Based on the “sampling” of New Testament instruction visible to you through this blog site and determined by your own personal Greek academic goals and needs, I am willing also to offer my services as a Greek instructor—via online “live, interactive” and/or written “chat” sessions, email communications, or any other suitable means. To that end, and in conjunction with Wermuth’s GREEKBOOK and other readily available printed or online resources, I am preparing to establish an electronic distance-learning platform for a repeating online “class” and determine a reasonable fee for such a service.
I would, however, like to poll the potential recipients of such a course to determine viable interest for such an endeavor. It could be that you’re planning on pursing a seminary tract that requires Greek, or possibly you’re involved in classical Christian education or are a home schooler or where New Testament Greek is not readily available for you.
The POLL
** IMPORTANT NOTE: With interest continuing to grow, if you’re seriously interested in participating in some sort of formal online class, please communicate with me personally via the “Comments” area below, which will automatically generate a private, personal email to me as moderator of this site. I will also keep your personal information private, not posted. That way, if an sufficient interest in an online class occurs, I will have a viable means of contacting those whose have expressed an interest. I look forward to matching my services with your needs.
I’ve been making what I hope are some visual and operational improvements—including a sidebar “Search” function— to my Greek blog. And, since I also renamed it, the newer-looking blog is more than just a design template change (see image, below). So, even though I’ve also exported all the post archives from here to there, I’m not quite willing to abandon this site quite yet; I hope to transition over to the other one in time. Maybe I can get some input from those of you who are visiting this site on how (if ) you like the newer site: “It’s All Greek to YOU!” (click on blog title to visit there).
There’s a famous older expression from another generation, even another millenium now, regarding “…calling a ‘horse’ a ‘horse’,” which basically means identifying something for what it really is. In the realm of personal character traits, this might mean simply being honest with yourself and/or others. In the realm of language and grammatical terminology, it may have some meaning application as well.
For example, within the corpus of Greek grammatical terms, “deponent” is a term appropriately ascribed to a category of Greek verbs appearing with middle or passive endings, yet necessarily translated in the active voice. Examples:
ἔρχομαι — Present/Deponent/Indicative/1st person, singular = I am coming, going
ἤρχομην — Imperfect/Deponent/Indicative/1st person, singular = I was coming, going
Notice the “parsing” (identification of tense, voice, mode [mood], person, and number) of the above two examples of the deponent verb, ἔρχομαι. While many (if not most) Greek “parsing” resources will list the parsing of deponent verbs as middle/passive, I have always felt it to be extremely beneficial to “call a ‘horse’ a ‘horse’” when parsing deponent verbs. There are at least two obvious reasons:
It reminds the Greek student that he’s looking at a specific category of Greek verbs (deponent), and
It reminds the Greek student not to translate these verbs as middle or passive, since they are neither.
By “calling a ‘horse’ a ‘horse’” and identifying deponent verbs for what they really are, the Greek student will readily recognize and accurately translate these verb with an active voice translation. Remember, too, that some Greek verbs (like ἔρχομαι) may be deponent in one or more tenses or modes without being deponent in all. [Example: ἤλθον=Aorist/Active/Indicative/1st person, singular/3rd person, plural.] Other “deponent” verbs frequently encountered include:βούλομαι(I am wishing), and πορεύομαι(I am proceeding).
“So,” you may ask, “when are these deponent verbs appropriately called defective?“(Good question.) Read the rest of this entry »
The verb tenses in Greek are divided into six basic “systems” called Principal Parts.Each system has a distinct verb stem, from which all the various tenses and their respective “voices” are built (click on first image to open and enlarge to full size within a separate window).In order to recognize a Greek verb, it is necessary to be familiar with its principal parts.The “regular” principal parts system is represented by λύω (click on remaining images in order or download the entire PDF here or from the sidebar, opposite). The Principal Parts chart represented within the above image files delineates in alphabetical order the principal parts of many frequently encountered “irregular” verbs occurring in the Greek New Testament.
