My House Shall Be Called a House of Prayer: Righteous Indignation in Mark 11:17

Posted on November 1, 2017 by New Testament Greek
καὶ ἐδίδασκε λέγων αὐτοῖς· Οὐ γέγραπται ὅτι ὁ οἶκός μου οἶκος προσευχῆς κληθήσεται πᾶσι τοῖς ἔθνεσιν; ὑμεῖς δὲ αὐτὸν ἐποιήσατε σπήλαιον λῃστῶν

Mark 11:17 records Jesus’ authoritative teaching during his cleansing of the temple. Quoting Scripture, he declares the true purpose of the temple and exposes the corruption that had distorted it. The Greek construction carries urgency, rebuke, and a call back to God’s design for worship.

Grammatical Foundations

καὶ ἐδίδασκε λέγων αὐτοῖς—“And he was teaching, saying to them.”

ἐδίδασκε—imperfect active indicative, 3rd person singular from διδάσκω, indicating ongoing action: “he was teaching.” λέγων—present active participle, nominative masculine singular, explaining the content of his teaching: “saying.”… Learn Koine Greek
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The Aorist That Passes Away: Transience and Permanence in 1 John 2:17

Posted on October 2, 2017 by New Testament Greek

In καὶ ὁ κόσμος παράγεται καὶ ἡ ἐπιθυμία αὐτοῦ· ὁ δὲ ποιῶν τὸ θέλημα τοῦ Θεοῦ μένει εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα (1 John 2:17), John presents a profound contrast between what is fading and what endures. The grammatical tension hinges on two verbs: παράγεται (is passing away) and μένει (remains). One is passive and transient; the other is active and eternal. Greek grammar doesn’t just state the theological point — it performs it. The world is in the passive voice, swept along by time. The doer of God’s will remains — with present active force — into the age to come.

Morphological Breakdown καὶ – Root: καί Form: coordinating conjunction Lexical Meaning: “and” Contextual Notes: Links both the world and its desires as elements passing away.… Learn Koine Greek
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Not Because We Lack Authority: A Grammar Voyage through 2 Thessalonians 3:9

Posted on October 1, 2017 by New Testament Greek
2 Thessalonians 3:9

οὐχ ὅτι οὐκ ἔχομεν ἐξουσίαν, ἀλλ’ ἵνα ἑαυτοὺς τύπον δῶμεν ὑμῖν εἰς τὸ μιμεῖσθαι ἡμᾶς.

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 Greek
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Doing Good While We Have Time: A Call to Active Love in Galatians 6:10

Posted on October 1, 2017 by New Testament Greek
ἄρα οὖν ὡς καιρὸν ἔχομεν, ἐργαζώμεθα τὸ ἀγαθὸν πρὸς πάντας, μάλιστα δὲ πρὸς τοὺς οἰκείους τῆς πίστεως

Galatians 6:10 gives a warm and urgent exhortation to proactive love and goodness. The Greek structure ties opportunity, action, and spiritual family together into a seamless vision of Christian living that is timely, practical, and deeply communal.

Grammatical Foundations

ἄρα οὖν—“Therefore then.” This double particle (ἄρα and οὖν) strengthens the inference: a strong conclusion based on preceding truths about sowing and reaping (Galatians 6:7–9).

ὡς καιρὸν ἔχομεν—”as we have opportunity.”

ὡς introduces the conditional clause: “inasmuch as,” or “while.” καιρόν—accusative singular from καιρός, meaning “an appointed time,” “opportunity,” or “season.”… Learn Koine Greek
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Swearing Truth in Two Worlds: Classical and Koine Greek in Romans 9:1

Posted on September 1, 2017 by New Testament Greek
Romans 9:1 Ἀλήθειαν λέγω ἐν Χριστῷ, οὐ ψεύδομαι, συμμαρτυρούσης μοι τῆς συνειδήσεώς μου ἐν Πνεύματι ἁγίῳ,

Literal Translation: Truth I am speaking in Christ, I am not lying, my conscience bearing witness with me in the Holy Spirit.

1. Key Grammatical Features in Koine Greek Ἀλήθειαν λέγω: Object (truth) placed before the verb for emphasis. This is typical Koine word order flexibility, especially to highlight solemn assertions. ἐν Χριστῷ: Prepositional phrase indicating association or sphere. Koine expands “ἐν” to include mystical and theological relationships, a broader use than in Classical Greek. οὐ ψεύδομαι: Present middle/passive indicative of ψεύδομαι (“I lie”). Koine often uses the middle to express reflexive or subjective states, here asserting internal truthfulness.… Learn Koine Greek
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Fire and Justice: A Greek Look at 2 Thessalonians 1:8

Posted on August 27, 2017 by New Testament Greek
2 Thessalonians 1:8 ἐν πυρὶ φλογός, διδόντος ἐκδίκησιν τοῖς μὴ εἰδόσι Θεὸν καὶ τοῖς μὴ ὑπακούουσι τῷ εὐαγγελίῳ τοῦ κυρίου ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ,

In flaming fire, giving vengeance to those who do not know God and to those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ,

The Image of Flaming Judgment

ἐν πυρὶ φλογός – “in flaming fire.”

