Best Book for Learning New Testament Greek | Reading Koine Greek by Rodney Decker

Have you ever wanted to learn to read the New Testament in Greek but didn't know where to start? In this episode I share 4 reasons why my favorite is Reading Koine Greek by Rodney Decker along with 2 negatives about the book. The book's streamlined morphology and use of the "4 quad chart" helps unlock Greek morphology. So if you're looking to learn or review Greek, this episode is for you!
0:00 Introduction
0:36 Reason #1 - Streamlined Morphology
2:45 Reason #2 - Up To Date
3:43 Reason #3 - Thorough Explanations
6:24 Reason #4 - Other Greek Texts
7:01 Con #1 - Workbook
7:49 Con #2 - Length
8:37 Conclusion
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[@caesarino9020]

He was my grandfather, I was reading his book recently and I realized he used I and my older brothers name in his grammar examples. It was a sweet moment.

[@user-kr9zb2ng8i]

Thank you for this review. I recently obtained Decker's book and your explanation has really helped me.

[@scripturial]

I have a huge amount of respect for Decker, his research output was ahead of its time, and super interesting to read. So when it came to his grammar, I really really wanted to love it. It is certainly quite up to date, and this another reason to really love it. The reason it falls down for me in terms of usefulness, is there is just so much so much English in it. I really felt myself wanting to say "come on, let's get to practing in Greek", so personally I found it hard to get into it. Although I wonder, if someone is a self study student, if they would find it better, because all of that extra English information is not in the other textbooks. That said, I wish Deckers textbook becomes more popular.

[@onelifepunxsy]

Thanks. You're very easy to listen to.

[@bitesizeseminary]

Thanks!

[@hebrewbibleinsights]

Great video and recommendation! I love how this covers the Septuagint, a too often neglected resource. I wish the textbook I had used covered the Septuagint.

[@bitesizeseminary]

Thanks!! Yes, totally agree. It really helps set up students to expand into Septuagint readings a lot more than some other grammars.

[@user-pj7sq7ce1f]

@@bitesizeseminary erasmus way to say koine greek is crap and an insult to greeks

[@brucetepke8150]

Does anyone know if there are texts using streamlined morphology for other ancient greek dialects (such as attic)?

[@levipenner]

I tried to use Deckers book for self study and really liked it. However, not having an answer key to check my translation eventually stalled me.

[@raysalmon6566]

what other books have you used

[@dustinburlet7249]

This is a reasonable video but I disagree that this is the BEST book for learning New Testament Greek
There are (quite simply) too many variables at stake for any one book to fill that role
While I appreciate your cons section of the video and some of the caveats that you make in the video it is somewhat sensational to state it is the best book
From where I stand, the most solid contender is actually the following
Beginning with New Testament Greek: An Introductory Study of the Grammar and Syntax of the New Testament
Benjamin L Merkle and Robert L. Plummer
It doesn't suffer from the same issues of length as Decker does
It remains linguistically sensitive (a key factor as compared to, let's say Basics of Biblical Greek by Mounce)
It provides the basics while remaining pedagogically sensitive and aware (something that one may compare and contrast with Fundamentals of New Testament Greek by Stanley E. Porter, Jeffrey T. Reed, et al.)
It also doesn't have 17 (yes seventeen!) consecutive chapters related to verbs (of the 21 chapters on verbs) - that's a lot!
In addition, while Decker does have his secondary volume entitled Koine Greek Reader: Selections From The New Testament, Septuagint, And Early Christian Writers, Merkle and Plummer's secondary text i.e. Going Deeper with New Testament Greek, Revised Edition: An Intermediate Study of the Grammar and Syntax of the New Testament by Andreas J. Köstenberger., Benjamin L Merkle, et al. REVISED ed. works much better for dovetailing courses together - beginner, intermediate, etc.
Lastly, as Merkle relates in his review,
Although the book is well-designed and has an attractive visual
layout, the practice exercises are interspersed throughout each chapter, making them
difficult to find. (Most textbooks place them at the end of the chapter.)
All in all - I wish to conclude by echoing Merkle's review comments
This book is a welcome addition to the current repertoire of first-year NT Greek grammars. Because
this book includes insights from modern linguistics and Greek research, it will especially appeal to those
who are not content with textbooks that fail to address modern theories of verbal aspect theory and the
use of the middle voice. Additionally, teachers who do not plan to use this book in the classroom would
still benefit from this book to learn how to communicate current debated topics to first-year students.
It is evident that Decker was a master teacher, and his love for the language and his insights are clearly
seen in this work.

[@AJearth]

I'm trying to use this book for self study

[@bitesizeseminary]

Nice! This is a good book for self study. Keep going!! Greek can be hard but very rewarding. Check out Daily Dose of Greek too. They have full lecture videos for free on their website. They’re tied to another textbook, but Greek is Greek. 😃

[@phillewis3108]

What the hell are you talking about?
How is this for a beginner? What’s morphology? What’s them tables? Who is Aorist?

[@stevecinneide8183]

This is the Greek equivalent of Wheelock's Latin (a notoriously bad Latin textbook that hardly anyone can figure out how to use).

[@Adrastus_]

Wheelock paired with LLPSI are one of the best resources to use for Latin, so I don't know why you would say that

[@stevecinneide8183]

This is stupid. Horrible textbook and I have eight academic articles under my belt. Mounce's book is much better. I have no idea why anybody would prefer a more obscure book to one that is used in virtually ALL Koine Greek courses.

[@username00009]

Why is Mounce’s book better?

[@ScottLawson-uw1fh]

Rodney passed way too soon

[@dustinburlet7249]

Mounce's book is indeed quite pedagogically sensitive but it has SO many problems linguistically that have to be unlearned by second year Greek - plus, Mounce's book covers (self admittedly) the BASICS of biblical Greek - not the fundamentals - there is a key difference - truth be told - I am thankful that there are effective alternatives to Mounce and my school abandoned it years ago