Papyrus 75 vs. the Majority Text: Which Got John 6:47 Right?

Here is how John 6:47 reads in Papyrus 75, an early 3rd century Greek manuscript: "[αμην] [α]μην λ̣[εγω] [υμιν] ο πιστε̣[υων] [εχει] [ζω]ην [αιωνιον]". Translated into English it reads: "Truly, truly, I say to you, the one who believes has eternal life".¹

Related to Free Grace Theology, the point is simply this: that Papyrus 75 is an early witness to the original text of John's Gospel, and it does not contain the words "in Me" in John 6:47 (as it does in the Majority Text).

I saw one website that attributed all manner of heresies to the shorter reading of John 6:47, when Jesus says, "Truly, truly, I say to you, the one who believes has eternal life." I would contend that the shorter reading is only a problem for those who are fond of proof-texting the gospel (or what some have called "the saving message"), such as Bob Wilkin and the Grace Evangelical Society. But for those of us who read Bible verses in context, the shorter reading of John 6:47 (without the words "in Me") poses no real problem at all. The surrounding context explains verse 47 sufficiently well so that it's obvious what Jesus is saying. 

Additionally, fans of the Majority Text and by extension the King James Version, contend that the "new" Bible translations such as the NIV (which in reality are based on older Greek manuscripts than the KJV) have removed words from the text, such as the words "in Me" from John 6:47. But actually, the KJV (and the Byzantine Greek manuscripts upon which the KJV is based) are the "new" texts (!) compared to the older Greek manuscripts which do not contain the words "in Me". Bob Wilkin attempts to get around this fact by saying, "The key is not the date of the manuscript, but the date of the manuscript from which it was copied and how carefully it was copied."² But this is nothing more than subterfuge ("an artifice or expedient used to evade a rule, escape a consequence, hide something, etc."), because to be consistent, Wilkin's line of reasoning would also apply to the source copies! In fact, in order to not be guilty of special pleading, Wilkin's logic would need to be applied to ALL the NT manuscripts, except for the very first original manuscript (because it had no source copy), which we don't even have! Wilkin's logic collapses into a position where no manuscript is trustworthy unless it's the original autograph. 

In other words, if the legitimacy of a manuscript depends not on its own date, but on the unknown date and quality of the manuscript from which it was copied -- then we've just invalidated every manuscript ever found. That's not textual criticism. That's textual nihilism!

References: 

¹ Philip W. Comfort and David P. Barrett, The Text of the Earliest New Testament Greek Manuscripts (Wheaton: Tyndale House Publishers, 2001), p. 585. Cf. Philip Wesley Comfort, The Text of the Earliest New Testament Greek Manuscripts (Kregel Academic, 2019), 2 Vols., Vol. 2, p. 92. Note: A transcription of P75 is also available online on The Nazaroo Files website. See the link here. 

² Wilkin, "How Many Complete Greek New Testament Manuscripts Do We Have?" (January 10, 2023), GES Blog.

Bill Mounce's "Master Case Ending Chart"

I sort of geeked out on . . .

Bill Mounce's MASTER CASE ENDING CHART!!!

I wrote it on a paper napkin (see the pic below). It fits perfectly, so I thought why not? Sometimes you have to make do with what you got, right? The left column is case and number (singular, and then plural below). Then the next columns are 2, 1, 2: that's 2nd declension, 1st declension, 2nd declension; masculine, feminine, and neuter. Then 3rd declension is on the right. Then the rows top to bottom, starting on the left it's nominitive singular, genitive singular, dative singular, and then accusative singular. The plural is below. The dative plural in the 3rd declension is somewhat hard to read. It says: σι(ν). In English it's: sigma, iota, (movable nu). Enjoy!

A Free Grace Response to Bob Wilkin: Does John 6:47 Include "in Me"?

What is the correct wording of John 6:47 in the Greek New Testament manuscripts? Did Jesus say, “he who believes has eternal life?” or did He say, “he who believes in Me has eternal life”? Let's take a closer look!

Bob Wilkin recently posted an article on the Grace Evangelical Society (GES) website pertaining to this issue.¹ In the article, Wilkin describes why he thinks the original wording of John 6:47 in the Greek NT manuscripts included the words “in Me”. But what he conveniently fails to mention is that the oldest Greek manuscripts omit those words in John 6:47! This is a key piece of evidence, and the fact that Wilkin completely fails to even mention it makes it appear that he is being less than forthright with the facts. The closest that Wilkin comes to admitting that the oldest Greek manuscripts don’t include the words “in Me” in John 6:47 is when he writes the following:

“There are hundreds of manuscripts from what is known as the Byzantine text type that agree that in Me (eis eme) was in the original manuscript in John 6:47. This is called the undivided majority text.

Eight manuscripts omit in Me (p66, Aleph, B, L, T, W, Theta, and 892).

Several hundred manuscripts include in Me. Eight omit the words. Which do you think is more likely the original?”² (Answer: The oldest ones! I.e., not the Byzantine text type manuscripts.)

In response to Wilkin, the “hundreds of manuscripts” containing the words “in Me” in John 6:47 are all from the Byzantine text type. For those who may be unaware, this text type is of a relatively late date, generally dated from the 9th – 15th centuries.

By way of contrast, the oldest Greek manuscripts do NOT contain the words “in Me” in John 6:47. Wilkin mentioned some of them, but conveniently he failed to mention Papyrus 75 (P75), which is one of the very oldest Greek texts of John 6:47, and it does not include the words “in Me”. To illustrate the significance of this, let’s apply the same logic to another piece of literature, such as Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address. So for example, imagine that I had 200 different copies of Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address (all from the 20th century) in which the first sentence reads: “Four score and seven years ago, our fathers brought forth on this American continent...” (notice that the word “American” has been inserted into the text). In addition to these 200 copies from the 20th century (let’s say from the 1940s), suppose I had another 8 copies of Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address from the 19th century (say, the 1870s) in which the first sentence reads, “Four score and seven years ago, our fathers brought forth on this continent...” Which set of copies most likely contains the original wording of that sentence? Obviously it’s not so important how many copies there are that have a particular reading, what matters more is the date of composition. The oldest copies obviously carry the most weight and are most likely to have the original wording. And so, from this simple illustration we can see how Bob Wilkin’s logic is flawed when it comes to his view of John 6:47: Wilkin is merely looking at the number of copies rather than factoring in the date of the manuscripts. But when the date of the manuscripts is taken into account, it becomes apparent that this is a very important consideration which likely points to the correct wording! 