ἐν + dative denotes manner or accompaniment: the judgment comes “in the midst of” or “by means of” fire. πυρὶ – “fire,” dative singular of πῦρ. φλογός – genitive singular of φλόξ, meaning “flame.” The genitive is descriptive (“fire of flame”), intensifying the vividness of the scene.… Learn Koine Greek
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Δέ In The Greek New Testament

Posted on July 6, 2017 by New Testament Greek

Δέ is related to δή as μέν to μήν. Δέ is a particle adversative, distinctive, disjunctive, but, moreover; it is much more frequent in the historical parts of the New Testament than in the other books, very rare in the Epistles of John and the Apocalypse.  Δέ is used:

universally by way of opposition and distinction; it is added to statements opposite to a preceding statement; it opposes persons to persons or things previously mentioned or thought of, –  either with strong emphasis (e.g. ἐγὼ δέ ; ἡμεῖς δέ ; σὺ δέ ; ὑμεῖς δέ) , and often; – or with a slight discrimination (e.g.… Learn Koine Greek
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Address Formula and Theological Identity in Romans 1:7: A Study in Vocative Syntax and Apostolic Greeting

Posted on July 1, 2017 by New Testament Greek
πᾶσι τοῖς οὖσιν ἐν Ρώμῃ ἀγαπητοῖς Θεοῦ, κλητοῖς ἁγίοις· χάρις ὑμῖν καὶ εἰρήνη ἀπὸ Θεοῦ πατρὸς ἡμῶν καὶ Κυρίου Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ. Introduction

Romans 1:7 contains Paul’s formal salutation, a stylistically complex and theologically loaded address. The grammar includes a dative of reference, substantival participles, appositional constructions, and a rich Greco-Jewish greeting formula. The structure of this verse reveals Paul’s careful craftsmanship in identifying his audience and grounding their identity in both divine election and covenantal love.

Dative of Address: πᾶσι τοῖς οὖσιν ἐν Ρώμῃ

– πᾶσι: Dative plural masculine of πᾶς, “all.” – Used here as the head term of the address: “to all…” – τοῖς οὖσιν: Present active participle, dative plural masculine of εἰμί, “being.”… Learn Koine Greek

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Guarding the Doctrine, Turning from Division: A Greek Exegesis of Romans 16:17

Posted on June 16, 2017 by New Testament Greek

Romans 16:17 appears near the conclusion of Paul’s monumental epistle, just before his final greetings. The verse stands out as a sudden and earnest pastoral appeal. Having expounded the gospel, issued ethical exhortations, and offered rich theological reflection, Paul now warns the Roman believers about those who disrupt the unity of the church. This is no generic admonition — it is tightly woven into the letter’s concern for doctrinal fidelity and communal harmony.

Structural Analysis

Παρακαλῶ δὲ ὑμᾶς, ἀδελφοί, σκοπεῖν τοὺς τὰς διχοστασίας καὶ τὰ σκάνδαλα παρὰ τὴν διδαχὴν ἣν ὑμεῖς ἐμάθετε ποιοῦντας, καὶ ἐκκλίνατε ἀπ’ αὐτῶν·

The verse begins with an earnest appeal: Παρακαλῶ δὲ ὑμᾶς, ἀδελφοί — “Now I urge you, brothers.”… Learn Koine Greek

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When Fear Falls First: The Narrative Sequence of Aorist Verbs

Posted on June 1, 2017 by New Testament Greek

In καὶ ἀκούσαντες οἱ μαθηταὶ ἔπεσαν ἐπὶ πρόσωπον αὐτῶν καὶ ἐφοβήθησαν σφόδρα (Matthew 17:6), we witness a cascade of emotional and physical reaction from the disciples as they behold the heavenly vision at the transfiguration. The grammar follows suit — swift, compact, and vivid — centered on the use of aorist forms and an initial aorist participle that sets the stage. The verse is a tapestry of three reactions: they hear, they fall, they fear. The Greek language arranges these with both syntactic logic and narrative drama, compressing time and deepening intensity.

Morphological Breakdown καὶ {ke, (Erasmian: kaí)} – Root: καί Form: coordinating conjunction Lexical Meaning: “and” Contextual Notes: Connects a chain of actions.… Learn Koine Greek
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