Who Tripped You Up? A Grammatical Race Through Galatians 5:7

Galatians 5:7

Ἐτρέχετε καλῶς· τίς ὑμᾶς ἐνέκοψε τῇ ἀληθείᾳ μὴ πείθεσθαι;

Literal Translation: You were running well; who hindered you from obeying the truth?

1. Key Grammatical Features in Koine Greek

• Ἐτρέχετε: Imperfect active indicative second person plural of τρέχω (“to run”). The imperfect suggests continuous past action—”you were running”—which builds the metaphor of steady progress before interruption.
• καλῶς: Adverb meaning “well,” modifying Ἐτρέχετε. Koine often uses positive adverbs to frame moral or spiritual behavior metaphorically.
• τίς: Interrogative pronoun in the nominative singular, functioning as the subject—”Who?” Koine retains Classical interrogatives with similar placement at the head of the question.
• ὑμᾶς: Accusative plural pronoun, functioning as the object of ἐνέκοψε (“hindered”). Koine uses personal pronouns more frequently than Classical for rhetorical clarity.
• ἐνέκοψε: Aorist active indicative third person singular of ἐγκόπτω (“to hinder, obstruct”). Aorist indicates a singular decisive act that interrupted the previous good progress.
• τῇ ἀληθείᾳ: Dative singular of ἀλήθεια (“truth”). The dative expresses reference or sphere—”with respect to the truth.” Koine often employs such dative constructions in moral and theological contexts.
• μὴ πείθεσθαι: Present middle/passive infinitive of πείθω (“to be persuaded, obey”), negated with μὴ. Infinitive here expresses the expected or interrupted result. The middle/passive voice conveys internal or responsive obedience, a typical nuance in Koine theological usage.

2. Classical Greek Grammar Comparison

• Imperfect for Progress: In Classical Greek, the imperfect tense Ἐτρέχετε would equally convey continuous action, often with greater emphasis on duration. Koine retains this but applies it more freely in metaphorical settings.
• Adverbial Use: Adverbs like καλῶς function similarly in both periods, but Koine uses them more in ethical or evaluative contexts than in pure description.
• Infinitive Purpose Clause: Classical Greek might prefer ὥστε + infinitive or a fuller clause to express purpose or result. Koine simplifies with bare infinitives like μὴ πείθεσθαι after verbs of hindrance.
• Dative of Reference: Both Classical and Koine use the dative to express relation, but Koine applies it more readily in spiritual and abstract constructions (e.g., obedience to τῇ ἀληθείᾳ).
• Pronoun Usage: Koine regularly includes explicit pronouns like ὑμᾶς for emphasis and clarity, even when they are syntactically unnecessary. Classical Greek preferred elision unless emphasis demanded it.

3. Syntactic and Structural Differences

• Rhetorical Question Structure: Koine often begins with τίς followed immediately by object and verb for clarity and rhetorical punch. Classical Greek might rearrange the order for effect or delay the verb.
• Interruptive Clauses: The contrast between Ἐτρέχετε καλῶς and τίς…ἐνέκοψε highlights a sharp shift in mood. Koine prefers such direct juxtapositions to express abrupt reversal. Classical Greek would often use particles (like μέν…δέ) for smoother transition.
• Infinitive Complement: In Koine, μὴ πείθεσθαι is directly linked to ἐνέκοψε as its complement. Classical Greek would sometimes use an articular infinitive or an optative construction in indirect speech.

4. Phonological Notes

• Vowel Mergers: Vowels in πείθεσθαι and ἐνέκοψε that were distinct in Classical Greek (e.g., ει as [ei̯]) had begun merging toward [i] in Koine, simplifying pronunciation.
• Accent Shift: Classical Greek pitch accent in words like ἀληθείᾳ was replaced by stress accent in Koine, placing prominence on the stressed syllable.
• Infinitive Ending -σθαι: Once clearly enunciated as [stʰai], the -σθαι ending had softened in Koine to something closer to [sti].

5. Summary Table of Grammatical Evolution

6. What This Verse Tells Us About the Evolution of Greek

Galatians 5:7 is a sharp and compact example of Koine Greek’s action-driven storytelling in rhetorical form. The verse moves from commendation (Ἐτρέχετε καλῶς) to confrontation (τίς…ἐνέκοψε) with abrupt clarity—no connective particles or layered syntax needed.

Unlike the often elegant indirection of Classical Greek, Koine confronts its audience directly. The grammar has been honed for impact: simplified infinitive structure, stripped-down comparison, and emotive dative reference. It’s a race interrupted—not just in metaphor, but in syntax and semantics alike.