Ὀψίας δὲ γενομένης λέγει ὁ κύριος τοῦ ἀμπελῶνος τῷ ἐπιτρόπῳ αὐτοῦ· κάλεσον τοὺς ἐργάτας καὶ ἀπόδος αὐτοῖς τὸν μισθὸν ἀρξάμενος ἀπὸ τῶν ἐσχάτων ἕως τῶν πρώτων. (Matthew 20:8)
Modern Greek Pronunciation: opsías de genomenís légei o kýrios tou ampelónos to epitrópō aftoú: kálese tous ergátes kai apódos aftoís ton misthón, arxámenos apó ton escháton éōs ton próton.
Literal English Translation: When evening came, the master of the vineyard says to his steward: Call the workers and pay them the wage, beginning from the last up to the first.
Koine Grammar Deep Dive
- ὀψίας δὲ γενομένης – genitive absolute construction: “when evening came”;
– ὀψίας: genitive singular feminine of “evening”;
– γενομένης: aorist middle participle of γίνομαι (“having come to be”). - λέγει – present active indicative 3rd singular from λέγω, “he says.” Narrative present.
- ὁ κύριος τοῦ ἀμπελῶνος – “the master of the vineyard”;
– τοῦ ἀμπελῶνος is genitive of possession. - τῷ ἐπιτρόπῳ αὐτοῦ – “to his steward”; dative of indirect object.
- κάλεσον – aorist active imperative 2nd singular from καλέω, “call!”
- τοὺς ἐργάτας – accusative plural of ἐργάτης, “workers,” object of call.
- ἀπόδος – aorist active imperative 2nd singular from ἀποδίδωμι, “pay!”
- αὐτοῖς – dative plural pronoun, “to them.”
- τὸν μισθὸν – accusative singular, “the wage” (direct object of ἀπόδος).
- ἀρξάμενος – aorist middle participle nominative singular masculine from ἄρχομαι, “having begun.”
- ἀπὸ τῶν ἐσχάτων ἕως τῶν πρώτων – “from the last to the first”; prepositional phrase expressing range.
Modern Greek Version
Όταν βράδιασε, λέει ο κύριος του αμπελώνα στον επιστάτη του: «Κάλεσε τους εργάτες και πλήρωσέ τους το μεροκάματο, ξεκινώντας από τους τελευταίους μέχρι τους πρώτους.»
Main Shifts in Language
- ὀψίας δὲ γενομένης → όταν βράδιασε: Genitive absolute replaced by a temporal subordinate clause.
- λέγει → λέει: Present narrative tense preserved.
- κάλεσον → κάλεσε: Imperative aorist remains, form regularized.
- ἀπόδος → πλήρωσέ: Verb “pay” simplified with common verb πληρώνω.
- ἀρξάμενος → ξεκινώντας: Participial beginning transformed into a gerund form (“starting”).
- ἀπὸ τῶν ἐσχάτων → από τους τελευταίους: “Last” and “first” preserved but modernized vocabulary.
Table of Grammar Transformations
| Feature | Koine Greek | Modern Greek | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Genitive Absolute | ὀψίας δὲ γενομένης | όταν βράδιασε | Subordinate clause replaces absolute construction |
| Imperatives | κάλεσον, ἀπόδος | κάλεσε, πλήρωσέ | Imperatives preserved but simpler, modern verb forms used |
| Participial Start | ἀρξάμενος | ξεκινώντας | Middle participle replaced with active gerund (“starting”) |
| Vocabulary for “Last” and “First” | ἐσχάτων, πρώτων | τελευταίους, πρώτους | Modernized adjective forms but same meaning retained |
The Changing Call: Grammar in Motion
Matthew 20:8 paints a linguistic picture of structured commands and carefully layered timing in Koine Greek. Participles link events gracefully; genitive absolutes create smooth background scenes. In Modern Greek, however, clarity takes the lead—each action cleanly set off with clauses, and participles transformed into more familiar verbal constructions. Yet the heart of the story—the justice of rewarding workers—is just as alive in every Greek age.