Here’s a summary statement that I wrote for the Free Grace Study Bible, pertaining to whether or not the original wording of John 6:47 in the Greek NT manuscripts included the words “in Me,” or if they were inserted at a later date. Notice that I focus not so much on the correct answer to this question, but rather on the fact of the question itself: that John 6:47 is (to quote Fred Lybrand) a “disputed text”! Here are my summary thoughts from the FG Study Bible on John 6:47 as it pertains to Bob Wilkin and the GES:

“The oldest Greek manuscripts of this text (e.g. Papyrus 66, Papyrus 75, Codex Sinaiticus, Codex Vaticanus, etc.) do not contain the words ‘in Me’. In these Greek texts, John 6:47 reads as follows: ‘Truly, truly, I say to you, the one who believes has eternal life.’ So the question is: ‘believes’ what? Related to Free Grace Theology, a distinct interpretation of John 6:47 has been prominently advocated by Zane Hodges and Bob Wilkin of the Grace Evangelical Society. This verse, particularly in its longer textual form, serves as their favorite proof-text and the central tenet around which their ministry is built. But herein lies the problem: Hodges and Wilkin have constructed their entire ministry and theology of salvation not only on one proof-text, but more specifically on a variant reading of that proof-text! Thus their hermeneutic (their method of Bible interpretation) is doubly flawed, and is therefore rightly rejected. For more information, see page 21 in the article by Fred Lybrand titled GES Gospel: Lybrand Open Letter.”

Addendum:

Wilkin poses the following question in his blog post: “Can a reading be so ‘natural and inevitable’ that it’s wrong?”³ But if we follow Wilkin’s logic of inserting words simply because they are theologically correct, we might as well insert the words of Jesus from John 3:16 as a probable (or likely) reading of John 6:47 merely because it reads naturally! But this of course is absurd, as even Wilkin would no doubt admit (unless he is willing to re-write the entire Gospel of John, or the entire Bible, for that matter).

References:

¹ Bob Wilkin, “Did Jesus Say, ‘He Who Believes in Me Has Everlasting Life,’ or ‘He Who Believes Has Everlasting Life’?” (June 23, 2025), GES Blog.

² Ibid.

³ Ibid.

Beyond the Billboard: Why John 3:16 Isn't the Whole Story

Sometimes I'll hear preachers say that all a person needs to hear in order to be saved is John 3:16. David Jeremiah even preached a sermon and said something to the effect that "these 25 words are all you need" (referring to John 3:16 in the King James Version). Just to be clear, I greatly admire David Jeremiah and I don't really fault him too much because I get the gist of what he's saying. And in a certain context what he's saying could be true. That is, if someone has already heard the gospel from somewhere else or previously in another context, and John 3:16 simply fills in the gaps or explains it in a way that the hearer can relate to and believe at that moment, then of course, if that's what brings them to salvation and they've already heard the gospel, then yes, John 3:16 is all they need to hear in terms of all they need to hear at that moment to bring them to a point of trusting Christ. But again, that assumes that they've already heard the gospel. Because if a person has never heard the gospel and all they see is "John 3:16" printed on a sign at a football game, that person might have no idea what it means! It's interesting that David Jeremiah even admits this, in that he says: "If you've watched sporting events on television you've seen John 3:16. In the NFL games, in the NBA games, people write that verse on a card, and they sit in the end zone and they hold it up so you can see 'John 3:16'. I'm sure a lot of folks wonder what that is. Because if you don't know God, if you're not a Christian, you wouldn't have a clue what that means!"[1] 

It is in this context of not hearing the whole story of the gospel that the apostle Paul says: “And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!" (Romans 10:14b-15, KJV). Notice that in verse 15, Paul quotes from the Old Testament book of Isaiah (Isa. 52:7). Previously in Romans 10:8 he had quoted from the book of Deuteronomy (Deut. 30:14). Paul's gospel, as he says elsewhere, was "promised beforehand by God's prophets in the holy Scriptures" (Rom. 1:1-2). And so Paul wasn't preaching a "bare minimum" message, as some do today. (Such as, for example, those who try to squeeze the gospel into 25 words or less. By the way, isn't that quite an arbitrary standard? Because despite what some might think, the Bible wasn't originally written in King James English!) Instead, Paul is filling in the details and sharing the whole story. Commenting on Romans 10:8, William R. Newell affirms this when he says: "Now . . . came the simple word of faith preached by Paul. This expression, 'the word of faith,' involves the whole story of the gospel: that Jesus was the Christ, that He had come, died for sin, been buried, been raised, and been seen by many witnesses after His resurrection (1 Cor. 15.3-8)."[2] And so people need to hear the (whole) gospel message—not merely part of it—to be saved. That is Paul's point. And as William R. Newell stated, Paul's gospel message is found where? Not in John 3:16, but rather in 1 Corinthians 15! Dr. Charlie Bing of GraceLife Ministries affirms that the gospel "is laid out no more clearly than by Paul in 1 Cor 15."[3] Thus, for those of us who want to present the gospel as clearly as possible, 1 Corinthians 15 should be our primary focus.