When working on the memorization of Greek verb endings, it’s important to “see” (in your mind’s eye) what you say (outloud or silently) as you practice. Therefore, regarding the Greek diphthong “ει,” it seems preferable and wise to pronounce it phonetically the same as the identical diphthong in the English word “height,” as opposed to the phonetic sound in the English word “freight.” This is because the “ει” diphthong occurs within the 2nd and 3rdpersons of “active voice” verb endings of the Indicative mode (-ει, -εις), later “lengthening” to -ῃ when used in the same persons in the Subjunctive mode (-ῃ,-ῃς). Since the phonetic sound of ῃ is the same as the diphthong in “freight,” it tends to confuse the usage of these separately occurring endings (“ει” in the Indicative; “ῃ” in the Subjunctive, also “middle/passive voice” Indicative 2nd sing.) if pronounced identically.
Putting this ει diphthong into a memorable memorization context—as my beginning Greek professor humorously used to remind us:
“If you should accidentally fall out of bed at night, don’t say ‘Ouch!’ Say, ‘Oh, ice, eye, ahmen, ete, ousi.’” (Indicative mode “active” verb endings: -ω, -εις, -ει, -ομεν, -ετε, -ουσι).
When you see a Greek word that looks like a verb at its beginning that has declined endings, that word must be a participle. It is critically important that the beginning Greek student learn the declension of the 3rd Declension noun ἀρχῶν, ὁ (ruler). From this noun active participle endings are derived, and the noun’s stem (ἀρχ-) is replaced with a verbal stem (or, as I like to say in class, “We’re putting Noah back into the ‘ark’ [ἀρχ-] and sending him on a vacation.” The resultant verb stem + declined endings = a verbal-adjective, the grammatical description for a participle (e.g., λύων, λύοντος…).
When studying and memorizing participle endings, it is helpful to remember the nominative singular forms of each of the active, middle and passive endings that occur. Including thematic vowel changes, there are four active forms of participle endings (one of them used “passively” with Aorist passives) and three middle/passive forms. Since participles are verbal adjectives, the student will observe a verbal stem with declined endings in all three genders. The active endings (nominative singular) are represented by: -ων, -ουσα, -ον (Present, 2nd Aorist); -ας, -ασα, -αν (1st Aorist); -εις, -εισα, -εν (1st & 2ndAorist passive; remember: Aorist Passives always utilize “active looking” endings); and -ως, -υια, -ος (Perfect). Since each of these groups of endings are declined in a similar way with the masculines and neuters in the 3rd declension and the feminines in the 1st declension (likeγλῶσσα), knowledge of the nominative singulars becomes a “jumping off” point in the student’s mind for recognition of any other case forms he may encounter. The middle/passive endings are much more simple, occuring in the 2nd declension for masculine and neuter forms, and the 1st declension for the feminines (like ἀγάπη) and represented by; -ομενος, -ομενη, -ομενον (Present, 2nd Aorist); -αμενος, -αμενη, -αμενον (1st Aorist); –μενος, -μενη, -μενον (Perfect).
When the Greek “circumstantial” (temporal, adverbial) participle occurs (without an article) in the Present tense. The “temporal” (time-oriented) adverb used to translate a Present tense circumstantial participle is “As” (or “While”). The time frame of the “dependent” (temporal, circumstantial) clause should be consistent with the time frame of the indicative verb of the “independent” (main) clause.
(PRESENT) βλέπει τὸν κύριον ἐρχόμενον πρὸς αὐτὸν καὶ λέγει αὐτῷ … “He is seeing the Lord (as He [the Lord] is) coming toward him and he is saying to him…” (John 1:29a)
When the Greek “circumstantial” participle occurs in the Aorist tense. The “temporal” (time-oriented) adverb used to translate an Aorist tense circumstantial participle is “After.” Again, the time frame of the “dependent” (temporal, circumstantial) clause is translated concurrent with the time frame of the indicative verb in the “independent” (main) clause. (ibid, p. 69)
(AORIST) ἐλθῶν οὖν ὁ Ἰησους εὖρεν αὐτὸν. “Therefore after He came Jesus found him.” (John 11:17a)
(Better): “Therefore after Jesus came He [Jesus] found him.”
Don’t be intimidated by these “irregular” New Testament Greek verbs. If you pay attention, they too reveal structural “patterns” that you can find some comfort level in recognizing in context. The primary “bottom line” characteristics of μι-Verbs are presented below (right-click for full-screen view), and also as a downloadable PDF, including μι-Verb Indicative Mode formation charts and a listing of the most frequently occurring μι-Verbs in the New Testament.
