Not from Ourselves: Sufficiency, Reflexives, and Aorist Infinitives in Paul’s Theology of Ministry

Posted on September 20, 2022 by New Testament Greek
οὐχ ὅτι ἱκανοί ἐσμεν ἀφ’ ἑαυτῶν λογίσασθαί τι ὡς ἐξ ἑαυτῶν, ἀλλ’ ἡ ἱκανότης ἡμῶν ἐκ τοῦ Θεοῦ, (2 Corinthians 3:5) Where Does Competence Come From?

In this reflective and theologically rich verse, Paul addresses the very heart of ministry: the source of one’s adequacy. Using reflexive pronouns, a powerful aorist infinitive, and a bold contrast marked by ἀλλά, Paul distances himself and his coworkers from self-sufficiency and attributes all sufficiency to God.

Let us unpack this verse grammatically and spiritually to see how Paul builds his case not just with logic, but with syntax that humbles the minister and glorifies God.… Learn Koine Greek

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Unveiling the Middle Voice: Agency, Reciprocity, and Subject Involvement in Koine Greek

Posted on September 5, 2022 by New Testament Greek
Text in Focus: 1 Peter 1:22

Τὰς ψυχὰς ὑμῶν ἡγνικότες ἐν τῇ ὑπακοῇ τῆς ἀληθείας διὰ Πνεύματος εἰς φιλαδελφίαν ἀνυπόκριτον, ἐκ καθαρᾶς καρδίας ἀλλήλους ἀγαπήσατε ἐκτενῶς,

Literal Translation

Having purified your souls in obedience to the truth through the Spirit for genuine brotherly love, love one another fervently from the pure heart.

The Middle Voice: What Lies Between Active and Passive?

The Greek middle voice stands between the active and passive voices, indicating that the subject of the verb participates in or is affected by the action. In Koine Greek, particularly in the New Testament, the middle voice often conveys:

– Reflexivity: the subject acts upon itself.… Learn Koine Greek

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Growing Stronger: A Grammar Exploration in Acts 9:22

Posted on September 1, 2022 by New Testament Greek
Acts 9:22

Σαῦλος δὲ μᾶλλον ἐνεδυναμοῦτο καὶ συνέχυνε τοὺς Ἰουδαίους τοὺς κατοικοῦντας ἐν Δαμασκῷ, συμβιβάζων ὅτι οὗτός ἐστιν ὁ Χριστός.

Modern Greek Pronunciation: Sávlōs de mállon enedynamoúto kai synéchyne tous Ioudaíous tous katoikoúntas en Damaskó̱, symvivázōn óti oútos estin o Christós.

Literal English Translation: But Saul was increasingly strengthened and was confounding the Jews living in Damascus, proving that this one is the Christ.

Koine Greek Structural Walkthrough Σαῦλος δὲ – “But Saul”; δὲ marks contrast or continuation in narrative. μᾶλλον – adverb, “even more, increasingly.” ἐνεδυναμοῦτο – imperfect passive indicative 3rd singular from ἐνδυναμόω, “was being strengthened, grew stronger.” καὶ συνέχυνε – imperfect active indicative 3rd singular from συγχύνω, “was confusing, confounding.”… Learn Koine Greek
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Conscience and Construction: The Future Passive in 1 Corinthians 8:10

Posted on August 10, 2022 by New Testament Greek

ἐὰν γάρ τις ἴδῃ σε, τὸν ἔχοντα γνῶσιν, ἐν εἰδωλείῳ κατακείμενον, οὐχὶ ἡ συνείδησις αὐτοῦ ἀσθενοῦς ὄντος οἰκοδομηθήσεται εἰς τὸ τὰ εἰδωλόθυτα ἐσθίειν; — 1 Corinthians 8:10

The Ethics of Visibility

This verse explores a scenario of moral influence and perception: what happens when a believer with “knowledge” is seen by a weaker brother engaging in questionable behavior? The grammar plays a crucial role in conveying Paul’s concern. A conditional structure, participles, and a rare use of the future passive come together to create a rhetorical question that warns of the unintended consequences of liberty exercised without love.

ἐὰν… ἴδῃ: The Conditional Framework

The sentence begins with a third-class conditional clause: ἐὰν γάρ τις ἴδῃ σε—“for if someone sees you.”… Learn Koine Greek

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The Prepared Banquet and the Unworthy Called: A Greek Exegesis of Matthew 22:8

Posted on August 3, 2022 by New Testament Greek

Matthew 22:8 is spoken within the parable of the wedding feast — a climactic parable told by Jesus in Jerusalem, following his triumphal entry and escalating confrontations with the religious authorities. The parable (Matthew 22:1–14) portrays a king preparing a wedding banquet for his son. After the invited guests refuse to come — even violently rejecting his messengers — the king delivers this pronouncement to his servants. Verse 8 marks a dramatic narrative turn, opening the way for new guests to enter. Theologically, this verse serves as both judgment and invitation.

