Welcome to Lesson 29 of the Latinum Institute's Koine Greek course. In this lesson, we will explore the possessive pronoun "his" in Koine Greek, which is expressed through the genitive case of αὐτός (autos). This fundamental word appears throughout the New Testament and other Hellenistic texts, making it essential for reading Greek literature from this period.
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The English word "his" is rendered in Koine Greek primarily as αὐτοῦ (autou), which is the genitive singular masculine/neuter form of the pronoun αὐτός. This form indicates possession or relationship, functioning as a third-person possessive pronoun.
Q: What does "his" mean in Koine Greek? A: "His" in Koine Greek is αὐτοῦ (autou), the genitive form of αὐτός. It indicates possession by a masculine subject and agrees with the possessor, not with the thing possessed.
Course: Koine Greek Language Learning Level: Beginner to Intermediate Topic: Possessive Pronouns - "his" (αὐτοῦ) Type: Self-study lesson with interlinear glossing Institution: Latinum Institute Language of Instruction: English Target Language: Koine (Hellenistic) Greek
In this lesson, αὐτοῦ will appear in various contexts showing possession, demonstrating its flexibility in Greek sentence structure. Unlike English, where "his" always precedes the noun it modifies, Greek αὐτοῦ can appear before or after its noun, and sometimes at a distance from it. The examples will showcase different word orders and grammatical contexts to help you recognize and understand this essential pronoun in authentic Greek texts.
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αὐτοῦ is the genitive singular masculine/neuter form meaning "his" or "its" -
Position in the sentence is flexible, unlike rigid English word order -
The pronoun agrees with the possessor's gender, not the possessed object -
Context determines whether to translate as "his," "its," or occasionally "of him" -
Understanding αὐτοῦ is crucial for reading New Testament and Hellenistic Greek
29.1a ὁ the πατὴρ father ἀγαπᾷ loves τὸν the υἱὸν son αὐτοῦ his 29.1b ho (ho) the patēr (pa-TĒR) father agapāi (a-ga-PĀ-i) loves ton (ton) the huion (hui-ON) son autou (au-TOU) his
29.2a εἶδον I-saw τὴν the οἰκίαν house αὐτοῦ his ἐν in τῇ the πόλει city 29.2b eidon (EI-don) I-saw tēn (tēn) the oikian (oi-KI-an) house autou (au-TOU) his en (en) in tēi (tēi) the polei (PO-lei) city
29.3a αὐτοῦ his ἡ the μήτηρ mother ἦλθεν came πρὸς towards ἡμᾶς us 29.3b autou (au-TOU) his hē (hē) the mētēr (MĒ-tēr) mother ēlthen (ĒL-then) came pros (pros) towards hēmās (hē-MĀS) us
29.4a ὁ the δοῦλος slave ὑπήκουσεν obeyed τῷ to-the κυρίῳ lord αὐτοῦ his 29.4b ho (ho) the doulos (DOU-los) slave hupēkousen (hu-PĒ-kou-sen) obeyed tōi (tōi) to-the kuriōi (ku-RI-ōi) lord autou (au-TOU) his
29.5a λαμβάνει he-takes τὸ the βιβλίον book ἐκ from τῆς the χειρὸς hand αὐτοῦ his 29.5b lambanei (lam-BA-nei) he-takes to (to) the biblion (bi-BLI-on) book ek (ek) from tēs (tēs) the kheiros (khei-ROS) hand autou (au-TOU) his