Let me just pause here for a moment and reference an article that I previously wrote titled, "Getting the Gospel in Focus".[4] Because judging from what some evangelicals are saying, it seems as if they think the apostle Paul just went around quoting John 3:16 to everyone! But when we look at what the Bible says, we find something quite interesting. Because instead of preaching John 3:16, what the apostle Paul was actually preaching was "the gospel" found in 1 Corinthians 15! In fact, Paul says in 1 Cor. 15:11 that all the apostles were preaching that very same message! Not merely John 3:16, is my point. Here's a fitting illustration. In his book Sanctuary: Finding Moments of Refuge in the Presence of God, David Jeremiah shares the following true story in a daily devotional titled "DEFINING THE GOSPEL":

"Duncan McNeil, the Scottish evangelist, once said that in school he had a seminary professor who insisted on opening his theology classes with a question. No one could ever anticipate what the question would be. One day he said to his students, 'Gentlemen, can someone give me a definition of the gospel?' A student rose and read John 3:16: 'For God loved the world so much that he gave his only Son so that anyone who believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.' The professor said, 'That is a good gospel text, but it is not a definition of the gospel.' Another student read 1 Timothy 1:15: 'How true it is, and how I long that everyone should know it, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—and I was the greatest of them all.' Again the professor declined to accept it; he waited for what he wanted. Finally, a student stood and read 1 Corinthians 15:3-5, much to the professor's delight. It was evident that he had the reply he desired; he said, 'Gentlemen, that is the gospel. Believe it, live it, preach it, and die for it if necessary.'"[5]

There is also a very good article written by the late evangelist Dr. Sumner Wemp titled "The Gospel, The Good News," in which he highlights the need for sharing the whole story of the gospel from 1 Corinthians 15, not merely John 3:16. After emphasizing the importance of giving the gospel as found in 1 Corinthians 15, Dr. Wemp then turns to discuss John 3:16. And here's what he says: "Please think with me. People often say this is the greatest gospel verse in the Bible. This verse does not give the gospel. This was given before Jesus suffered and died for our sins. THINK, that lost man does not have a clue what it means that God 'gave his only begotten son' if someone has not already told him. Christians quote John 3:16 so glibly to the lost world and think, 'I gave him the gospel.' That man who holds up the sign at the football games with 'John 3:16' on it, surely thinks he is getting the gospel to all the world!"[6] But actually John 3:16 isn't the whole story.

Dr. Wemp goes on to say that at age 17, he still had not once heard the good news that "Christ died for my sins." This highlights the danger of proof-texting—quoting a single Bible verse and assuming we've shared the gospel simply because we recited John 3:16 to someone. It's well to note that even Jesus shared more than John 3:16 with Nicodemus (see John chapter 3). If we are truly to "follow in His steps" (1 Pet. 2:21; cf. Eph. 5:1; 1 Cor. 11:1), then we too must be diligent to present the gospel clearly and completely.

ENDNOTES:

[1] David Jeremiah, "John 3:16 Explained Like Never Before" (YouTube), timestamp: 5:25 - 5:48 min.

[2] William R. Newell, Romans Verse-By-Verse (Grand Rapids: Kregel, 1994), pp. 276-277. Note: This book was originally published in Chicago by Moody Press, 1938. Note: More statements by Newell to the same effect can be found elsewhere in his commentary on Romans. See in particular Newell's comments on Romans 1:16.

[3] Charlie Bing, "How to Share the Gospel Clearly" (bible.org).

[4] Jonathan Perreault, "Getting the Gospel in Focus," GraceLife Edition (November 2024).

[5] David Jeremiah, Sanctuary: Finding Moments of Refuge in the Presence of God (Nashville: Integrity Publishers, 2002), pg. 277.

[6] Sumner Wemp, "The Gospel, The Good News" (www.sumnerwemp.com, archived).

Allos | Greek Mnemonics

Bill Mounce’s Basics of Biblical Greek Vocabulary Cards (2nd Edition):

28.) allos (ἄλλος, -η, -ο): other, another 

Mnemonics / Memory Aids:

A.) Alas, another! 

B.) All us others are here. (Bill Mounce) 

C.) “All of us are just like each other.” Allos sounds like “all,” hinting at others of the same group or kind. (ChatGPT) 

D.) An allegory is a description of one thing using the image of another. (Bill Mounce) 

E.) In an allegory, one thing (the meaning or the message) is represented by ‘another’ thing, as in the fable of the tortoise and the hare. (Danny Zacharias, FlashGreek Lite) 

F.) All loss is a chance for another beginning down a different road with other outcomes. (Tanner Huss) 

G.) “He ordered all those tacos—another round, just like the first!” Use allos when ordering more of the same kind. (ChatGPT, adapted) 

H.) “Call Allos when you need another helper just like the first.” Imagine a company called “Allos Assistants”. (ChatGPT) 

I.) Allulose is a sugar that tastes like the other (real sugar), but without the calories—just like allos is the other of the same kind. (ChatGPT) 

J.) We all lost the game to the other team. Focus on allos sounding like "all loss" or "all of us." (Google Gemini, adapted)

K.) “We all lost our minds when we saw the other side of the mountain!” A bit dramatic, but uses the sound of allos. (Google Gemini, adapted)

God's View of Lordship Salvation

"Many will say to Me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from Me, ye that work iniquity." (Matthew 7:22-23, KJV)

Note: The picture refers to The Great White Throne Judgment, which is described in Revelation 20:11-15. This is the final judgment of those who reject the work of Christ; they are judged according to their works. But even their best works "fall short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23).

One Way!

John 21:15-17: Understanding the Nuance of "Love" in Peter's Restoration

I recently came across an interesting discussion related to the different New Testament words for "love" on Bill Mounce's blog Monday with Mounce. In response to a blog post he wrote titled "Everybody needs a little love" (Monday, June 22, 2009), someone named Randy asked the following question in the comments: "I get the idea that you are saying that in John 21:15-17 agapaō and phileō are synonyms. If that is true way [why] was Peter grived [grieved] when Christ asked the third time, 'Peter, do you phileō me?' Thanks." 

Then someone named Jason Dempsey wrote the following reply, saying: "Verse 17 is testament to the fact that agapaō and phileō were being used synonymously by John. In verse 17, John writes, 'Peter was grieved because he said to him the third time, 'Do you love (phileō) me?' In the written form, agapaō was used in the first two questions and phileō was only used for the last question. Why else would John write that Peter was grieved because Christ asked a third time if Peter loves (phileō) him unless John were using the two words [agapaō and phileō] to convey the same meaning?" 

