An Introduction to Biblical Greek Workbook

Elementary Syntax and Linguistics

Dana M. Harris, Chi-ying Wong

• Publisher: Zondervan Academic
• Year: 2020
• ISBN:
  9780310108610
• Topic: Theology & Religion
• Subtopic: Biblical Reference

This workbook is designed to accompany An Introduction to Biblical Greek Grammar, which focuses on the linguistic and syntactic elements of Koine Greek to equip learners for accurate interpretation. It reinforces key concepts student learn through parsing and translation exercises for each chapter. All texts are taken from the Greek New Testament and the Septuagint and include extensive syntactical and exegetical notes to aid students.

In An Introduction to Biblical Greek Grammar, author Dana Harris draws upon twenty years of Greek teaching experience and the latest developments in linguistics and syntax to introduce students to basic linguistic concepts and categories necessary for grasping Greek in ways that are clear and intuitive. This solid foundation enables students first to internalize key concepts, then to apply and build upon them as more complex ideas are introduced.

Several features are specifically designed to aid student's learning:

• Key concepts are graphically coded to offer visual reinforcement of explanations and to facilitate learning forms and identifying their functions
• Key concepts are followed by numerous examples from the Greek New Testament
• Students learn how to mark Greek texts so that they can begin to "see" the syntax, identify the boundaries of syntactic units, and construct syntactic outlines as part of their preaching or teaching preparation
• Four integrative chapters, roughly corresponding to the midterms and final exams of a two-semester sequence, summarize material to date and reinforce key concepts. Here students are also introduced to exegetical and interpretive concepts and practices that they will need for subsequent Greek studies and beyond.
• "Going Deeper" and "For the Curious" offer supplemental information for students interested in learning more or in moving to advanced language study.

chapter ONE

IMAGE-BEARERS, LANGUAGE,
LINGUISTICS, AND GREEK:

From Theological Reflections to Learning the Alphabet

You should complete these assignments after you have studied the material presented in An Introduction to Biblical Greek Grammar: Elementary Syntax and Linguistics, chapter 1. You should consider these exercises as a test of what you have learned and memorized. After you have given these exercises your best effort, you should check your work against the answer key.

1. Write out the Greek letters in order three times from memory. The ruled lines below will help you to focus on those letters that go above or below the center (dotted) line. It is important that you are able to write Greek letters correctly. Remember a “b” is not the same thing as a β, and a “p” is not the same thing as a ρ!

[Your Response Here]

2. Write the name that corresponds with each Greek letter listed below. For example, the name of the letter ω is “omega.”

a. π ________________

b. ξ ________________

c. μ ________________

d. α ________________

e. η ________________

3. Write out the lowercase Greek letter that corresponds with the name of each Greek letter listed below.

a. phi _________________

b. gamma ________________

c. beta ________________

d. zeta ________________

e. kappa ________________

4. Write out the Greek vowels.

[Your Response Here]

5. Write out the Greek improper diphthongs.

[Your Response Here]

6. Write out the three Greek accents using the vowel α, and label each with the name of the accent.

[Your Response Here]

7. What is the name of the breathing mark over each alpha below?

a. ἀ: __________________________ breathing mark.

How does this breathing mark affect pronunciation?

[Your Response Here]

b. ἁ: __________________________ breathing mark

How does this breathing mark affect pronunciation?

[Your Response Here]

CORRECTION AND ASSESSMENT

Instructions

Once you have completed the assignments to the best of your ability, you may look at the answer key. It is often helpful to assess what you missed and what you can do to learn a particular form or concept more clearly. So on this page, you can assess any mistakes you made and indicate the course of action you can take to address this problem.

question	assessment	course of action
1
2
3
4
5
6
7

ANSWER KEY

1. α β γ δ ε ζ η θ ι κ λ μ ν ξ ο π ρ σ/ς τ υ φ χ ψ ω

2. pi, xi, mu, alpha, eta

3. φ, γ, β, ζ, κ

4. α, ε, η, ι, ο, υ, ω

5. ᾳ, ῃ, ῳ

6. ά: acute accent; ᾶ: circumflex accent; ὰ: grave accent

7. a. smooth breathing mark; it does not affect pronunciation

b. rough breathing mark; there is an “h” sound added before the vowel

READING EXERCISE

Read John 1:1–13. Pronounce each word carefully by paying attention to breaking marks and accents.

1 Ἐν ἀρχῇ ἦν ὁ λόγος, καὶ ὁ λόγος ἦν πρὸς τὸν θεόν, καὶ θεὸς ἦν ὁ λόγος. 2 οὗτος ἦν ἐν ἀρχῇ πρὸς τὸν θεόν. 3 πάντα δι’ αὐτοῦ ἐγένετο, καὶ χωρὶς αὐτοῦ ἐγένετο οὐδὲ ἕν. ὃ γέγονεν 4 ἐν αὐτῷ ζωὴ ἦν, καὶ ἡ ζωὴ ἦν τὸ φῶς τῶν ἀνθρώπων· 5 καὶ τὸ φῶς ἐν τῇ σκοτίᾳ φαίνει, καὶ ἡ σκοτία αὐτὸ οὐ κατέλαβεν.

6 Ἐγένετο ἄνθρωπος, ἀπεσταλμένος παρὰ θεοῦ, ὄνομα αὐτῷ Ἰωάννης· 7 οὗτος ἦλθεν εἰς μαρτυρίαν ἵνα μαρτυρήσῃ περὶ τοῦ φωτός, ἵνα πάντες πιστεύσωσιν δι’ αὐτοῦ. 8 οὐκ ἦν ἐκεῖνος τὸ φῶς, ἀλλ’ ἵνα μαρτυρήσῃ περὶ τοῦ φωτός.

9 ῏Ην τὸ φῶς τὸ ἀληθινόν, ὃ φωτίζει πάντα ἄνθρωπον, ἐρχόμενον εἰς τὸν κόσμον. 10 ἐν τῷ κόσμῳ ἦν, καὶ ὁ κόσμος δι’ αὐτοῦ ἐγένετο, καὶ ...