Structural Analysis

τότε λέγει τοῖς δούλοις αὐτοῦ· ὁ μὲν γάμος ἕτοιμός ἐστιν, οἱ δὲ κεκλημένοι οὐκ ἦσαν ἄξιοι·

The verse opens with the temporal adverb τότε (“then”), situating the speech in the aftermath of rejection.… Learn Koine Greek

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Falling and Hearing: Grammatical Encounter and Divine Address in Acts 22:7

Posted on July 22, 2022 by New Testament Greek
The Voice on the Road: Literary and Theological Context of Acts 22:7

Acts 22:7 — ἔπεσόν τε εἰς τὸ ἔδαφος καὶ ἤκουσα φωνῆς λεγούσης μοι· Σαοὺλ, Σαούλ, τί με διώκεις; (“And I fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to me, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?’”)

This verse is Paul’s retelling of his Damascus road experience to a hostile Jewish crowd in Jerusalem. It portrays the dramatic moment of divine interruption—physical collapse and personal address—through coordinated aorists and a genitive construction that introduces a moment of divine speech. The Greek grammar intensifies the theological shock of the moment: a persecutor is arrested by the voice of the one he is harming, and the narrative tension builds through verbal and participial sequencing.… Learn Koine Greek

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Educated in Egypt: Passive Voice and Descriptive Contrast in Acts 7:22

Posted on July 22, 2022 by New Testament Greek

καὶ ἐπαιδεύθη Μωϋσῆς πάσῃ σοφίᾳ Αἰγυπτίων, ἦν δὲ δυνατὸς ἐν λόγοις καὶ ἐν ἔργοις. — Acts 7:22

The Grammar of Formation and Power

Stephen’s speech before the Sanhedrin offers a rare insight into the early Christian view of Moses’ upbringing and abilities. Acts 7:22 presents Moses not merely as a Hebrew, but as someone shaped by the wisdom of Egypt and gifted with remarkable influence. The Greek grammar balances a divine passive with a descriptive contrast, giving us both the process of education and the character it produced.

ἐπαιδεύθη… πάσῃ σοφίᾳ Αἰγυπτίων: The Divine Passive of Education

The verb ἐπαιδεύθη (“he was educated”) is in the aorist passive, indicating that Moses underwent a process of instruction at a point in the past.… Learn Koine Greek

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Dying to the Law, Belonging to Another: Aorist Passives, Purpose Clauses, and Union with the Risen Christ

Posted on July 17, 2022 by New Testament Greek
ὥστε, ἀδελφοί μου, καὶ ὑμεῖς ἐθανατώθητε τῷ νόμῳ διὰ τοῦ σώματος τοῦ Χριστοῦ εἰς τὸ γενέσθαι ὑμᾶς ἑτέρῳ, τῷ ἐκ νεκρῶν ἐγερθέντι, ἵνα καρποφορήσωμεν τῷ Θεῷ. (Romans 7:4) Dead to Law, Alive to Fruitfulness

In Romans 7:4, Paul uses a striking metaphor to describe the believer’s transition from the dominion of the Law to life in Christ. The grammar of the verse is rich and theological: we see an aorist passive verb, a telic infinitive, a relative clause, and a final purpose clause that brings it all together.

This verse is a theological masterpiece, and its Greek syntax is the frame that holds it in place.… Learn Koine Greek

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Made Alive Together: Grammar and Grace in Colossians 2:13

Posted on June 13, 2022 by New Testament Greek
Colossians 2:13 Καὶ ὑμᾶς, νεκροὺς ὄντας ἐν τοῖς παραπτώμασι καὶ τῇ ἀκροβυστίᾳ τῆς σαρκὸς ὑμῶν, συνεζωοποίησεν ὑμᾶς σὺν αὐτῷ, χαρισάμενος ἡμῖν πάντα τὰ παραπτώματα,

Modern Greek Pronunciation: kai ymâs, nekroùs óntas en toîs paraptṓmasi kai ti̱ akrobystía ti̱s sarkòs ymōn, synezōopoíi̱sen ymâs syn autó̱, charisámenos hi̱mîn pánta ta paraptṓmata.

Literal English Translation: And you, being dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, he made alive together with him, having graciously forgiven us all the trespasses.

Koine Grammar Breakdown Καὶ ὑμᾶς – accusative plural pronoun, “And you,” object of the main verb. νεκροὺς ὄντας – accusative plural participial phrase, “being dead”: – νεκροὺς: accusative plural adjective, “dead”; – ὄντας: present participle of εἰμί, “being.”… Learn Koine Greek
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The Red Horse and the Grammar of Chaos: Verbal Force in Revelation 6:4

Posted on June 4, 2022 by New Testament Greek

καὶ ἐξῆλθεν ἄλλος ἵππος πυρρός, καὶ τῷ καθημένῳ ἐπ’ αὐτὸν ἐδόθη αὐτῷ λαβεῖν τὴν εἰρήνην ἐκ τῆς γῆς καὶ ἵνα ἀλλήλους σφάξωσι, καὶ ἐδόθη αὐτῷ μάχαιρα μεγάλη. — Revelation 6:4

A Horse of Fire: Unleashing Judgment through Grammar

This dramatic apocalyptic verse unleashes the second horseman of the apocalypse: a fiery red horse symbolizing conflict and bloodshed. The Greek grammar in this single sentence orchestrates a chain of violent outcomes, structured through strategic use of aorist verbs, infinitives, subjunctives, and divine passives that build momentum from heavenly decree to earthly destruction.

ἐξῆλθεν…καὶ ἐδόθη: The Structure of Divine Permission

The opening verb ἐξῆλθεν (“went out”) sets the apocalyptic scene in motion.… Learn Koine Greek

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