But actually, it's not accurate to say that "Christ asked a third time if Peter loves (phileō) him". The Greek text is clear that in the first two questions (vv. 15-16), Christ used the word agapais, not phileō. Only in the third question (v. 17) does Christ use the phileō word for "love": Christ says to Peter, "phileis me?" That is, "Do you have brotherly affection toward Me?" This relates to the issue (stated by Mr. Dempsey) of whether or not it is accurate to say that the words agapaō and phileō are used synonymously in John 21:15-17, particularly in light of verse 17. Let's take a closer look! Here's what I found in my research, and what I wrote in response to Mr. Dempsey:

With regard to the question, "Why else would John write that Peter was grieved because Christ asked a third time if Peter loves (phileō) him unless John were using the two words [agapaō and phileō] to convey the same meaning?" — the answer is simple. In fact, you've already quoted the verse that contains the answer! It's surprising this wasn't noticed (or perhaps you interpret it differently).

The answer is found in the text you quoted from John 21:17, when John says, "Peter was grieved because He said to him the third time, 'Do you love (phileō) Me?'" Notice that the text says, "the third time" (to triton) as opposed to "a third time". The use of the Greek definite article ("the" in English) is key; John says "the third time," not "a third time". John is simply drawing attention to the third question, not indicating that the same question was repeated three times. John uses the definite article ("the third time," to triton) to highlight the specific third question as a turning point; not suggesting that the same question was asked three times. Most English Bible translations reflect this nuance by rendering it as "the third time" (see John 21:17 in the KJV, NKJV, RSV, ASV, ESV, NASB, NIV, CSB, HCSB, Young's Literal Translation, the Geneva Bible, etc.). Commenting on John 21:17, the New Testament Greek scholar A. T. Robertson affirms, "These two words [agapaō and phileō] are often interchanged in the N.T., but here the distinction is preserved." (Robertson, Word Pictures in the New Testament, Vol. V, p. 321.)

Furthermore, the text of John 21:17 says: "He said to him the third time," not "He said to him again the third time" (as in the Lamsa Bible). It's important to understand that the Lamsa Bible is based on the Peshitta, a Syriac (Aramaic) version of the Bible — not the Koine Greek. The word "again" does not appear in the Koine Greek text of John 21:17. Interestingly, the word "again" doesn't appear in the Aramaic text either. (This can be confirmed by comparing other Aramaic New Testament translations that omit "again" in John 21:17.) George Lamsa inserted the word "again" as an interpretive flourish based on his understanding of the Aramaic idiom. It reflects his stylistic approach, not the actual wording of the Aramaic text. The fact that the word "again" is not in the Greek text of John 21:17 nor in the Aramaic supports the conclusion that the three questions posed by Christ in John 21:15-17 are not simply identical repetitions of the same question. While they share thematic overlap, they are not inherently synonymous.

I would be remiss if I did not close by drawing attention to a beautiful statement by William Kelly concerning Peter's restoration in John 21:17: "Peter abandons every thought of self and can find refuge only in grace." (Wm. Kelly, An Exposition of the Gospel of John [London: 1898], p. 446.)

Agapē | Greek Mnemonics

Bill Mounce’s Basics of Biblical Greek Vocabulary Cards (2nd Edition):

27.) agapē (ἀγάπη, -ης, ἡ): love

Mnemonics / Memory Aids:

A.) “God's love will leave you agape, gaping in wonder.” Notice the play on words: The Greek word agapē means love. The English word agape means gaping in wonder. 

B.) “Without ‘love’, there is a gap in your heart” (Danny Zacharias, FlashGreek Lite). 

C.) “Human souls have A GAP, A gap that can only be filled wIth LOVE.” (AWOL) 

D.) “My mouth hung agape as the love of my life walked down the aisle.” (Tanner Huss) 

E.) “Christ’s love on the cross bridges a gap[e] between us and God.” (Tanner Huss)

Simōn | Greek Mnemonics

Bill Mounce’s Basics of Biblical Greek Vocabulary Cards (2nd Edition):

26.) Simōn (Σίμων, -ωνος, ὁ): Simon

Mnemonics / Memory Aids:

A.) Simon says Simōn. 

B.) “Blessed are you, Simon [Gk. Σίμων] son of Jonah.” (Matt. 16:17) Simon is a transliteration of this name. (Tanner Huss, Beginning with New Testament Greek) 

C.) Simon is a simple name to remember, just like Σίμων. (Google Gemini) 

D.) Simple Monk = Simōn. Think of Simon Peter leaving everything behind—like a monk—to follow Jesus. The words SImple + MONk remind you of the Greek: Σίμων. (ChatGPT)

Pilatos | Greek Mnemonics

Bill Mounce’s Basics of Biblical Greek Vocabulary Cards (2nd Edition):

25.) Pilatos (Πιλᾶτος, -ου, ὁ): Pilate 

Mnemonics / Memory Aids:

A.) Did Pilate do pilates? 

B.) Who is the ‘Pilate’ of this plane? (Danny Zacharias, FlashGreek Lite) 

C.) Think of the phrase: “Pilate tossed truth.” Pilate asked, “What is truth?” (Jn. 18:38) then tossed it aside. (Google Gemini, adapted) 

D.) After delivering Jesus over to the Jews, Πιλᾶτος ate a pie late in the day. 

E.) Pilate then played a game of pillow toss. 

F.) After a night of debauchery, Pilate stumbled out of bed and exclaimed: “A pill at once!”

Bill Mounce and the Koine Greek Pronunciation Debate: Much Ado About Nothing?

