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Exegetical Journeys in Biblical Greek: 90 Days of Guided Reading
Often students want to maintain their Biblical Greek when they're between courses, but they don't know where to start. This book provides ninety days of guided reading and brief exercises to help students retain their knowledge and skill in reading and interpreting Biblical Greek.
Noted language expert Benjamin Merkle guides readers through level-appropriate texts selected from across the New Testament canon, encouraging them to read and analyze one or two verses a day. The book begins with easy texts and gradually increases in difficulty through the 90 days. Each reading ends with a section called "For the Journey," which provides a practical application or reflection on the text, and an answer key so that students can check their work.
This follow-up to Merkle's Exegetical Gems from Biblical Greek is ideal for Greek language students after their first year of study and for those who want to revive their knowledge and love of Biblical Greek. A companion volume on Hebrew is forthcoming.
Noted language expert Benjamin Merkle guides readers through level-appropriate texts selected from across the New Testament canon, encouraging them to read and analyze one or two verses a day. The book begins with easy texts and gradually increases in difficulty through the 90 days. Each reading ends with a section called "For the Journey," which provides a practical application or reflection on the text, and an answer key so that students can check their work.
This follow-up to Merkle's Exegetical Gems from Biblical Greek is ideal for Greek language students after their first year of study and for those who want to revive their knowledge and love of Biblical Greek. A companion volume on Hebrew is forthcoming.
284 pages, Kindle Edition
Published November 21, 2023
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
May 28, 2026
Congratulations! You completed coursework in Biblical Greek. Now what?
Seminary professors often use the old adage, “If you don’t use it, you’ll lose it” in reference to language studies. Once course requirements are completed, it can be difficult for students to establish habits that keep them connected to the original languages.
As an experienced professor and an author of one of the top introductory Greek Grammars (Beginning with New Testament Greek), Benjamin Merkle is well aware of the challenges that students face in language learning and maintenance. His previous book, Greek for Life: Strategies for Learning, Retaining, and Reviving New Testament Greek, gives compelling reasons to maintain language skills and offers suggestions on how to create reasonable rhythms. However, Merkle’s newest book in the field offers more than suggestions. It paves a pathway and provides a guide along the way.
After a short introduction, the book offers 90 daily readings to guide the reader through a 10–15-minute walk through the Greek text. The carefully crafted exercises are rooted in scripture, and each day focuses on just one or two verses. After reading the verse(s) aloud, the reader parses the verbs, identifies the nouns, and writes out a translation. An answer key is included so readers can check their work and learn from mistakes. The author also includes some syntactical notes and a short paragraph of commentary. Just as a student trained in art approaches a painting with a different appreciation than a general museum patron, a student trained in Greek has unique tools to aid their devotional reflection on the text. This book acts as a teacher standing with the student and reminding them of all they have learned, offering up a text so they can practice their Greek training. After five days the reader has covered a complete literary unit and moves on to a new selection of text. The selected readings include every New Testament author and a variety of literary genres.
Divided into three, 30-day “Journeys” (Easy, Intermediate, Difficult), this book is a perfect companion for a student in between semesters or former students looking to regain their proficiency. While there are plenty of websites and myriads of tools available to those who want to continue in their studies, the sheer number of resources itself can be paralyzing. Students can feel overwhelmed by the options they face in creating post-course habits. Merkle removes some of the hurdles by creating an easy-to-follow pathway to developing consistent post-course interaction with the Greek text.
The first 30-day journey would be ideal for use between semesters of Greek 1 and 2 to combat the attrition that often thwarts students early in their second semester. Or all three journeys could be completed over the summer to keep the language fresh for exegesis work in the fall. Although printed as a traditional paperback book, its function is intended as a workbook to write in. Hence, the relatively small size makes it suitable for travel, but the traditional paperback binding makes writing in the pages slightly cumbersome.
Professors can leverage this as a tool to keep students accountable in between semester breaks by assigning each of the three journeys at the close of three corresponding semesters in Greek, either as an optional assignment or as extra credit. Ideally this would be included in a resource list for purchase during the honeymoon phase of Greek 1 and become a lifeline to keep a student’s motivation rolling at the end of each semester. Alternatively, academic advisors could recommend this to students who have to take a pause in their Greek coursework or those considering returning after an extended break.
