Basics of Biblical Greek Grammar [Deluxe Edition] [Hardcover]

William D. Mounce (Author)

Book Description

Release date: November 24, 2009

First published in 1993, Basics of Biblical Greek is the most popular introduction to the field, used in universities and seminaries around the world. Over 200,000 students have learned biblical Greek under its guidance. This significant third edition has been carefully developed in consultation with instructors, students, self-learners, and homeschoolers. Users can now take advantage to the many improvements made at the book's website, www.Teknia.com, where they will find---for free---an online course, walking students through every chapter; vocabulary flashcards; video and audio helps; Greek fonts; quizzes for each chapter; fun songs and games; and much, much more. Now in a larger size, with an attractive 2-color design, the third edition adds an element of fun, with encouragement, songs, and more, which appear in the margins. Chapter 35 has been split into two chapters, 'half-time review' sections have been added to every chapter, and new exegesis sections are now included. These and other improvements serve to enhance the learning experience and will continue BBG's legacy as the premier introduction to biblical Greek.

Editorial Reviews

Review

'As a linguist and former Wycliffe translator, Mounce's Basics of Biblical Greek has been my preferred textbook for 15 years, both in the classroom and online. His systemic, morphological approach helps students visualize important elements that parts of speech share, instead of merely struggle with how they differ. Consequently, he has somewhat reduced rote memory work. His (optional) separation of the noun system from the verb system reduces confusion on key endings. His workbook is equally impressive, quickly engaging and motivating students with translating actual Bible verses---even some of the LXX and the Fathers. I highly recommend it!' Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary---Charlotte -- Joel Harlow <br><br>

From the Back Cover

First published in 1993, Basics of Biblical Greek is the most popular introduction to the field, used in universities and seminaries around the world. Over 200,000 students have learned biblical Greek under its guidance. This significant third edition has been carefully developed in consultation with instructors, students, self-learners, and homeschoolers. Users can now take advantage to the many improvements made at the book's website, www.Teknia.com, where they will find---for free---an online course, walking students through every chapter; vocabulary flashcards; video and audio helps; Greek fonts; quizzes for each chapter; fun songs and games; and much, much more. Now in a larger size, with an attractive 2-color design, the third edition adds an element of fun, with encouragement, songs, and more, which appear in the margins. Chapter 35 has been split into two chapters, 'half-time review' sections have been added to every chapter, and new exegesis sections are now included. These and other improvements serve to enhance the learning experience and will continue BBG's legacy as the premier introduction to biblical Greek. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 448 pages
• Publisher: Zondervan; 3 edition (November 24, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0310287685
• ISBN-13: 978-0310287681
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 1.1 x 11.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.8 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (34 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #8,432 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #16 in Books > Education & Reference > Foreign Language Study & Reference > Instruction

More About the Author

Bill lives as a writer in Washougal, Washington. He is the President of BiblicalTraining.org, a non-profit organization offering world-class educational resources for discipleship in the local church. He also runs Teknia.com, a site committed to helping people learn biblical Greek. And I author a series of blogs on this site.

Formerly he was a preaching pastor at a church in Spokane, WA, and prior to that a professor of New Testament and director of the Greek Program at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary. He also taught at Azusa Pacific University for ten years.Bill is the author of the bestselling Greek textbook, Basics of Biblical Greek, and many other resources. He was the New Testament chair of the English Standard Version translation of the Bible, and is now serving on the NIV translation committee. Robin and Bill have been married since 1983 and have three children.

Education

Ph.D. 1981, in New Testament. Aberdeen University, Aberdeen, Scotland.
M.A. 1977, in Biblical Studies. Fuller Theological Seminary, Pasadena, California.
B.A. 1975, in Biblical Studies, minor in Greek. Bethel College, St. Paul, Minnesota; Western Kentucky University, Bowling Green, Kentucky, 1971-74.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

19 of 19 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars The ideal Greek Grammar for solo learning, but not perfect. January 18, 2011

By rwt

Format:Hardcover

I can't recommend this Grammar highly enough for students of the Greek New Testament who are attempting to learn Koine on their own as I did. Outside of the structure of a seminary course, with the attention of a professor and a community of fellow students to keep a student on track, it can be very difficult to learn the languages with any kind of confidence. Mounce's textbook provides that structure, and when used with the accompanying workbook the solo-learner should have all the guidance they need to get them into the language and prepare them for more intermediate and advanced studies.

This textbook is not without it's flaws, however. Once the student has gotten through this book they will certainly be well equipped to recognize the forms necessary for reading the New Testament, but they will not necessarily have a solid grasp of ancient Greek. There are no English-Greek exercises, or any time spent on how to form sentences or emulate common grammatical formulas, or even to use the declensions in writing. This might not seem important when your goal is simply to learn to read the Greek New Testament, but it is vital for truly understanding the language.

19 of 20 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars The Third Edition is the Best June 4, 2011

By Mark

Format:Hardcover

Dr. William Mounce has continued to improve his textbook on the Basics of Biblical Greek. Having read all three editions, the third edition is by far the best. Some of the most notable changes are Chapter 20, a newly written and clearly organized discussion on Verbal Roots and Tense Stems in his presentation of the future tense; a new discussion on the middle voice in Chapter 25; and the addition of a new Chapter 36 on the -mi verbs, which spreads out the material over 3 chapters to make them more understandable. In addition he has added 15 theological vocabulary words, which gives the student who has completed this first year Greek textbook the ability to read over 80% of the New Testament of the Bible! Perhaps the best new feature is a new section called Exegesis, which discusses the different approaches to translation of each tense at the end of each chapter.

The third edition of the workbook is essential to the new book, as the exercises polish one's learning ability. The grammar and workbook together provide an unbeatable combination for independent study of Biblical Greek.

Zondervan has made a handsome presentation of the material in an attractive format. While one may consider the professor's extraneous comments unnecessary fluff, some of them are quite useful, such as the Greek names of the 27 books of the New Testament, the Greek text of John 3:16, the Apostles' Creed, and practical aids such as numbers 1-20, the days of the week, and other simple expressions which might be helpful on a trip to Greece.

Professor Mounce is quite innovative, and he likes to develop his own nomenclature for different terms: for example, he likes to call the Principal Parts of a verb 'tense forms,' distinct from 'tenses' and 'tense stems.' While that is his prerogative, the expression Principle Parts is almost universal, such as in the gold standard by Herbert Weir Smyth, and it could be confusing for a beginning student to redefine a tradition that has been passed down for decades.

His user-friendly book is the most preferred Biblical Greek text in the nation, and has become a standard in its own right. Northwestern College in St. Paul (Billy Graham once served as Dean), Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary in Boston, and Reformed Theological Seminary in Charlotte are but three institutions that have adopted this text.

Thank you, Dr. Mounce, for such a wonderful textbook!

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Book for Studying Biblical Greek September 28, 2011

By C. L. Miller

Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase

I have been interested in studying Greek for several years. I have tried about four different books over the course of the last three years, but have found them difficult to use. This book lays out everything in an orderly fashion and has great online helps available to use, many of which are given for no additional cost.
If you are seriously trying to learn this language though, I recommend getting the companion workbook. This book is well worth its price. The money I spent on the other cheaper books was wasted.