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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: Syntax
Greek Grammar Lesson from Luke 19:4
Καὶ προδραμὼν ἔμπροσθεν ἀνέβη ἐπὶ συκομορέαν, ἵνα ἴδῃ αὐτόν, ὅτι δι’ ἐκείνης ἤμελλε διέρχεσθαι. (Luke 19:4)
And running ahead, he climbed up a sycamore tree in order to see him, because he was about to pass that way.
Purpose Clause with ἵνα and Complementary Infinitive with Imperfect of IntentionThis verse describes Zacchaeus’ eager action to see Jesus. It includes a temporal participle, a purpose clause, and an imperfect verb of intent followed by a complementary infinitive. The grammar contributes to the narrative energy and forward motion.
Aorist Participle: προδραμώνπροδραμών is an aorist active participle, nominative masculine singular, from προτρέχω (“to run ahead”).… Learn Koine Greek
When Inheritance Walks: Subjunctive Syntax and Tribal Loss
Ἐὰν δὲ γένηται ἡ ἄφεσις τῶν υἱῶν Ισραηλ καὶ προστεθήσεται ἡ κληρονομία αὐτῶν ἐπὶ τὴν κληρονομίαν τῆς φυλῆς οἷς ἂν γένωνται γυναῖκες καὶ ἀπὸ τῆς κληρονομίας φυλῆς πατριᾶς ἡμῶν ἀφαιρεθήσεται ἡ κληρονομία αὐτῶν (Numbers 36:4 LXX)
This verse from Numbers 36:4 LXX presents a layered legal contingency structured around conditionality, inheritance law, and the syntactic use of the Greek subjunctive. The grammar revolves around a protasis-apodosis condition introduced by ἐὰν δὲ γένηται, a classic first-class condition that speculates about a possible release or “remission” (ἄφεσις) within the tribal inheritance structure of the sons of Israel. The verb γένηται is aorist middle subjunctive, functioning as the pivot of a legal scenario—the hypothetical release of tribal holdings.… Learn Koine Greek
Greek Grammar Lesson from 1 Timothy 3:6
Μὴ νεόφυτον, ἵνα μὴ τυφωθεὶς εἰς κρίμα ἐμπέσῃ τοῦ διαβόλου. (1 Timothy 3:6)
Not a recent convert, lest being puffed up with pride he fall into the condemnation of the devil.
Subjunctive Purpose Clause with Aorist Passive ParticipleThis verse, part of the qualifications for overseers, demonstrates how Greek syntax expresses caution and consequence. It features a negative command, a purpose clause, and a passive participle indicating a precondition.
Adjective Used Substantivally: νεόφυτοννεόφυτον (“newly planted,” i.e., a recent convert) is an accusative singular adjective used substantivally. It is the object of an implied verb such as χειροτονείτω (“he must not appoint”) from the broader context.… Learn Koine Greek
Comparative Greek Analysis: Revelation 22:2 in Koine vs. Classical Greek
Ἐν μέσῳ τῆς πλατείας αὐτῆς καὶ τοῦ ποταμοῦ ἐντεῦθεν καὶ ἐκεῖθεν ξύλον ζωῆς, ποιοῦν καρποὺς δώδεκα, κατὰ μῆνα ἕκαστον ἀποδιδοῦν τὸν καρπὸν αὐτοῦ, καὶ τὰ φύλλα τοῦ ξύλου εἰς θεραπείαν τῶν ἐθνῶν. (Revelation 22:2)
In the middle of its street and of the river, on this side and on that, a tree of life, producing twelve fruits, yielding its fruit each month, and the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations.
Grammar and Syntax Analysis (Koine Greek) ἐν μέσῳ τῆς πλατείας αὐτῆς καὶ τοῦ ποταμοῦ – ἐν μέσῳ: “in the midst (of),” a compound prepositional phrase, frequently found in both Koine and Classical.… Learn Koine GreekHope in the Lord: A Pastoral Heart in Philippians 2:19
Philippians 2:19 begins a new section in which Paul outlines his travel plans and commends his coworkers, especially Timothy and Epaphroditus (vv. 19–30). After his Christological hymn (vv. 6–11) and ethical exhortations (vv. 12–18), Paul turns to practical matters — but his theology saturates even this logistics. Verse 19 reveals both his apostolic concern and his deep pastoral affection for the Philippians.
Structural AnalysisἘλπίζω δὲ ἐν κυρίῳ Ἰησοῦ Τιμόθεον ταχέως πέμψαι ὑμῖν, ἵνα κἀγὼ εὐψυχῶ γνοὺς τὰ περὶ ὑμῶν·
The verse consists of (1) Paul’s expression of hope, (2) the content of that hope — sending Timothy soon, and (3) the purpose clause introduced by ἵνα, revealing Paul’s motivation: to be encouraged upon hearing news of the Philippians.… Learn Koine Greek
To Build, Not to Tear Down: Apostolic Authority in Koine and Classical Perspective
Διὰ τοῦτο ταῦτα ἀπὼν γράφω, ἵνα παρὼν μὴ ἀποτόμως χρήσωμαι κατὰ τὴν ἐξουσίαν ἣν ἔδωκέ μοι ὁ Κύριος εἰς οἰκοδομὴν καὶ οὐκ εἰς καθαίρεσιν. (2 Corinthians 13:10)
Because of this, I write these things while absent, so that when present I may not act harshly, according to the authority which the Lord gave me for building up and not for tearing down.
Koine Greek Grammar and Syntax Διὰ τοῦτο ταῦτα: Causal phrase combining a preposition and demonstrative pronouns. The reduplication is for emphasis — “because of this, these things.” Such redundancy is stylistic in Koine, less typical in Classical. ἀπὼν γράφω: Present tense verb γράφω with the circumstantial participle ἀπὼν (“being absent”).… Learn Koine Greek“The Participle That Binds Time: ὁ παραδιδοὺς αὐτὸν and the Temporal Anchoring of Betrayal”
ᾔδει δὲ καὶ Ἰούδας ὁ παραδιδοὺς αὐτὸν τὸν τόπον, ὅτι πολλάκις συνήχθη καὶ ὁ Ἰησοῦς ἐκεῖ μετὰ τῶν μαθητῶν αὐτοῦ. (John 18:2)
Now Judas, the one betraying him, also knew the place, because Jesus often gathered there with his disciples.
A Subtle Web of Time and IdentityAt first glance, John 18:2 appears to be a straightforward narrative aside — a simple note about Judas’s knowledge of Jesus’ habitual meeting place. Yet embedded within this brief clause lies a profound syntactic structure that binds temporal logic, identity, and theological irony into a single grammatical thread. The participle ὁ παραδιδοὺς αὐτὸν, functioning as a substantive, is not merely a title for Judas but a dynamic temporal marker that links his present act of betrayal with the repeated past actions of Jesus.… Learn Koine Greek
Craftsmen, Courts, and Clause Shifts: Acts 19:38 Through the Eyes of Classical and Koine Greek
Εἰ μὲν οὖν Δημήτριος καὶ οἱ σὺν αὐτῷ τεχνῖται ἔχουσι πρός τινα λόγον, ἀγοραῖοι ἄγονται καὶ ἀνθύπατοί εἰσιν· ἐγκαλείτωσαν ἀλλήλοις. (Acts 19:38)
If then Demetrios and the craftsmen with him have a matter against someone, courts are held and there are proconsuls—let them bring charges against one another.
Koine Greek Morphological Analysis εἰ – conditional particle; introduces protasis (“if”). μὲν οὖν – discourse particles; “indeed then” or “so then”; μὲν balances with implied δὲ. Δημήτριος – proper noun, nominative singular masculine; subject. καὶ οἱ σὺν αὐτῷ τεχνῖται – “and the craftsmen with him”; – οἱ: article, nominative plural masculine; – σὺν: preposition + dative; – αὐτῷ: 3rd person dative singular pronoun; – τεχνῖται: noun, nominative plural masculine.… Learn Koine GreekDialogue and Persuasion: The Syntax of Sabbath Reasoning
Διελέγετο δὲ ἐν τῇ συναγωγῇ κατὰ πᾶν σάββατον, ἔπειθέ τε Ἰουδαίους καὶ Ἕλληνας. (Acts 18:4)
And he was reasoning in the synagogue every Sabbath, and he was persuading both Jews and Greeks.
Sacred Speech in Sacred SpaceIn Acts 18:4, we observe Paul’s disciplined evangelistic rhythm in Corinth. Every Sabbath, he entered the synagogue not merely to preach, but to reason — to dialogue. The grammar of this verse carries the cadence of apologetic discourse and persuasive engagement. It reveals a pattern of interaction that is neither passive nor confrontational, but deeply rhetorical and structured.
Let us explore how the participle structure, imperfect tense, conjunctions, and case functions all contribute to painting this picture of faithful witness.… Learn Koine Greek
Recognized or Rejected: The Syntax of Fulfilled Prophecy in Matthew 17:12
Ἐγὼ δὲ λέγω ὑμῖν ὅτι Ἠλίας ἤδη ἦλθε, καὶ οὐκ ἐπέγνωσαν αὐτὸν, ἀλλ’ ἐποίησαν ἐν αὐτῷ ὅσα ἠθέλησαν· οὕτω καὶ ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ ἀνθρώπου μέλλει πάσχειν ὑπ’ αὐτῶν. (Matthew 17:12)
But I say to you that Elijah has already come, and they did not recognize him, but did to him whatever they wished; likewise the Son of Man is about to suffer by them.
This verse is part of Jesus’ explanation following the Transfiguration, interpreting Elijah’s return in light of John the Baptist’s ministry. The grammar intertwines prophetic fulfillment with impending passion, using perfective tenses, adversative conjunctions, and prophetic futurity.
Emphatic Declaration: Ἐγὼ δὲ λέγω ὑμῖνThe personal pronoun ἐγώ is unnecessary for grammatical sense but here is used emphatically—“But I tell you.”… Learn Koine Greek
