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New Testament Greek Online

Lesson 9

Winfred P. Lehmann and Jonathan Slocum

The Book of Acts continues St. Luke's account of the days after the resurrection. The second chapter reports the events of the fiftieth day after the festival of the Passover, that is to say, fulfillment of the promise of Jesus in St. John 14:16-27 and 16,7, that he would send the Comforter to his disciples after his death. The importance of the events is commemorated ever since on Pentecost, one of the great holy days of the church. Among remarkable details is the presence of a great spread of nationalities at the event. Those who believed illustrate how the church began its wide expansion. This was further strengthened by the activities reported in the remainder of the book, especially the missionary journeys of St. Paul.

Reading and Textual Analysis

Acts 2:1-13, and Mark 3:35 (memory verse)

2:1 - Καὶ ἐν τῳ̂ συμπληρου̂σθαι τὴν ἡμέραν τη̂ς πεντηκοστη̂ς ʼη̂σαν πάντες ὁμου̂ ἐπὶ τὸ αὐτό.

2:2 - καὶ ἐγένετο ʼάφνω ἐκ του̂ οὐρανου̂ ʼη̂χος ʽώσπερ φερομένης πνοη̂ς βιαίας καὶ ἐπλήρωσεν ʽόλον τὸν οʼι̂κον οʽυ̂ ʼη̂σαν καθήμενοι.

2:3 - καὶ ʼώφθησαν αὐτοι̂ς διαμεριζόμεναι γλω̂σσαι ὡσεὶ πυρός, καὶ ἐκάθισεν ἐφ' ʽένα ʽέκαστον αὐτω̂ν.

2:4 - καὶ ἐπλήσθησαν πάντες πνεύματος ἁγίου, καὶ ʼήρξαντο λαλει̂ν ἑτέραις γλώσσαις καθὼς τὸ πνευ̂μα ἐδίδου ἀποφθέγγεσθαι αὐτοι̂ς.

2:5 - ʼΗ̂σαν δὲ εἰς ʼΙερουσαλὴμ κατοικούντες ʼΙουδαι̂οι ʼάνδρες εὐλαβει̂ς ἀπὸ παντὸς ʼέθνους τω̂ν ὑπὸ τὸν οὐρανόν.

2:6 - γενομένης δὲ τη̂ς φωνη̂ς ταύτης συνη̂λθεν τὸ πλη̂θος καὶ συνεχύθη, ʽότι ʼήκουον εʽι̂ς ʽέκαστος τῃ̂ ἰδίᾳ διαλέκτῳ λαλούντων αὐτω̂ν.

2:7 - ἐξίσταντο δὲ καὶ ἐθαύμαζον λέγοντες, οὐχὶ ἰδοὺ πάντες οʽυ̂τοί εἰσιν οἱ λαλου̂ντες Γαλιλαι̂οι;

2:8 - Καὶ πω̂ς ἡμει̂ς ἀκούομεν ʽέκαστος τῃ̂ ἰδίᾳ διαλέκτῳ ἡμω̂ν ἐν ʽῃ̂ ἐγεννήθημεν;

2:9 - Πάρθοι καὶ Μη̂δοι καὶ ʼΕλαμι̂ται, καὶ οἱ καταοικου̂ντες τήν Μεσοποταμίαν, ʼΙουδαίαν τε καὶ Καππαδοκίαν, Πόντον καὶ τὴν ʼΑσίαν,

2:10 - Φρυγίαν τε καὶ Παμφυλίαν, Αʼίγυπτον καὶ τὰ μέρη τη̂ς Λιβύης τη̂ς κατὰ Κυρήνην, καὶ οἱ ἐπιδημου̂ντες ʽΡωμαι̂οι, ʼΙουδαι̂οί τε καὶ προσήλυτοι,

2:11 - Κρη̂τες καὶ ʼΆραβες, ἀκούομεν λαλούντων αὐτω̂ν ται̂ς ἡμετέραις γλώσσαις τὰ μεγαλει̂α του̂ θεου̂.

2:12 - ἐξίσταντο δὲ πάντες καὶ διηπορου̂ντο, ʼάλλος πρὸς ʼάλλον λέγοντες, τί θέλει του̂το εʼι̂ναι;

2:13 - ʽέτεροι δὲ διαχλευάζοντες ʼέλεγον ʽότι γλεύκους μεμεστωμένοι εἰσίν.

Mark 3:35 (memory verse) - ʽῸς ʼάν ποιήσῃ τὸ θέλημα του̂ θεου̂, οʽυ̂τος ἀδελφός μου καὶ ἀδελφὴ καὶ μη̂τηρ ἐστίν.

Lesson Text

2:1 Καὶ ἐν τῳ̂ συμπληρου̂σθαι τὴν ἡμέραν τη̂ς πεντηκοστη̂ς ʼη̂σαν πάντες ὁμου̂ ἐπὶ τὸ αὐτό. 2:2 καὶ ἐγένετο ʼάφνω ἐκ του̂ οὐρανου̂ ʼη̂χος ʽώσπερ φερομένης πνοη̂ς βιαίας καὶ ἐπλήρωσεν ʽόλον τὸν οʼι̂κον οʽυ̂ ʼη̂σαν καθήμενοι. 2:3 καὶ ʼώφθησαν αὐτοι̂ς διαμεριζόμεναι γλω̂σσαι ὡσεὶ πυρός, καὶ ἐκάθισεν ἐφ' ʽένα ʽέκαστον αὐτω̂ν. 2:4 καὶ ἐπλήσθησαν πάντες πνεύματος ἁγίου, καὶ ʼήρξαντο λαλει̂ν ἑτέραις γλώσσαις καθὼς τὸ πνευ̂μα ἐδίδου ἀποφθέγγεσθαι αὐτοι̂ς.

2:5 ʼΗ̂σαν δὲ εἰς ʼΙερουσαλὴμ κατοικούντες ʼΙουδαι̂οι ʼάνδρες εὐλαβει̂ς ἀπὸ παντὸς ʼέθνους τω̂ν ὑπὸ τὸν οὐρανόν. 2:6 γενομένης δὲ τη̂ς φωνη̂ς ταύτης συνη̂λθεν τὸ πλη̂θος καὶ συνεχύθη, ʽότι ʼήκουον εʽι̂ς ʽέκαστος τῃ̂ ἰδίᾳ διαλέκτῳ λαλούντων αὐτω̂ν. 2:7 ἐξίσταντο δὲ καὶ ἐθαύμαζον λέγοντες, οὐχὶ ἰδοὺ πάντες οʽυ̂τοί εἰσιν οἱ λαλου̂ντες Γαλιλαι̂οι; 2:8 Καὶ πω̂ς ἡμει̂ς ἀκούομεν ʽέκαστος τῃ̂ ἰδίᾳ διαλέκτῳ ἡμω̂ν ἐν ʽῃ̂ ἐγεννήθημεν; 2:9 Πάρθοι καὶ Μη̂δοι καὶ ʼΕλαμι̂ται, καὶ οἱ καταοικου̂ντες τήν Μεσοποταμίαν, ʼΙουδαίαν τε καὶ Καππαδοκίαν, Πόντον καὶ τὴν ʼΑσίαν, 2:10 Φρυγίαν τε καὶ Παμφυλίαν, Αʼίγυπτον καὶ τὰ μέρη τη̂ς Λιβύης τη̂ς κατὰ Κυρήνην, καὶ οἱ ἐπιδημου̂ντες ʽΡωμαι̂οι, ʼΙουδαι̂οί τε καὶ προσήλυτοι, 2:11 Κρη̂τες καὶ ʼΆραβες, ἀκούομεν λαλούντων αὐτω̂ν ται̂ς ἡμετέραις γλώσσαις τὰ μεγαλει̂α του̂ θεου̂. 2:12 ἐξίσταντο δὲ πάντες καὶ διηπορου̂ντο, ʼάλλος πρὸς ʼάλλον λέγοντες, τί θέλει του̂το εʼι̂ναι;

2:13 ʽέτεροι δὲ διαχλευάζοντες ʼέλεγον ʽότι γλεύκους μεμεστωμένοι εἰσίν.

Mark 3:35 (memory verse) - ʽῸς ʼάν ποιήσῃ τὸ θέλημα του̂ θεου̂, οʽυ̂τος ἀδελφός μου καὶ ἀδελφὴ καὶ μη̂τηρ ἐστίν.

Translation

From the King James version:
2:1 And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. 2 And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. 3 And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. 4 And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.
5 And there were dwelling at Jerusalem Jews, devout men, out of every nation under heaven. 6 Now when this was noised abroad, the multitude came together, and were confounded, because that every man heard them speak in his own language. 7 And they were all amazed and marvelled, saying one to another, Behold, are not all these which speak Galilaeans? 8 And how hear we every man in our own tongue, wherein we were born? 9 Parthians, and Medes, and Elamites, and the dwellers in Mesopotamia, and in Judaea, and Cappadocia, in Pontus, and Asia, 10 Phrygia, and Pamphylia, in Egypt, and in the parts of Libya about Cyrene, and strangers of Rome, Jews and proselytes, 11 Cretes and Arabians, we do hear them speak in our tongues the wonderful works of God. 12 And they were all amazed, and were in doubt, saying one to another, What meaneth this?
13 Others mocking said, These men are full of new wine.
Mark 3:35 (memory verse) --
For whosoever shall do the will of God, the same is my brother, and my sister, and mother.

Grammar

41. Verbs in -μι; the present and imperfect active system.

A small number of frequent verbs have different endings and formations from those of the general verbs. Among these are τίθημι 'put', ʽίημι 'send', ʽίστημι, and δίδωμι 'give'. The present forms of τίθημι are given here to illustrate their forms. The forms of the others are comparable, though δίδωμι has ο-vowels corresponding to the ε-vowels of the three other verbs.

