New Testament Greek Level 2 | Middle Grades

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This course is intended to be an enthusiastic continuation to the Greek language, specifically Koine (New Testament Greek, also called Biblical Greek), grammar, and fluency. It is taught in the received pronunciation (modern pronunciation) which is a living language within the Greek Orthodox Church worldwide.

Greek 2 aims to develop skills in listening, speaking, reading, and writing through topic-based instruction and discussions. By the end of the course, students will gain the following skills and the course learning objectives:

• Read entire texts from beginning to end without the need to run to a dictionary, compelling their brains to employ the Greek language ahead of understanding
• Memorize vocabulary, grammar rules, and critical material while exploring the history of Greece
• Understand Greek paradigms
• Read Scriptures in Greek (Septuagint and New Testament)
• Study holy personalities of the Gospel in the original language
• Study informative texts about Greek history and culture written in both Greek and English with photos, diagrams, and maps
• Study ancient Greek history and historical landmarks in Greece by reading about them in Greek and English; beginning to learn how to read Greek fluently for understanding and answering comprehension questions with the goal of replying in Greek.
• Practice parsing, classifying, and diagramming Greek and English sentences
• Study derivatives foundational to English vocabulary of many academic disciplines, such as medicine, mathematics, theology, etc.
• Learn to formulate words that are used into sentences
• Learn and memorize the Trisagion hymn which invokes God as the thrice holy and the Lord’s Prayer both in Greek and English
• Study Church feasts and saints from texts written in Greek and English as related to the Orthodox Church
• Analyze hymns and Scripture for a deeper understanding of their meaning through an Orthodox lens

What is the difference between New Testament KOINE Greek and Classical Greek?

Saint Raphael’s School teaches what is often called “Koine Greek.” It is the dialect of Greek which was spoken throughout the Eastern Mediterranean following the conquests of Alexander the Great in the late 4th century BC, and persisted throughout the Roman and Byzantine periods and eventually evolved into the Modern Greek language which is currently spoken in Greece today. Koine Greek is the dialect of Greek with which the New Testament was written (which is why is Koine Greek is often called “New Testament Greek”).

Along with the New Testament, the various services of The Eastern Church, hymns, prayers, and saints lives were also composed in Koine Greek. At Saint Raphael’s School, Koine Greek is taught using the “Modern” or “Received” pronunciation. This pronunciation is identical to that used by speakers of the Modern Greek language today, and it is also the pronunciation currently used for the liturgies and services of the Orthodox Church of Greece, and most of the Orthodox Churches under the jurisdiction of the Ecumenical Patriarch, including The Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America (GOARCH).

Schole Academy teaches both Classical and Koine Greek. Classical Greek is slightly different from and grammatically more complex than Koine Greek. While our course at Saint Raphael’s focuses on equipping Orthodox Christians with the tools to understand the New Testament, the church fathers, and the liturgy, Scholé course exposes students to the Greek of a lengthier period, from Homer (8th century BC) through “The Golden Age of Athens” (5th century BC) and into the Hellenistic/Koine period (including the New Testament and Patristics). Whereas our course uses the modern pronunciation employed in the Orthodox Church, Scholé Academy uses a pronunciation “reconstructed” to approximate that of the time period of 5th century Athens. We hope this description of the two sets of courses helps you decide which is more appropriate for your purposes.