This book would also make a perfect gift for a graduating student, many of whom could benefit from a simple pathway that helps them reap the benefit of the investment of time and money they have already spent in their language studies. Although each daily lesson is short, it is not necessarily the depth but the consistency that is key. Developing a daily habit of interaction with the text becomes an on ramp to a lifetime of journeys through the original languages.
See the original published review in Volume 17-1, pages 52-53 – Africanus-Journal
Seminary professors often use the old adage, “If you don’t use it, you’ll lose it” in reference to language studies. Once course requirements are completed, it can be difficult for students to establish habits that keep them connected to the original languages.
As an experienced professor and an author of one of the top introductory Greek Grammars (Beginning with New Testament Greek), Benjamin Merkle is well aware of the challenges that students face in language learning and maintenance. His previous book, Greek for Life: Strategies for Learning, Retaining, and Reviving New Testament Greek, gives compelling reasons to maintain language skills and offers suggestions on how to create reasonable rhythms. However, Merkle’s newest book in the field offers more than suggestions. It paves a pathway and provides a guide along the way.
After a short introduction, the book offers 90 daily readings to guide the reader through a 10–15-minute walk through the Greek text. The carefully crafted exercises are rooted in scripture, and each day focuses on just one or two verses. After reading the verse(s) aloud, the reader parses the verbs, identifies the nouns, and writes out a translation. An answer key is included so readers can check their work and learn from mistakes. The author also includes some syntactical notes and a short paragraph of commentary. Just as a student trained in art approaches a painting with a different appreciation than a general museum patron, a student trained in Greek has unique tools to aid their devotional reflection on the text. This book acts as a teacher standing with the student and reminding them of all they have learned, offering up a text so they can practice their Greek training. After five days the reader has covered a complete literary unit and moves on to a new selection of text. The selected readings include every New Testament author and a variety of literary genres.
Divided into three, 30-day “Journeys” (Easy, Intermediate, Difficult), this book is a perfect companion for a student in between semesters or former students looking to regain their proficiency. While there are plenty of websites and myriads of tools available to those who want to continue in their studies, the sheer number of resources itself can be paralyzing. Students can feel overwhelmed by the options they face in creating post-course habits. Merkle removes some of the hurdles by creating an easy-to-follow pathway to developing consistent post-course interaction with the Greek text.
The first 30-day journey would be ideal for use between semesters of Greek 1 and 2 to combat the attrition that often thwarts students early in their second semester. Or all three journeys could be completed over the summer to keep the language fresh for exegesis work in the fall. Although printed as a traditional paperback book, its function is intended as a workbook to write in. Hence, the relatively small size makes it suitable for travel, but the traditional paperback binding makes writing in the pages slightly cumbersome.
Professors can leverage this as a tool to keep students accountable in between semester breaks by assigning each of the three journeys at the close of three corresponding semesters in Greek, either as an optional assignment or as extra credit. Ideally this would be included in a resource list for purchase during the honeymoon phase of Greek 1 and become a lifeline to keep a student’s motivation rolling at the end of each semester. Alternatively, academic advisors could recommend this to students who have to take a pause in their Greek coursework or those considering returning after an extended break.
This book would also make a perfect gift for a graduating student, many of whom could benefit from a simple pathway that helps them reap the benefit of the investment of time and money they have already spent in their language studies. Although each daily lesson is short, it is not necessarily the depth but the consistency that is key. Developing a daily habit of interaction with the text becomes an on ramp to a lifetime of journeys through the original languages.
See the original published review in Volume 17-1, pages 52-53 – Africanus-Journal
October 16, 2023
One of the challenges of learning any language is the frequency of usage. The old adage "Use it or lose it" is particularly true for languages. Even for those who grow up in their native languages, lack of usage will impact fluency. Learning the ancient biblical languages is the same. Whether it is Hebrew or Greek, constant practice makes perfect. For many who had studied the biblical languages in seminary, chances are, they would have lost their learning through lack of usage in an English-speaking world. Author Benjamin Merkle calls this "linguistic apostacy." This book is about helping seminarians, and those who had learned biblical Greek at some point in their lives to practice its use over a period of 90 days. It is a follow-up to "Exegetical Gems from Biblical Greek" published in 2019. The journey is arranged from elementary (Gospel of Mark and John) to advanced (later part of the New Testament) levels of reading. Comprising three journeys labeled "Easy," "Intermediate," and "Difficult," readers have 90 lessons to work through. The hope is that this guide gives one a starting torque toward making such journeys a way of life. Each day comprises a sequence as follows:
1) Reading aloud the selected text
2) Identifying the nouns
3) Translating the Greek to English
4) Noticing significant exegetical and syntactical insights
5) Searching for the significance of the passage
My Thoughts
==============
Learning Greek is hard for many. Keeping it might be even tougher. In school, we have a community of learners to push us and professors to guide us. Once we finish school, it takes lots of self-discipline in order to study. In the absence of a community of learners, this book is a nice go-between learning alone and learning with others. The guide provides the Greek text and parsing tables for us to work through. By starting off with easier phrases, one will be encouraged to persevere. The first month is the easy month where the passages are shorter. The subsequent months pack more verses into each day with more complicated grammar. Despite the different degrees of difficulty, the framework for practice is the same. It is hoped that the daily exercises will set in motion a pattern of reading, exegesis, and translation. It is a journey and the journey can sometimes be hard.
