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Greek Lessons
- Compassion on the Road: Feeding the Fainthearted (Mark 8:3)
- The Law That Sets Free: A Grammar of Liberation in Romans 8:2
- Moved to Speak: Temporal Setting and Genitive Absolute in Mark 8:1
- The Hour Had Not Yet Come: Divine Timing and Aorist Action in John 7:30
- Because of This Word: Perfect Tense and Power at a Distance
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Category
Category Archives: Modern Greek
From Middle to Passive: The Evolution of Reception in 1 Corinthians 16:11
This article explores the rich grammatical texture of a passage from the New Testament — specifically 1 Corinthians 16:11. We examine how the verb ἐκδέχομαι, a middle-voice verb in Koine Greek, conveys agency and personal involvement — and how its evolution into Modern Greek reveals shifts in voice, syntax, and relational nuance.
μὴ τις οὖν αὐτὸν ἐξουθενήσῃ· προπέμψατε δὲ αὐτὸν ἐν εἰρήνῃ, ἵνα ἔλθῃ πρός με· ἐκδέχομαι γὰρ αὐτὸν μετὰ τῶν ἀδελφῶν. (1 Corinthians 16:11) The Verb That Welcomes: A Deep Dive into ἐκδέχομαιIn this pastoral closing of his letter, Paul speaks of Timothy and urges the Corinthians not to despise him.… Learn Koine Greek
Calling the Workers: Grammar Echoes in Matthew 20:8
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”).… Learn Koine GreekGoing Out Again: Grammar Pathways in Matthew 20:5
Πάλιν ἐξελθὼν περὶ ἕκτην καὶ ἐνάτην ὥραν ἐποίησεν ὡσαύτως. (Matthew 20:5)
Modern Greek Pronunciation: pálin exelthón peri ékti̱n kai enáti̱n óran epí̱isen ósáftos.
Literal English Translation: Again going out around the sixth and the ninth hour, he did likewise.
Koine Grammar Flow πάλιν – adverb, “again.” ἐξελθὼν – aorist active participle, nom. masc. sing., from ἐξέρχομαι, “having gone out.” Temporal participle indicating prior action. περὶ ἕκτην καὶ ἐνάτην ὥραν – preposition + accusative indicating approximate time: “about the sixth and ninth hour.” ἐποίησεν – aorist active indicative 3rd singular from ποιέω, “he did.” Main action of the sentence. ὡσαύτως – adverb, “likewise, similarly.”… Learn Koine GreekTesting Your Own Work: Grammar Crossroads in Galatians 6:4
Τὸ δὲ ἔργον ἑαυτοῦ δοκιμαζέτω ἕκαστος, καὶ τότε εἰς ἑαυτὸν μόνον τὸ καύχημα ἕξει καὶ οὐκ εἰς τὸν ἕτερον· (Galatians 6:4)
Modern Pronunciation: to de Érgon eaftoú dokimazéto ékastos, ke tóte is eaftón mónon to kávchima éxi ke ouk is ton héteron.
Literal English: But the work of himself let each one test, and then to himself alone he will have the boasting and not to the other.
Word-by-Word Breakdown τὸ δὲ ἔργον – “but the work” – τὸ: nominative/accusative neuter singular article – δὲ: postpositive particle (marks mild contrast) – ἔργον: accusative neuter singular noun (“deed, work”) ἑαυτοῦ – genitive masculine singular reflexive pronoun (“his own”) δοκιμαζέτω – 3rd person singular present active imperative of δοκιμάζω (“let him test/prove”) ἕκαστος – nominative masculine singular adjective (“each”) acting as subject τότε – adverb (“then”) εἰς ἑαυτὸν μόνον – prepositional phrase (“to himself alone”) – εἰς: preposition + accusative – ἑαυτὸν: reflexive pronoun – μόνον: adverb (“only”) τὸ καύχημα – accusative neuter singular (“boast, boasting”) ἕξει – 3rd person singular future active indicative of ἔχω (“he will have”) καὶ οὐκ εἰς τὸν ἕτερον – “and not to the other” – negation οὐκ with prepositional phrase indicating contrast What Happens in Modern Greek?… Learn Koine GreekWhy Then Did Moses Command It? A Grammar Inquiry from Matthew 19:7
Λέγουσιν αὐτῷ· τί οὖν Μωσῆς ἐνετείλατο δοῦναι βιβλίον ἀποστασίου καὶ ἀπολῦσαι αὐτήν; (Matthew 19:7)
Modern Greek Pronunciation: légousin aftó̱: ti ú̱n Mōsís enetílato doúnai vivlíon apostasíou kai apolý̱sai aftín?
Literal English Translation: They say to him: Why then did Moses command to give a certificate of divorce and to send her away?
Koine Greek Breakdown λέγουσιν – present active indicative 3rd person plural from λέγω, “they say”. αὐτῷ – dative masculine singular pronoun, “to him”. τί – interrogative pronoun, “why”. οὖν – particle, “then”, signaling inference or emphasis. Μωσῆς – proper noun, nominative masculine singular, “Moses”. ἐνετείλατο – aorist middle indicative 3rd singular from ἐντέλλομαι, “he commanded”.… Learn Koine GreekJoy in the Descent: Greek Grammar in Luke 19:6
Καὶ σπεύσας κατέβη, καὶ ὑπεδέξατο αὐτὸν χαίρων. (Luke 19:6)
Modern Greek Pronunciation: ke spévsas katévi, ke ypédexthe aftón chaíron.