    Present   Imperfect
1 sg   τίθημι   ἐτίθην
2 sg   τίθης   ἐτίθεις
3 sg   τίθησι(ν)   ἐτίθει
         
1 pl   τίθεμεν   ἐτίθεμεν
2 pl   τίθετε   ἐτίθετε
3 pl   τιθέασι(ν)   ἐτίθεσαν

    Subjunctive   Optative   Imperative
1 sg   τιθω̂   τιθείην    
2 sg   τιθῃ̂ς   τιθείης   τίθει
3 sg   τιθῃ̂   τιθείη   τιθέτω
             
1 pl   τιθω̂μεν   τιθει̂μεν    
2 pl   τιθη̂τε   τιθει̂τε   τίθετε
3 pl   τιθω̂σι(ν)   τιθει̂εν   τιθέντων
42. Forms of the aorist active.
    Indicative   Subjunctive   Optative   Imperative
1 sg   ʼέθηκα   θω̂   θείην    
2 sg   ʼέθηκας   θῃ̂ς   θείης   θές
3 sg   ʼέθηκε(ν)   θῃ̂   θείη   θέτω
                 
1 pl   ʼέθεμεν   θω̂μεν   θει̂μεν    
2 pl   ʼέθετε   θη̂τε   θει̂ητε   θέτε
3 pl   ʼέθεσαν   θω̂σι(ν)   θει̂εν   θέντων
43. Forms of the Present and Imperfect system of εἰμί 'am'.
    Present   Imperfect
1 sg   εἰμί   ʼη̂ν
2 sg   εʼι̂   ʼη̂σθα
3 sg   ἐστί(ν)   ʼη̂ν
         
1 pl   ἐσμέν   ʼη̂μεν
2 pl   ἐστέ   ʼη̂τε
3 pl   εἰσί(ν)   ʼη̂σαν

    Subjunctive   Optative   Imperative
1 sg   ʼω̂   εʼίην    
2 sg   ʼῃ̂ς   εʼίης   ʼίσθι
3 sg   ʼῃ̂   εʼίη   ʼέστω
             
1 pl   ʼω̂μεν   εʼίημεν    
2 pl   ʼήτε   εʼίητε   ʼέστε
3 pl   ʼω̂σι(ν)   εʼίησαν   ʼέστων
44. Forms of οʼι̂δα 'I know'.

οʼι̂δα is a perfect with present meaning. It is based on a root meaning 'see', so that the perfect has developed in meaning from 'I have seen' to 'I know'. The forms representing present and past time are given here.

    Present   Past
1 sg   οʼι̂δα 'I know'   ʼῄδη 'I knew'
2 sg   οʼι̂σθα 'thou knowest'   ʼῄδησθα 'thou knewest'
3 sg   οʼι̂δε(ν) 'he/she knows'   ʼῄδει 'he/she knew'
         
1 pl   ʼίσμεν 'we know'   ʼῄδμεν 'we knew'
2 pl   ʼίστε 'you know'   ʼῄδετε 'you knew'
3 pl   ʼίσασι(ν) 'they know'   ʼῄδεσαν 'they knew'
45. Particles.

As you have noted in the texts, particles are numerous in Greek texts. Moreover, they are often left untranslated. They may modify meaning much as intonation does in English; if then translated with their meaning given in dictionaries, such as 'indeed, to be sure' and so on, the English sentence is turgid. In combinations, such as καὶ δέ, καὶ merely adds emphasis. Particles then must be treated in relation to one another and to the entire sentence.

There are two negative particles, also called adverbs, οὺ (οʼύτε, οὐκ, etc.), and μή, which is required in sentences expressing a desire and is used in conditions.

There are several interrogative particles, of which ʽη̂ and ʼα̂ρα are the most frequent. Other particles are listed here in alphabetical order.

ἀλλά 'on the other hand, but, on the contrary'
ʽάμα 'at the same time, at once'
ʼάρα 'therefore, then' (note the different accentuation from the interrogative particle)
γάρ 'for'
γέ 'indeed, certainly'
δέ 'but, however' (often used as a connective, and need not be translated)
δή 'already, now' (or used to add emphasis)
ʼη̂ 'truly, really'
ʼή 'or' (often doubled with the meanings 'either ...or')
καί 'and' or, as used for emphasis, 'even'
μέν 'indeed' (may be used with δέ to indicate a correlation, and not translated)
οὐδέ 'and not'
οʼυ̂ν 'indeed, certainly; therefore'
οʼύτε ... οʼύτε, μήτε ... μήτε 'neither ... nor'
πέρ 'even, indeed'
τέ 'and'; τέ ... τέ 'both ... and'; τέ ... καί 'not only ... but also'