Have you always wanted to be able to read the Greek NT better and without study aids? Have you studied the Greek language but always find yourself struggling when you turn to the actual text of the New Testament? Well, the best way to become familiar with Greek (or any language) is to read the text as often as possible.

If you need help disciplining yourself to read the Greek NT, then this resource may help.

Lee Irons, a PhD student at Fuller Theological Seminary, has put together a calendar and study notes for a Greek NT Reading Program. His program and study notes use the United Bible Society’s Greek New Testament: A Reader’s Edition (2007).

 Here are Lee’s suggested study steps:

1. Pick a time limit – say, 30 minutes a day – and do just enough to get through that day’s reading. Don’t be a perfectionist. Press on even if you don’t understand every Greek construction o rnuance.

2. Read every day. It is very hard to catch up when you’re behind. Only use one of your 31 off‐days in a pinch.

3. Don’t use your Bible software as your primary reading text, since your long term goal is to be able to read the Greek NT without crutches.

4. Read the Greek out loud. Hearing the words will improve your comprehension and retention. It encourages you to slow down and take in the meaning one word at a time.

5. Keep a notebook and write down your exegetical and homiletical observations, or flag any issues that you would like to explore in the future.

6. If you are using the Reader’s Edition, you will not need to look up much vocabulary, since this is provided in thefootnotes. But it is still a good exercise to look up words in BDAG from time to time. BDAG is a treasure trove of grammatical, exegetical, and theological information.

7. For syntactical issues, consult my Greek Syntax Notes, which are focused on providing concise explanations of grammatical features that arenot immediately obvious.

8. Attempt a wooden translation in your head for each verse. A wooden translation ought to follow the word order and grammatical structure of the Greek as closely as possible.

9. Try not to consultant an English version too quickly when you encounter difficulty. Nevertheless, the contemporary English versions are useful for pointing you in the right direction when you’re stuck.

10.Read A.T. Robertson’s classic, The Minister and His Greek New Testament – it contains many delightful anecdotes, exegetical insights, and inspiration.

You can find Lee’s calendar and instructions here: http://www.upper-register.com/papers/2008-SBL-poster.pdf

You can find his study notes here: http://www.upper-register.com/papers.html#GNT

(HT: JT at Between Two Worlds)