Mark

[John Reece]

This is a non-debate reading and grammatical analysis thread.

Throughout this thread, entries in the section headed 'Analysis' will consist of excerpts from A Grammatical Analysis of the Greek New Testament, by Max Zerwick and Mary Grosvenor (Rome: Biblical Institute Press, 1981).

Occasionally, the Analysis may include an entry headed BG: all such entries will consist of quotations from Biblical Greek: Illustrated by Examples, by Maximilian Zerwick S.J., English edition adapted from the fourth Latin edition by Joseph Smith S.J. (Scripta Pontificii Instituti Biblici: Rome, 1963).

[John Reece]

NA27 Text (Mark 1:1):

Ἀρχὴ τοῦ εὐαγγελίου Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ [υἱοῦ θεοῦ].

Transliteration:

Archē tou euaggeliou Iēsou Christou [huiou theou].

Translation (NRSV)

The beginning of the good news of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.

Analysis (Zerwick):

ἀρχή : beginning ; if a heading, most probably of the whole book ; otherwise verses 2-3 as a parenthesis, As a beginning ... came John...
Ἰησοῦς -οῦ : Jesus ; objective genitive, the gospel not as preached by Jesus but about him.
υἱοῦ θεοῦ : the Son of God [[variant omits]]*

*1.1 Χριστοῦ [υἱοῦ θεοῦ] {C} The absence of υἱοῦ θεοῦ in ℵ* Θ 28c al may be due to an oversight in copying, occasioned by the similarity of the endings of the nomina sacra. On the other hand, however, there was always a temptation (to which copyists often succumbed) to expand titles and quasi–titles of books. Since the combination of B D W al in support of υἱοῦ θεοῦ is extremely strong, it was not thought advisable to omit the words altogether, yet because of the antiquity of the shorter reading and the possibility of scribal expansion, it was decided to enclose the words within square brackets. ―Bruce Metzger, A Textual Commentary on the Greek New Testament, Second Edition (D―Stuttgart: Deutsche Bibelgesellschaft, 1994)

[John Reece]

NA27 Text (Mark 1:2):

Καθὼς γέγραπται ἐν τῷ Ἠσαΐᾳ τῷ προφήτῃ· ἰδοὺ ἀποστέλλω τὸν ἄγγελόν μου πρὸ προσώπου σου, ὃς κατασκευάσει τὴν ὁδόν σου·

Transliteration:

Kathōs gegraptai en tō̧ Ēsaia̧ tō̧ prophētȩ̄; idou apostellō ton aggelon mou pro prosōpou sou, hos kataskeuasei tēn hodon sou;

Translation (NRSV)

As it is written in the prophet Isaiah, “See, I am sending my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way;

Analysis (Zerwick):

γέγραπται : it stands written perfect passive of γράφω.
Ἠσαΐας : Isaiah.
ἐν τῷ Ἠσαΐᾳ τῷ προφήτῃ : [[variant ἐν τοῖς προφήταις]].*
ἰδού : traditionally translated behold! has rarely a modern English equivalent, though the much used Italian ecco! conveys the sense perfectly.
πρό : (with genitive) before (both time and place) ; πρὸ προσώπου Semitism.
κατασκευάσει : future of κατασκευάζω build, make, prepare.

*1.2 ἐν τῷ Ἠσαΐᾳ τῷ προφήτῃ {A} The quotation in verses 2 and 3 is composite, the first part being from Mal 3.1 and the second part from Is 40.3. It is easy to see, therefore, why copyists would have altered the words “in Isaiah the prophet” (a reading found in the earliest representative witnesses of the Alexandrian and the Western types of text) to the more comprehensive introductory formula “in the prophets.” ―Bruce Metzger, A Textual Commentary on the Greek New Testament.

[John Reece]

NA27 Text (Mark 1:3):

φωνὴ βοῶντος ἐν τῇ ἐρήμῳ· ἑτοιμάσατε τὴν ὁδὸν κυρίου, εὐθείας ποιεῖτε τὰς τρίβους αὐτοῦ,

Transliteration:

phōnē boōntos en tȩ̄ erēmō̧; hetoimasate tēn hodon kyriou, eutheias poieite tas tribous autou,

Translation (NRSV)

the voice of one crying out in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight,’”

Analysis (Zerwick):

βοῶντος : genitive participle of βοάω call aloud, cry ; as indefinite noun one who calls, a herald.
ἔρημος : desolate, ἡ ἔρημος (sc. χώρα area) desert, wilderness.
ἑτοιμάσατε : aorist imperative of ἑτοιμάζω make ready (ἕτοιμος), prepare, constative (global) aorist,* summarizing the whole task.
εὐθύς, -εῖα, -ύ : straight.
ποιεῖτε : imperative of ποιέω make.
τρίβος ἡ : beaten track, path.

*The global aorist. There is perhaps a risk that some may suppose the aorist to express necessarily a momentary action because ποιῆσαι = do a thing definitively = posit an act, as distinct from ποιεῖν = be doing it over a length of time. In fact, of course, the action expressed by the aorist may have occupied a long time, or the reference may be to an act frequently repeated; the aorist will be used so long as the writer wishes simply to record the fact of the act or acts, and not to represent the action as habitual, i.e. so long as the whole activity expressed by the verb is regarded globally (BG §253).

[John Reece]

NA27 Text (Mark 1:4):

ἐγένετο Ἰωάννης [ὁ] βαπτίζων ἐν τῇ ἐρήμῳ καὶ κηρύσσων βάπτισμα μετανοίας εἰς ἄφεσιν ἁμαρτιῶν.

Transliteration:

egeneto Iōannēs [ho] baptizōn en tȩ̄ erēmō̧ kai kēryssōn baptisma metanoias eis aphesin hamartiōn.

Translation (NRSV)

John the baptizer appeared in the wilderness, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.

Analysis (Zerwick):

ἐγένετο : aorist of γίνομαι come to be, come.
Ἰωάνης, -ου, ὁ : John.
βαπτίζων : participle of βαπτίζω (< βάπτω dip), ὁ βαπτίζων the baptizer* [[variant omits ὁ, giving: John was baptizing]].**
κηρύσσων : participle of κηρύσσω proclaim (as a herald κῆρυξ), preach.
βάπτισμα : baptism.
μετάνοια : change of mind (νοῦς), repentance ; βάπτισμα μετανοίας i.e. a baptism which symbolized or expressed repentance.
εἰς : final, for.
ἄφεσις : forgiveness.

*Note that the present participle does not express time but only aspect; thus e.g. John the Baptist even after his death is called ὁ βαπτίζων (= "he who used to baptize" i.e. past tense, but imperfect, so present participle as contrasted with e.g. "he who baptized Jesus" which would be aorist and so ὁ βαπτίσας τὸν Ἰησοῦν) (BG §371).
**1.4 [ὁ] βαπτίζων ἐν τῇ ἐρήμῳ καί {C} In view of the predominant usage in the Synoptic Gospels of referring to John as “the Baptist” (ὁ βαπτιστής occurs in Mk 6.25 and 8.28, as well as seven times in Matthew and three times in Luke), it is easier to account for the addition than for the deletion of the definite article before βαπτίζων. The omission of καί in a few Alexandrian witnesses is the result of taking ὁ βαπτίζων as a title. ―Bruce Metzger, A Textual Commentary on the Greek New Testament.

[John Reece]

NA27 Text (Mark 1:5):

καὶ ἐξεπορεύετο πρὸς αὐτὸν πᾶσα ἡ Ἰουδαία χώρα καὶ οἱ Ἱεροσολυμῖται πάντες, καὶ ἐβαπτίζοντο ὑπ᾿ αὐτοῦ ἐν τῷ Ἰορδάνῃ ποταμῷ ἐξομολογούμενοι τὰς ἁμαρτίας αὐτῶν.

Transliteration:

kai exeporeueto pros auton pasa hē Ioudaia chōra kai hoi Hierosolymitai pantes, kai ebaptizonto hyp' autou en tō̧ Iordanȩ̄ potamō̧ exomologoumenoi tas hamartias autōn.

Translation (ESV)

And all the country of Judea and all Jerusalem were going out to him and were being baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins.

Analysis (Zerwick):

ἐξεπορεύετο : imperfect of ἐκπορεύομαι go out.
Ἰουδαῖος : Jewish ; ἡ Ἰουδαία with χώρα expressed or understood, Judea.
χώρα : region, country.
Ἱεροσολυμίτης : inhabitant of Jerusalem.
ἐβαπτίζοντο : passive imperfect of βαπτίζω plunge, dip, wash, baptize (BDAG).
ποταμός : river.
ἐξομολογούμενοι : participle of ἐξομολογέομαι (ὁμολογέω agree, admit + ἐκ out (loud)) acknowledge publicly, confess.

