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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: Advanced Greek Grammar
The Body Prepared: Syntax and Sacrifice in Hebrews 10:5–6
Διὸ εἰσερχόμενος εἰς τὸν κόσμον λέγει· θυσίαν καὶ προσφορὰν οὐκ ἠθέλησας, σῶμα δὲ κατηρτίσω μοι· ὁλοκαυτώματα καὶ περὶ ἁμαρτίας οὐκ εὐδόκησας· (Hebrews 10:5–6)
Therefore, entering into the world he says: “Sacrifice and offering you did not desire, but a body you prepared for me; burnt offerings and offerings concerning sin you did not take pleasure in.”
Διὸ εἰσερχόμενος εἰς τὸν κόσμον λέγει: Timeless Speech in a Temporal ClauseThe verse begins with the conjunction Διὸ (“therefore”), a compound of διά and ὅ, meaning “for this reason.” It introduces a logical conclusion drawn from earlier discussion about the insufficiency of animal sacrifices.… Learn Koine Greek
Measured Boldness and Misjudged Apostleship
Δέομαι δὲ τὸ μὴ παρὼν θαρρῆσαι τῇ πεποιθήσει ᾗ λογίζομαι τολμῆσαι ἐπί τινας τοὺς λογιζομένους ἡμᾶς ὡς κατὰ σάρκα περιπατοῦντας. (2 Corinthians 10:2)
And I beg that, when not present, I may not have to be bold with the confidence with which I consider daring toward some who think of us as walking according to the flesh.
Δέομαι δὲ…: From Appeal to AnticipationThe verb δέομαι (“I beg, entreat”) is present middle/passive indicative, first person singular. It carries a tone of supplication rather than instruction. This is not Paul commanding the Corinthians, but pleading with them — an appeal that reveals his emotional investment.… Learn Koine Greek
The Grammar of Perception and Presence
Αὐτὸς δὲ ἐγὼ Παῦλος παρακαλῶ ὑμᾶς διὰ τῆς πραότητος καὶ ἐπιεικείας τοῦ Χριστοῦ, ὃς κατὰ πρόσωπον μὲν ταπεινὸς ἐν ὑμῖν, ἀπὼν δὲ θαρρῶ εἰς ὑμᾶς· (2 Corinthians 10:1)
Now I, Paul, myself urge you by the gentleness and clemency of Christ — who in person is humble among you, but being absent am bold toward you,
Αὐτὸς δὲ ἐγὼ Παῦλος: A Stacked EmphasisThe phrase Αὐτὸς δὲ ἐγὼ Παῦλος layers three elements of personal identity: αὐτὸς (“I myself”), ἐγὼ (explicit personal pronoun), and Παῦλος (proper name). All are in the nominative singular, and together they create a tone of personal gravity and pastoral urgency.… Learn Koine Greek
Opened Eyes and Stern Silence: Syntax and Tension in Matthew 9:30
Καὶ ἀνεῴχθησαν αὐτῶν οἱ ὀφθαλμοί· καὶ ἐνεβριμήσατο αὐτοῖς ὁ Ἰησοῦς λέγων· ὁρᾶτε μηδεὶς γινωσκέτω. (Matthew 9:30)
And their eyes were opened, and Jesus sternly warned them, saying, “See that no one knows.”
Healing, Command, and Controlled RevelationMatthew 9:30 presents the moment immediately after Jesus heals two blind men. What unfolds is a blend of miraculous transformation and strict prohibition, crafted through precise Koine Greek syntax. The verse includes two main narrative clauses and a direct speech command, all coordinated with narrative conjunctions and inflected with grammatical sharpness. Jesus heals, but also warns. This syntactic duality underscores the messianic secret motif that runs throughout the Gospel.… Learn Koine Greek
Shining Like Lightning: Syntax, Transformation, and Prayer in Luke 9:29
Καὶ ἐγένετο ἐν τῷ προσεύχεσθαι αὐτὸν τὸ εἶδος τοῦ προσώπου αὐτοῦ ἕτερον καὶ ὁ ἱματισμὸς αὐτοῦ λευκὸς ἐξαστράπτων. (Luke 9:29)
And as he was praying, the appearance of his face became different, and his clothing became dazzling white.
