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New Testament Greek Online

Lesson 7

Winfred P. Lehmann and Jonathan Slocum

The inclusion of the report on the transfiguration in three of the gospels indicates its importance. It is interesting to compare the accounts in Matthew 17:1-13 and Luke 9:28-36 with that of Mark. Neither of the others is as detailed as Mark, lending support to the idea that both were written later than his, and made modifications. Only Mark describes the extreme whiteness of Jesus's clothing. And the conclusion in Luke seems rather abrupt. On the other hand, if Mark as author is indeed providing his account on the basis of information from Peter, he may have omitted the somewhat unflattering statement on Peter's behavior that is included in both of the other gospels. The central elements of the event are however identical.

Reading and Textual Analysis

Mark 9:2-13, and John 5:39 (memory verse)

9:2 - Καὶ μετὰ ἡμέρας ʽὲξ παραλαμβάνει ὁ ʼΙησου̂ς τὸν Πέτρον καὶ τὸν ʼΙάκωβον καὶ ʼΙωάννην, καὶ ἀναφέρει αὐτοὺς εἰς ʼόρος ὑψηλὸν κατ' ἰδίαν μόνους.

9:3 - καὶ μετεμορφώθη ʼέμπροσθεν αὐτω̂ν, καὶ τὰ ἱμάτια αὐτου̂ ἐγένετο στίλβοντα λευκὰ λίαν, οʽι̂α γναφεὺς ἐπὶ τη̂ς γη̂ς οὐ δύναται οʽύτως λευκα̂ναι.

9:4 - καὶ ʼώφθη αὐτοι̂ς ʼΗλίας σὺν Μωυσει̂, καὶ ʼη̂σαν συλλαλου̂ντες τῳ̂ ʼΙησου̂.

9:5 - καὶ ἀποκριθεὶς ὁ Πέτρος λέγει τῳ̂ ʼΙησου̂; ῥαββὶ, καλόν ἐστιν ἡμα̂ς ʽω̂δε εʼι̂ναι, καὶ ποιήσωμεν τρει̂ς σκηνάς, σοὶ μίαν καὶ Μωυσει̂ μίαν καὶ ʼΗλίᾳ μίαν.

9:6 - οὐ γὰρ ʼῃ̂δει τί ἀποκριθῃ̂; ʼέκφοβοι γὰρ ἐγένοντο.

9:7 - καὶ ἐγένετο νεφέλη ἐπισκιάζουσα αὐτοι̂ς, καὶ ἐγένετο φωνὴ ἐκ τη̂ς νεφέλης·

οʽυ̂τός ἐστιν ὁ υἱός μου ὁ ἀγαπητός. ἀκούετε αὐτου̂.

9:8 - καὶ ἐξάπινα περιβλεψάμενοι οὐκέτι οὐδένα εʼι̂δον εἰ μὴ τὸν ʼΙησου̂ν μόνον μεθ' ἑαυτω̂ν.

9:9 - Καὶ καταβαινόντων αὐτω̂ν ἐκ του̂ ʼόρους διεστείλατο αὐτοι̂ς ʽίνα μηδενὶ ʽά εʼι̂δον διηγήσωνται, εἰ μὴ ʽόταν ὁ υἱὸς του̂ ἀνθρώπου ἐκ νεκρω̂ν ἀναστῃ̂.

9:10 - καὶ τὸν λόγον ἐκράτησαν πρὸς ἑαυτοὺς συζητου̂ντες τὶ ἐστιν τὸ ἐκ νεκρω̂ν ἀναστη̂ναι.

9:11 - Καὶ ἐπηρώτων αὐτὸν λέγοντες ʽότι λέγουσιν οἱ γραμματει̂ς ʽότι ʼΗλίαν δει̂ ἐλθει̂ν πρω̂τον;

9:12 - ὁ δὲ ʼέφη αὐτοι̂ς· ʼΗλίας μὲν ἐλθὼν πρω̂τον ἀποκαθιστάνει πάντα.

καὶ πω̂ς γέγραπται ἐπὶ τὸν υἱὸν του̂ ἀνθρώπου, ʽίνα πολλὰ πάθῃ καὶ ἐξουδενηθῃ̂;

9:13 - ἀλλὰ λέγω ὑμι̂ν ʽότι καὶ ʼΗλίας ἐλήλυθεν, καὶ ἐποίησαν αὐτῳ̂ ʽόσα ʼήθελον, καθὼς γέγραπται ἐπ' αὐτόν.

John 5:39 (memory verse) - ʼΕρευνα̂τε τὰς γραφάς, ʽότι ὑμει̂ς δοκει̂τε ἐν αὐται̂ς ζωὴν αἰώνιον ʼέχειν; καὶ ἐκει̂ναί εἰσιν αἱ μαρτυρου̂σαι περὶ ἐμου̂.

Lesson Text

9:2 Καὶ μετὰ ἡμέρας ʽὲξ παραλαμβάνει ὁ ʼΙησου̂ς τὸν Πέτρον καὶ τὸν ʼΙάκωβον καὶ ʼΙωάννην, καὶ ἀναφέρει αὐτοὺς εἰς ʼόρος ὑψηλὸν κατ' ἰδίαν μόνους. 9:3 καὶ μετεμορφώθη ʼέμπροσθεν αὐτω̂ν, καὶ τὰ ἱμάτια αὐτου̂ ἐγένετο στίλβοντα λευκὰ λίαν, οʽι̂α γναφεὺς ἐπὶ τη̂ς γη̂ς οὐ δύναται οʽύτως λευκα̂ναι. 9:4 καὶ ʼώφθη αὐτοι̂ς ʼΗλίας σὺν Μωυσει̂, καὶ ʼη̂σαν συλλαλου̂ντες τῳ̂ ʼΙησου̂. 9:5 καὶ ἀποκριθεὶς ὁ Πέτρος λέγει τῳ̂ ʼΙησου̂; ῥαββὶ, καλόν ἐστιν ἡμα̂ς ʽω̂δε εʼι̂ναι, καὶ ποιήσωμεν τρει̂ς σκηνάς, σοὶ μίαν καὶ Μωυσει̂ μίαν καὶ ʼΗλίᾳ μίαν. 9:6 οὐ γὰρ ʼῃ̂δει τί ἀποκριθῃ̂; ʼέκφοβοι γὰρ ἐγένοντο.

9:7 καὶ ἐγένετο νεφέλη ἐπισκιάζουσα αὐτοι̂ς, καὶ ἐγένετο φωνὴ ἐκ τη̂ς νεφέλης· οʽυ̂τός ἐστιν ὁ υἱός μου ὁ ἀγαπητός. ἀκούετε αὐτου̂. 9:8 καὶ ἐξάπινα περιβλεψάμενοι οὐκέτι οὐδένα εʼι̂δον εἰ μὴ τὸν ʼΙησου̂ν μόνον μεθ' ἑαυτω̂ν.

9:9 Καὶ καταβαινόντων αὐτω̂ν ἐκ του̂ ʼόρους διεστείλατο αὐτοι̂ς ʽίνα μηδενὶ ʽά εʼι̂δον διηγήσωνται, εἰ μὴ ʽόταν ὁ υἱὸς του̂ ἀνθρώπου ἐκ νεκρω̂ν ἀναστῃ̂. 9:10 καὶ τὸν λόγον ἐκράτησαν πρὸς ἑαυτοὺς συζητου̂ντες τὶ ἐστιν τὸ ἐκ νεκρω̂ν ἀναστη̂ναι.

9:11 Καὶ ἐπηρώτων αὐτὸν λέγοντες ʽότι λέγουσιν οἱ γραμματει̂ς ʽότι ʼΗλίαν δει̂ ἐλθει̂ν πρω̂τον;

9:12 ὁ δὲ ʼέφη αὐτοι̂ς· ʼΗλίας μὲν ἐλθὼν πρω̂τον ἀποκαθιστάνει πάντα. καὶ πω̂ς γέγραπται ἐπὶ τὸν υἱὸν του̂ ἀνθρώπου, ʽίνα πολλὰ πάθῃ καὶ ἐξουδενηθῃ̂; 9:13 ἀλλὰ λέγω ὑμι̂ν ʽότι καὶ ʼΗλίας ἐλήλυθεν, καὶ ἐποίησαν αὐτῳ̂ ʽόσα ʼήθελον, καθὼς γέγραπται ἐπ' αὐτόν.

John 5:39 (memory verse) - ʼΕρευνα̂τε τὰς γραφάς, ʽότι ὑμει̂ς δοκει̂τε ἐν αὐται̂ς ζωὴν αἰώνιον ʼέχειν; καὶ ἐκει̂ναί εἰσιν αἱ μαρτυρου̂σαι περὶ ἐμου̂.

Translation

From the King James version:
9:2 And after six days Jesus taketh with him Peter, and James, and John, and leadeth them up into an high mountain apart by themselves: and he was transfigured before them. 3 And his raiment became shining, exceeding white as snow; so as no fuller on earth can white them. 4 And there appeared unto them Elias with Moses: and they were talking with Jesus. 5 And Peter answered and said to Jesus, Master, it is good for us to be here: and let us make three tabernacles; one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias. 6 For he wist not what to say; for they were sore afraid.
7 And there was a cloud that overshadowed them: and a voice came out of the cloud, saying, This is my beloved Son: hear him. 8 And suddenly, when they had looked round about, they saw no man any more, save Jesus only with themselves.
9 And as they came down from the mountain, he charged them that they should tell no man what things they had seen, till the Son of man were risen from the dead. 10 And they kept that saying with themselves, questioning one with another what the rising from the dead should mean.
11 And they asked him, saying, Why say the scribes that Elias must first come?
12 And he answered and told them, Elias verily cometh first, and restoreth all things; and how it is written of the Son of man, that he must suffer many things, and be set at nought. 13 But I say unto you, That Elias is indeed come, and they have done unto him whatsoever they listed, as it is written of him.
John 5:39 (memory verse) --
Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me.

