὸν ζυγόν μου ἐφ’ ὑμᾶς καὶ μάθετε ἀπ’ ἐμοῦ, ὅτι πρᾷός εἰμι καὶ ταπεινὸς τῇ καρδίᾳ, καὶ εὑρήσετε ἀνάπαυσιν ταῖς ψυχαῖς ὑμῶν· (Matthew 11:29)
Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.
Layered Meanings in Common Vocabulary ἄρατε τὸν ζυγόν μου ἐφ’ ὑμᾶς The verb ἄρατε is the 2nd person plural aorist active imperative of αἴρω—”lift, take up.” In Classical Greek, this verb often implies burden or removal (e.g., lifting off a siege). Here, it forms a paradox: taking up a burden leads to rest.… Learn Koine GreekWhen Time Was Full: The Sending of the Son (Galatians 4:4)
ὅτε δὲ ἦλθε τὸ πλήρωμα τοῦ χρόνου, ἐξαπέστειλεν ὁ Θεὸς τὸν υἱὸν αὐτοῦ, γενόμενον ἐκ γυναικός, γενόμενον ὑπὸ νόμον, (Galatians 4:4)
But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under law,
This powerful verse compresses the incarnation, divine timing, and subjection to the Law into a single sentence. It opens a gateway into salvation history
Koine Greek BreakdownThe structure highlights timing (temporal clause), divine initiative (main verb), and two participial qualifiers that define the Son’s incarnation and legal context.
Temporal Clause: ὅτε δὲ ἦλθε τὸ πλήρωμα τοῦ χρόνου — “when the fullness of time came” Aorist Indicative: ἦλθε — a completed historical arrival Main Verb: ἐξαπέστειλεν — “He sent forth” (emphatic aorist, from ἐξ-ἀποστέλλω) Aorist Participles: γενόμενον ἐκ γυναικός, γενόμενον ὑπὸ νόμον — two adverbial modifiers specifying how the Son entered the world Try parsing “ἐξαπέστειλεν”Aorist Active Indicative, 3rd Person Singular — “He sent forth” (a decisive, punctiliar act).… Learn Koine Greek
Comparative Greek Analysis: Revelation 22:2 in Koine vs. Classical Greek
Ἐν μέσῳ τῆς πλατείας αὐτῆς καὶ τοῦ ποταμοῦ ἐντεῦθεν καὶ ἐκεῖθεν ξύλον ζωῆς, ποιοῦν καρποὺς δώδεκα, κατὰ μῆνα ἕκαστον ἀποδιδοῦν τὸν καρπὸν αὐτοῦ, καὶ τὰ φύλλα τοῦ ξύλου εἰς θεραπείαν τῶν ἐθνῶν. (Revelation 22:2)
In the middle of its street and of the river, on this side and on that, a tree of life, producing twelve fruits, yielding its fruit each month, and the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations.
Grammar and Syntax Analysis (Koine Greek) ἐν μέσῳ τῆς πλατείας αὐτῆς καὶ τοῦ ποταμοῦ – ἐν μέσῳ: “in the midst (of),” a compound prepositional phrase, frequently found in both Koine and Classical.… Learn Koine GreekTo Build, Not to Tear Down: Apostolic Authority in Koine and Classical Perspective
Διὰ τοῦτο ταῦτα ἀπὼν γράφω, ἵνα παρὼν μὴ ἀποτόμως χρήσωμαι κατὰ τὴν ἐξουσίαν ἣν ἔδωκέ μοι ὁ Κύριος εἰς οἰκοδομὴν καὶ οὐκ εἰς καθαίρεσιν. (2 Corinthians 13:10)
Because of this, I write these things while absent, so that when present I may not act harshly, according to the authority which the Lord gave me for building up and not for tearing down.
