John 20:7
καὶ τὸ σουδάριον, ὃ ἦν ἐπὶ τῆς κεφαλῆς αὐτοῦ, οὐ μετὰ τῶν ὀθονίων κείμενον, ἀλλὰ χωρὶς ἐντετυλιγμένον εἰς ἕνα τόπον.
Literal Translation: and the face cloth, which had been upon his head, not lying with the linen wrappings, but folded separately in one place.
1. Key Grammatical Features in Koine Greek
- τὸ σουδάριον: Neuter singular noun with article; σουδάριον is a loanword (Latin sudarium, “face cloth”). Koine frequently incorporates such Latinisms in narrative vocabulary, especially in Roman contexts.
- ὃ ἦν: Relative pronoun ὃ introducing a relative clause with the imperfect indicative of εἰμί (“it was”). The imperfect ἦν expresses past continuous location or condition.
- ἐπὶ τῆς κεφαλῆς αὐτοῦ: Prepositional phrase with ἐπί + genitive expressing spatial position (“upon his head”). Koine maintains Classical preposition usage but relies more heavily on such fixed prepositional expressions than flexible participial constructions.
- οὐ…κείμενον: Negative particle οὐ negates the participle κείμενον (“lying”), a present middle/passive participle of κεῖμαι. Participial use for state description is frequent in Koine.
- μετὰ τῶν ὀθονίων: Prepositional phrase; μετά + genitive indicates accompaniment or association. ὀθόνια (“linen wrappings”) is a neuter plural noun used for burial cloths.
- ἀλλὰ χωρίς: ἀλλὰ introduces contrast, and χωρίς (“separately”) functions as a preposition with genitive or as an adverb—here as an adverbial modifier of ἐντετυλιγμένον.
- ἐντετυλιγμένον: Perfect passive participle of ἐντελίσσω (“to wrap up, fold”). The perfect tense emphasizes resultant state—”having been folded” and still folded.
- εἰς ἕνα τόπον: Prepositional phrase with εἰς + accusative indicating movement or placement toward a specific location (“into one place”). Koine often uses this phrase to indicate specific spatial distinction.
2. Classical Greek Grammar Comparison
- Loanwords: Classical Greek would avoid Latin loanwords like σουδάριον, preferring native terms such as ἐπίβλημα or ἐπικάλυμμα. Koine adopts contextual terms more freely for narrative realism.
- Relative Clause Simplicity: The relative clause ὃ ἦν ἐπὶ τῆς κεφαλῆς αὐτοῦ is straightforward. Classical Greek might express this with participial phrasing or relative + circumstantial participle constructions.
- Participles as State Descriptions: The participle κείμενον functions like a main verb describing state. Classical Greek used such nominal participles more sparingly; Koine leans on them to express conditions or ongoing reality.
- Contrast with ἀλλὰ: Classical Greek uses ἀλλά similarly, though might prefer a full contrastive clause. Koine is more comfortable with abrupt elliptical oppositions (e.g., ἀλλὰ…χωρίς).
- Perfect Participle Use: ἐντετυλιγμένον shows a completed, enduring result. Classical Greek reserved the perfect tense for genuine state/result distinctions, while Koine uses it more frequently in narrative for visual effect.
3. Syntactic and Structural Differences
- Clause Balance: Koine strings phrases paratactically: noun + relative clause + contrastive participial phrase. Classical Greek might introduce subordinate conjunctions or shift participial roles to finite verbs.
- Word Order for Emphasis: Koine places χωρὶς ἐντετυλιγμένον last to contrast with οὐ…κείμενον. Classical Greek would vary the word order less dramatically or rely on particles for emphasis.
- Prepositional Preference: Instead of flexible dative constructions, Koine prefers prepositions like μετά, ἐπί, and εἰς to describe space, making relationships more explicit.
4. Phonological Notes
- Latin Loanword Phonology: σουδάριον retained its Latin stress pattern, but in Koine it would have been Hellenized in pronunciation (e.g., [suˈðarion]).
- Contraction and Vowel Mergers: The ending -ιων in ὀθονίων was more distinctly pronounced in Classical Greek. In Koine, iotacism flattened -ιων to [ion].
- Stress Accent: Perfect participles like ἐντετυλιγμένον shifted from tonal melody in Classical to a single stressed syllable in Koine pronunciation.
5. Summary Table of Grammatical Evolution
| Feature | Classical Greek | Koine Greek |
|---|---|---|
| Use of Latin Loanwords | Avoided in narrative prose | Frequent (e.g., σουδάριον) |
| Relative Clauses | Often participial or layered | Simplified relative + indicative |
| Participles as State Descriptors | Less common | Regular in descriptive narrative |
| Perfect Participle Usage | Carefully aspectual | Frequent for visible, static results |
| Preposition Preference | Dative often used without preposition | Prepositions dominate spatial syntax |
6. What This Verse Tells Us About the Evolution of Greek
John 20:7 gently showcases Koine’s descriptive clarity and visual detail. The linen cloth is not merely mentioned—it is shown, not lying with the others but folded separately in its own place. These are not just theological clues; they are examples of Koine’s action-driven storytelling.
The grammar leans on simple relative clauses, state-indicating participles, and spatial prepositions. It does not hide the story in elaborate hypotaxis or poetic metaphor. Instead, it reveals—in Greek that is accessible, concrete, and powerfully understated—the quiet order of resurrection aftermath.
