(Note: you can watch this blog post on YouTube.) In first year Greek we historically do just one wooden, word for word translation. This way the teacher knows that the student knows the tense of the verb or case of the noun. The problem is that the students leave first year class thinking that word for word is acceptable English and is the most accurate translation method, neither of which is accurate.

Take Matthew 13:11 for example. “And (δὲ) answering he said to them (ἀποκριθεὶς εἶπεν), ‘because (ὅτι) to you it has been given (δέδοται) to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven (οὐρανῶν), but to them it has not been given (δέδοται).’”

But translating δέ in this context is redundant. In v 10 the disciples asked a question, and v 11 is his answer. No connective…

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