Before one jumps into this book, there are prerequisites. There is no transliteration so readers will have to read the Greek well. This is a key skill to have. For those who have forgotten the Greek alphabet and its pronunciation, this book will not supply any such assistance. Hence, the pre-requisite would be a familiarity with the alphabet and a basic understanding of the vocabulary. Some revision of the grammar will be necessary as well. This can be found in the Appendix on "Supplementary Vocabulary." Once those are completed, the process of learning will be smoother. Perhaps the answer keys could be placed at a less conspicuous location to prevent "accidental" peeking.
This is a useful resource for Greek revision. The hardest part is actually not the text but the discipline needed to work through it regularly. Thankfully, while the initial work through might seem dry, the short reflection "For the Journey" provides a refreshing insight into the text.
Benjamin L. Merkle (PhD, The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary) is the Dr. M. O. Owens Jr. Chair of New Testament Studies and research professor of New Testament and Greek at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary in Wake Forest, North Carolina. He is the author, coauthor, or editor of more than forty books, including Greek for Life, Exegetical Gems from Biblical Greek, Linguistics and New Testament Greek, Beginning with New Testament Greek, and Going Deeper with New Testament Greek. He is also the editor of Southeastern Theological Review.
Rating: 4.25 out of 5.
conrade
This book has been provided courtesy of Baker Academic via NetGalley without requiring a positive review. All opinions offered above are mine unless otherwise stated or implied.
1) Reading aloud the selected text
2) Identifying the nouns
3) Translating the Greek to English
4) Noticing significant exegetical and syntactical insights
5) Searching for the significance of the passage
My Thoughts
==============
Learning Greek is hard for many. Keeping it might be even tougher. In school, we have a community of learners to push us and professors to guide us. Once we finish school, it takes lots of self-discipline in order to study. In the absence of a community of learners, this book is a nice go-between learning alone and learning with others. The guide provides the Greek text and parsing tables for us to work through. By starting off with easier phrases, one will be encouraged to persevere. The first month is the easy month where the passages are shorter. The subsequent months pack more verses into each day with more complicated grammar. Despite the different degrees of difficulty, the framework for practice is the same. It is hoped that the daily exercises will set in motion a pattern of reading, exegesis, and translation. It is a journey and the journey can sometimes be hard.
Before one jumps into this book, there are prerequisites. There is no transliteration so readers will have to read the Greek well. This is a key skill to have. For those who have forgotten the Greek alphabet and its pronunciation, this book will not supply any such assistance. Hence, the pre-requisite would be a familiarity with the alphabet and a basic understanding of the vocabulary. Some revision of the grammar will be necessary as well. This can be found in the Appendix on "Supplementary Vocabulary." Once those are completed, the process of learning will be smoother. Perhaps the answer keys could be placed at a less conspicuous location to prevent "accidental" peeking.
This is a useful resource for Greek revision. The hardest part is actually not the text but the discipline needed to work through it regularly. Thankfully, while the initial work through might seem dry, the short reflection "For the Journey" provides a refreshing insight into the text.
Benjamin L. Merkle (PhD, The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary) is the Dr. M. O. Owens Jr. Chair of New Testament Studies and research professor of New Testament and Greek at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary in Wake Forest, North Carolina. He is the author, coauthor, or editor of more than forty books, including Greek for Life, Exegetical Gems from Biblical Greek, Linguistics and New Testament Greek, Beginning with New Testament Greek, and Going Deeper with New Testament Greek. He is also the editor of Southeastern Theological Review.