Grammar

31. Inflection of adjectives and participles.

Section 12 provided the inflection of the most common adjectives, Here that of adjectives with consonantal stems is given for the adjective ʼάκων 'unwilling'; it applies also to present participles.

    Masculine   Feminine   Neuter
Nom. sg.   ʼάκων   ʼάκουσα   ʼάκον
Gen. sg.   ʼάκοντος   ἀκούσης   ἀκοντος
Dat. sg.   ʼάκοντι   ἀκούσῃ   ʼάκοντι
Acc. sg.   ʼάκοντα   ʼάκουσαν   ʼάκον
             
Nom. pl.   ʼάκοντες   ʼάκουσαι   ʼάκοντα
Gen. pl.   ἀκόντων   ἀκουσω̂ν   ἀκόντων
Dat. pl.   ʼάκουσι(ν)   ἀκούσαις   ʼάκουσι(ν)
Acc. pl.   ʼάκοντας   ἀκούσας   ʼάκοντα

The frequent adjective, πα̂ς 'all, whole' is also inflected in this way; the nominative and genitive singular are given as an illustration.

    Masculine   Feminine   Neuter
Nom. sg.   πα̂ς   πα̂σα   πα̂ν
Gen. sg.   παντός   πάσης   παντός

The nominative forms of other consonantal adjectives are given in dictionaries; the other cases may be identified with the help of the forms given above.

32. Two frequently occurring adjectives.

The forms of two frequently ocurring adjectives are given here in view of their common occurrence, μέγας 'great' and πολύς 'much'.

    Masculine   Feminine   Neuter
Nom. sg.   μέγας   μεγάλη   μέγα
Gen. sg.   μεγάλου   μεγάλης   μεγάλου
Dat. sg.   μεγάλῳ   μεγάλῃ   μεγάλῳ
Acc. sg.   μέγαν   μεγάλην   μέγα
             
Nom. pl.   μεγάλοι   μεγάλαι   μεγάλα
Gen. pl.   μεγάλων   μεγάλων   μεγάλων
Dat. pl.   μεγάλοις   μεγάλαις   μεγάλοις
Acc. pl.   μεγάλους   μεγάλας   μεγάλα

    Masculine   Feminine   Neuter
Nom. sg.   πολύς   πολλή   πόλυ
Gen. sg.   πολλου̂   πολλη̂ς   πολλου̂
Dat. sg.   πολλῳ̂   πολλῃ̂   πολλῳ̂
Acc. sg.   πολύν   πολλήν   πολύ
             
Nom. pl.   πολλοί   πολλαί   πολλά
Gen. pl.   πολλω̂ν   πολλω̂ν   πολλω̂ν
Dat. pl.   πολλοι̂ς   πολλαι̂ς   πολλοι̂ς
Acc. pl.   πολλούς   πολλάς   πολλά
33. Less frequent patterns of adjectival comparison.

The most frequent type of comparison with the suffixes -τερος, -τατος was given in section 22. Some common adjectives have different suffixes, as noted there for κακός, with its comparative in κακίων 'worse'and superlative κάκιστος. Similarly, καλός 'beautiful' has the forms καλλίων and κάλλιστος, ἐχθρός 'hostile' has the forms έχθίων, ʼέχθιστος.

Other adjectives have different roots in the comparative and superlative forms. Some have several types of comparison, with differing connotations for the various types.

άγαθ́ος 'good'   ἀμείνων   ʼάριστος   'clever, brave'
    βελτίων   βέλτιστος   'virtuous'
    κρείττων   κράτιστος   'strong, superior'
κακός 'bad'   χείρων   χείριστος   'less good'
    ʽήττων   ʽήκιστος   'weaker'
μέγας 'great'   μείζων   μέγιστος    
μικρός 'small'   μικρότερος   μικρότατος    
    ἐλάττων   ἐλαχ́ιστος   (also applies to ὀλίγος)
ὀλίγος 'little'   μείων   ---    
πολύς 'much'   πλείων   πλει̂στος    
34. Aorist of the passive.

As noted in section 30, the aorist in the passive differs from that in the middle.

    Indicative   Subjunctive   Optative   Imperative
1 sg   ἐπιστεύθην   πιστευθω̂   πιστευθείην    
2 sg   ἐπιστεύθης   πιστευθῃ̂ς   πιστευθείης   πιστεύθητι
3 sg   ἐπιστεύθη   πιστευθῃ̂   πιστευθείη   πιστευθήτω
                 
1 pl   ἐπιστεύθημεν   πιστευθω̂μενͅ   πιστευθείημεν    
2 pl   ἐπιστεύθητε   πιστευθη̂τε   πιστευθείητε   πιστεύθητε
3 pl   ἐπιστεύθησαν   πιστευθω̂σι   πιστευθείησαν   πιστευθέντων
35. Infinitives and participles of the aorist middle and passive.
    Middle   Passive
Infinitive   πιστεύσασθαι
'to believe'		   πιστευθήσεσθαι
'to be believed'
Participle   πιστευσάμενος, -η, -ον
'one who believed'		   πιστευθείς, -θει̂σα, -θέν
'be believed'