I’ll not remain mute about this. I’ll teach you something about “Mute Stem” changes within Greek verbs, so you won’t need to remain “mute” about the subject, either! As a New Testament Greek student it can be helpful in the “short run” (or longer) if you can visualize in your “mind’s eye” certain critical pieces of information. Some of that critical information is this: “What happens when certain Greek consonants collide with other Greek consonants, and why?“ Please read the following treatise on “Mute Stem” changes (“right click” for enlarged view), and then keep reading below the chart that follows, where I will give you a fairly easy way to “set up this chart” in your mind.
The basic components (the “labials,” “gutterals” and “dentals”) of the above “Mute Stems Changes”chart can be fairly easily replicated in your mind if you remember this “set up” process. While these three categories of Greek letters (“labials,” “gutterals” and “dentals”) are listed horizontally as they function within the chart, it’s easier to set them up vertically. Here’s how:
(1) Start reciting the Greek alphabet: α…β…γ...δ…then start writing them (vertically) as soon as you get to β, γ, δ.You now have the first letter of each of the three categories of letters.
(2) Next, vertically write (in Greek) the first letters of the acronym:“preachers kids (are) terrific”…or…π, κ, τ. Now you have the second letters of each row.
(3) For the final vertical row, add the Greek equivalent of an“h” to the letters you just wrote, resulting in: φ, χ, θ. With this done, you can now more easily memorize the results of collisions with various consonants that occur.
Here’s a look at “Contract Verbs” made a lot easier. Remember, the only two tenses that are impacted by “contractions” of vowels are the Present and Imperfect, since these are the only two tenses that utilize a “Present” stem (1st Principal Part) with nothing added to the end before it encounters the thematic vowel(s) of the personal endings. Right-click image below for an enlarged view in a separate window:
**REMEMBER, too, that the predominant indicator that a “contraction” (collision) of vowels has occurred is the Greek circumflex (~) accent that appears (most often) over the location of the contraction.
For you language “geeks,” the English word “contract” comes from two Latin root words (cum + tractus) which mean to “draw together.” A legal “contract” is a “drawing up/together” of certain conditions. A housing “contractor” also “draws together” certain skilled workers to complete the construction project. Other English derivatives would be “tractor” and “traction.”
But, you can still translate these unusual Greek constructions. Here are five plausible steps for recognizing and translating the “Genitive Absolute” —
(1) Identifythe “Genitive Absolute” construction: a circumstantial participle and anounorpronoun, both occurring in the genitive case in a “dependent” clause:
“And afterJesuswas born in Bethlehem . . . behold wise men from the East arrived in Jerusalem.”
(2) Translatethe main (“independent”) clause of the sentence (the part not containing the “genitive absolute” construction).
(3) Identify the time frame (present or past time) of the Indicative verb in the main (“independent”) clause. The time frame of the participle in the “genitive absolute” construction will be translated either as being “simultaneous” with the time frame of the Indicative verb of the main (“independent”) clause, or as occurring “prior” to the time frame of the main Indicative verb (see point 5, below).
(4) Translate the noun or pronoun in the “genitive absolute” construction (“dependent” clause) as if it were in the Nominative case. And finally,
(5) Translate the genitive participle as an indicative verb, preceded by the adverbial, circumstantial word “While…” if the participle is a Present tense participle, or with the word “After…” if the participle is in the Aorist tense.
For a downloadable PDF, see sidebar entry under the category Greek “Unusual Constructions”
Here’s a viewable, downloadable PDF comprehensive alpha-numeric lexical listing of all of the vocabulary used (10x+) in the N.T. (1,067 words) as found in Bruce Metzger’s Lexical Aids. I created this “numbered” listing to allow for organized “bookkeeping” when students are attempting to track the vocabulary they have encountered within a given Greek grammar and have made (or need to make) vocabulary cards for. The list also shows how many words are encountered within a given frequency of occurrence (info that Metzger omits from his book). If a student only “numbered” his vocab cards, the number itself would reveal the relative “importance” of the word (re: its frequency of use in the N.T.). The lower the number, the more frequently the word is used; the higher the number, the less frequent. I tend to think, too, that it’s the middle range of words (20-30x or so) that need the most concentration, since we see them not so often as to know them “inherently,” but often enough to warrant knowledge of them, particularly if they have strong theological importance. For an online flashcard study of all the New Testament words occurring more than 10 times (per Metzger’s frequency lists), click here.
Here’s a proven method for vocabulary card creation, study and mastery. It’s based on the principle, familiar to some, called “conditioning” (“conditioned reflex”). In the 1890s Russian psychologist Ivan Pavlov demonstrated a repetitive occurrence in the behavior of dogs when presented with food accompanied by an additional stimulus (e.g., ringing a bell). Each time the dogs were presented with food, evoking salivation, a bell was rung simultaneously. After numerous trials of food presentation, accompanied by a ringing bell, with consistent occurrences of salivation by the dogs, the trials were run the ringing without food being presented—yet the dogs continued to salivate in successive trials.
This same “conditioning” principle is very effective in producing consistent memory results when studying Greek vocabulary. Since most pre-printed vocabulary cards only include the Greek word on the front of the card with the corresponding definition on the back, it’s important to create your own vocabulary cards with an important addition. Even if you use pre-printed cards, adding this additional information is critically important. “What is the additional information?” you may ask. It is simply this: Write the Greek vocabulary word (learning occurs here, too) not only on the front of the vocabulary card, but also on the back of the card—with the definition immediately under it. In this way, you are associating the original Greek word (i.e., the “bell”) with its definition (i.e., the “food”), so that, when you turn the card over to the front side, even though it’s not really there, after repetitive viewings you will actually “see” the definition under the Greek word on the front side of the card as well! In a sense, you can “salivate” all the way through your study of frequently used New Testament Greek vocabulary in gaining a mastery of those words. Try it;it really does work!! FRONT of Card (“mouse” over or click to enlarge) BACK of Card (“mouse” over or click to enlarge)
Indicative Mode Greek verbs can be readily learned utilizing a memory system that encapsilates the verb’s personal endings into a numbering system that can be plugged into an easily recognizable and memorable “formula” for each of the Greek verb tenses and voices. All other Greek verbal modes (including Participles, which are verbal-adjectives) can be memorized under similar systems which are included within the GREEKBOOK.
VERB ENDINGS
Using an “odd” and “even” numbering system which re-codes the verb column numbers with the endings’ thematic vowel, this memory paradigm can be reduced to four basic columns of verb endings that need to be mastered. All of the tenses and their respective voices can be formed off of variations of these four basic columns of verb endings. Similar paradigms can be utilized for all Greek modes, including the Indicative, Subjunctive, Imperative, Optative modes, as well as Participles.
Click on here to download the Greek Indicative Verbs “PowerPoint” presentation.
If you take Greek, you will not be a geek. Although in Greek we did not learn it to speak, I hope that Greek into my writing will leak. All that I seek . . . are birds with yellow beaks. He wants the weak; the earth is for the meek. When it looks bleak, He takes a peek, And He makes the floor squeak. If garlic you sneak, your breath will surely reek. Hear Jesus speak from the top of a peak: Bad stuff you seek? For sure, you will scream, “Eeeeek!”
When teaching Beginning Greek, I have found it helpful for students to keep a “running list” of clear, concise statements about study methodologies or translation observations that will keep them on track by steering their thinking in the right direction. Below is a listing of those “Famous Quotes and Memory Joggers” that I utilize as I am teaching.
Before completing translation exercises, always study vocabulary and structures (paradigms) first!
The primary “force”(function) of a Greek tense is “kind of action,” not “time.” ”Time” is a consideration occurring and governed via “Indicative Mode” verbs. In all other modes, the focus is “kind of action.”
All Greek neuter nouns repeat their “Nominative” endings in the “Accusative” (sing. and plural, respectively).
The Locative, Instrumental, and Dative (L.I.D.) cases can be easily recognized by the “iota” that appears in the ending—for the most part (except with 3rd declension nouns) either an ‘iota subscript” or an “iota sandwich” (i.e., -οιςor -αις). Even the “L.I.D.” case acronym is helpful, since it is also spelled with an “I.” So remember, “ι = L.I.D.”
When a Greek verb form can be either Middle or Passive,“always try Passive first!”
“Stick to your cases!”
Because of its consistency in appearance and designation of “gender,” the Greek “Definite article” (ὁ, ἡ, τὸ) is your “friend.”
When a Greek pronoun (1st, 2nd, or 3rd personal) appears in the “Nominative” case— singular or plural — it always indicates emphasis.
The only mode that has “augments” (indicator of past time) is the Indicative Mode. (For this and more, see the “Signal Flags” [click] chart image from the side bar of this blog site.)
When you observe a Greek word that looks (in part) like a verb (at the beginning) and that word occurs with a “definite article,” that word must be a participle.
The only two (2) tenses in Greek that utilize a “present stem” (1st principal part) are the Presenttense and the Imperfect tense (all voices).
When identifying verb tenses (via their personal endings’ thematic vowel), remember “αmeans Aorist!” (For this and more, see the “Signal Flags” [click] chart image from the side bar of this blog site.)
When observing Greek Subjunctive verbs in context, it’s important to ask yourself the following question: “What’s the ‘use’?” (no kidding). In order to translate a subjunctive word or phrase, you must know what “use” of the Subjunctive governs that word or phrase. Some examples: Is it a “purpose clause” (with ἵνα)? Is it an “if” clause(with ἐάν) is it a 1st person plural“exhortation” ( = “we should . . .”)? Is it a “question of doubt as to what the speaker (1st person sing. or plural) should say or do? So, when things apparently seem difficult, remember to ask yourself, “What’s the ‘use’?!!”
Remember: Aorist Passives(any mood/mode) always utilize endings that are “Active” in appearance.
The “tense sign” indicator (“flag”) for 1stAorist Passive Indicativeverb forms is -θη- . (For this and more, see the “Signal Flags” [click] chart image from the side bar of this blog site.)
1st Aorist Passive Subjunctivescan be readily identified by observing the “signal flag” (characteristics) of either a -θῆ- or-θῶ- . (Notice the “circumflex” accents, resulting from the collision of stem vowels with thematic vowels on the endings. For more, including similar qualities for 2nd Aorist Passive Sujunctives, see the “Signal Flags” [click] chart image from the side bar of this blog site.)
1st Aorist Passive Participles are probably the most “outstanding” Greek forms. Apart from a scant number of verbs (like ἀκολουθεω), whose lexical vocabulary forms have a -θε- incorporated within the stem, these participles may be easily observed and identified by noticing the consistent “signal flag” (characteristics) of that same -θε- quality within the construction of Aorist Passive Participles. For more, including similar qualities for 2nd Aorist Passive Participles, see the “Signal Flags” [click] chart image from the side bar of this blog site.)
Remember:“Eleanorhates sigmas” (σ added to the stem). Yes, your hypothetical cousin “Eleanor“—whose name trans-literally has those smooth, “liquid” Greek letters: λ, νorρ—does not like any contact whatsoever with a Greek σ, which, of course, is normally added to Future and 1st Aorist verbs, and which may also find proximity to liquid letters in noun declension scenarios. Other rules apply when these “liquid” letters collide with Greek “sigmas.” So, beware: “Eleanor (λ, ν, ρ) hates sigmas!”
When a “Yes”answer is expected to a Greek question, the Greek negative οὐ is used. Example: (Matt. 7:22) οὐ τῷ ὀνόματιἐπροφητεύσαμεν; = We prophesied by Thy name, didn’t we? (Ans.: “Yes.”)The best way to translate the question appropriately, is to “put the answer in the hearer’s mind” through an affirmative statement at the beginning of the question. Also, in the above example, one can almost visualize the questioner affirmatively nodding his head up and down.Conversely, usingμή+ Indicative mode in direct questions expects a “No”answer.Example: (John 6:67) εἶπεν οὖν ὁ Ἰησοῦς τοῖς δώδεκα μή καὶ ὑμεῖς θέλετε ὑπάγειν; =Then Jesus said to the Twelve, “You do not wish to go away also, do you?”Here one can visualize the questioner shaking his head (“No”) from side to side.
Since the only two (2) tenses in Greek that utilize a “present stem” (1st “principal part”) are the Presenttense and the Imperfect tense (see point 10, above), these are also only two (2) tenses of “Contract Verbs” — verbs whose stems end with either an α, ε, orο — that are impacted by the collision of vowels that occurs with these types of verbs (i.e. the ending stem vowel + the thematic initial vowel of the personal endings). Of course, the main indicator (“flag”) of this resultant collision of vowels is the Greek “circumflex” accent ( ~ ).
