What is the best way to teach myself Greek?

Oy vey, Hebrew's easier!

I used the text: "Basic Greek in 30 minutes a day"
It will teach you enough to translate the Gospel of John, Chapter 1

It taught me enough to know that the phrase "it's Greek to me" has real meaning.

Rob

 

There are many discussions on this issue on “The Biblical Greek Mailing List” found at http://www.ibiblio.org/bgreek/

 

B-Greek is a very "dry" place (can't really discuss theology) but has some helpful information.

However, I would suggest _Basics of Biblical Greek_ by William Mounce (Bill Mounce) and also Parson's "Greek Tutor" which is a computer program.

If possible, have someone tutor you or take a class in it, as it's quite hard to learn it on your own, I know from personal experience!

 

Try Learn to Read New Testament Greek by David Alan Black. It's on a high school level.

Yours,

Bluefalcon

 

I don't believe that Travelsong was asking for a good place to learn about theology, but for suggestions regarding learning Greek without attending classes in a school. This subject is discussed at great length at B-Greek and all of the currently available Greek grammars and lexicons are described in great detail. And not only that, the best ways of approaching the Greek grammars for self instruction is also discussed in much detail by people who are in various stages in learning New Testament Greek, including beginners. Another very helpful thing about B-Greek is that one quickly learns that the study of Greek grammar even by the experts is not a stagnant, cut-and-dried discipline, and that one needs to study the language from the perspective of a number of scholars. And when a student gets stuck or has a question about a specific matter, they can post their question and get replies from real-life teachers of New Testament and Classical Greek from around the world.

 

Craigbythesea, what many on B-Greek don't seem to understand is that you're trying to separate something that can't be. You simply cannot separate the NT and its message, you'll mess up every time.

 

A good book that I found is quite old, but it has a unique teaching method to help you learn the language the way a youngster learns to speak.

It is called: "Beginning Greek a fnctional approach" by Stephen W. Paine, printed by the Oxford University Press in New York in 1961.

A word of warning. Greek actually looks quite easy when using an interlinear and learning the alphabet. But, as mentioned above, Hebrew is MUCH easier. Greek is such an expansive language that it is difficult to translate and keep the grammar correct.

Hebrew, although the letters take some getting used to, is a much easier language and with Hebrew you can translate Modern Hebrew without a lot of extra effort (or at least I'm told.) For Hebrew I HIGHLY recommend "Biblical Hebrew A Text and Workbook" by Bonnie Pedrotti Kittel, Vicki Hoffer, and Rebecca Abts Wright printed by the Yale University Press. It is not cheap; however. But, takes you one step at a time with practice exercises.

There is also a good Greek tutor on the internet if you can find it, but it only teaches the basics and as many people say, learning a little Greek is not always a good thing unless you continue with your learning.

 

Meaningless babble! Travelsong is asking how to go about learning Greek through self-instruction. Where else can one find more discussion on this precise subject than at the B-Greek mailing list? I am NOT suggesting that anyone learn New Testament Greek from the mailing list, I am only suggesting that Travelsong could find very much helpful discussion on the subject of self-instruction of New Testament Greek at that source, and that if specific questions about the Greek language come up, these questions can be asked of the members of the mailing list with the expectation that advanced students and teachers of New Testament and classical Greek will answer those questions. If you do not find enough theological bias at that website to satisfy your own personal needs, there are thousands of theological websites for you to partake of.

 

Craig, is there a site for Hebrew like this? (I know this is off the subject, but might as well ask rather than start a whole new thread for a single question.)
Thanks

 

Here is an entire course on Biblical Greek offered by Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary in 2000-2001 taught by Dr. Bill Mounce.

Videos of lectures for the entire course are available for download.

http://www.biblicaltraining.org/classes/greek/greek_f.html

 

What would be my chances of using a KJB and a Grrek dictionary? Do you think I might better understand the KJB?

 

Learning greek should always improve our understanding of english translations of the greek. It will also help to undertand situations where those translators may have made some poor translation choices.

 

Not precisely, but similar.

 

Meaningless babble!
</font>[/QUOTE]I guess you graduated from PBI? No I'm sure, your attitude just reflects theirs.

I've been on the list for about 4-5 years and there is a lot of mis-information, but also a lot of helpful information. My point is, don't expect Christian fellowship their nor anything from the scriptures, just sometimes awkward questions and often repetitive as well, since there is no forum board as this one.

 

What does any of this have to do with learning New Testament Greek? B-Greek is no more a substitute for the Baptist Board than an airplane is a substitute for a bowl of chicken soup.

 

An excellent place for resources for both Hebrew and Greek study is www.biblecentre.net I always us this website for all my studies

 

My point was that it is much easier to search for older topics than an email list.