While doing some research for Greek mnemonics earlier today, I came across a short YouTube video by the New Testament scholar Bill Mounce, in which he gave the meaning and also the Erasmian (or standard) pronunciation of the vocabulary word “Pilatos,” meaning Pilate. (It’s the name of the Roman governor who asked Jesus the haunting question, "What is truth?") I noticed that in the comments thread for the video, someone posted the following comment: “Do you think you should be giving language lessons when you get 3 vowel sounds wrong in one word?” (As if Bill Mounce is some kind of novice!) I also noticed that three people had given a thumbs up to the comment – apparently they were just as uninformed as the person who wrote it! But sadly, the comment is misleading and based on faulty reasoning. I posted the following response on YouTube, which I’m also reproducing here on my blog with the hope that it will help those who may be confused about this whole issue of Koine Greek pronunciation. Here’s what I said: 

“Wow in regards to the comment about pronunciation. I’d ask, what are you comparing it to? If you are comparing Mounce's pronunciation to how modern Greek is pronounced, your comment is self-refuting because Mounce isn’t teaching modern Greek. And if you are comparing Mounce’s pronunciation to Koine Greek, your comment is also self-refuting because no one living today really knows exactly how Koine Greek was pronounced 2,000 years ago! If Mounce was giving wrong definitions to the words and saying, for example, that the Greek word Pilatos means Christ (which it obviously doesn’t), then I’d be concerned. But in regards to supposedly pronouncing a Koine Greek word ‘wrong,’ what are you comparing it to? Obviously not Koine Greek because no one today knows exactly how Koine Greek was pronounced. And even if Mounce is pronouncing the Koine wrong, it doesn’t affect translation because even a mute person who doesn’t speak at all could do it (!) because reading, writing, and the translation of words doesn’t require the translators to speak anything out loud themselves. So your comment about pronunciation is really beside the point in regards to Koine Greek and specifically in regards to reading and translating the New Testament, which is what Mounce’s translation work is focused on. For example, if I said the word ‘Pilatos’ wrong, I would still write it as ‘Pilatos’. Two people could pronounce that word two different ways, but they would still read it and write it as ‘Pilatos’. It doesn’t affect the actual translation at all.” 

In short, while pronunciation debates can be interesting, they’re ultimately irrelevant to the task of faithfully translating the New Testament.

Petros | Greek Mnemonics

Bill Mounce’s Basics of Biblical Greek Vocabulary Cards (2nd Edition):

24.) Petros (Πέτρος, -ου, ὁ): Peter

Mnemonics / Memory Aids:

 A.) “Peter [Gk. Petros] started walking on the water.” (Matt. 14:29) Peter is a transliteration of this name. (Tanner Huss, Beginning with New Testament Greek) 

B.) Petra means rock. Petros (Peter) means stone. 

C.) Thou art Petros and upon this ‘rock’, I will build my church. (Danny Zacharias, FlashGreek Lite) See Matthew 16:16-18; cf. Eph. 2:19-22; 1 Peter 2:4-9.

Paulos | Greek Mnemonics

Bill Mounce’s Basics of Biblical Greek Vocabulary Cards (2nd Edition):

23.) Paulos (Παῦλος, -ου, ὁ): Paul

Mnemonics / Memory Aids:

A.) On the road to Damascus, Paul lost his sight—and found the Light. (ChatGPT, adapted)

B.) Paulos in Greek, Paul when we speak! (ChatGPT)

C.) Paulos means Paul, clear as day, Greek just adds flair to the name we say. (ChatGPT) 

D.) Paulos considered himself "the least of the apostles" (1 Cor. 15:9). 

E.) Paul, less of himself, more of Christ. Paulos sounds like "Paul, less," pointing to "little" and his humility. (Google Gemini) 

F.) Paul's a loss for words, feeling "small" in God's presence. Connects the sound, his name, and the "small" meaning. (Google Gemini)

Dauid | Greek Mnemonics

Bill Mounce’s Basics of Biblical Greek Vocabulary Cards (2nd Edition):

22. Dauid (Δαυίδ, ὁ): David

Mnemonics / Memory Aids:

A.) Dauid rides a Harley-Davidson. (ChatGPT, adapted) 

B.) "Dauid" looks like "David" in a funhouse mirror. (ChatGPT) 

C.) Like a root from dry ground, grew da weed (Dauid), David, the shepherd that God would lead. (Cf. Isaiah 11:1.) 

D.) "Dauid" in Greek, "da weed" in sound — but it’s King David, the one God crowned. (ChatGPT, adapted)

E.) David grew up smokin' da weed.  

F.) David had cave meetings smokin' da weed.

G. David said, "Don't be messin' with da weed."

Abraam | Greek Mnemonics

Bill Mounce’s Basics of Biblical Greek Vocabulary Cards (2nd Edition):

21. Abraam (Ἀβραάμ, ὁ): Abraham

Mnemonics / Memory Aids: 

A.) Abraham sacrificed a (brown) ram. (See Genesis 22:13. Note: The ram’s color is not specifically mentioned in the biblical text.)

B.) “Ah, brave man!”: Imagine a Greek historian exclaiming, “Ah, brave man, this Abraam!” The phrase directly connects the sound to a characteristic of Abraham. (Google Gemini) 

C.) “Abraam has no ‘ham’—but it’s still Abraham!” – Imagine Abraham going kosher—no “ham” in Abraam! (ChatGPT)

Christos | Greek Mnemonics

Bill Mounce’s Basics of Biblical Greek Vocabulary Cards (2nd Edition):

20. Christos (Χριστός, -οῦ, ὁ): Christ, Messiah, Anointed One

Mnemonics / Memory Aids:

A.) Christology is a word about ‘Christ’. (Danny Zacharias, FlashGreek Lite) 

B.) Christ is a transliteration from this Greek word. (Tanner Huss) 

C.) “In the Old Testament and the earlier parts of the New Testament Χριστός was a title, but as you move through Acts it becomes so closely associated with Jesus that it becomes a personal name like ‘Jesus’ and should be capitalized.” (Bill Mounce) 

D.) A christening is to anoint one in dedication to the Messiah, Christ. (Tanner Huss) 

E.) Merry Xmas = Merry Christmas (Cf. ichthus, Gk. ἰχθύς, where the χ similarly refers to Christ) 

F.) Remind yourself that “Xmas” comes from Χ (Chi) in Χριστός — a shorthand for Christ. (ChatGPT) 

G.) When Greeks would speak of God's own Son, They'd say Christos, the Anointed One. (ChatGPT)

H.) This sacred word, from tongues of old, Christos means "Christ," a story to be told. (Google Gemini)

Phōnē | Greek Mnemonics

Bill Mounce’s Basics of Biblical Greek Vocabulary Cards (2nd Edition):

19. phōnē (φωνή, -ῆς, ἡ): sound, noise; voice

Mnemonics / Memory Aids:

A.) The voice on the phone 

B.) The sound, noise, voice on the phone 

C.) I heard the sound of a voice on the phone. 

