Luke 4:30
αὐτὸς δὲ διελθὼν διὰ μέσου αὐτῶν ἐπορεύετο.
Literal Translation: But he, passing through their midst, was going his way.
1. Key Grammatical Features in Koine Greek
- αὐτὸς δὲ: The explicit subject pronoun αὐτὸς (“he himself”) combined with δὲ (“but”) gives mild emphasis and contrast. Koine regularly uses explicit pronouns for emphasis, even when the verb already implies the subject.
- διελθὼν: Aorist active participle nominative singular masculine from διέρχομαι (“to pass through”). Koine often places participles first in narrative clauses to build background action preceding the main verb.
- διὰ μέσου αὐτῶν: Preposition διά (“through”) with genitive (μέσου αὐτῶν – “the midst of them”) expresses spatial passage. Koine preserves many Classical spatial expressions but simplifies the surrounding syntax.
- ἐπορεύετο: Imperfect middle indicative third person singular of πορεύομαι (“to go, travel”). Koine often favors the imperfect to depict continuous past action (he “was going”) rather than simply stating past fact.
2. Classical Greek Grammar Comparison
- Pronoun Use: In Classical Greek, αὐτὸς would often be unnecessary unless contrastive or emphatic. Here, the Koine usage underlines Jesus’ personal action quietly but strongly.
- Participial Constructions: Classical Greek often introduced participles with greater syntactic layering (temporal or causal clauses). Koine narrates simply: background action (διελθὼν), then main action (ἐπορεύετο).
- Spatial Prepositions: The combination διὰ μέσου (“through the midst”) exists in Classical Greek but is more commonly expanded or poetically adorned. Koine keeps it crisp and physical.
- Imperfect Usage: Classical Greek might use the aorist tense (ἐπορεύθη) for the completed event. Koine here prefers the imperfect (ἐπορεύετο) to depict ongoing motion even during the escape.
3. Syntactic and Structural Differences
- Order of Actions: In Koine, the participle διελθὼν (“having passed through”) comes first without conjunctions, while in Classical Greek, a subordinating particle (like ἐπειδή or ὡς) might introduce it for temporal sequencing.
- Economy of Expression: Koine prioritizes concise action narration—διελθὼν διὰ μέσου αὐτῶν ἐπορεύετο flows almost visually, with minimal grammatical interruption.
- Emphasis on the Subject: The explicit αὐτὸς is a stylistic marker in Koine for focusing attention on a key actor without complicated sentence restructuring.
4. Phonological Notes
- Accent Evolution: Words like διελθὼν and μέσου would have carried a melodic pitch accent in Classical Greek; in Koine pronunciation, they would be stressed on the accented syllable instead.
- Vowel Pronunciation: Diphthongs like ει in διελθὼν began merging toward [i], losing their Classical diphthongal character ([ei̯]).
- Aspiration Loss: Breathings in words like αὐτὸς were pronounced strongly in Classical Greek but faded in Koine speech, particularly by the 2nd century CE.
5. Summary Table of Grammatical Evolution
| Feature | Classical Greek | Koine Greek |
|---|---|---|
| Pronoun (αὐτὸς) | Omitted unless strongly needed | Included for narrative emphasis |
| Participial Phrasing | Often subordinated | Direct attachment to main action |
| Spatial Expression | Fuller or poetically expanded | Simple and spatially direct |
| Imperfect Usage | Less favored for event narration | Common to depict unfolding action |
| Word Order | Often introduced by subordinating particles | Sequential without conjunctions |
6. What This Verse Tells Us About the Evolution of Greek
Luke 4:30 provides a beautiful snapshot of Koine Greek’s action-driven storytelling at work. The participle διελθὼν quickly sets the stage, followed by the continuous imperfect ἐπορεύετο, portraying Jesus’ steady and unhindered movement through a hostile crowd.
Classical Greek, more inclined to layer meaning through participial subordination and aspectual distinctions, would have built a heavier sentence structure. Koine’s stylistic evolution favors narrative energy, emphasizing the action itself and the agent (αὐτὸς) with clarity and economy. It speaks to a world where Greek had become not merely a medium for lofty rhetoric but a flexible instrument for everyday miracles and divine drama alike.
