Beginning Greek for Bible Study

Beginning Greek for Beginning Greek for Bible StudyBible Study

Class #1Class #1

Evgw, eivmi to; A[lfa

kai; to; w=

An exampleAn example

For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; - Ephesians 2:8What is the gift?Th/: ga;r cavritiv evste sesw/smevnoi dia; pivstewV kai; tou:to ouvk evx uJmw:n qeou: to; dw:ron

The Dangers of Learning a Little The Dangers of Learning a Little Greek (pp. xviii-xx)Greek (pp. xviii-xx)

A little knowledge can be dangerous!A little knowledge can be dangerous!Remember you are learning how to use the tools Remember you are learning how to use the tools of Greek. You will not be a Greek expert by of Greek. You will not be a Greek expert by taking this class.taking this class.After this class, you will After this class, you will soundsound authoritative to authoritative to others. Be careful!others. Be careful!Guard your heart from pride (James 4:6).Guard your heart from pride (James 4:6).Humbly rely on those who ARE Greek scholars.Humbly rely on those who ARE Greek scholars.Remember Prov. 1:7.Remember Prov. 1:7.

The Greek LanguageThe Greek Language

Koine Greek (Koine Greek (koinhvkoinhv))

Koine, or biblical Greek, is the type of Greek we Koine, or biblical Greek, is the type of Greek we will be learning.will be learning.Koine means “common,” as it was the common Koine means “common,” as it was the common language of the people.language of the people.Because Koine was a universal language, it was Because Koine was a universal language, it was very easy for the New Testament to spread very easy for the New Testament to spread during the first century.during the first century.It is also significant that God used a common, It is also significant that God used a common, universal language to communicate the gospel universal language to communicate the gospel of Jesus Christ to people.of Jesus Christ to people.

The Greek AlphabetThe Greek Alphabet

AlphaAlpha aa aa FFaathertherBetaBeta bb bb BBibleibleGammaGamma gg gg ggoneoneDeltaDelta dd dd ddogogEpsilonEpsilon ee ee mmeettZetaZeta zz zz dadazzeeEtaEta hh ee obobeeyyThetaTheta qq thth ththingingIotaIota ii ii iintriguentrigueKappaKappa kk kk kkitchenitchenLambdaLambda ll LL llawawMuMu mm mm mmotherother

NuNu nn nn nnewewXiXi xx xx aaxxiomiomOmicronOmicron oo oo nnoottPiPi pp pp ppeacheachRhoRho rr rr rrododSigmaSigma s - Vs - V ss sstudytudyTauTau tt tt ttalkalkUpsilonUpsilon uu uu oopsoopsPhiPhi ff phph phphoneoneChiChi cc chch lolochchPsiPsi yy psps lilipspsOmegaOmega ww oo ttoonene

Alphabet helpsAlphabet helpsIf you can say the name of the letter, you know If you can say the name of the letter, you know the sound of the letter.the sound of the letter.Though you don’t need to know the capital Though you don’t need to know the capital letters right away, you’ll need to learn them in letters right away, you’ll need to learn them in order to read in the Greek NT.order to read in the Greek NT.g g normally has a “g” sound, but when it is normally has a “g” sound, but when it is followed by followed by gg, , kk, , cc, or , or xx, it is pronounced as a , it is pronounced as a nn which has a “n” sound. Hence, which has a “n” sound. Hence, a[ggeloVa[ggeloV is is pronounced, “angelos.”pronounced, “angelos.”Sometimes an iota occurs underneath an Sometimes an iota occurs underneath an aa, , hh, , or or ww. This is called an iota subscript. This type . This is called an iota subscript. This type of iota is not pronounced, but it is significant for of iota is not pronounced, but it is significant for meaning.meaning.