D.) I heard the sound of a voice on the phone. (Bill Mounce) 

E.) I hear the ‘sound’ of a phone. (Danny Zacharias, FlashGreek Lite) 

F.) A phonograph is literally a "writer of sounds.” (Bill Mounce)

G.) "A phonograph records and plays back sound." Break it down: phono (sound) + graph (writing) = sound writing. (ChatGPT)

H.) Sound test your microphone, so that your congregation can hear your voice while you preach. (Tanner Huss)

I.) Phonology is the study of speech sounds in components of languages. (Tanner Huss)

J.) Phonics = Sound Learning.  "Kids learn phonics to sound out words." Phonics literally means the sounds of letters. (ChatGPT)

Sabbaton | Greek Mnemonics

Bill Mounce’s Basics of Biblical Greek Vocabulary Cards (2nd Edition):

18. sabbaton (σάββατον, -ου, τό): Sabbath; week

Mnemonics / Memory Aids:

A.) Sabbath is a transliteration of this word. The sabretooth tiger sat on the weak [week] cave man to sabotage his hunting expedition on the Sabbath. (Tanner Huss) 

B.) My teacher is on Sabbat-ical until the end of the ‘week’. (Danny Zacharias, FlashGreek Lite) 

C.) Sabatoge is not permitted on the "Sabbath." (Dr. Meg Ramey) 

D.) Sabbaton = Sabbath on repeat. Think: Sabbaton sounds like "Sabbath on." If the Sabbath is "on," it happens every week—so Sabbaton = Sabbath or week. (ChatGPT) 

E.) When Greek words you begin to speak, Remember "sabbaton" means week. (Google Gemini) 

F.) It marks the rest, the seventh sun, And counts the days until it's done. (ChatGPT) 

G.) It’s Sabbath day, or days combined, A week of time that God designed. (ChatGPT)

Prophētēs | Greek Mnemonics

Bill Mounce’s Basics of Biblical Greek Vocabulary Cards (2nd Edition):

17. prophētēs (προφήτης, -ου, ὁ): prophet 

Mnemonics / Memory Aids:

A.) "PROPHETES" sounds like "PROPHET". Mnemonic: It’s almost the exact same word! Just think: “Prophētēs is a prophet!” (ChatGPT) 

B.) Prophet is a cognate to this Greek word. (Tanner Huss) 

C.) "PRO = before" + "PHĒMI = to speak". Mnemonic: A prophet is someone who “speaks before” events happen. This reflects the etymology: προ- (before) + φημί (I speak). (ChatGPT) 

D.) Old Testament ‘prophets’ speak truth to power. (Danny Zacharias, FlashGreek Lite) 

E.) The "prophet" tastes God's word. (Dr. Meg Ryan) Cf. Jeremiah 15:6; Revelation 10:8-10. 

Pneuma | Greek Mnemonics

Bill Mounce’s Basics of Biblical Greek Vocabulary Cards (2nd Edition):

16. pneuma (πνεῦμα, -ματος, τό): spirit; Spirit; wind, breath, inner life 

Mnemonics / Memory Aids:

A.) English words with the same root: pneumatic, pneumonia, pneumatology 

B.) To remember "Pneum," imagine a powerful gust of wind filling a pair of lungs, symbolizing the essence of life. Mnemonic Device: "Pneum fills the room with breath and spirit.” (Wordpandit) 

C.) Pneumatic = air powered 

D.) “a pneumatic drill” uses air pressure to drive the drill bit. (Merrill Pearlman, “Fun with mnemonics”) 

E.) Pneumonia is a breathing condition. Associate breathing with breath, breath as a type of wind, breath as life, breath as spirit of life. (tg) 

F.) PNEUMonia in my SPIRIT takes my BREATH away. (LaurelB) 

G.) Pa knew Ma since 1939 when they met on the set of “Gone With The Wind”. 

H.) Pneuma-tology is a word about the Holy ‘Spirit’. (Danny Zacharias, FlashGreek Lite)

I.) Pneumatology is the study of the Holy Spirit. (Tanner Huss)

J.) Pneumatology is the study of spiritual beings. (Bill Mounce) 

K.) I knew it in my spirit! (Bill Mounce)

L.) The pneuma, holy, points the way— The Spirit guides us when we pray. (ChatGPT) 

M.) The dove came down with gentle flight, The pneuma—God's own Spirit—bright. (ChatGPT) 

N.) The Holy Spirit, Pneuma from above, Descends with power, filling us with love. (Google Gemini)

The Gospel According to Hollywood: A Critique of Ray Comfort's Theology and the Metanoia He Missed

Ray Comfort recently released a YouTube video with the title, “Repentance: Have I Been Wrong All These Years?” It’s a relatively short 15-minute video, and I watched it just to see what he had to say, not really believing that he would actually admit to being wrong on repentance. And of course, he didn't.

After explaining that the debate centers around the meaning of the word repentance and whether it means “to turn from sins” or if it simply means “a change of mind,” Ray Comfort then says, “I invite you to look at the evidence and decide for yourself.” He then immediately plays a clip from Steven Spielberg's movie Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, where Indiana Jones is muttering to himself, “The penitent man will pass. The penitent man will pass.” Apparently, this is Ray Comfort's idea of biblical repentance! And this is what passes for Bible study these days: playing clips from Hollywood blockbusters! How are we to take such a superficial, and quite candidly, just a worldly (and wrong) view of repentance seriously? Ray Comfort then proceeds to quote several of the Puritan theologians on the meaning of repentance, trying to prove that it means to “turn from sins.” But quoting the Puritans (or other theologians) on the meaning of the English word “repentance” is not exegesis. Maybe Ray Comfort forgot that the New Testament was originally written in Greek, not English!

