Lesson 3 | Vocab
Memorization
An important part of this course is memorizing a short passage of Scripture in Greek. We want to remind you of the reason why we're having you memorize Bible verses in Greek.
1. It will help you learn inductively.
Learning new vocabulary from a list isn't the most natural way to learn a language. As children, we learned words as adults talked to us. We learned phrases and idioms that we didn't understand, but could use; our full understanding came later. The ultimate way to learn a language isn't through paradigms and rules but through extensive exposure.
In Colossians 1:15–20, you'll learn words as they occur “in the wild,” in the text of Scripture itself. The more you memorize and even just read, the more words and syntactical constructions (groups of words) you’ll absorb in the process.
2. It will help you quickly improve your Greek through a passage you're already familiar with.
You've probably already memorized at least part of Colossians 1:15–20. Memorizing it in Greek is a way of "cheating," so that you can learn words and phrases faster than through a textbook.
3. It will be a means of grace.
The psalmist wrote,
When you internalize God's words, they will guide your heart and mind into righteous ways and away from sinful ways. May God “equip you with everything good that you may do his will ... through Jesus Christ” as you memorize these verses (Heb 13:21).
Setting The Stage
1. Listen to me read all of Colossians 1:15–20, following along in the text below.
ὅς ἐστιν εἰκὼν τοῦ θεοῦ τοῦ ἀοράτου, πρωτότοκος πάσης κτίσεως, ὅτι ἐν αὐτῷ ἐκτίσθη τὰ πάντα ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς καὶ ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς, τὰ ὁρατὰ καὶ τὰ ἀόρατα, εἴτε θρόνοι εἴτε κυριότητες εἴτε ἀρχαὶ εἴτε ἐξουσίαι· τὰ πάντα δι’ αὐτοῦ καὶ εἰς αὐτὸν ἔκτισται· καὶ αὐτός ἐστιν πρὸ πάντων καὶ τὰ πάντα ἐν αὐτῷ συνέστηκεν, καὶ αὐτός ἐστιν ἡ κεφαλὴ τοῦ σώματος τῆς ἐκκλησίας· ὅς ἐστιν ἀρχή, πρωτότοκος ἐκ τῶν νεκρῶν, ἵνα γένηται ἐν πᾶσιν αὐτὸς πρωτεύων, ὅτι ἐν αὐτῷ εὐδόκησεν πᾶν τὸ πλήρωμα κατοικῆσαι καὶ δι’ αὐτοῦ ἀποκαταλλάξαι τὰ πάντα εἰς αὐτόν, εἰρηνοποιήσας διὰ τοῦ αἵματος τοῦ σταυροῦ αὐτοῦ, [δι’ αὐτοῦ] εἴτε τὰ ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς εἴτε τὰ ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς· —ΠΡΟΣ ΚΟΛΟΣΣΑΘΙΣ 1:15–20, SBLGNT
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2. Then listen to me read verse 15. Do so at least five times.
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Working On Pronunciation
3. Now listen to me read each phrase of verse 15, and then say each phrase after me.
ὅς ἐστιν εἰκὼν τοῦ θεοῦ τοῦ ἀοράτου, (he is the image of the invisible God)
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πρωτότοκος πάσης κτίσεως, (the firstborn of all creation)
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Committing It To Memory
In this audio track, I read through verse 15 a phrase at a time, giving you time to repeat after me. After two run-throughs, the phrases that you are to repeat become longer. Again, this is done twice. The goal is for you to repeat these two verses in their entirety.
Of course, you will need to listen through the full track many times before you have it down. Be patient with yourself and persevere! (Download the MP3 to listen as you drive, etc.)
4. Listen to verse 15 and repeat during the pauses. Repeat until you have this text memorized.
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