29.6a οἱ the μαθηταὶ disciples αὐτοῦ his ἤκουσαν heard τὴν the φωνήν voice 29.6b hoi (hoi) the mathētai (ma-thē-TAI) disciples autou (au-TOU) his ēkousan (Ē-kou-san) heard tēn (tēn) the phōnēn (phō-NĒN) voice
29.7a ἔγραψεν he-wrote ἐν in τῷ the ὀνόματι name αὐτοῦ his 29.7b egrapsen (E-grap-sen) he-wrote en (en) in tōi (tōi) the onomati (o-NO-ma-ti) name autou (au-TOU) his
29.8a τὸ the τέκνον child ἔμεινεν remained μετὰ with τοῦ the πατρὸς father αὐτοῦ his 29.8b to (to) the teknon (TEK-non) child emeinen (E-mei-nen) remained meta (me-TA) with tou (tou) the patros (pa-TROS) father autou (au-TOU) his
29.9a αὐτοῦ his τὸ the ἔργον work ἐστὶν is καλόν good 29.9b autou (au-TOU) his to (to) the ergon (ER-gon) work estin (es-TIN) is kalon (ka-LON) good
29.10a ἀπέστειλεν he-sent τὸν the ἄγγελον messenger αὐτοῦ his εἰς into τὴν the χώραν land 29.10b apesteilen (a-PE-stei-len) he-sent ton (ton) the angelon (AN-ge-lon) messenger autou (au-TOU) his eis (eis) into tēn (tēn) the khōran (KHŌ-ran) land
29.11a ὁ the βασιλεὺς king ἐκάθισεν sat ἐπὶ upon τοῦ the θρόνου throne αὐτοῦ his 29.11b ho (ho) the basileus (ba-si-LEUS) king ekathisen (e-KA-thi-sen) sat epi (e-PI) upon tou (tou) the thronou (THRO-nou) throne autou (au-TOU) his
29.12a πάντες all οἱ the φίλοι friends αὐτοῦ his ἦλθον came 29.12b pantes (PAN-tes) all hoi (hoi) the philoi (PHI-loi) friends autou (au-TOU) his ēlthon (ĒL-thon) came
29.13a εὗρον I-found τὰ the πρόβατα sheep αὐτοῦ his ἐν in τῷ the ἀγρῷ field 29.13b heuron (HEU-ron) I-found ta (ta) the probata (PRO-ba-ta) sheep autou (au-TOU) his en (en) in tōi (tōi) the agrōi (a-GRŌI) field
29.14a τὸ the αἷμα blood αὐτοῦ his ἐστιν is ἐπὶ upon τὴν the γῆν earth 29.14b to (to) the haima (HAI-ma) blood autou (au-TOU) his estin (es-TIN) is epi (e-PI) upon tēn (tēn) the gēn (gēn) earth
29.15a αὐτοῦ his ἡ the δόξα glory φαίνεται appears ἐν in τοῖς the οὐρανοῖς heavens 29.15b autou (au-TOU) his hē (hē) the doxa (DO-xa) glory phainetai (PHAI-ne-tai) appears en (en) in tois (tois) the ouranois (ou-ra-NOIS) heavens
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29.1 ὁ πατὴρ ἀγαπᾷ τὸν υἱὸν αὐτοῦ. The father loves his son.
29.2 εἶδον τὴν οἰκίαν αὐτοῦ ἐν τῇ πόλει. I saw his house in the city.
29.3 αὐτοῦ ἡ μήτηρ ἦλθεν πρὸς ἡμᾶς. His mother came to us.
29.4 ὁ δοῦλος ὑπήκουσεν τῷ κυρίῳ αὐτοῦ. The slave obeyed his lord.
29.5 λαμβάνει τὸ βιβλίον ἐκ τῆς χειρὸς αὐτοῦ. He takes the book from his hand.
29.6 οἱ μαθηταὶ αὐτοῦ ἤκουσαν τὴν φωνήν. His disciples heard the voice.
29.7 ἔγραψεν ἐν τῷ ὀνόματι αὐτοῦ. He wrote in his name.
29.8 τὸ τέκνον ἔμεινεν μετὰ τοῦ πατρὸς αὐτοῦ. The child remained with his father.
29.9 αὐτοῦ τὸ ἔργον ἐστὶν καλόν. His work is good.
29.10 ἀπέστειλεν τὸν ἄγγελον αὐτοῦ εἰς τὴν χώραν. He sent his messenger into the land.
29.11 ὁ βασιλεὺς ἐκάθισεν ἐπὶ τοῦ θρόνου αὐτοῦ. The king sat upon his throne.
29.12 πάντες οἱ φίλοι αὐτοῦ ἦλθον. All his friends came.