Koine Greek Grammar and Syntax Διὰ τοῦτο ταῦτα: Causal phrase combining a preposition and demonstrative pronouns. The reduplication is for emphasis — “because of this, these things.” Such redundancy is stylistic in Koine, less typical in Classical. ἀπὼν γράφω: Present tense verb γράφω with the circumstantial participle ἀπὼν (“being absent”).… Learn Koine GreekCraftsmen, Courts, and Clause Shifts: Acts 19:38 Through the Eyes of Classical and Koine Greek
Εἰ μὲν οὖν Δημήτριος καὶ οἱ σὺν αὐτῷ τεχνῖται ἔχουσι πρός τινα λόγον, ἀγοραῖοι ἄγονται καὶ ἀνθύπατοί εἰσιν· ἐγκαλείτωσαν ἀλλήλοις. (Acts 19:38)
If then Demetrios and the craftsmen with him have a matter against someone, courts are held and there are proconsuls—let them bring charges against one another.
Koine Greek Morphological Analysis εἰ – conditional particle; introduces protasis (“if”). μὲν οὖν – discourse particles; “indeed then” or “so then”; μὲν balances with implied δὲ. Δημήτριος – proper noun, nominative singular masculine; subject. καὶ οἱ σὺν αὐτῷ τεχνῖται – “and the craftsmen with him”; – οἱ: article, nominative plural masculine; – σὺν: preposition + dative; – αὐτῷ: 3rd person dative singular pronoun; – τεχνῖται: noun, nominative plural masculine.… Learn Koine GreekExploring Greek Expression in John 12:34
Ἀπεκρίθη αὐτῷ ὁ ὄχλος· ἡμεῖς ἠκούσαμεν ἐκ τοῦ νόμου ὅτι ὁ Χριστὸς μένει εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα, καὶ πῶς σὺ λέγεις, δεῖ ὑψωθῆναι τὸν υἱὸν τοῦ ἀνθρώπου; τίς ἐστιν οὗτος ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ ἀνθρώπου; (John 12:34)
The crowd answered him, “We have heard from the Law that the Anointed One remains forever; and how can you say that the Son of Man must be lifted up? Who is this Son of Man?”
Contextual Reaction vs. Doctrinal Expectation We have heard from the Law… This reflects a collective interpretation, likely drawing from texts such as Psalm 89:4 or Isaiah 9:7. The phrase ὁ Χριστὸς μένει εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα echoes a belief in the everlasting reign of the Messiah.… Learn Koine GreekJohn 3:18 and the Language of Belief and Judgment
Ὁ πιστεύων εἰς αὐτὸν οὐ κρίνεται· ὁ δὲ μὴ πιστεύων ἤδη κέκριται, ὅτι μὴ πεπίστευκεν εἰς τὸ ὄνομα τοῦ μονογενοῦς υἱοῦ τοῦ Θεοῦ. (John 3:18)
The one who believes in him is not judged; but the one who does not believe has already been judged, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
Present Tense with Eternal Stakes ὁ πιστεύων… οὐ κρίνεται The participle ὁ πιστεύων (present active nominative masculine singular) functions as a substantive—“the one who believes.” Present tense signals an ongoing or characteristic belief. The passive verb κρίνεται (from κρίνω) means “is judged,” with a legal or eschatological sense.… Learn Koine GreekFrom Tragedy to Healing: Classical and Koine Greek Face Off in Mark 3:5
Καὶ περιβλεψάμενος αὐτοὺς μετ’ ὀργῆς, συλλυπούμενος ἐπὶ τῇ πωρώσει τῆς καρδίας αὐτῶν, λέγει τῷ ἀνθρώπῳ· ἔκτεινον τὴν χεῖρά σου. καὶ ἐξέτεινε, καὶ ἀποκατεστάθη ἡ χεὶρ αὐτοῦ ὑγιὴς ὡς ἡ ἄλλη. (Mark 3:5)
And having looked around at them with anger, being grieved at the hardness of their heart, he says to the man: “Stretch out your hand.” And he stretched it out, and his hand was restored—healthy like the other.
Key Grammatical Features in Koine Greek Aorist Participles in Narrative: περιβλεψάμενος and συλλυπούμενος show how Koine uses participles to convey attendant circumstances or background emotion. These add narrative richness, replacing more complex Classical structures.… Learn Koine Greek