[John Reece]

NA27 Text (Mark 1:6):

καὶ ἦν ὁ Ἰωάννης ἐνδεδυμένος τρίχας καμήλου καὶ ζώνην δερματίνην περὶ τὴν ὀσφὺν αὐτοῦ καὶ ἐσθίων ἀκρίδας καὶ μέλι ἄγριον.

Transliteration:

kai ēn ho Iōannēs endedymenos trichas kamēlou kai zōnēn dermatinēn peri tēn osphyn autou kai esthiōn akridas kai meli agrion.

Translation (NRSV)

Now John was clothed with camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey.

Analysis (Zerwick):

ἦν : imperfect of εἰμί be.
ἐνδεδυμένος : perfect participle of ἐνδύομαι be clothed, wear.
θρίξ, τριχός, ἡ : hair.
κάμηλος : camel.
ζώνη : (< ζώννυμι gird) belt, girdle.
δερμάτινος : (< δέρμα skin, hide) (made of) leather.
ὀσφῦς -ύος, ἡ : waist.
ἐσθίων : participle of ἐσθίω eat.
ἀκρίς, -ίδος, ἡ : locust.
μέλι, -ιτος, τό : honey.
ἄγριος : wild.

[John Reece]

NA27 Text (Mark 1:7):

Καὶ ἐκήρυσσεν λέγων· ἔρχεται ὁ ἰσχυρότερός μου ὀπίσω μου, οὗ οὐκ εἰμὶ ἱκανὸς κύψας λῦσαι τὸν ἱμάντα τῶν ὑποδημάτων αὐτοῦ.

Transliteration:

Kai ekēryssen legōn; erchetai ho ischyroteros mou opisō mou, hou ouk eimi hikanos kypsas lysai ton himanta tōn hypodēmatōn autou.

Translation (ESV)

And he preached, saying, "After me comes he who is mightier than I, the strap of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie.

Analysis (Zerwick):

ἐκήρυσσεν : imperfect verse 4.
λέγων : participle of λέγω say, frequent Hebrew pleonasm.*
ἔρχεται : present referencing action in immediate future is coming, is on his way.
ἰσχυρότερός comparative of ἰσχυρός (< ἰσχύς strength) strong, powerful.
μου : (first time) genitive of comparison than I.
ὀπίσω : (with genitive) after, behind.
οὗ : of whom.
ἱκανός : sufficient ; of persons competent ; worthy.
κύψας : aorist participle of κύπτω stoop.
λῦσαι : aorist infinitive of λύω loose, unbind.
ἱμάς, -άντος, ὁ : strap, thong of a sandal.
ὑπόδημα : something tied under (ὑποδέω) sc. the foot, sandal ; removing the sandals a menial task like washing the feet (Jn 13:14).

*After verbs of saying, asking, answering, and also deliberating (...), thinking, writing (...) the object-clause is commonly introduced in Hebrew by the infinitive leʾmor, equivalent in sense to "saying" and rendered λέγων by the LXX. Hence the great frequency of the same usage in the NT (BG §368).

[John Reece]

NA27 Text (Mark 1:8):

ἐγὼ ἐβάπτισα ὑμᾶς ὕδατι, αὐτὸς δὲ βαπτίσει ὑμᾶς ἐν πνεύματι ἁγίῳ

Transliteration:

egō ebaptisa hymas hydati, autos de baptisei hymas en pneumati hagiō̧

Translation (ESV)

I have baptized you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.

Analysis (Zerwick):

ἐγώ : (I) opposite αὐτός (he) to this extent emphatic.*
ἐβάπτισα : aorist of βαπτίζω baptize.
ὕδατι : dative of ὕδωρ water.
βαπτίσει : future of βαπτίζω baptize.
ἐν : instrumental with.**

*In the nominative, for personal pronouns, there are more grounds for suspecting a certain emphasis, but even here the emphasis should not be to readily insisted upon, where the context does not favor it (BG §198).
**The instrumental use. As is well known, the NT uses ἐν with almost Semitic frequency instead of the instrumental dative (BG §119).

[John Reece]

NA27 Text (Mark 1:9):

Καὶ ἐγένετο ἐν ἐκείναις ταῖς ἡμέραις ἦλθεν Ἰησοῦς ἀπὸ Ναζαρὲτ τῆς Γαλιλαίας καὶ ἐβαπτίσθη εἰς τὸν Ἰορδάνην ὑπὸ Ἰωάννου.

Transliteration:

Kai egeneto en ekeinais tais hēmerais ēlthen Iēsous apo Nazaret tēs Galilaias kai ebaptisthē eis ton Iordanēn hypo Iōannou.