29.13 εὗρον τὰ πρόβατα αὐτοῦ ἐν τῷ ἀγρῷ. I found his sheep in the field.
29.14 τὸ αἷμα αὐτοῦ ἐστιν ἐπὶ τὴν γῆν. His blood is upon the earth.
29.15 αὐτοῦ ἡ δόξα φαίνεται ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς. His glory appears in the heavens.
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29.1 ὁ πατὴρ ἀγαπᾷ τὸν υἱὸν αὐτοῦ.
29.2 εἶδον τὴν οἰκίαν αὐτοῦ ἐν τῇ πόλει.
29.3 αὐτοῦ ἡ μήτηρ ἦλθεν πρὸς ἡμᾶς.
29.4 ὁ δοῦλος ὑπήκουσεν τῷ κυρίῳ αὐτοῦ.
29.5 λαμβάνει τὸ βιβλίον ἐκ τῆς χειρὸς αὐτοῦ.
29.6 οἱ μαθηταὶ αὐτοῦ ἤκουσαν τὴν φωνήν.
29.7 ἔγραψεν ἐν τῷ ὀνόματι αὐτοῦ.
29.8 τὸ τέκνον ἔμεινεν μετὰ τοῦ πατρὸς αὐτοῦ.
29.9 αὐτοῦ τὸ ἔργον ἐστὶν καλόν.
29.10 ἀπέστειλεν τὸν ἄγγελον αὐτοῦ εἰς τὴν χώραν.
29.11 ὁ βασιλεὺς ἐκάθισεν ἐπὶ τοῦ θρόνου αὐτοῦ.
29.12 πάντες οἱ φίλοι αὐτοῦ ἦλθον.
29.13 εὗρον τὰ πρόβατα αὐτοῦ ἐν τῷ ἀγρῷ.
29.14 τὸ αἷμα αὐτοῦ ἐστιν ἐπὶ τὴν γῆν.
29.15 αὐτοῦ ἡ δόξα φαίνεται ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς.
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The possessive "his" in Koine Greek is expressed through the genitive case of the third-person pronoun αὐτός. Here are the essential rules:
Basic Forms: -
αὐτοῦ (genitive masculine singular) = "his" or "its" (masculine) -
αὐτοῦ (genitive neuter singular) = "its" (neuter) -
αὐτῆς (genitive feminine singular) = "her" or "its" (feminine) -
αὐτῶν (genitive plural) = "their"
Word Order Flexibility: Unlike English, where "his" must precede the noun it modifies, Greek αὐτοῦ enjoys remarkable positional freedom: -
After the noun: τὸν υἱὸν αὐτοῦ (the son his = his son) -
Before the noun: αὐτοῦ τὸν υἱὸν (his the son = his son) -
Separated from the noun: οἱ μαθηταὶ αὐτοῦ ἤκουσαν (the disciples his heard = his disciples heard)
Attributive vs. Predicate Position: When αὐτοῦ modifies a noun with the article, position matters: -
Attributive position (with article repeated): ὁ υἱὸς ὁ αὐτοῦ or ὁ αὐτοῦ υἱός (both mean "his son" with emphasis) -
Predicate position (no article repetition): ὁ υἱὸς αὐτοῦ or αὐτοῦ ὁ υἱός (both mean "his son" normally)
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Forgetting Gender Agreement: English speakers often forget that αὐτοῦ agrees with the possessor, not the thing possessed. If referring to a woman's possession, use αὐτῆς, not αὐτοῦ. -
Rigid Word Order: English speakers tend to always place αὐτοῦ immediately before the noun, missing the Greek flexibility. Practice recognizing αὐτοῦ in various positions. -
Confusing αὐτός Forms: The word αὐτός has multiple functions: -
Nominative = "he/she/it" or "same" -
Genitive = "his/her/its" -
Intensive use = "himself/herself/itself" -
Missing the Article: When translating "his house," students often write αὐτοῦ οἰκία instead of ἡ οἰκία αὐτοῦ. Greek typically includes the article with possessed nouns. -
Over-translating: Sometimes αὐτοῦ simply means "of him" rather than "his," especially with verbal nouns or in certain idiomatic expressions.
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Identify the Antecedent: Find the masculine noun or pronoun that αὐτοῦ refers back to. -
Locate the Possessed Noun: Find what is being possessed - it will usually have an article. -
Check the Position: Note whether αὐτοῦ comes before, after, or separated from its noun. -
Consider the Context: Determine if "his," "its," or "of him" makes the best sense in English. -
Maintain Agreement: Remember that αὐτοῦ reflects the gender of the possessor, not the possessed.
Declension of αὐτός (third person pronoun): Masculine Singular: -
Nominative: αὐτός (he/it) -
Genitive: αὐτοῦ (his/its) -
Dative: αὐτῷ (to him/it) -
Accusative: αὐτόν (him/it)
Feminine Singular: -
Nominative: αὐτή (she/it) -
Genitive: αὐτῆς (her/its) -
Dative: αὐτῇ (to her/it) -
Accusative: αὐτήν (her/it)
Neuter Singular: -
Nominative: αὐτό (it) -
Genitive: αὐτοῦ (its) -
Dative: αὐτῷ (to it) -
Accusative: αὐτό (it)
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For English speakers learning Koine Greek, understanding how "his" (αὐτοῦ) functions requires appreciating the cultural context of possession in the ancient Mediterranean world. Unlike modern Western individualistic concepts of ownership, the Hellenistic period emphasized communal and hierarchical relationships.
In Greek society, possession often implied responsibility and relationship rather than mere ownership. When the New Testament speaks of "his disciples" (οἱ μαθηταὶ αὐτοῦ), it conveys not ownership but a teacher-student relationship with mutual obligations. Similarly, "his house" (ἡ οἰκία αὐτοῦ) referred not just to a building but to the entire household - family, slaves, and dependents.
The flexibility of word order with αὐτοῦ reflects Greek's emphasis on nuance and emphasis rather than rigid grammatical rules. Placing αὐτοῦ before the noun (αὐτοῦ ἡ οἰκία) might emphasize the possessor, while placing it after (ἡ οἰκία αὐτοῦ) follows the more natural, unmarked order.
Archaeological evidence from papyri shows that legal documents carefully specified possession using αὐτοῦ and related forms, especially in contracts, wills, and property transfers. The precise use of possessive pronouns was crucial in a society where oral agreements carried legal weight and written documents served as backup confirmation.
For religious texts, αὐτοῦ takes on theological significance. When referring to God or Christ, "his kingdom" (ἡ βασιλεία αὐτοῦ) or "his glory" (ἡ δόξα αὐτοῦ) carries implications of divine authority and cosmic order that transcend human possession. Early Christians reading these texts would understand these possessives as markers of divine sovereignty rather than simple ownership.
The placement of αὐτοῦ in different positions within a sentence also served rhetorical purposes. Greek orators and writers could create emphasis, build suspense, or highlight relationships by strategically positioning possessive pronouns. This stylistic flexibility, foreign to English speakers accustomed to fixed word order, opens up rich interpretive possibilities in Greek texts.
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From the Gospel of John 1:11-12
εἰς τὰ ἴδια ἦλθεν, καὶ οἱ ἴδιοι αὐτὸν οὐ παρέλαβον. ὅσοι δὲ ἔλαβον αὐτόν, ἔδωκεν αὐτοῖς ἐξουσίαν τέκνα θεοῦ γενέσθαι, τοῖς πιστεύουσιν εἰς τὸ ὄνομα αὐτοῦ, οἳ οὐκ ἐξ αἱμάτων οὐδὲ ἐκ θελήματος σαρκὸς οὐδὲ ἐκ θελήματος ἀνδρὸς ἀλλ' ἐκ θεοῦ ἐγεννήθησαν.
εἰς into τὰ the ἴδια own-things ἦλθεν he-came καὶ and οἱ the ἴδιοι own-people αὐτὸν him οὐ not παρέλαβον received ὅσοι as-many-as δὲ but ἔλαβον received αὐτόν him ἔδωκεν he-gave αὐτοῖς to-them ἐξουσίαν authority τέκνα children θεοῦ of-God γενέσθαι to-become τοῖς to-those πιστεύουσιν believing εἰς into τὸ the ὄνομα name αὐτοῦ his
eis (eis) into ta (ta) the idia (I-di-a) own-things ēlthen (ĒL-then) he-came kai (kai) and hoi (hoi) the idioi (I-di-oi) own-people auton (au-TON) him ou (ou) not parelabon (pa-RE-la-bon) received hosoi (HO-soi) as-many-as de (de) but elabon (E-la-bon) received auton (au-TON) him edōken (E-dō-ken) he-gave autois (au-TOIS) to-them exousian (e-xou-SI-an) authority tekna (TEK-na) children theou (the-OU) of-God genesthai (ge-NES-thai) to-become tois (tois) to-those pisteuousin (pis-TEU-ou-sin) believing eis (eis) into to (to) the onoma (O-no-ma) name autou (au-TOU) his
εἰς τὰ ἴδια ἦλθεν, καὶ οἱ ἴδιοι αὐτὸν οὐ παρέλαβον. ὅσοι δὲ ἔλαβον αὐτόν, ἔδωκεν αὐτοῖς ἐξουσίαν τέκνα θεοῦ γενέσθαι, τοῖς πιστεύουσιν εἰς τὸ ὄνομα αὐτοῦ.
He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. But to all who did receive him, he gave authority to become children of God, to those who believe in his name.
εἰς τὰ ἴδια ἦλθεν, καὶ οἱ ἴδιοι αὐτὸν οὐ παρέλαβον. ὅσοι δὲ ἔλαβον αὐτόν, ἔδωκεν αὐτοῖς ἐξουσίαν τέκνα θεοῦ γενέσθαι, τοῖς πιστεύουσιν εἰς τὸ ὄνομα αὐτοῦ.
This passage from John's prologue demonstrates the theological weight of αὐτοῦ in its phrase "εἰς τὸ ὄνομα αὐτοῦ" (in his name). The possessive pronoun here refers back to the Word (Logos) introduced earlier in the chapter, understood by Christians as Christ.
The placement of αὐτοῦ at the very end of this section creates a powerful rhetorical effect. After describing rejection and acceptance, the passage culminates with belief "in his name" - making the possessive pronoun the final, emphatic word. In the ancient world, one's name represented one's entire person and authority, so "his name" encompasses Christ's identity, power, and mission.
Grammatically, note how αὐτοῦ follows the typical Greek pattern of coming after the noun it modifies (τὸ ὄνομα αὐτοῦ). The article τὸ with ὄνομα shows this is a specific, definite name - not just any name, but his particular name.
The contrast between τὰ ἴδια (his own things/place) and οἱ ἴδιοι (his own people) earlier in the passage uses a different way to express possession - the adjective ἴδιος rather than the pronoun αὐτοῦ. This variation enriches the Greek style while emphasizing the tragedy of rejection by one's own.
For English speakers, this passage illustrates how Greek possessives carry more weight than simple ownership. "His name" here implies divine authority, salvific power, and personal relationship - concepts that first-century readers would immediately grasp from this seemingly simple possessive construction.
