Matthew 20:5
πάλιν ἐξελθὼν περὶ ἕκτην καὶ ἐνάτην ὥραν ἐποίησεν ὡσαύτως.
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.”
Modern Greek Version
Ξαναβγήκε περίπου την έκτη και την ένατη ώρα και έκανε το ίδιο.
Shift Highlights
- πάλιν → ξανά: Modern Greek uses ξανά for “again.”
- ἐξελθὼν → ξαναβγήκε: Participial structure collapsed into a simple finite verb.
- περὶ ἕκτην καὶ ἐνάτην ὥραν → περίπου την έκτη και την ένατη ώρα: Retains approximate time sense but stated more straightforwardly.
- ἐποίησεν → έκανε: Aorist rendered by modern past tense with regularized form.
- ὡσαύτως → το ίδιο: “Likewise” now expressed by the simple phrase “το ίδιο” (“the same”).
Grammar Evolution Table
| Feature | Koine Greek | Modern Greek | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Temporal Participle | ἐξελθὼν | ξαναβγήκε | Participial phrase replaced with simple past verb |
| Adverb “Again” | πάλιν | ξανά | More casual adverb in Modern Greek |
| Time Expression | περὶ ἕκτην καὶ ἐνάτην ὥραν | περίπου την έκτη και την ένατη ώρα | More conversational and structured around accusative phrase |
| Adverb “Likewise” | ὡσαύτως | το ίδιο | Simplified expression of similarity |
Rhythms of Action, Ancient and Modern
Matthew 20:5 gives us a glimpse into how Koine Greek stacked actions together using participles and nuanced adverbs like ὡσαύτως to maintain elegant flow. Modern Greek, shaped by a preference for directness, unwraps these into clear sequential verbs (ξαναβγήκε and έκανε) and everyday expressions. The heart of the story—the repeated action and faithful pattern—echoes across the centuries, though the grammatical instruments have been tuned for different ears.