Translation (ESV)

In those days Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan.

Analysis (Zerwick):

ἐγένετο : aorist of γίνομαι come about, happen ; an introductory formula consisting of ἐγένετο + temporal clause + finite verb, common in LXX as representing Hebrew equivalent of "and it came to pass that when..." something happened.
ἐν ἐκείναις ταῖς ἡμέραις : [literally "in those days"] at that time.
ἐβαπτίσθη : aorist passive of βαπτίζω baptize.
εἰς : instead of ἐν in a local sense.

[John Reece]

NA27 Text (Mark 1:10):

καὶ εὐθὺς ἀναβαίνων ἐκ τοῦ ὕδατος εἶδεν σχιζομένους τοὺς οὐρανοὺς καὶ τὸ πνεῦμα ὡς περιστερὰν καταβαῖνον εἰς αὐτόν·

Transliteration:

kai euthys anabainōn ek tou hydatos eiden schizomenous tous ouranous kai to pneuma hōs peristeran katabainon eis auton;

Translation (ESV)

And when he came up out of the water, immediately he saw the heavens being torn open and the Spirit descending on him like a dove.

Analysis (Zerwick):

εὐθὺς : (to be taken with εἶδεν) favorite word of Mark, not to be stressed, often no more than so then, and then.
εἶδεν : he saw : used as aorist of ὁράω see.
ἀναβαίνων : participle of ἀναβαίνω come up.
σχιζομένους : passive participle of σχίζω split, tear, divide.
περιστερά : dove.
καταβαῖνον : neuter participle (as referencing πνεῦμα spirit) of καταβαίνω come down.

[John Reece]

NA27 Text (Mark 1:11):

καὶ φωνὴ ἐγένετο ἐκ τῶν οὐρανῶν· σὺ εἶ ὁ υἱός μου ὁ ἀγαπητός, ἐν σοὶ εὐδόκησα.

Transliteration:

kai phōnē egeneto ek tōn ouranōn; sy ei ho huios mou ho agapētos, en soi eudokēsa.

Translation (ESV)

And a voice came from heaven, "You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased."

Analysis (Zerwick):

ἐγένετο : aorist of γίνομαι come to be, come.
ὁ υἱός : predicate with article denotes a specific person.
ἀγαπητός : (< ἀγαπάω love) beloved, hence perhaps only.
εὐδόκησα : aorist of εὐδοκέω be well pleased, regard with favor ; if not a constative (global) aorist, the aorist probably representing Semitic perfect of a verb denoting a state, and so may = present I am well pleased with, my favor rests on.

[John Reece]

NA27 Text (Mark 1:12):

Καὶ εὐθὺς τὸ πνεῦμα αὐτὸν ἐκβάλλει εἰς τὴν ἔρημον.

Transliteration:

Kai euthys to pneuma auton ekballei eis tēn erēmon.

Translation (ESV)

The Spirit immediately drove him out into the wilderness.

Analysis (Zerwick):

ἐκβάλλω : drive out ; sometimes also without force, lead out.
ἔρημος : verse 3.

[John Reece]

NA27 Text (Mark 1:13a):

καὶ ἦν ἐν τῇ ἐρήμῳ τεσσεράκοντα ἡμέρας πειραζόμενος ὑπὸ τοῦ σατανᾶ

Transliteration:

kai ēn en tȩ̄ erēmō̧ tesserakonta hēmeras peirazomenos hypo tou satana

Translation (ESV)

And he was in the wilderness forty days, being tempted by Satan.

Analysis (Zerwick):

ἦν : imperfect of εἰμί be, here in sense of remained.
τεσσεράκοντα = 40, accusative of duration..
πειραζόμενος : passive participle of πειράζω put to the test (πεῖρα), tempt.
Σατανᾶς, -ᾶ, ὁ : Hebrew adversary, devil.

[John Reece]

NA27 Text (Mark 1:13b):

καὶ ἦν μετὰ τῶν θηρίων, καὶ οἱ ἄγγελοι διηκόνουν αὐτῷ.

Transliteration:

kai ēn meta tōn thēriōn, kai hoi aggeloi diēkonoun autō̧.

Translation (ESV)

And he was with the wild animals, and the angels were ministering to him.

Analysis (Zerwick):

ἦν : imperfect of εἰμί be.
θηρίον : wild beast.
διηκόνουν : imperfect of διακονέω (τινί) serve, take care of (one).