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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
Category Archives: Declensions
When the Prophets Reach Their Horizon: A Declension Journey Through Matthew 11:13
The crowd stirs as Jesus speaks, dust flickering in the sunlit air. His words gather the entire prophetic tradition into a single grammatical arc – nouns bending toward a moment where history tightens like a bowstring.
Πάντες γὰρ οἱ προφῆται καὶ ὁ νόμος ἕως Ἰωάννου ἐπροφήτευσαν·For all the prophets and the Law prophesied until John.
οἱ προφῆται … πάντες ὁ νόμος Ἰωάννου
Green (#2a9d8f) marks chains of article–noun agreement or proper-name declension that establish the grammatical horizon of prophetic activity.
The Story the Endings Tell Morphology Spotlight 1. πάντες — NOM.PL.M of πᾶς (“all”) Case Masc Fem Neut Nom πάντες πᾶσαι πάντα Gen πάντων πασῶν πάντων Dat πᾶσι(ν) πάσαις πᾶσι(ν) Acc πάντας πάσας πάνταThis masculine nominative plural signals a collective: a united prophetic chorus, each voice bearing witness through its shared ending.… Learn Koine Greek
When Grace Refuses to Be Earned: A Declension Masterclass in Romans 11:6
Imagine Paul writing with urgency, the scrape of stylus against parchment echoing in a room lit by a single oil lamp. Every noun he chooses steps forward like a witness in a theological courtroom—where χάρις and ἔργον testify by their very endings.
Εἰ δὲ χάριτι, οὐκέτι ἐξ ἔργων· ἐπεὶ ἡ χάρις οὐκέτι γίνεται χάρις. εἰ δὲ ἐξ ἔργων, οὐκέτι ἐστὶ χάρις· ἐπεὶ τὸ ἔργον οὐκέτι ἐστὶν ἔργον. (Romans 11:6)If but by-grace-DAT, no-longer from-works-GEN; since the-NOM grace no-longer becomes grace. If but from-works-GEN, no-longer is grace; since the-NOM work no-longer is work.
ἡ χάρις … χάρις τὸ ἔργον … ἔργον
Green (#2a9d8f) marks article–noun agreement pairs; each chain shows how Paul stabilizes the argument by repeating perfectly matched forms.… Learn Koine Greek
Declensions of Blessing: Case Usage in Matthew 10:12
Εἰσερχόμενοι δὲ εἰς τὴν οἰκίαν ἀσπάσασθε αὐτήν λέγοντες· εἰρήνη τῷ οἴκῳ τούτῳ. (Matthew 10:12)
And when you enter the house, greet it, saying: “Peace to this house.”
Declension Analysis Table Greek Form Morphology Case & Function Notes τὴν οἰκίαν 1st declension feminine accusative singular with article Accusative object of preposition εἰς Indicates the destination of entry — “into the house.” αὐτήν 3rd person pronoun, accusative feminine singular Accusative direct object of ἀσπάσασθε Refers back to οἰκίαν; “greet it.” εἰρήνη 1st declension feminine nominative singular Nominative subject (of implied verb “be”) The greeting itself: “Peace.” The nominative is used in a formulaic exclamation of blessing.… Learn Koine Greek
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Declensions in the Storm: Case Usage in Matthew 8:26
Καὶ λέγει αὐτοῖς· τί δειλοί ἐστε, ὀλιγόπιστοι; τότε ἐγερθεὶς ἐπετίμησε τοῖς ἀνέμοις καὶ τῇ θαλάσσῃ, καὶ ἐγένετο γαλήνη μεγάλη. (Matthew 8:26)
And he says to them, “Why are you afraid, O you of little faith?” Then, having risen, he rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm.
Declension Analysis Table Greek Form Morphology Case & Function Notes αὐτοῖς 3rd person pronoun, dative masculine plural Dative of indirect object Marks the disciples as the addressees: “he says to them.” δειλοί Adjective, nominative masculine plural Predicate nominative with ἐστε “You are cowardly/afraid.” The nominative agrees with the implied subject ὑμεῖς.… Learn Koine GreekDeclensions in Judgment Imagery: The Grammar of Revelation 8:10
Καὶ ὁ τρίτος ἄγγελος ἐσάλπισε, καὶ ἔπεσεν ἐκ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ ἀστὴρ μέγας καιόμενος ὡς λαμπάς, καὶ ἔπεσεν ἐπὶ τὸ τρίτον τῶν ποταμῶν καὶ ἐπὶ τὰς πηγὰς τῶν ὑδάτων. (Revelation 8:10)
And the third angel sounded the trumpet, and a great star fell from heaven, burning like a torch, and it fell upon a third of the rivers and upon the springs of waters.
When Declensions Map Cosmic CatastropheThis apocalyptic trumpet vision uses declensions to anchor a chaotic scene in grammatical precision. Nominatives identify the celestial actors, genitives frame the source and scope of disaster, and accusatives pinpoint its objects. The grammar not only describes the event but also structures its prophetic intensity.… Learn Koine Greek
Declensions in the Shade: Grammatical Depth in Ecclesiastes 7:12
Ὅτι ἐν σκιᾷ αὐτῆς ἡ σοφία ὡς σκιὰ τοῦ ἀργυρίου, καὶ περισσεία γνώσεως τῆς σοφίας ζωοποιήσει τὸν παρ᾽ αὐτῆς. (Ecclesiastes 7:12 LXX)
For in its shadow wisdom is like the shadow of silver, and the abundance of knowledge of wisdom will give life to the one who is from her.