DipthongsDipthongs

aiai – as in aisle – as in aisleeiei – as in eight – as in eightoioi – as in oil – as in oilauau – as in Sauerkraut – as in Sauerkrautouou – as in soup – as in soupuiui – as in suite – as in suiteeueu & & hu hu– as in feud– as in feud

Breathing MarksBreathing MarksEvery word beginning with a vowel or Every word beginning with a vowel or r r has a has a breathing markbreathing markSmooth – not pronouncedSmooth – not pronounced jj ajpostoloVajpostoloV jIsrahljIsrahl

Rough – pronounced as an “h” soundRough – pronounced as an “h” sound JJ Juper Juper JrabbiJrabbi

Breathing MarksBreathing Marks

Every word beginning with a dipthong Every word beginning with a dipthong takes a breathing mark over the second takes a breathing mark over the second vowelvowel Aijtew Aijtew – “I ask”– “I ask”

PronunciationPronunciation

AccentsAccents

Greek has three accent marks:Greek has three accent marks:

AcuteAcute vv aijtevwaijtevw

GraveGrave ;; qeo;Vqeo;V

CircumflexCircumflex :: jIhsou:VjIhsou:V  

PunctuationPunctuation

There are four punctuation marks found in There are four punctuation marks found in the Greek New Testament:the Greek New Testament:

CommaComma ,, qeo;V, qeo;V, CommaComma

PeriodPeriod .. qeo;V. qeo;V. PeriodPeriod

PeriodPeriodaboveabove

`̀ qeo;V` qeo;V` SemicolonSemicolon

SemicolonSemicolon ;; qeo;V~ qeo;V~ Question markQuestion mark

PronunciationPronunciation

Ejn ajrch: h\n oJ lovgoV kai; oJ lovgoV h\n pro;V to;n qeovn kai; qeo;V h\n oJ lovgoV.Ou[twj ga.r hvga,phsen o` qeo.j to.n ko,smon( w[ste to.n ui`o.n to.n monogenh/ e;dwken( i[na pa/j o` pisteu,wn eivj auvto.n mh. avpo,lhtai avllV e;ch| zwh.n aivw,nionÅ

AdvancedAdvancedClass 1Class 1

Where did our alphabet come Where did our alphabet come from?from?

The Greek New TestamentThe Greek New Testament

The Greek New Testament was completed The Greek New Testament was completed about 100 ADabout 100 ADScholars have discovered over 24,000 Scholars have discovered over 24,000 manuscripts and fragments of the NT in manuscripts and fragments of the NT in Greek & LatinGreek & Latin

The Oldest NT Manuscript – The Oldest NT Manuscript – John (p52 – 125 AD)John (p52 – 125 AD)

Colossians fragment in Coptic Colossians fragment in Coptic (3(3rdrd Century AD) Century AD)

The Septuagint (LXX) - SoSThe Septuagint (LXX) - SoS

filhsa,tw me avpo. filhma,twn sto,matoj auvtou/ o[ti avgaqoi. mastoi, sou u`pe.r oi=non"May he kiss me with the kisses of his mouth! For your love is better than wine.” – SoS 1:2

Codex Sinaiticus (4Codex Sinaiticus (4thth century century AD)AD)

pa,nta diV auvtou/ evge,neto( kai. cwri.j auvtou/ evge,neto ouvde. e[n o] ge,gonen

All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being. – John 1:3

How Greek WorksHow Greek Works

English: The boy hit the ballEnglish: The boy hit the ballGreek:Greek: The boy hit the ballThe boy hit the ball Hit the boy the ballHit the boy the ball The ball hit the boyThe ball hit the boy The boy the ball hitThe boy the ball hit The ball the boy hitThe ball the boy hit

InflectionInflection

Perhaps the greatest difference between Perhaps the greatest difference between English and Greek is that of syntax – the English and Greek is that of syntax – the way words show their relationship to each way words show their relationship to each other in a sentence.other in a sentence.In English, we typically understand the In English, we typically understand the function of the words in a sentence by the function of the words in a sentence by the word orderword orderBut in Greek, we understand the function But in Greek, we understand the function of the words by their inflection. Inflection of the words by their inflection. Inflection is how a word changes based on the is how a word changes based on the function of the word.function of the word.

InflectionInflection

In English, the only real inflection we have In English, the only real inflection we have is in our pronounsis in our pronouns

SubjectiveSubjective PossessivePossessive ObjectiveObjective

HeHe HisHis HimHim

SheShe HersHers HerHer

ItIt ItsIts ItIt

InflectionInflection

HeHe hit the ball. hit the ball.The ball hit The ball hit himhim..The red one is The red one is hishis ball. ball.