Literal English Translation: And having hurried, he came down, and received him rejoicing.
Koine Verbal Texture καὶ – conjunction: “and”. Joins sequential actions. σπεύσας – aorist active participle, nom. masc. sing.; from σπεύδω: “having hurried”. Temporal participle, preceding main verb. κατέβη – aorist indicative active, 3rd person singular; from καταβαίνω: “he descended” / “came down”. ὑπεδέξατο – aorist indicative middle, 3rd person singular; from ὑποδέχομαι: “he welcomed / received [into his home]”. αὐτὸν – accusative masculine singular pronoun; object of ὑπεδέξατο. χαίρων – present active participle, nom.… Learn Koine GreekWill God Not Bring Justice? Grammar Shifts in Luke 18:7
Ὁ δὲ Θεὸς οὐ μὴ ποιήσῃ τὴν ἐκδίκησιν τῶν ἐκλεκτῶν αὐτοῦ τῶν βοώντων πρὸς αὐτὸν ἡμέρας καὶ νυκτός, καὶ μακροθυμῶν ἐπ’ αὐτοῖς; (Luke 18:7)
Modern Greek Pronunciation: o de Theós ou mí piísi tin ekdíkisin ton eklektón aftú ton voónton pros aftón iméras ke nyktós, ke makrothimón ep’ aftís?
Literal English Translation: And will not God do justice for His chosen ones, the ones crying out to Him day and night, while He is patient with them?
Koine Greek Morphology ὁ δὲ Θεὸς – ὁ: article, nom. masc. sing.; Θεὸς: noun, nom. masc. sing. – subject. οὐ μὴ ποιήσῃ – emphatic negation (οὐ μὴ) + verb ποιήσῃ: aorist subjunctive, 3rd sing.,… Learn Koine GreekEchoes of Power: A Grammatical Encounter in John 18:6
ὡς οὖν εἶπεν αὐτοῖς ὅτι ἐγώ εἰμι, ἀπῆλθον εἰς τὰ ὀπίσω καὶ ἔπεσον χαμαί (John 18:6)
Modern Greek Transliteration: Os ún ípen aftÍs óti egÓ ími, apÍlthon is ta opÍso kai Épeson chamÁi
Literal English Translation: Therefore, when he said to them, “I am,” they went backward and fell to the ground.
Morphological Analysis (Koine) ὡς – Form: Conjunction; Root: ὡς; Gloss: as, when; Notes: Temporal clause introducer. οὖν – Form: Conjunction (inferential); Root: οὖν; Gloss: therefore, so then; Notes: Postpositive; links logical progression. εἶπεν – Form: Aorist active indicative 3rd person singular; Root: λέγω; Gloss: said; Parsing: simple past; Notes: Main verb of the temporal clause.… Learn Koine GreekNot Because We Lack Authority: A Grammar Voyage through 2 Thessalonians 3:9
Οὐχ ὅτι οὐκ ἔχομεν ἐξουσίαν, ἀλλ’ ἵνα ἑαυτοὺς τύπον δῶμεν ὑμῖν εἰς τὸ μιμεῖσθαι ἡμᾶς. (2 Thessalonians 3:9)
Modern Greek Pronunciation: ouch óti ouk échomen exousían, all’ ína eaftoús týpon dómen ymín eis to mimísthai imás.
Literal English Translation: Not because we do not have authority, but in order that we might give ourselves as a model to you for you to imitate us.
Walking through Koine Grammar οὐχ – emphatic negation (“not”), placed before vowel with rough breathing for smooth reading. ὅτι – conjunction, here meaning “because” introducing a causal clause. οὐκ ἔχομεν – οὐκ + present active indicative 1st plural from ἔχω, “we do not have.”… Learn Koine GreekGrammatical Evolution from Koine to Modern Greek: A Focused Analysis of Matthew 17:22
Ἀναστρεφομένων δὲ αὐτῶν εἰς τὴν Γαλιλαίαν εἶπεν αὐτοῖς ὁ Ἰησοῦς· Μέλλει ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ ἀνθρώπου παραδίδοσθαι εἰς χεῖρας ἀνθρώπων (Matthew 17:22)
Modern Greek Transliteration: AnastrefoMÉnon dé aftÓN is tin GalilÉan Ípen aftÍs o IisoÚs; MÉlli o yiÓs tou anthRÓpou paradÍthosthe is chÍras anthRÓpon
Literal English Translation: While they were returning into Galilee, Jesus said to them: “The Son of Man is about to be delivered into the hands of men.”
Morphological Analysis (Koine) Ἀναστρεφομένων – Form: Present middle/passive participle genitive masculine plural; Root: ἀναστρέφω; Gloss: returning; Parsing: participial genitive absolute; Notes: functions in a genitive absolute construction; common in narrative transition.… Learn Koine Greek