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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: Grammar
Declensions in Promise: Morphology in John 16:7
Ἀλλ’ ἐγὼ τὴν ἀλήθειαν λέγω ὑμῖν· συμφέρει ὑμῖν ἵνα ἐγὼ ἀπέλθω. ἐὰν γὰρ μὴ ἀπέλθω, ὁ παράκλητος οὐκ ἐλεύσεται πρὸς ὑμᾶς· ἐὰν δὲ πορευθῶ, πέμψω αὐτὸν πρὸς ὑμᾶς· (John 16:7)
But I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away. For if I do not go away, the Advocate will not come to you; but if I go, I will send Him to you.
Declension Analysis Table Greek Word Morphology Case & Syntactic Role Notes ἐγὼ (first occurrence) 1st person pronoun, nominative singular Subject of λέγω Emphatic position — Jesus is the speaker τὴν ἀλήθειαν Noun, accusative feminine singular with article Accusative direct object of λέγω “The truth” — object of Jesus’ declaration ὑμῖν (first occurrence) 2nd person pronoun, dative plural Dative of indirect object To whom the truth is spoken — the disciples ὑμῖν (second occurrence) 2nd person pronoun, dative plural Dative of advantage “For your benefit” — marks the recipients of advantage ἐγὼ (second occurrence) 1st person pronoun, nominative singular Subject of ἀπέλθω Stresses Jesus’ agency in departure ὁ παράκλητος Noun, nominative masculine singular with article Subject of ἐλεύσεται “The Advocate” — title for the Holy Spirit ὑμᾶς (first occurrence) 2nd person pronoun, accusative plural Accusative object of πρὸς Target of the Spirit’s coming αὐτόν 3rd person pronoun, accusative masculine singular Accusative direct object of πέμψω Refers to the Advocate — the one sent ὑμᾶς (second occurrence) 2nd person pronoun, accusative plural Accusative object of πρὸς Again marks the recipients of the Spirit’s mission The Role of Datives in Relational TheologyThe repetition of ὑμῖν highlights both the intimacy and the intentionality of the promise.… Learn Koine Greek
Mark and Turn Away: Present Participles, Imperatives, and Doctrinal Vigilance
Παρακαλῶ δὲ ὑμᾶς, ἀδελφοί, σκοπεῖν τοὺς τὰς διχοστασίας καὶ τὰ σκάνδαλα παρὰ τὴν διδαχὴν ἣν ὑμεῖς ἐμάθετε ποιοῦντας, καὶ ἐκκλίνατε ἀπ’ αὐτῶν· (Romans 16:17)
Now I urge you, brothers, to watch out for those who create divisions and stumbling blocks contrary to the teaching you learned, and turn away from them.
Guarding the Church through Grammatical ClarityRomans 16:17 is a pastoral appeal from Paul — not to embrace division, but to watch for it and reject it when it arises. The Greek text gives this warning with striking grammatical urgency: imperatives in the present tense, participles that define behavior, and a call to doctrinal discernment.… Learn Koine Greek
When the Spirit Says No: The Syntax of Divine Prohibition in Acts 16:6
Διελθόντες δὲ τὴν Φρυγίαν καὶ τὴν Γαλατικὴν χώραν, κωλυθέντες ὑπὸ τοῦ ἁγίου Πνεύματος λαλῆσαι τὸν λόγον ἐν τῇ Ἀσίᾳ, (Acts 16:6)
And having gone through Phrygia and the Galatian region, having been prevented by the Holy Spirit from speaking the word in Asia.
In the journey narrative of Acts 16, Luke records a moment that disrupts our expectations of divine guidance. Paul and his companions are traveling through Asia Minor, yet something unusual occurs—not an open door, but a closed one:
διελθόντες δὲ τὴν Φρυγίαν καὶ τὴν Γαλατικὴν χώραν, κωλυθέντες ὑπὸ τοῦ ἁγίου πνεύματος λαλῆσαι τὸν λόγον ἐν τῇ Ἀσίᾳ.
“And having gone through the region of Phrygia and Galatia, they were prevented by the Holy Spirit from speaking the word in Asia.”… Learn Koine Greek
Divine Redirection: The Spirit’s Guidance in Acts 16:6
Διελθόντες δὲ τὴν Φρυγίαν καὶ τὴν Γαλατικὴν χώραν, κωλυθέντες ὑπὸ τοῦ ἁγίου Πνεύματος λαλῆσαι τὸν λόγον ἐν τῇ Ἀσίᾳ (Acts 16:6)
And having passed through Phrygia and the Galatian region, they were prevented by the Holy Spirit from speaking the word in Asia.
Acts 16:6 narrates a significant moment when Paul and his companions, while faithfully carrying out their missionary work, are sovereignly redirected by the Holy Spirit. The Greek wording captures both their obedience in movement and their sensitivity to divine intervention.
Grammatical Foundationsδιελθόντες δὲ τὴν Φρυγίαν καὶ τὴν Γαλατικὴν χώραν—”And having passed through Phrygia and the Galatian region.”… Learn Koine Greek
Watch, Persist, Save: The Greek Grammar of Ministerial Perseverance
Ἔπεχε σεαυτῷ καὶ τῇ διδασκαλίᾳ, ἐπίμενε αὐτοῖς· τοῦτο γὰρ ποιῶν καὶ σεαυτὸν σώσεις καὶ τοὺς ἀκούοντάς σου (1 Timothy 4:16)
Pay close attention to yourself and to the teaching; persist in them. For by doing this, you will save both yourself and those who hear you.