Wisdom, Wealth, and the Power to Give LifeThis poetic LXX verse intertwines metaphor and syntax, showing wisdom as both protective and life-giving. The verse revolves around a contrast between wisdom and silver, expressed through careful declension patterns: genitives of comparison, nominatives of identity, and accusatives of effect. Let’s explore how these forms illuminate the theology and imagery.… Learn Koine Greek
Bound in One Case, Free in Another: Declensions at War in Romans 6:20
Ὅτε γὰρ δοῦλοι ἦτε τῆς ἁμαρτίας ἐλεύθεροι ἦτε τῇ δικαιοσύνῃ. (Romans 6:20)
For when you were slaves of sin, you were free with respect to righteousness.
The Paradox Framed by DeclensionIn Romans 6:20, Paul constructs a stark paradox using precise noun cases: being a slave of one power means being free from another. This theological contrast—sin versus righteousness—is not merely stated; it’s declined. The article-noun pairings and dative constructions expose a mutual exclusivity that can only be communicated through inflection.
Verse Breakdown: Form, Case, and Theological Function Greek Word Morphology Case & Syntactic Role Notes δοῦλοι 2nd declension masculine nominative plural noun Subject of ἦτε “Slaves” — the foundational metaphor for human condition under sin ἦτε (1st instance) 2nd person plural imperfect indicative of εἰμί Linking verb “You were” — establishes past state of being τῆς ἁμαρτίας 1st declension feminine genitive singular noun with article Genitive of possession “Of sin” — what owned them as slaves ἐλεύθεροι 1st/2nd declension adjective, nominative plural masculine Predicate nominative with 2nd ἦτε “Free” — ironic, because it means they were not righteous τῇ δικαιοσύνῃ 1st declension feminine dative singular noun with article Dative of respect (“with regard to”) “In relation to righteousness” — not in service of it Grammatical Mirror: Two Spheres, Two CasesPaul’s point is symmetrical:
– Nominative δοῦλοι – what you were in relation to sin.… Learn Koine Greek
The Grammar of Justice: Declensions in Revelation 19:2
Ὅτι ἀληθιναὶ καὶ δίκαιαι αἱ κρίσεις αὐτοῦ· ὅτι ἔκρινε τὴν πόρνην τὴν μεγάλην, ἥτις διέφθειρε τὴν γῆν ἐν τῇ πορνείᾳ αὐτῆς, καὶ ἐξεδίκησε τὸ αἷμα τῶν δούλων αὐτοῦ ἐκ χειρὸς αὐτῆς. (Revelation 19:2)
Because true and righteous are His judgments, for He judged the great prostitute who corrupted the earth with her fornication, and He has avenged the blood of His servants from her hand.
Declensions as Theological ArchitectureThis verse delivers a proclamation of divine justice, structured through a series of precise case usages. Nominatives frame the truth of God’s judgments, accusatives identify the objects of His action, genitives mark possession and origin, and datives provide the arena or means of corruption.… Learn Koine Greek
Declensions in Narrative Description: Morphology in Acts 10:1
Ἀνὴρ δέ τις ἐν Καισαρείᾳ ὀνόματι Κορνήλιος, ἑκατοντάρχης ἐκ σπείρης τῆς καλουμένης Ἰταλικῆς,
(Acts 10:1)
Now a certain man in Caesarea, named Cornelius, a centurion from the cohort called the Italian,
Declension Analysis Table Greek Word Morphology Case & Syntactic Role Notes Ἀνήρ Noun, nominative masculine singular Subject Main subject introducing the character Καισαρείᾳ Proper noun, dative feminine singular Locative dative Indicates location — “in Caesarea” ὀνόματι Noun, dative neuter singular Dative of respect Specifies “by name” Κορνήλιος Proper noun, nominative masculine singular Apposition to ἀνήρ Identifies the man by name ἑκατοντάρχης Noun, nominative masculine singular Apposition to Κορνήλιος Indicates his military role as a centurion σπείρης Noun, genitive feminine singular Genitive of whole Specifies the military unit he belongs to Ἰταλικῆς Adjective, genitive feminine singular Attributive to σπείρης Describes the cohort as Italian Nominatives Establishing the Main CharacterThe nominatives Ἀνήρ, Κορνήλιος, and ἑκατοντάρχης layer identity: a man, named Cornelius, holding the office of centurion.… Learn Koine Greek
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Declensions Guarding Against Deception: Morphology in Colossians 2:8
Βλέπετε μή τις ὑμᾶς ἔσται ὁ συλαγωγῶν διὰ τῆς φιλοσοφίας καὶ κενῆς ἀπάτης, κατὰ τὴν παράδοσιν τῶν ἀνθρώπων, κατὰ τὰ στοιχεῖα τοῦ κόσμου καὶ οὐ κατὰ Χριστόν· (Colossians 2:8)
Paul warns the Colossians with a vivid grammatical construction: a present imperative “watch out” followed by a complex chain of noun phrases, each in a declension form that reveals the anatomy of the threat. The verse is not merely a doctrinal caution; its very morphology shapes its urgency.
Declension Analysis Table Form Morphology Syntactic Role Notes τις Indefinite pronoun, nominative masculine singular Subject of ἔσται General, undefined agent—anyone who might ensnare. ὑμᾶς 2nd person pronoun, accusative plural Object of συλαγωγῶν The intended victims of the deceptive capture.… Learn Koine Greek