 As 2026 is around the corner, I thought I would recommend a Greek New Testament Reading Plan. Over the years there have been wonderful outlines, such as the well known and previously recommended Lee Irons Reading Plan. Timothy Paul Jones has a new take on Lee Irons' plan. This reading plan has several benefits over others that I believe sets it apart:
TIPS FOR READING THE GNT 1. Read every day – Don’t skip days. Playing catch-up with Greek will not work when you’re behind. Read every single day, even on weekends, as this will help to reinforce the habit and discipline. When you have to take a day off, for whatever reason, use one of the Flex days. 2. Try to set aside a dedicated time for each day – say, 30 to 45 minutes or so depending on your reading style/speed. Don’t be a perfectionist, as this will cause you to grow discouraged and weary. Press on even when you don’t understand every construction or nuance. If you finish with some time to spare, and as your reading ability improves, you may choose to go back and look over the things that you didn’t understand in more detail. 3. Don’t use Bible software as your primary reading text. In other words, during your reading time, don’t read the GNT on a computer or phone. Remember that eventually your goal is to be able to read without crutches. You cannot sight-read the GNT if you are frequently accustomed to using computer software such as Logos or Bibleworks to help with the smallest things. Remember, no one gets a handle on language who regularly uses crutches. 4. Read out loud – Hearing the words will improve your comprehension and retention. It will also encourage you to slow down and take in the meaning one word at a time. I cannot stress this one enough. 5. Keep a notebook and write down your observations, or note any difficulties or uncertainties that you would like to delve into further in the future. Of course this requires additional time; don’t be too detailed and picky. 6. By using a Reader’s Edition like this one you will not need to look up rare vocabulary, since this will be provided in the footnotes. However it may still be a good idea to look up some words in a good lexicon. 7. Consult a Syntax Guide such as this one or this one. These provide concise explanations of rare usages and nuances that may not be immediately obvious even to a seasoned reader. 8. Try to start thinking in Greek – Yes, this really is possible! In the beginning you may start reading by attempting a wooden English translation in your head for each verse. That is okay. This should follow the word order and grammatical structure of the Greek as closely as possible. In time, try to move away from translating and start processing as much as possible in Greek. Thinking in Greek is reading Greek! 9. Do not consult an English version too quickly when you encounter difficulty. Nevertheless, an English version like the ESV, KJV, NKJV, NASB 95, or LSB may be useful for pointing you in the right direction when you’re stuck. If you have to consult English, always go back and work through the text in Greek afterward, but only do this as a last resort. 10. For encouragement and motivation – I highly suggest reading A.T. Robertson’s The Minister and His Greek New Testament. You can also read Quotes on the Biblical Languages, which is sure to be an inspiration to press on in the midst of discouragement.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |