Koine Pronunciations – Ephesians

One common obstacle to reading Greek is uncertainty about pronunciation. Even when reading silently, most of us naturally subvocalize—sounding out the words in our minds. To support that process, Accessible Faith uses a reconstructed Koine Greek pronunciation system. You are, of course, welcome to use the pronunciation system you prefer.

If you would like to hear how this system sounds, the pronunciations below provide examples. The words included here are drawn from the epistle itself and were selected because they are significant to the text, illustrate important forms and patterns, or present pronunciation features that readers often find challenging or interesting. Because hearing Greek in context helps develop a feel for the rhythm and flow of the language, I have also included recordings of two brief passages.

If there are words you would like to hear pronounced that are not listed here, feel free to reach out. Contact →

Organizational Note

Rather than simply listing words alphabetically, this list organizes some words by function and form. In this way, you can hear related patterns together—for example, several perfects in succession. My hope is that this will help develop reading fluency by training your ear to recognize recurring forms and structures.

Core Vocabulary

Ἀγάπη (love)

Ἅγιος (holy/saint)

Ἀνακεφαλαιώσασθαι – aor. mid. inf. ▶ Ἀνακεφαλαιόω: sum up/recapitulate.

Ἀποστόλος (apostle)

Δόξα (glory)

Δύναμις (power/strength)

Εἰρήνη (peace)

Ἐκκλησία (church)

Θεμελίος (foundation / foundation stone)

Καρδία (heart)

Κεφαλή (head)

Κύριος (lord)

Μεσότοιχον (dividing wall / middle wall)

Μυστήριον (mystery)

Οἰκοδομή (building up / edification)

Οἰκονομία (administration / stewardship / plan)

Πανοπλία (full armor)

Περιπατέω (walk / live)

Πίστις (faith / faithfullenss)

Πληρόω (fill / fullness)

Πληρωμα (fullness)

Πνεῦμα (spirit/Spirit)

Πολυποίκιλος (manifold / many-sided)

Προορίζω (predestine / foreordain)

Συμπολίτης (fellow citizen)

Σῶμα (body)

Φῶς (light)

Χάρις (grace)

Paired/Conceptual Words

ἀνήρ (husband) / γυνή (wife)

γνῶσις / ἐπίγνωσις (knowledge)

καλέω / κλῆσις (call/calling)

σκοτία / σκότος (darkness/sin)

Perfect Forms

Ἀπηλλοτριωμένοι – perf. Pass. Ptc. Masc. Pl. Nom. ▶ ἀπαλλοτριόω: estrange, alienate.

Εἰδῆτε – 2nd pl. perf. Act. Subj. ▶ Οἶδα: know.

Πεφωτισμένους – perf. Pass. Ptc. Masc. Pl. Nom. ▶ φωτίζω: enlighten, give light to.

Pauline σύν-Compounds

  • Συνεκάθισεν – 3rd sing. Aor. Act. Ind. ▶ συγκαθίζω: sit down with.
  • Συνεζωοποίησε(ν) – 3rd sing. Aor. Act. Ind. ▶ συζωοποιέω: make alive together with someone. (The word is not used anywhere outside of Christian literature).
  • Συνήγειρε(ν) – 3rd sing. Aor. Act. Ind. ▶ συνεγείρω: awaken with, to raise up with from death, physical or spiritual, raise with.

Participial Movement

  • Ἀναβὰς – aor. act. ptc. masc. sing. nom. ▶ ἀναβαίνω: go up/ ascend.
  • Ἐνεργουμένην – pres. act. ptc. fem. sing. acc. ▶ ἐνεργέω: to work, to be at work.
  • πληρουμένοι – pres. mid. ptc. masc. sing. gen. ▶ Πληρόω – fill / fullness.
  • Συναρμολογουμένη – pres. pass. ptc. fem. sing. nom. ▶ Συναρμολογέω – join, fit together.
  • Ὢν – pres. act. ptc. masc. sing. nom. ▶ Εἰμί: to be / exist.

Complete Verses

Eph 2:8–10.

8 τῇ γὰρ χάριτί ἐστε σεσωσμένοι διὰ τῆς πίστεως, καὶ τοῦτο οὐκ ἐξ ὑμῶν· Θεοῦ τὸ δῶρον·
9 οὐκ ἐξ ἔργων, ἵνα μή τις καυχήσηται. 
10 αὐτοῦ γάρ ἐσμεν ποίημα, κτισθέντες ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ ἐπὶ ἔργοις ἀγαθοῖς, οἷς προητοίμασεν ὁ Θεὸς, ἵνα ἐν αὐτοῖς περιπατήσωμεν. 

Eph 4:1–3.

1 Παρακαλῶ οὖν ὑμᾶς ἐγὼ, ὁ δέσμιος ἐν Κυρίῳ, ἀξίως περιπατῆσαι τῆς κλήσεως ἧς ἐκλήθητε, 
2 μετὰ πάσης ταπεινοφροσύνης καὶ πρᾳότητος, μετὰ μακροθυμίας, ἀνεχόμενοι ἀλλήλων ἐν ἀγάπῃ, 
3 σπουδάζοντες τηρεῖν τὴν ἑνότητα τοῦ Πνεύματος ἐν τῷ συνδέσμῳ τῆς εἰρήνης.

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