Customer Reviews

A Beginner's Reader-Grammar for New Testament Greek

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I purchased this book thirty years ago, and it's a permanent part of my library. It should be used in conjunction with an elementary grammar and a good lexicon (like Bauer-Arndt-Gingrich). It has "a precise and limited goal: to equip the student with a basic vocabulary, experience in reading, and skill in using a lexicon" (from the dust jacket).

This excerpt from the introduction explains the distinctive nature of the book. "This text departs markedly from the usual elementary Greek book in the centrality of its graded Reader. We have abandoned the method which takes the student through a progression of grammar lessons each concluding with a few sentences for translation. Rather, after learning the alphabet and the pronunciation of Greek words, the student begins immediately to develop skill in finding his way from a word as encountered in reading to its appropriate lexicon entry. From this point on he immerses himself in the Reader with lexicon in hand. All further grammatical principles are then brought in by way of explaining relationships observed by the student in his reading of Greek." (p.9)

The Reader "is carefully graded to permit the steady growth of skill and comprehension. It contains a vocabulary of 300 words, including all words that occur at least 50 times in the New Testament. The progressive mastery of this basic vocabulary builds confidence and enthusiasm in approaching the New Testament itself" (also from the dust jacket).

The book assumes that the student knows "no Greek at all" and also "that the student lacks a knowledge of English grammar and that he possesses little or no grammatical vocabulary" (from the Preface, p.7). It is a true primer; it starts at the beginning.

Colwell and Tune provided a great resource for gaining skill in reading. It deserves wider recognition.

I checked samples of the book on the Hendrickson Publishing website. The only change appears to be from hardcover to paperback. As far as I can tell, the text has not been edited.

The key to reading the Greek New Testament is to know the 500 most used words so well that you couldn't forget them even if you tried. Every other NT Greek book does not provide enough reading exercises!!!
This book does. It will get you to that point where you have the basic vocab burned into your neurons.
It is not the only book you will need, but you do need it.
--someone who reads the Greek NT daily