This powerful instruction to Timothy emphasizes vigilance, teaching, and perseverance with future-oriented results. The verse — ἔπεχε σεαυτῷ καὶ τῇ διδασκαλίᾳ, ἐπίμενε αὐτοῖς· τοῦτο γὰρ ποιῶν καὶ σεαυτὸν σώσεις καὶ τοὺς ἀκούοντάς σου from 1 Timothy 4:16 — uses imperative verbs, a present participle, and coordinated accusative objects to show how careful persistence results in both personal and communal salvation.… Learn Koine Greek
Testing the Spirits: Discernment and False Prophets in 1 John 4:1
Ἀγαπητοί, μὴ παντὶ πνεύματι πιστεύετε, ἀλλὰ δοκιμάζετε τὰ πνεύματα εἰ ἐκ τοῦ Θεοῦ ἐστιν, ὅτι πολλοὶ ψευδοπροφῆται ἐξεληλύθασιν εἰς τὸν κόσμον
1 John 4:1 steps into the tension between faith and discernment. The call is urgent and pastoral: don’t trust every spirit. This isn’t just about skepticism—it’s about spiritual vigilance. The Greek packs rhetorical rhythm and doctrinal weight into a series of imperatives and perfect verbs. The author doesn’t simply warn—he equips.
Grammatical FoundationsThe first imperative is negative: μὴ πιστεύετε—“do not believe.” It’s a present active imperative in the second person plural, implying ongoing rejection: stop believing every spirit indiscriminately.… Learn Koine Greek
Reading the Sky, Missing the Signs: Participles, Contrasts, and Prophetic Blindness
καὶ πρωΐ· σήμερον χειμών· πυρράζει γὰρ στυγνάζων ὁ οὐρανός· ὑποκριταί, τὸ μὲν πρόσωπον τοῦ οὐρανοῦ γινώσκετε διακρίνειν, τὰ δὲ σημεῖα τῶν καιρῶν οὐ δύνασθε γνῶναι; (Matthew 16:3)
The Sacred Irony of the Weather Prophets
Imagine standing under a brooding morning sky. The horizon glows red — an omen to ancient mariners and farmers alike. Jesus’ words tap into this age-old wisdom, and yet, with a sharp rebuke: you know how to interpret the face of the sky, but you cannot discern the weighty signs of the times.
In this verse, we are drawn not only into a confrontation of spiritual dullness, but also into a rich world of Greek grammar.… Learn Koine Greek
At Sunrise: Greek Grammar and the Movement Toward Resurrection
Καὶ λίαν πρωῒ τῆς μιᾶς σαββάτων ἔρχονται ἐπὶ τὸ μνημεῖον, ἀνατείλαντος τοῦ ἡλίου (Mark 16:2)
And very early on the first day of the week, they come to the tomb, after the sun had risen.
This narrative verse from the resurrection account in Mark captures the early morning arrival of the women at Jesus’ tomb. With adverbial precision, participial temporal framing, and motion verbs, Mark 16:2 — καὶ λίαν πρωῒ τῆς μιᾶς σαββάτων ἔρχονται ἐπὶ τὸ μνημεῖον, ἀνατείλαντος τοῦ ἡλίου — is rich with grammatical and theological nuance. The structure emphasizes timing, intent, and cosmic movement as the dawn of a new creation begins.… Learn Koine Greek
Speak, Encourage, Rebuke: The Triple Imperative of Pastoral Authority
Ταῦτα λάλει καὶ παρακάλει καὶ ἔλεγχε μετὰ πάσης ἐπιταγῆς· μηδείς σου περιφρονείτω (Titus 2:15)
Speak these things, and encourage and rebuke with all authority. Let no one disregard you.
This strong apostolic command from Paul to Titus combines three imperatives with a final charge against being disregarded. The verse—Ταῦτα λάλει καὶ παρακάλει καὶ ἔλεγχε μετὰ πάσης ἐπιταγῆς· μηδείς σου περιφρονείτω from Titus 2:15—models the full range of pastoral responsibility. The grammar blends imperatives, prepositional emphasis, genitive construction, and a rare third-person imperative of prohibition to express bold, Spirit-empowered leadership.
Grammatical Highlights Ταῦτα — accusative neuter plural demonstrative; “these things,” object of all three imperatives.… Learn Koine Greek“Word Order as Witness: The Marked Temporal Fronting of ἀνατείλαντος τοῦ ἡλίου and the Semantics of Dawn”
Καὶ λίαν πρωῒ τῆς μιᾶς σαββάτων ἔρχονται ἐπὶ τὸ μνημεῖον, ἀνατείλαντος τοῦ ἡλίου. (Mark 16:2)
And very early on the first day of the week, they come to the tomb, after the sun had risen.
A Morning That Speaks in SyntaxAt first glance, Mark 16:2 appears to be a straightforward narrative clause describing the women’s arrival at the tomb “very early on the first day of the week.” Yet beneath its simple surface lies a syntactic structure that subtly reorients temporal logic and heightens theological significance. The phrase ἀνατείλαντος τοῦ ἡλίου, an aorist active participle in the genitive absolute construction, follows the main verb ἔρχονται rather than preceding it chronologically.… Learn Koine Greek