A Glimpse of Glory Through SyntaxLuke 9:29 records the transfiguration of Jesus as he prays—a deeply theological moment encoded with precise Koine Greek grammar. The syntax of this verse is crafted to present a temporal transformation rooted in the act of prayer, with both verbal structure and nominal syntax emphasizing sudden change and divine radiance. The sentence combines participial constructions, a genitive absolute-like temporal marker, and coordinated predicates that mark both internal and external transformation.… Learn Koine Greek
Running with Purpose, Fighting with Focus: Grammar and Imagery in 1 Corinthians 9:26
Ἐγὼ τοίνυν οὕτω τρέχω, ὡς οὐκ ἀδήλως, οὕτω πυκτεύω, ὡς οὐκ ἀέρα δέρων, (1 Corinthians 9:26)
Athletic Imagery in Paul’s Letters
In 1 Corinthians 9:26, Paul employs athletic metaphors to explain the seriousness of Christian discipleship. He writes: ἐγὼ τοίνυν οὕτω τρέχω, ὡς οὐκ ἀδήλως, οὕτω πυκτεύω, ὡς οὐκ ἀέρα δέρων — “Therefore I run in this way, not without aim; I box in this way, not beating the air.” The grammar of the passage is precise, mirroring the discipline and intentionality that Paul demands of himself and his readers. The verbs of running and boxing, framed by negative adverbs, express controlled determination.… Learn Koine Greek
From Not My People to My People: Quotation, Future Tense, and Passive Perfection in Romans 9:25
Ὡς καὶ ἐν τῷ Ὡσηὲ λέγει· καλέσω τὸν οὐ λαόν μου λαόν μου, καὶ τὴν οὐκ ἠγαπημένην ἠγαπημένην· (Romans 9:25)
Paul’s Use of Hosea
Romans 9:25 is part of Paul’s larger argument about the inclusion of Gentiles in the people of God. To make his case, Paul cites Hosea: “I will call those who were not my people, ‘my people,’ and her who was not beloved, ‘beloved.’” This short quotation carries immense theological weight, and its Greek grammar heightens the force of the promise. The future tense verb καλέσω and the perfect passive participle ἠγαπημένην together portray God’s decisive and irreversible act of redefinition.… Learn Koine Greek
Between Death and Sleep: Greek Verbal Nuance in Matthew 9:24
Ἀναχωρεῖτε· οὐ γὰρ ἀπέθανε τὸ κοράσιον ἀλλὰ καθεύδει· καὶ κατεγέλων αὐτοῦ. (Matthew 9:24)
A Scene of Tension
Matthew 9:24 captures one of the most dramatic moments in the Gospel. Jesus arrives at the home of a ruler whose daughter is thought to be dead. Mourners have already gathered, but Jesus challenges their perception with a startling declaration: “Go away, for the girl has not died but is sleeping.” Their response? Mockery. This verse is grammatically rich, featuring imperatives, negations, contrasting clauses, and a vivid imperfect verb. Examining its Greek structure reveals how Matthew uses grammar to heighten the theological tension between human perception and divine authority.… Learn Koine Greek
When Days Were Fulfilled: Temporal Clauses and Deliberate Plotting in Acts 9:23
Ὡς δὲ ἐπληροῦντο ἡμέραι ἱκαναί, συνεβουλεύσαντο οἱ Ἰουδαῖοι ἀνελεῖν αὐτόν· (Acts 9:23)
Setting the Stage
Acts 9:23 narrates a turning point in the early ministry of Saul (later Paul). After his dramatic conversion on the Damascus road and subsequent bold preaching, resistance arises. The text reads: ὡς δὲ ἐπληροῦντο ἡμέραι ἱκαναί, συνεβουλεύσαντο οἱ Ἰουδαῖοι ἀνελεῖν αὐτόν – “And when many days had been fulfilled, the Jews plotted together to kill him.” Though concise, the verse demonstrates the narrative precision of Luke’s Greek. Temporal clauses, imperfective constructions, and deliberative verbs all work together to portray growing opposition and calculated hostility.
Key Verbal Elements ἐπληροῦντο – “were being fulfilled”: imperfect passive indicative, 3rd plural of πληρόω.… Learn Koine GreekThe Command of Silence: Aorist Authority in Luke 9:21
Ὁ δὲ ἐπιτιμήσας αὐτοῖς παρήγγειλε μηδενὶ λέγειν τοῦτο, (Luke 9:21)
This short verse captures a frequent motif in Luke and the Synoptic Gospels –the so-called “Messianic Secret.” After Peter’s confession of Jesus as the Christ, Jesus immediately commands silence. The grammar highlights both the authority of the command and the careful management of revelation. By attending closely to the participle, the main verb, and the infinitive construction, we see how syntax conveys both urgency and restraint.
The Subject in Focus: Ὁ δὲ ἐπιτιμήσας αὐτοῖςThe phrase opens with ὁ δὲ ἐπιτιμήσας, an aorist active participle of ἐπιτιμάω (“to rebuke, warn sternly”).… Learn Koine Greek