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29.16a ἤγαγον they-brought τὸν the τυφλὸν blind-man πρὸς to αὐτόν him καὶ and ἥψατο he-touched τῶν the ὀφθαλμῶν eyes αὐτοῦ his 29.16b ēgagon (Ē-ga-gon) they-brought ton (ton) the tuphlon (tuph-LON) blind-man pros (pros) to auton (au-TON) him kai (kai) and hēpsato (HĒP-sa-to) he-touched tōn (tōn) the ophthalmōn (oph-thal-MŌN) eyes autou (au-TOU) his
29.17a ὁ the πατὴρ father ἔφερεν was-carrying τὸν the υἱὸν son αὐτοῦ his τὸν the σεληνιαζόμενον epileptic 29.17b ho (ho) the patēr (pa-TĒR) father epheren (E-phe-ren) was-carrying ton (ton) the huion (hui-ON) son autou (au-TOU) his ton (ton) the selēniazomenon (se-lē-ni-a-ZO-me-non) epileptic
29.18a ἐξῆλθεν came-out τὸ the δαιμόνιον demon ἐκ from αὐτοῦ him καὶ and ἐθεραπεύθη was-healed ὁ the παῖς child αὐτοῦ his 29.18b exēlthen (e-XĒEL-then) came-out to (to) the daimonion (dai-MO-ni-on) demon ek (ek) from autou (au-TOU) him kai (kai) and etherapeutthē (e-the-ra-PEUTH-thē) was-healed ho (ho) the pais (pais) child autou (au-TOU) his
29.19a ἡ the γυνὴ woman ἥψατο touched τοῦ the κρασπέδου fringe τοῦ the ἱματίου garment αὐτοῦ his 29.19b hē (hē) the gunē (gu-NĒ) woman hēpsato (HĒP-sa-to) touched tou (tou) the kraspedou (kras-PE-dou) fringe tou (tou) the himatiou (hi-ma-TI-ou) garment autou (au-TOU) his
29.20a εὐθέως immediately ἔστη stopped ἡ the ῥύσις flow τοῦ the αἵματος blood αὐτῆς her 29.20b eutheōs (eu-THE-ōs) immediately estē (ES-tē) stopped hē (hē) the rhusis (RHU-sis) flow tou (tou) the haimatos (HAI-ma-tos) blood autēs (au-TĒS) her
29.21a ὁ the κύριος lord εἶδεν saw τὴν the πίστιν faith αὐτοῦ his καὶ and εἶπεν said ἄφεωνται are-forgiven αἱ the ἁμαρτίαι sins αὐτοῦ his 29.21b ho (ho) the kurios (KU-ri-os) lord eiden (EI-den) saw tēn (tēn) the pistin (PIS-tin) faith autou (au-TOU) his kai (kai) and eipen (EI-pen) said apheōntai (a-PHE-ōn-tai) are-forgiven hai (hai) the hamartiai (ha-mar-TI-ai) sins autou (au-TOU) his
29.22a ἐκτείνας having-stretched τὴν the χεῖρα hand αὐτοῦ his ἥψατο touched αὐτοῦ him 29.22b ekteinas (ek-TEI-nas) having-stretched tēn (tēn) the kheira (KHEI-ra) hand autou (au-TOU) his hēpsato (HĒP-sa-to) touched autou (au-TOU) him
29.23a ὁ the λεπρὸς leper ἔπεσεν fell πρὸς to τοὺς the πόδας feet αὐτοῦ his εὐχαριστῶν giving-thanks 29.23b ho (ho) the lepros (lep-ROS) leper epesen (E-pe-sen) fell pros (pros) to tous (tous) the podas (PO-das) feet autou (au-TOU) his eukharistōn (eu-kha-ris-TŌN) giving-thanks
29.24a αὐτοῦ his ἡ the μήτηρ mother παρεκάλει was-begging αὐτὸν him ὑπὲρ for τῆς the θυγατρὸς daughter αὐτῆς her 29.24b autou (au-TOU) his hē (hē) the mētēr (MĒ-tēr) mother parekalei (pa-re-KA-lei) was-begging auton (au-TON) him huper (hu-PER) for tēs (tēs) the thugatros (thu-ga-TROS) daughter autēs (au-TĒS) her
29.25a ἔθηκεν he-placed τὰς the χεῖρας hands αὐτοῦ his ἐπ' upon αὐτήν her 29.25b ethēken (E-thē-ken) he-placed tas (tas) the kheiras (KHEI-ras) hands autou (au-TOU) his ep (ep) upon autēn (au-TĒN) her
29.26a ἀνέβλεψαν looked-up οἱ the ὀφθαλμοὶ eyes αὐτοῦ his καὶ and εἶδεν he-saw πάντα all σαφῶς clearly 29.26b aneblepsan (a-NE-blep-san) looked-up hoi (hoi) the ophthalmoi (oph-thal-MOI) eyes autou (au-TOU) his kai (kai) and eiden (EI-den) he-saw panta (PAN-ta) all saphōs (sa-PHŌS) clearly
29.27a ἠνοίχθησαν were-opened αὐτοῦ his τὰ the ὦτα ears καὶ and ἐλύθη was-loosed ὁ the δεσμὸς bond τῆς the γλώσσης tongue αὐτοῦ his 29.27b ēnoikhthēsan (ē-NOIKH-thē-san) were-opened autou (au-TOU) his ta (ta) the ōta (Ō-ta) ears kai (kai) and eluthē (e-LU-thē) was-loosed ho (ho) the desmos (des-MOS) bond tēs (tēs) the glōssēs (GLŌS-sēs) tongue autou (au-TOU) his
29.28a ὁ the ἰατρὸς physician οὐκ not ἐδύνατο was-able θεραπεῦσαι to-heal τὸν the υἱὸν son αὐτοῦ his 29.28b ho (ho) the iatros (ia-TROS) physician ouk (ouk) not edunato (e-DU-na-to) was-able therapeusai (the-ra-PEU-sai) to-heal ton (ton) the huion (hui-ON) son autou (au-TOU) his
29.29a κατέβη came-down ἡ the δύναμις power αὐτοῦ his ἐπὶ upon τοὺς the ἀσθενεῖς sick 29.29b katebē (ka-TE-bē) came-down hē (hē) the dunamis (DU-na-mis) power autou (au-TOU) his epi (e-PI) upon tous (tous) the astheneis (as-the-NEIS) sick
29.30a πᾶσα every νόσος disease ὑπεχώρησεν retreated ἐνώπιον before τῆς the ἐξουσίας authority αὐτοῦ his 29.30b pāsa (PĀ-sa) every nosos (NO-sos) disease hupekhōrēsen (hu-pe-KHŌ-rē-sen) retreated enōpion (e-NŌ-pi-on) before tēs (tēs) the exousias (e-xou-SI-as) authority autou (au-TOU) his
29.16 ἤγαγον τὸν τυφλὸν πρὸς αὐτόν, καὶ ἥψατο τῶν ὀφθαλμῶν αὐτοῦ. They brought the blind man to him, and he touched his eyes.
29.17 ὁ πατὴρ ἔφερεν τὸν υἱὸν αὐτοῦ τὸν σεληνιαζόμενον. The father was carrying his epileptic son.
29.18 ἐξῆλθεν τὸ δαιμόνιον ἐκ αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἐθεραπεύθη ὁ παῖς αὐτοῦ. The demon came out from him, and his child was healed.
29.19 ἡ γυνὴ ἥψατο τοῦ κρασπέδου τοῦ ἱματίου αὐτοῦ. The woman touched the fringe of his garment.
29.20 εὐθέως ἔστη ἡ ῥύσις τοῦ αἵματος αὐτῆς. Immediately the flow of her blood stopped.
29.21 ὁ κύριος εἶδεν τὴν πίστιν αὐτοῦ καὶ εἶπεν· ἄφεωνται αἱ ἁμαρτίαι αὐτοῦ. The lord saw his faith and said, "His sins are forgiven."
29.22 ἐκτείνας τὴν χεῖρα αὐτοῦ ἥψατο αὐτοῦ. Having stretched out his hand, he touched him.
29.23 ὁ λεπρὸς ἔπεσεν πρὸς τοὺς πόδας αὐτοῦ εὐχαριστῶν. The leper fell at his feet, giving thanks.
29.24 αὐτοῦ ἡ μήτηρ παρεκάλει αὐτὸν ὑπὲρ τῆς θυγατρὸς αὐτῆς. His mother was begging him for her daughter.
29.25 ἔθηκεν τὰς χεῖρας αὐτοῦ ἐπ' αὐτήν. He placed his hands upon her.
29.26 ἀνέβλεψαν οἱ ὀφθαλμοὶ αὐτοῦ, καὶ εἶδεν πάντα σαφῶς. His eyes looked up, and he saw everything clearly.
29.27 ἠνοίχθησαν αὐτοῦ τὰ ὦτα, καὶ ἐλύθη ὁ δεσμὸς τῆς γλώσσης αὐτοῦ. His ears were opened, and the bond of his tongue was loosed.
