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Greek Lessons
- Declensions in Judgment Imagery: The Grammar of Revelation 8:10
- Command and Response: The Interplay of Imperatives and Indicatives in Matthew 8:9
- Neither Surplus Nor Lack: The Theology of Indifference in 1 Corinthians 8:8
- Thorns That Choke: Converging Aorists and Participial Force in Luke 8:7
- The Grammar of Compassion: Voice, Place, and Affliction in Matthew 8:6
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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.
Introduction
John 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.
Sentence Structure and Dialogue DynamicsThe sentence is structured as a triadic dialogue, involving repeated verbal forms of λέγει, vocative address, interrogative construction, and responsive assertion.… Learn Koine Greek