Weeks 9–10: Prepositions with Case Usage

Introduction

In English, prepositions are small words like in, on, to, by, with. They show the relationship between words in a sentence. Greek also uses prepositions—but with a twist. The meaning of a Greek preposition often changes depending on the case of the noun it governs.

This means that when you see a preposition in Greek, you must look at two things:

1. The preposition itself.

2. The case of the noun that follows it.

Together, these determine the meaning.

Step 1: Common Greek Prepositions

Here are some of the most frequent Greek prepositions and the cases they take:

👉 Notice that many prepositions change meaning depending on the case.

Step 2: Examples in Sentences

1. ἐν τῷ οἴκῳ (en tō oikō) → “in the house.” (dative)

2. εἰς τὴν πόλιν (eis tēn polin) → “into the city.” (accusative)

3. ἐκ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ (ek tou ouranou) → “out of heaven.” (genitive)

4. μετά τῶν μαθητῶν (meta tōn mathētōn) → “with the disciples.” (genitive)

5. μετὰ ταῦτα (meta tauta) → “after these things.” (accusative, John 3:22).

6. ὑπὸ τοῦ θεοῦ (hypo tou theou) → “by God.” (genitive, agent of passive verb).

Step 3: Observations

• Greek prepositions are tied to cases. Always identify the case of the following noun to know the correct meaning.

• Many prepositions expand or shift meaning across cases.

• Prepositions + articles + nouns often form familiar biblical phrases (e.g., “in Christ,” “through faith,” “by the Spirit”).

Step 4: Biblical Examples

1. ἐν ἀρχῇ (en archē) → “In the beginning” (John 1:1).

2. εἰς τὸν κόσμον (eis ton kosmon) → “into the world” (John 3:19).

3. διὰ πίστεως (dia pisteōs) → “through faith” (Eph. 2:8).

4. ἀπὸ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ (apo tou ouranou) → “from heaven” (Matt. 3:17).

Practice Assignments

1. Matching Drill
Match each phrase with its translation:

1. ἐν τῇ ἐκκλησίᾳ

2. εἰς τὸν οἶκον

3. ἐκ τοῦ κόσμου

4. μετὰ τοὺς μαθητάς

A. into the house
B. out of the world
C. in the church
D. with the disciples

2. Case Identification
For each phrase, identify the case used:

1. ἐν τῷ νόμῳ

2. ὑπὸ τοῦ θεοῦ

3. μετὰ ταῦτα

3. Translation Practice
Translate into English:

1. λόγος ἐκ τοῦ στόματος.

2. εἰς τὴν πόλιν ἔρχεται.

3. διὰ τοῦ πνεύματος.

4. Writing Practice
Compose 3 sentences of your own using prepositions with different cases. Provide both Greek and English.

Encouragement

At first, prepositions may feel tricky since they “shift” depending on the case. But don’t worry—these patterns will quickly become familiar, because you’ll see them constantly in the New Testament.

Every time you encounter a preposition, slow down and ask:

• Which preposition is this?

• What case is the noun that follows?

• How does that affect the meaning?

Practice this consistently, and soon you’ll recognize phrases like ἐν Χριστῷ (“in Christ”) and διὰ πίστεως (“through faith”) without hesitation.

Keep going—prepositions will soon become some of your strongest anchors in translation!