29.28 ὁ ἰατρὸς οὐκ ἐδύνατο θεραπεῦσαι τὸν υἱὸν αὐτοῦ. The physician was not able to heal his son.
29.29 κατέβη ἡ δύναμις αὐτοῦ ἐπὶ τοὺς ἀσθενεῖς. His power came down upon the sick.
29.30 πᾶσα νόσος ὑπεχώρησεν ἐνώπιον τῆς ἐξουσίας αὐτοῦ. Every disease retreated before his authority.
29.16 ἤγαγον τὸν τυφλὸν πρὸς αὐτόν, καὶ ἥψατο τῶν ὀφθαλμῶν αὐτοῦ.
29.17 ὁ πατὴρ ἔφερεν τὸν υἱὸν αὐτοῦ τὸν σεληνιαζόμενον.
29.18 ἐξῆλθεν τὸ δαιμόνιον ἐκ αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἐθεραπεύθη ὁ παῖς αὐτοῦ.
29.19 ἡ γυνὴ ἥψατο τοῦ κρασπέδου τοῦ ἱματίου αὐτοῦ.
29.20 εὐθέως ἔστη ἡ ῥύσις τοῦ αἵματος αὐτῆς.
29.21 ὁ κύριος εἶδεν τὴν πίστιν αὐτοῦ καὶ εἶπεν· ἄφεωνται αἱ ἁμαρτίαι αὐτοῦ.
29.22 ἐκτείνας τὴν χεῖρα αὐτοῦ ἥψατο αὐτοῦ.
29.23 ὁ λεπρὸς ἔπεσεν πρὸς τοὺς πόδας αὐτοῦ εὐχαριστῶν.
29.24 αὐτοῦ ἡ μήτηρ παρεκάλει αὐτὸν ὑπὲρ τῆς θυγατρὸς αὐτῆς.
29.25 ἔθηκεν τὰς χεῖρας αὐτοῦ ἐπ' αὐτήν.
29.26 ἀνέβλεψαν οἱ ὀφθαλμοὶ αὐτοῦ, καὶ εἶδεν πάντα σαφῶς.
29.27 ἠνοίχθησαν αὐτοῦ τὰ ὦτα, καὶ ἐλύθη ὁ δεσμὸς τῆς γλώσσης αὐτοῦ.
29.28 ὁ ἰατρὸς οὐκ ἐδύνατο θεραπεῦσαι τὸν υἱὸν αὐτοῦ.
29.29 κατέβη ἡ δύναμις αὐτοῦ ἐπὶ τοὺς ἀσθενεῖς.
29.30 πᾶσα νόσος ὑπεχώρησεν ἐνώπιον τῆς ἐξουσίας αὐτοῦ.
In healing narratives, αὐτοῦ takes on special significance as it frequently denotes body parts being healed or the relationship between the sick person and those seeking healing. Notice these patterns:
Body Parts with αὐτοῦ: The possessed body part typically takes the article: τῶν ὀφθαλμῶν αὐτοῦ (his eyes), τῆς γλώσσης αὐτοῦ (his tongue). This construction emphasizes the specific afflicted part belonging to the individual.
Family Relationships: Healing stories often feature family members seeking help: τὸν υἱὸν αὐτοῦ (his son), τῆς θυγατρὸς αὐτῆς (her daughter). The possessive pronoun underscores the emotional connection driving the request.
Divine Authority: When referring to the healer (typically Jesus), αὐτοῦ conveys divine power: ἡ δύναμις αὐτοῦ (his power), τῆς ἐξουσίας αὐτοῦ (his authority). The possessive links the healing directly to the healer's personal power.
Positional Variations: -
Before the noun for emphasis: αὐτοῦ τὰ ὦτα (HIS ears were opened) -
After the noun normally: οἱ ὀφθαλμοὶ αὐτοῦ (his eyes) -
With articles and prepositions: τοῦ ἱματίου αὐτοῦ (of his garment)
Gender Distinctions: Note the switch to αὐτῆς when referring to feminine subjects: τοῦ αἵματος αὐτῆς (her blood), showing Greek's gender agreement system.
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