Rating: 4.25 out of 5.
conrade
This book has been provided courtesy of Baker Academic via NetGalley without requiring a positive review. All opinions offered above are mine unless otherwise stated or implied.
October 31, 2025
I received this book at a conference recently. I would not have bought it. I’m probably not the ideal person this book is written for and so I found it tedious until the final three “Routes”. I did my best to work for speed through the monotonous bits.
So, the book’s layout is 90 days’ worth of a verse or two from the New Testament Greek text (I can’t find any reference to which Greek text is used, doesn’t matter) that is to be read aloud at least five times, then parse indicative verbs (not participles or infinitives, but there is one optative, tricky) and nouns, pronouns. Then there’s an exegetical blurb akin to a Baylor or EGGNT handbook (usually drawn directly from those series or other commentaries, the author likes Schreiner, eg). Then there’s a devotional idea and an answer key in small print for the parsing and to check your translation. There are some vocabulary helps, so don’t be discouraged.
The passages become gradually more difficult, ultimately drawing from James, 1 Peter, Jude and Hebrews. And yet, throughout, the parsing table includes “humon”, eimi, etc, very basic stuff. As I said, I went for speed through these.
Now there’s nothing to stop the reader from parsing everything in a passage, especially because the exegetical blurb includes those participles and infinitives fully parsed. I mean, I would recommend just parsing everything. But then, why not just grab your Greek NT with a table that ranks the difficulty of books and do this on your own. That’s probably Dr Merkle’s goal for this anyway.
So, the book’s layout is 90 days’ worth of a verse or two from the New Testament Greek text (I can’t find any reference to which Greek text is used, doesn’t matter) that is to be read aloud at least five times, then parse indicative verbs (not participles or infinitives, but there is one optative, tricky) and nouns, pronouns. Then there’s an exegetical blurb akin to a Baylor or EGGNT handbook (usually drawn directly from those series or other commentaries, the author likes Schreiner, eg). Then there’s a devotional idea and an answer key in small print for the parsing and to check your translation. There are some vocabulary helps, so don’t be discouraged.
The passages become gradually more difficult, ultimately drawing from James, 1 Peter, Jude and Hebrews. And yet, throughout, the parsing table includes “humon”, eimi, etc, very basic stuff. As I said, I went for speed through these.
Now there’s nothing to stop the reader from parsing everything in a passage, especially because the exegetical blurb includes those participles and infinitives fully parsed. I mean, I would recommend just parsing everything. But then, why not just grab your Greek NT with a table that ranks the difficulty of books and do this on your own. That’s probably Dr Merkle’s goal for this anyway.
November 28, 2023
"Exegetical Journeys in Biblical Greek" by Benjamin L. Merkle is a concise yet powerful companion for anyone seeking a deeper understanding of the New Testament in its original language. The 90-day guided reading plan is a brilliant approach, offering readers a structured path to navigate the complexities of Biblical Greek.
There are 3 Journeys with 6 routes each the student can take: easy, intermediate, and difficult. Each route consists of 5 days focusing on a passage of Scripture. Reading, parsing, identifying, translating, and noticing are the components in each route. At the end is a reflection for the passage's present significance.
Merkle's clear and insightful commentary not only enhances comprehension but also fosters a genuine appreciation for the linguistic nuances of the sacred text. A must-have for a seasoned Greek student, a pastor who has been in the Greek off and on over the years pastors, or as a goal for someone looking to lead a more in depth bible study or a future pastor wanting to have Greek for life.
There are 3 Journeys with 6 routes each the student can take: easy, intermediate, and difficult. Each route consists of 5 days focusing on a passage of Scripture. Reading, parsing, identifying, translating, and noticing are the components in each route. At the end is a reflection for the passage's present significance.
Merkle's clear and insightful commentary not only enhances comprehension but also fosters a genuine appreciation for the linguistic nuances of the sacred text. A must-have for a seasoned Greek student, a pastor who has been in the Greek off and on over the years pastors, or as a goal for someone looking to lead a more in depth bible study or a future pastor wanting to have Greek for life.
June 4, 2024
This book has been a useful tool in helping me prepare for intermediate Greek studies. The layout is super helpful. Having a couple of paragraphs of exegetical insights and then a short devotional on the verses that reader is invited to translate is an excellent touch. Parsing of some nouns are verbs are also required each day.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews