Maryvale Institute - Greek Language Course

Greek Language Course — Koine Greek for Beginners

The language in which the gospel was first written.

An annotated book in Greek on a writing pad, alongside a pencil.

When you open the New Testament, you are reading a translation. The words of Jesus, the letters of Paul, the prologue of John — all reach us through the Koine Greek of the first-century Mediterranean world. Koine was the lingua franca of the Roman East, the everyday speech of merchants, soldiers, and ordinary people. It was also the language in which the Holy Spirit chose to set down the testimony of the apostolic Church.

To read the New Testament in Greek is not an academic luxury. It is to meet the text as it was first written, in the rhythms its authors heard, with a precision that translation can only approximate. Words like logos, agape, koinonia, parousia carry whole theologies that come fully alive only in their own tongue.

This course teaches Koine Greek from the very beginning, no prior knowledge assumed. By the end of the year, students will be reading the opening chapters of St John's Gospel in the original and will have begun the lifelong practice of returning to the New Testament in its own voice.

The conviction behind the course

Magnus es, Domine, et laudabilis valde.

"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." — John 1:1

By the end of the year, every student who has stayed the course will read this verse in its original Greek. The conviction behind the course is the one expressed by Pope Pius XII in Divino Afflante Spiritu: "the original text … having been written by the inspired author himself, has more authority and greater weight than any, even the very best, translation, whether ancient or modern" (§16).

The course teaches Greek as a tool for reading. The aim is not virtuoso linguistic performance but literacy: the steady, unhurried capacity to open the Greek New Testament and recognise the Word that lies behind every translation.

It is designed for catechists, lectors, teachers of the faith, lay theologians, and any serious reader of Scripture who wants to spend the rest of their life able to return to the original.

Requirements

This course has no academic prerequisites, but it relies heavily on basic computer skills and a working knowledge of English. To take part, you will need:

A reliable internet connection and access to a computer or tablet (a smartphone alone is not sufficient for written work.

Basic computer skills — comfortable using email, navigating a virtual learning environment (such as Canvas), joining live online sessions, and uploading written work as a Word or PDF document.

A working knowledge of English. Materials, lectures, and assessments are in English throughout. As a guide, we recommend at least CEFR level B2 (upper intermediate) — sufficient to follow the live lectures and to absorb instruction in English grammar terms.

If you are unsure whether your English or computer skills are at the right level, please get in touch before applying — we are happy to talk it through.

Course structure

Twenty weeks of teaching, with a 75-minute weekly live lecture on Canvas (instruction plus Q&A, discussion, and translation practice). The course follows a graded progression: alphabet and pronunciation, basic morphology, syntax, and the steady building of vocabulary. By the closing weeks, students are reading short passages of the New Testament directly.

Assessment is by a final written exam — a passage of Koine Greek to translate.

The annual exam is optional. It is only for students who wish to receive a certificate. Students who do not wish to be certified take the full course without the exam — everything else stays the same.

Schedule

Course start: 17 September 2026.
Duration: 20 weeks
Live lectures: Thursday, 17:45–19:00 UK time (75 minutes).

*Dates are subject to change; students will be informed in due course.

Practicalities

Format: online via Canvas; synchronous weekly lectures via Canvas.
Duration: 20 weeks (approximately 50 to 60 hours total workload).
Validation: Maryvale Higher Institute of Religious Sciences (HIRS) — Level 3, 2 ECTS.
Fee: £300 — includes the final translation exam, for students who wish to receive a certificate
Cohort: maximum 20 students.
Textbook: The Elements of New Testament Greek by Jeremy Duff (Cambridge University Press) — students purchase their own copy.
Course lead: Dr Jack Bull.

Apply

Application deadline: 30 August 2026. Course start: 17 September 2026.

APPLY

If you have any questions before applying, please make an online enquiry below or call 0121 3608118.

Study With Us - Greek Language Course - Koine Greek for beginners

Greek Language Course — Koine Greek for Beginners

The language in which the gospel was first written.

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