It Is Not Lawful: Prophetic Confrontation in Matthew 14:4

Posted on April 1, 2014 by New Testament Greek
Ἔλεγεν γὰρ αὐτῷ ὁ Ἰωάννης· οὐκ ἔξεστί σοι ἔχειν αὐτήν (Matthew 14:4)

For John had been saying to him, “It is not lawful for you to have her.”

Imperfect with Ongoing Force: ἔλεγεν

The verb ἔλεγεν is the imperfect active indicative of λέγω — “he was saying.” The imperfect tense indicates repeated, habitual, or ongoing past action. John the Baptist didn’t confront Herod once — he kept telling him. This verb choice reflects prophetic persistence, an ongoing voice of conviction.

γὰρ αὐτῷ ὁ Ἰωάννης: Clarifying Subject and Recipient

The explanatory conjunction γὰρ (“for”) links this statement to the surrounding context — particularly Herod’s troubled conscience.… Learn Koine Greek

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Productive Piety in Action: A Greek Study of Titus 3:14

Posted on March 14, 2014 by Classical Greek
Μανθανέτωσαν δὲ καὶ οἱ ἡμέτεροι καλῶν ἔργων προΐστασθαι εἰς τὰς ἀναγκαίας χρείας, ἵνα μὴ ὦσιν ἄκαρποι. (Titus 3:14)

And let our people also learn to devote themselves to good works for necessary needs, so that they may not be unfruitful.

Training the Church in Good Works μανθανέτωσαν – 3rd person plural present active imperative of μανθάνω, “to learn.” The imperative calls for an ongoing process of disciplined instruction. In Classical Greek, μανθάνω often meant “to understand” or “to become acquainted with,” but here it includes practical lifestyle formation. The use of the plural shows Paul’s concern for the entire community’s spiritual education.… Learn Koine Greek
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One Spring, Two Tastes? A Grammatical Meditation on James 3:11

Posted on March 11, 2014 by Νέα Ελληνικά
Μήτι ἡ πηγὴ ἐκ τῆς αὐτῆς ὀπῆς βρύει τὸ γλυκὺ καὶ τὸ πικρόν; (James 3:11)

Modern Greek Pronunciation: míti i pi̱gí ek ti̱s aftí̱s opí̱s vrýei to glyký kai to pikrón?

Literal English Translation: Does a spring pour forth from the same opening both sweet and bitter water?

Koine Greek Grammar Analysis μήτι – interrogative particle used for rhetorical questions expecting a negative answer (“surely not…”). ἡ πηγὴ – nominative singular feminine noun, “the spring, fountain.” ἐκ τῆς αὐτῆς ὀπῆς – prepositional phrase: – ἐκ = “from” + genitive; – τῆς αὐτῆς = “the same”; – ὀπῆς = genitive singular of ὀπή, “opening, hole, mouth.”… Learn Koine Greek
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The Bond of Perfection: Greek Grammar and the Crown of Love

Posted on March 8, 2014 by New Testament Greek
Ἐπὶ πᾶσι δὲ τούτοις τὴν ἀγάπην, ἥτις ἐστὶ σύνδεσμος τῆς τελειότητος (Colossians 3:14)

And above all these, love, which is the bond of perfection.

In this concise yet profound statement, Paul presents love not merely as one virtue among many, but as the cohesive force that perfects all others. The Greek of Colossians 3:14 — ἐπὶ πᾶσι δὲ τούτοις τὴν ἀγάπην, ἥτις ἐστὶ σύνδεσμος τῆς τελειότητος — uses a prepositional phrase, an appositional construction, and an explanatory relative pronoun to declare love as the ultimate unifying element of Christian maturity.

Grammatical Highlights ἐπὶ πᾶσι τούτοις — preposition + dative phrase; “above all these things.”… Learn Koine Greek
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The God of Peace, Not of Chaos: Order in Worship and the Nature of God

Posted on March 3, 2014 by Exegesis & Hermeneutics
Οὐ γάρ ἐστιν ἀκαταστασίας ὁ Θεὸς, ἀλλὰ εἰρήνης. (1 Corinthians 14:33)

For God is not of disorder, but of peace.

Exegetical Analysis

The conjunction γάρ introduces a causal explanation, tying the theological principle to Paul’s instructions about orderly conduct in the assembly. The sentence begins with a negation: οὐ ἐστιν ἀκαταστασίας ὁ Θεὸς, literally “God is not of disorder.” The genitive ἀκαταστασίας (“of disorder” or “confusion”) defines the quality or domain that is being negated. The word comes from ἀκαταστασία, meaning unrest, chaos, instability, or tumult—often used to describe political upheaval or community division. The genitive construction reflects a Semitic idiom: “God is not a God of…” meaning such qualities do not originate in or belong to His character.… Learn Koine Greek

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Grammatical Contrast and Theological Hesitation in Matthew 3:14: Syntax and Voice in John’s Objection

Posted on March 1, 2014 by New Testament Greek
Ὁ δὲ Ἰωάννης διεκώλυεν αὐτὸν λέγων· ἐγὼ χρείαν ἔχω ὑπὸ σοῦ βαπτισθῆναι καὶ σὺ ἔρχῃ πρός με; (Matthew 3:14)

But John was hindering him, saying, “I have need to be baptized by you, and you come to me?”

Matthew 3:14 records John the Baptist’s theological resistance to baptizing Jesus. The Greek syntax encapsulates a profound reversal of roles, expressed through tense contrast, passive voice, rhetorical questioning, and emphatic word order. Each grammatical element in this verse serves the narrative’s purpose: to portray John’s astonishment and theological insight regarding Jesus’ superior identity.

Main Clause: Ὁ δὲ Ἰωάννης διεκώλυεν αὐτὸν

– Ὁ δὲ Ἰωάννης: Nominative subject with definite article and postpositive conjunction.… Learn Koine Greek

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Political Discourse and Future Verbal Strategy in Matthew 28:14: A Study in Conditional Syntax and Koine Greek Persuasion

Posted on February 28, 2014 by New Testament Greek
Καὶ ἐὰν ἀκουσθῇ τοῦτο ἐπὶ τοῦ ἡγεμόνος, ἡμεῖς πείσομεν αὐτὸν, καὶ ὑμᾶς ἀμερίμνους ποιήσομεν. (Matthew 28:14)

And if this is heard by the governor, we will persuade him and make you free from worry.

Matthew 28:14 presents a case of political strategy expressed through conditional syntax and future-oriented verbal constructions. Spoken by the chief priests to the soldiers, this verse contains conditional modality, implied social manipulation, and legal nuance. The Greek grammar reveals a persuasive structure dependent on mood, aspect, and pronoun emphasis. Every clause is economically constructed yet dense with rhetorical power.

Conditional Clause: ἐὰν ἀκουσθῇ τοῦτο

– The clause begins with ἐὰν, a conditional particle used with the subjunctive to form a third-class (future more probable) condition.… Learn Koine Greek

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Combining Spirit with Spirit: The Divide Between the Mind of Man and the Wisdom of God

Posted on February 13, 2014 by Exegesis & Hermeneutics
Ἃ καὶ λαλοῦμεν οὐκ ἐν διδακτοῖς ἀνθρωπίνης σοφίας λόγοις, ἀλλ’ ἐν διδακτοῖς Πνεύματος ἁγίου, πνευματικοῖς πνευματικὰ συγκρίνοντες. ψυχικὸς δὲ ἄνθρωπος οὐ δέχεται τὰ τοῦ Πνεύματος τοῦ Θεοῦ· μωρία γὰρ αὐτῷ ἐστι, καὶ οὐ δύναται γνῶναι, ὅτι πνευματικῶς ἀνακρίνεται. (1 Corinthians 2:13–14)

Which also we speak, not in words taught by human wisdom, but in those taught by the Holy Spirit, combining spiritual things with spiritual. But a natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God; for they are foolishness to him, and he is not able to know them, because they are spiritually discerned.

Exegetical Analysis

Paul’s sentence opens with a relative pronoun ἃ (“which”), linking back to the divine wisdom mentioned earlier.… Learn Koine Greek

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The One Who Gave Himself: Greek Grammar and the Grammar of Redemption

Posted on February 7, 2014 by New Testament Greek
Ὃς ἔδωκεν ἑαυτὸν ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν, ἵνα λυτρώσηται ἡμᾶς ἀπὸ πάσης ἀνομίας καὶ καθαρίσῃ ἑαυτῷ λαὸν περιούσιον, ζηλωτὴν καλῶν ἔργων (Titus 2:14)

Who gave himself for us, so that he might redeem us from all lawlessness and purify for himself a people of his own possession, zealous for good works.

This densely packed verse from Paul’s epistle to Titus presents one of the clearest soteriological summaries in the New Testament. Every clause is loaded with purpose and theological intent, and the grammar of Titus 2:14 reflects it: ὃς ἔδωκεν ἑαυτὸν ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν, ἵνα λυτρώσηται ἡμᾶς ἀπὸ πάσης ἀνομίας καὶ καθαρίσῃ ἑαυτῷ λαὸν περιούσιον, ζηλωτὴν καλῶν ἔργων.… Learn Koine Greek

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Greek Grammar and Syntactical Analysis of Matthew 2:1

Posted on February 1, 2014 by New Testament Greek
Τοῦ δὲ Ἰησοῦ γεννηθέντος ἐν Βηθλέεμ τῆς Ἰουδαίας ἐν ἡμέραις Ἡρῴδου τοῦ βασιλέως, ἰδοὺ μάγοι ἀπὸ ἀνατολῶν παρεγένοντο εἰς Ἱεροσόλυμα (Matthew 2:1)

Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, magi from the east arrived in Jerusalem.

Genitive Absolute Construction: Τοῦ δὲ Ἰησοῦ γεννηθέντος

This opening clause is a classic example of the genitive absolute, a syntactic feature where a genitive noun or pronoun and a genitive participle form a phrase independent of the main clause.

– Τοῦ Ἰησοῦ: genitive singular of Ἰησοῦς (Jesus) – γεννηθέντος: aorist passive participle, genitive singular masculine of γεννάω (to be born)

This construction functions temporally: “when Jesus was born”.… Learn Koine Greek

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