It’s telling that not anywhere in the entire video does Ray Comfort ever mention the actual New Testament word for repentance: metanoia. This is no doubt because when we look at the New Testament (Greek) word for repentance, metanoia, it doesn’t at all support Comfort’s view of repentance, but rather argues strongly against it. The fact of the matter is that the Greek word metanoia (as used in the NT and elsewhere in early Christian literature) simply means a “change of mind,” not inherently turning from sins. There is overwhelming evidence for this biblical understanding of repentance (metanoia), both from within the NT itself and from other Greek writings of that era. For more information see my article: “The Meaning of Repentance: Quotes from the Ancients, Lexicons, and Theologians” (FGFS, May 28, 2021).

So the question comes down to this: will you base your beliefs on a Hollywood blockbuster or on the Holy Bible? Ray Comfort chose Hollywood. I choose the Bible!

Logos | Greek Mnemonics

Bill Mounce’s Basics of Biblical Greek Vocabulary Cards (2nd Edition):

15. logos (λόγος, -ου, ὁ): word; Word; statement, message

Mnemonics / Memory Aids:

A.) The message read: “Log us in.” 

B.) You'll need a password to logon. (Bill Mounce) 

C.) LOG US on with your passWORD so we can read the MESSAGE. (LaurelB) 

D.) Some seminaries offer a free account of Logos Bible Software. Their Bible word study tool is helpful to better understand the message of a passage. (Tanner Huss) 

E.) λόγος (or the feminine λόγια) is often used in compounds to denote the "study" of something. (Bill Mounce) 

F.) Biology is the study of life. (James Rochford, Evidence Unseen) 

G.) Theo-logy is a “word” about God. (Danny Zacharias, FlashGreek Lite) 

H.) John 1 is often called the Logos Discourse because it begins “In the beginning was the word.” (Tanner Huss) 

I.) The Greek verb "legein" (λέγειν), which means "to say," is related to "logos." This can help you remember the connection to speaking and saying something meaningful. (Google AI Overview. Adapted from Routledge Encyclopedia of Philosophy, see entry on “Logos”.) 

J.) "LOGOS is what you say in a monologue" A mono-logue is a single person speaking—a stream of statements. (ChatGPT)

K.) "Our Dialogue is built on Logos." "Dialogue" (from Greek dia + logos) literally means "through word" or "through discourse." This reminds you that talking involves words and statements. (Google Gemini) 

L.) "A logo is a visual word." Think of a company's logo as a visual representation of their message or brand. (Google Gemini) 

M.) The word "logic" directly comes from the Greek "logos." This can be a good way to remember the connection between "logos" and the concept of reasoning and logic. (Google Gemini) 

N.) "LOG your thoughts." Think of logging your thoughts in a journal—every entry is a word, statement, or message. (ChatGPT) 

O.) "The log cabin has a message." Picture a log cabin with a sign outside delivering a "message" or "statement.” (Google Gemini) 

P.) From ancient scrolls to sermons heard, The Greek word "logos" means a word. (ChatGPT) 

Q.) John’s Gospel opens, hearts are stirred, By logos—Jesus, God's own Word. (ChatGPT, adapted) 

R.) The Gospel's message, truly heard, Logos: Jesus, the Incarnate Word. (Google Gemini) 

S.) A sacred truth, divinely heard, Logos: Christ, the living Word. (Google Gemini)

Kosmos | Greek Mnemonics

Bill Mounce’s Basics of Biblical Greek Vocabulary Cards (2nd Edition):

14. kosmos (κόσμος, ου, -ὁ): world, universe; mankind 

Mnemonics / Memory Aids:

A.) Cosmopolitan: The word “cosmopolitan” comes from the Greek words kosmos (meaning world or universe) and politēs (meaning citizen). Therefore, a “cosmopolitan” person is literally a “world citizen” or “citizen of the world.” (Google Gemini, adapted) 

B.) “Cosmology is the study of the universe.” (James Rochford, Evidence Unseen) 

C.) Cosmology is the philosophical study of the universe. (Bill Mounce) 

D.) Cosmo-logy is a word about the ‘universe’. (Danny Zacharias, FlashGreek Lite) 

E.) “Cosmic, man! Out of this world!” (Bill Mounce) 

F.) ’CAUSE MOSt of HUMANKIND wants to travel the WORLD. (LaurelB) 

G.) Cosmos is another word for the universe. It is also the name of a secular humanist documentary presented by Carl Sagan about the origins of the universe. (Tanner Huss) 

H.) “In Mexico, Spanish priests were growing cosmos [flowers] in their garden. Through their observation of the flower’s perfectly placed petals, they dubbed it ‘cosmos,’ which is the Greek word for harmony or ordered universe.” (Emma) 

I.) “Kosmos includes us!” Mnemonic: “If you’re breathing, you’re in the kosmos – it’s the whole human world!” (ChatGPT) 

J.) I asked Google Gemini to give me some mnemonics for kosmos using the phrase “...’cause Ma’s” (it sounds like the word kosmos); here are my top 3 favorites: 

1. …’cause Ma’s love is as big as the universe. 
2. …’cause Ma’s prayers are for the whole kosmos. 
3. …’cause Ma’s house feels like the center of the universe. (A metaphor tying the home to the kosmos, the ordered world.) 

K.) And my top 3 favorites from ChatGPT: 

1. …’cause ma’s voice reaches the whole world when she calls for dinner. (Imagine her voice echoing across the Earth—fun and memorable.) 
2. …’cause ma’s hugs could heal the entire human race. (Kosmos = all of humanity, wrapped in one embrace.) 
3. …’cause ma’s rules apply no matter where you are on the globe. (Her reach is global—just like kosmos means world.) 

L.) I’m surprised that neither AI model suggested this one; maybe because it incorporates an English idiom: “...’cause Ma’s cooking is out of this world!” The phrase “out of this world” is an idiom that means: it’s amazing! And God’s kosmos is amazing too!

Kardia | Greek Mnemonics

Bill Mounce’s Basics of Biblical Greek Vocabulary Cards (2nd Edition):

13. kardia (καρδία, -ας, ἡ): heart; inner self

Mnemonics / Memory Aids:

A.) cardiology 

B.) Cardiology is the study of the heart. (Bill Mounce) 

C.) Cardiology is a branch of medicine that deals with the heart. (Tanner Huss) 

D.) Cardio is exercise that raises your heart rate. (Tanner Huss) 

E.) You do “cardio” to strengthen your “kardia” (heart). (ChatGPT) 

F.) Ah, my HEART! It's KARDIAc arrest! (LaurelB) 

G.) cardiac arrest = heart attack 

H.) Cardiac arrest means that the ‘heart’ stops. (Danny Zacharias, FlashGreek Lite) 

I.) My cardiologist operated on my heart. (James Rochford, Evidence Unseen) 

J.) A vital organ, playing its part, In Greek, it's kardia, truly the heart. (Google Gemini) 

K.) The inner self, the unseen part, In Koine Greek, it’s “kardia” — heart. (ChatGPT, adapted)

Kai | Greek Mnemonics

Bill Mounce’s Basics of Biblical Greek Vocabulary Cards (2nd Edition):

12. kai (καί): and; even, also; namely

Mnemonics / Memory Aids:

A.) Kai and I. 

B.) Kai and I! (Bill Mounce) 

C.) Cayenne (Veritas19) 

D.) k.a.i. = kappa and iota 

E.) KAI = Keep Adding Information: And, Even, Also, Namely. The "KAI" initials help here. (Google Gemini) 

F.) We saw three ki-tes - a red one ‘and’ purple - ‘even’, ‘also’, a blue one. (Danny Zacharias, FlashGreek Lite) 

G.) Let the meaning of kai fly high, For "and," "even," "also," or "namely," it will apply. (Google Gemini) 

H.) Kai the Connector. Mnemonic: Kai is the kid who always wants to connect things — “and” this, “also” that, “even” more! (ChatGPT) 

I.) Kai Sotto is 7’2” and signed a deal with the NBA G League, he will even be the first Phillipine-born player to join the NBA also. (Tanner Huss) 

J.) Mnemonic: A Greek guy named Kai walks into English class and says, “I mean and, even, also, namely — get it?” (ChatGPT) 

K.) Kai will link what’s side by side, “And,” “even,” “also,”—he won’t hide. (ChatGPT) 

L.) When thoughts need help to join and stay,  Kai steps in to lead the way. (ChatGPT) 

M.) Kai means “and” and sometimes more, “Also,” “even,” names galore! (ChatGPT)

Theos | Greek Mnemonics

Bill Mounce’s Basics of Biblical Greek Vocabulary Cards (2nd Edition):

11. theos (θεός, -οῦ, -ὁ): God, god

Mnemonics / Memory Aids: 

A.) Theology is the study of God. 

B.) Theo-logy is a word about ‘God’. (Danny Zacharias, FlashGreek Lite) 

C.) When reading Greek, don’t feel odd— Just remember that theos means God. (ChatGPT) 

D.) In ancient texts, you'll often see, Theos points to the Deity. (Google Gemini) 

E.) The Oscar goes to God: Imagine God winning an Oscar for “Best Being Ever.” 

“Theos” sounds a bit like “the Oscar.” (Google Gemini) 

F.) “The Oscar goes to God” = Theos. 

“Theos” sounding like “The Oscar” 

And giving the highest honor (an Oscar) to the highest being (God). (ChatGPT, adapted)

G.) “Theos is the common word for God in the Greek New Testament. It normally refers to the true God. However it can also refer to false gods and even humans. The context must determine how it is to be understood.” (Don Stewart) 

H.) “[Theos], usually refers to the one true God; in a very few contexts it refers to a (pagan) god or goddess. The Son of God as a title of Jesus emphasizes his unique relationship to the Father. The god of this age refers to the devil.” (Bill Mounce)

Zōē | Greek Mnemonics

Bill Mounce’s Basics of Biblical Greek Vocabulary Cards (2nd Edition):

10. zōē (ζωή, -ῆς, ἡ): life

Mnemonics / Memory Aids: 

A.) Eve’s name in the Greek Septuagint is Zōē (Life), “because she was the mother of all living” (Genesis 3:21, Brenton’s Septuagint Translation). 

B.) That girl - Zoe - is so full of ‘life’! (Danny Zacharias, FlashGreek Lite) 

C.) My friend Zoe is full of life. (Tanner Huss) 

D.) Zoe loved life. (Bill Mounce) 

E.) Zoology is the study of animal life. (Bill Mounce) 

F.) Think of the animals living at the zoo: ζωή life.

G.) The zoo is full of life. (Tanner Huss)

H.) Zōē can mean physical and/or spiritual life. Jesus said: “I am the resurrection and the ζωή.” (John 11:25)

Eschatos | Greek Mnemonics

Bill Mounce’s Basics of Biblical Greek Vocabulary Cards (2nd Edition):

9. eschatos (ἔσχατος, -η, -ον): last

Mnemonics / Memory Aids: 

A.) My last class is Eschatology. 

B.) Eschatology is the study of last things. (Tanner Huss) 

C.) Eschatology is a word about the ‘end’ times. (Danny Zacharias, FlashGreek Lite) 

D.) Eschatology = End Times. If you know eschatology is the study of the last things, remember "eschatos" means last. (ChatGPT) 

E.) Here’s a rhyming couplet to help remember that eschatos means “last”: 

“From Patmos’ isle, John’s visions blast, Of fire, thrones, and days eschatos.” Cf. The Book of Revelation. (Poem by ChatGPT) 

F.) “ESCape at the Last” You’re in a game, and you press “ESC” (escape) at the last moment: eschatos = last. (ChatGPT) 

G.) Think: “The escalator stops at the last floor—eschatos!” (ChatGPT) 

H.) “Hey, skat to the last!” (Bill Mounce) 

I.) “Scat! It’s the last!” Imagine someone yelling “Scat!” as the last cookie is taken. “Es-scat-os” = last. (ChatGPT) 

J.) “In Gk. [Greek] thinking . . . eschatos means the opposite of prōtos (first).” (Verlyn D. Verbrugge, New International Dictionary of New Testament Theology, Abridged Edition, p. 211.)