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Greek Lessons
- The Question of Eternal Life: Syntax of Testing and Inquiry in Luke 10:25
- The Grammar of Astonishment and Difficulty
- The Urgency of Flight: Syntax, Eschatology, and the Grammar of Mission in Matthew 10:23
- Provoking the Lord: The Peril of Presumption
- The Great Priest Over God’s House: The Foundation of Confident Access
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Category
Tag Archives: John 21:16
Greek Verbal Nuance, Syntax, and Semantic Tension in John 21:16
Λέγει αὐτῷ πάλιν δεύτερον· Σίμων Ἰωνᾶ, ἀγαπᾷς με; Λέγει αὐτῷ· ναί κύριε, σὺ οἶδας ὅτι φιλῶ σε. Λέγει αὐτῷ· ποίμαινε τὰ πρόβατά μου.
He says to him again, a second time, Simon son of Jonah, do you love me? He says to him, Yes, Lord, you know that I love you. He says to him, Shepherd my sheep.
IntroductionJohn 21:16 is the second of three similar yet subtly distinct exchanges between Jesus and Simon Peter following the resurrection. This verse provides a rich example of verbal aspect, synonym usage, and layered Greek syntax. The linguistic elements in this passage—particularly the alternation between ἀγαπᾷς and φιλῶ—invite scholarly discussion of lexical semantics, pragmatic implications, and Johannine style.… Learn Koine Greek