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All Things Are Better in Koiné

Posted by Gary Labels:

3 comments:

  1. Ρωμανός ~ Romanós

    I noticed you became a follower of my blog Cost of Discipleship. Looking at your blog, I found out that you are also interested in the Greek and Hebrew original texts of the scriptures, a good thing to be interested in.

    One of my other blogs, Η Καινή Διαθήκη, is simply a presentation of audio files, of me reading the NT aloud in evangelical Greek (aka koiné). You have probably already discovered it and have noticed that I use the Greek pronunciation of koiné not the Erasmian one taught in seminaries.

    Please feel free to comment or add any insights to any of my blogs. Sometimes it takes me longer than one day to finish reading a Greek NT book, like right now, where I haqve only the first 7 chapters of Hebrews posted. I will finish up tonight and post the rest, when it gets quieter around here. Next, I will record Mark's gospel.

    Anyway, this video was pretty funny, but it's part of a religious culture that is alien to me, as the Orthodox attitude about the Bible is more respectful. Also, we read the scriptures in Greek and Hebrew not to textually criticise them, but simply to hear and believe what their authors wrote, and then it doesn't matter what English translation we use, because we have already scoped out the apostolic and prophetic mind.

    I welcome you to my blogs and thank you for taking an interest, and if I can be of any assistance, please contact me at my email.

  1. Gary

    Evcharisto, Romanos. I appreciate it.

  1. Ρωμανός ~ Romanós

    Hey Gary, good to meet you.

    It helps to read Greek fluently aloud. Though many seminary profs disagree, the Greek pronunciation of today actually began in the koiné (kiní) period, so with some small exceptions, we feel justified in pronouncing koiné the Greek way. After all, we've been doing that for nearly 2000 years. Erasmian is hypothetical, but may be partly correct as the pronunciation used by the ancient Greeks before the Hellenistic period.

    Since you sight-read Greek, it might be helpful for you to just listen to my reading with your copy of the NT open, following along silently, and then venturing to vocalise it when you're ready.

    My best friend and I are "original languages bible men," and we promote speaking both biblical languages as living languages. It all started with me belonging to a Greek Orthodox church, where the worship is in fluent koiné. We got a jump start with Hebrew by attending a Sephardic synagogue for two months, but I had studied the language since I was 13, and only had to revive it.

    Don't want to clog your blog comments here, but just wanted to say hi and encourage you as much as I can to pursue Greek and Hebrew, with a study partner if you can find one. Of course, another man, though, not a woman. And don't think twice about getting in touch with me. We can even video phone, if you like, and do Greek over the internet.

    I live the life of white monasticism, informally, as I live alone, but it is a very unstructured life. My only rule is to receive everyone gladly as I receive Christ, and not let anything be more important than that person. "Love the one you're with," as an old song has it.