Matthew 19:7
λέγουσιν αὐτῷ· τί οὖν Μωσῆς ἐνετείλατο δοῦναι βιβλίον ἀποστασίου καὶ ἀπολῦσαι αὐτήν;
Modern Greek Pronunciation: légousin aftó̱: ti ú̱n Mōsís enetílato doúnai vivlíon apostasíou kai apolý̱sai aftín?
Literal English Translation: They say to him: Why then did Moses command to give a certificate of divorce and to send her away?
Koine Greek Breakdown
- λέγουσιν – present active indicative 3rd person plural from λέγω, “they say”.
- αὐτῷ – dative masculine singular pronoun, “to him”.
- τί – interrogative pronoun, “why”.
- οὖν – particle, “then”, signaling inference or emphasis.
- Μωσῆς – proper noun, nominative masculine singular, “Moses”.
- ἐνετείλατο – aorist middle indicative 3rd singular from ἐντέλλομαι, “he commanded”.
- δοῦναι – aorist active infinitive from δίδωμι, “to give”.
- βιβλίον ἀποστασίου – accusative singular compound noun phrase, “certificate of divorce”.
– βιβλίον: “document” (neuter); ἀποστασίου: genitive from ἀποστασίον, “divorce”. - καὶ ἀπολῦσαι – conjunction + aorist active infinitive from ἀπολύω, “to send away, dismiss”.
- αὐτήν – accusative feminine singular pronoun, “her”.
Modern Greek Translation
Του λένε: «Γιατί τότε ο Μωυσής πρόσταξε να δώσει διαζευκτήριο και να τη διώξει;»
Notable Changes
- λέγουσιν → του λένε: Shift from 3rd person plural verb + dative pronoun to simple SVO word order.
- τί οὖν → γιατί τότε: More idiomatic in Modern Greek with adverbial γιατί replacing interrogative pronoun.
- ἐνετείλατο → πρόσταξε: Simplification of aorist middle to regular past tense.
- δοῦναι → να δώσει: Infinitive replaced by subjunctive with να construction.
- ἀποστασίου → διαζευκτήριο: Legal vocabulary updated to modern term for divorce certificate.
- ἀπολῦσαι → να τη διώξει: Infinitive replaced with finite clause.
Comparison Table
| Grammatical Feature | Koine Greek | Modern Greek | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3rd Plural Speech Verb | λέγουσιν αὐτῷ | του λένε | Dative replaced by genitive/accusative pattern |
| Question Introduction | τί οὖν | γιατί τότε | Modern Greek simplifies rhetorical tone |
| Infinitive Usage | δοῦναι, ἀπολῦσαι | να δώσει, να διώξει | Infinitives replaced by να + subjunctive |
| Legal Terminology | βιβλίον ἀποστασίου | διαζευκτήριο | Technical phrase modernized to one word |
Grammar in Legal Dialogue
Matthew 19:7 reflects Koine’s preference for layered verbs, participial economy, and heavy use of infinitives—especially in legal or formal settings. Modern Greek pushes for clarity: clauses get unpacked, infinitives give way to subordinate verbs, and even Moses’ command becomes more accessible to the ear. Yet the structure still delivers a formal rhetorical question worthy of courtroom discourse.
