Reading Biblical Greek Part 7: Vocabulary Building & Common Biblical Terms

Series Outline

Part 1: The Greek Alphabet & Pronunciation Guide
Part 2: Understanding Verb Conjugation
Part 3: Part 3: Noun Declension Basics
Part 4: Prefixes, Suffixes, and Compound Words
Part 5: Prepositions & Articles in Greek
Part 6: Basic Sentence Structure & Syntax
Part 7: Vocabulary Building & Common Biblical Terms

Introduction

By now, you’ve learned the foundational elements of biblical Greek—everything from the alphabet to sentence structure. In this final part of the series, we will focus on building your vocabulary. Learning key Greek words will not only help you understand the New Testament better but also deepen your theological insight. In this part, we’ll introduce some of the most common and important words in the New Testament and explore strategies for expanding your vocabulary.

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Why Building Vocabulary Matters

While learning grammar and syntax is essential, vocabulary is the key to fluency in reading biblical Greek. The more words you recognize, the easier it will be to understand passages and unlock the rich meanings hidden in the text. Vocabulary building in Greek also helps you grasp the original theological concepts that might not always be fully conveyed in translations.

The Most Common Words in the New Testament

Let’s begin by looking at some of the most frequently used words in the New Testament. These are words you will encounter again and again, and knowing them will greatly enhance your reading experience.

Common Nouns

Greek Word	Transliteration	Meaning	Example
λόγος	logos	Word, reason	Ὁ λόγος σὰρξ ἐγένετο. (John 1:14) – “The Word became flesh.”
ἀγάπη	agapē	Love	Ἡ ἀγάπη τοῦ Θεοῦ. (Romans 5:5) – “The love of God.”
θεός	theos	God	Ἐν ἀρχῇ ἦν ὁ λόγος καὶ ὁ λόγος ἦν πρὸς τὸν θεόν. (John 1:1) – “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God.”
ἀνήρ	anēr	Man, husband	Ὁ ἀνήρ ἔχει τὴν γυναῖκα. – “The man has a wife.”
γυνή	gunē	Woman, wife	Ἡ γυνὴ δίδωσι τὸν ἄρτον. – “The woman gives the bread.”

Common Verbs

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Greek Word	Transliteration	Meaning	Example
λέγω	legō	I say	Καὶ εἶπεν αὐτοῖς ὁ Ἰησοῦς. – “And Jesus said to them.”
πιστεύω	pisteuō	I believe	Πιστεύω εἰς τὸν Θεόν. – “I believe in God.”
γίνομαι	ginomai	I become	Καὶ ἐγένετο φῶς. – “And there was light.”
ἔχω	echō	I have	ἔχω τὴν πίστην. – “I have faith.”
ἀκούω	akouō	I hear	Ἀκούω τὴν φωνὴν τοῦ Θεοῦ. – “I hear the voice of God.”

Common Prepositions

Greek Word	Transliteration	Meaning	Example
ἐν	en	In, on, among	ἐν τῷ κόσμῳ. – “In the world.”
διά	dia	Through, because of	διὰ πίστεως. – “Through faith.”
πρός	pros	To, toward, with	πρὸς τὸν Θεόν. – “Toward God.”
ἐκ	ek	Out of, from	ἐκ τῆς γῆς. – “From the land.”
κατά	kata	According to, down	κατὰ τὴν γραφήν. – “According to the Scripture.”

Key Theological Terms in Greek

In addition to common words, there are many Greek terms in the New Testament that carry significant theological meaning. Understanding these terms in their original Greek can provide a richer understanding of Christian doctrines.

Examples of Key Theological Terms

χάρις (charis) – “Grace”

Definition: Unmerited favor, kindness from God that is freely given.
Example: Ἡ χάρις τοῦ Θεοῦ ἐστὶν μεθ’ ἡμῶν. – “The grace of God is with us.”

πίστις (pistis) – “Faith”

Definition: Trust or belief in God and His promises.
Example: ἡ πίστις σου σέσωκέν σε. (Luke 7:50) – “Your faith has saved you.”

δικαιοσύνη (dikaiosynē) – “Righteousness”

Definition: Right standing with God; moral uprightness.
Example: ἡ δικαιοσύνη τοῦ Θεοῦ. (Romans 3:22) – “The righteousness of God.”

σωτηρία (sōtēria) – “Salvation”

Definition: Deliverance from sin and its consequences, through faith in Christ.
Example: ἡ σωτηρία τοῦ Κυρίου. (Exodus 15:2, LXX) – “The salvation of the Lord.”

ἁμαρτία (hamartia) – “Sin”

Definition: Falling short or missing the mark in relation to God’s standards.
Example: ἡ ἁμαρτία τοῦ κόσμου. – “The sin of the world.”

Building Vocabulary Through Context

One of the most effective ways to expand your Greek vocabulary is by reading the New Testament in Greek, focusing on recognizing familiar words in different contexts. As you encounter new words, try to use the following strategies:

Identify the Root: Many Greek words share common roots. For example, πίστις (pistis, “faith”) is related to the verb πιστεύω (pisteuō, “I believe”). Learning the root can help you recognize related words.
Look for Familiar Prefixes and Suffixes: As you’ve already learned, prefixes and suffixes can change the meaning of root words. Spotting these can help you guess the meaning of unfamiliar words.
Use a Lexicon: The F.O.G. Lexicon is a great resource for finding the meanings and forms of Greek words in Scripture. To search for a specific word, click the search icon on any page of this website and enter the word using the Strong’s numbering system.

Vocabulary Practice: Building Sentences

Let’s put your vocabulary into practice by forming simple Greek sentences using the common words you’ve learned.

Ὁ λόγος τοῦ Θεοῦ – “The word of God.”
Ἀγαπῶ τὸν Θεόν – “I love God.”
Ἔχω πίστιν ἐν τῷ Κυρίῳ – “I have faith in the Lord.”
Ἀκούω τὴν φωνὴν τοῦ Ἰησοῦ – “I hear the voice of Jesus.”

Expanding Your Vocabulary: Key Techniques

Daily Reading: Set aside time each day to read a short passage of the New Testament in Greek. Try to pick out the words you recognize and look up any new ones.
Flashcards: Use flashcards (physical or digital) to memorize new words. Group them by category (e.g., verbs, nouns, theological terms) to reinforce learning.
Thematic Studies: Focus on a particular theme, like “faith” or “love,” and study all the Greek words related to that theme. This will deepen both your vocabulary and your understanding of key theological concepts.

Homework and Next Steps

Build Your Vocabulary List: Create a list of 10-20 Greek words you encounter in your reading and work on memorizing them.
Identify Key Theological Terms: Choose a few theological terms from this section and look up their occurrences in the New Testament. Pay attention to how their meanings unfold in context.
Practice Forming Sentences: Using your growing vocabulary, try to write simple sentences in Greek, incorporating both common and theological terms.

Conclusion

Congratulations! You’ve completed the final part of this teaching series. By now, you should have a strong foundation in reading and understanding biblical Greek. You know the alphabet, basic grammar, verb conjugation, noun declension, prepositions, articles, and key vocabulary. With continued practice and study, you’ll be able to dive deeper into the richness of the New Testament text in its original language.

Keep reading, keep practicing, and may your study of biblical Greek enhance your understanding of God’s Word!