Conjunctions

6.2. Conjunctions
Conjunctions are connecting words. They are very important. They connect words, phrases, sentences and paragraphs. Depending on the conjunction used, we will know if the phrase is independent (coordinating) or dependent (subordinating).
Greek has two types of conjunctions: coordinating conjunctions and subordinating conjunctions. Coordinating conjunctions connect two equal grammatical phrases. The phrases are not subordinate to (depend on) each other. English has coordinating conjunctions such as: for, and, nor, but, or, yet. ‘You and I are Christians.’
Subordinating conjunctions introduce clauses that are dependent on another clause. In English this dependency will be expressed by using words such as: if, although, when, in order that, because. ‘When I became a Christian, you were still young.’
6.2.1. Coordinating conjunctions
The following are the more common coordinating conjunctions in the New Testament, with one or two examples.
6.2.1.1. και (kai)
The particle kai is the most common conjunction in the New Testament. A quick search in E-Sword reveals that the word appears 9,337 times in the New Testament.
Most sentences in the Gospel of Mark, for example, start with this particle, translated as ‘and’ in the KJV. και (kai) at the beginning of a sentence is often left untranslated in English, whereas Greek wants to indicate a continuation of the story.
Mark 1:5-7 in the KJV and the NET.||
|KJV|
1:5|And (kai) there went out unto him|
1:6|And (kai) John was clothed with camel's hair|
1:7|And (kai) preached, saying|
Kai connects nouns, adjectives, numerals and adverbs. ‘Peter and (kai) the other apostles answered’ (Acts 5:29 KJV).
Sometimes kai is used consecutively, to link an event that followed the previous one. ‘Neither do men light a candle, and (kai) put it under a bushel’ (Matt. 5:15 KJV).
Kai is also used to explain what was said before. The KJV translated John 1:16 as follows: ‘And of his fullness have all we received, and grace for grace’. This verse is unclear as it is. The kai (and) in this verse serves to explain what we receive. Another way of translating this verse is how the NET did: ‘For we have all received from his fullness (kai: that is) one gracious gift after another.’ [The note between brackets was added by me].
Depending on the context, και (kai) may also be translated as ‘also, even, now, so, then, but’.
6.2.1.2. δε (de)
The second major conjunction is δε (de), which is found 2,832 times in 2,556 verses in the New Testament. According to Thayer it is translated variously as ‘but, moreover, and’. This small word makes a big difference to the meaning of a text.
In Romans 6:23, we read: ‘For the payoff of sin is death, but [de] the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord’ (NET). Just like the other conjunctions, de is sometimes left untranslated.
De is often used with men, to express contrast: on the one hand . . . on the other hand. In Matt. 9:37, we read: ‘[On the one hand] the harvest is plentiful, but [on the other hand] the workers are few’ (Matthew 9:37 NET).
6.2.1.3. γαρ (gar)
Gar is found 1,016 times in 991 verses in the New Testament. It is often translated as ‘for’. It is used to give a reason or an explanation for what was said before. It is one of the words at the beginning of Romans 6:23, giving the reasons for what was in verse 22.
But now, freed from sin and enslaved to God, you have your benefit leading to sanctification, and the end is eternal life. For (gar) the payoff of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord (NET).
Paul uses gar often in the book of Romans (see, for example, Rom. 10:2, 3, 4, 5, 10, 11, 12, 13, 16). Here is one more example from the well-known verse of John 3:16.
For (gar) God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
What is the purpose of ‘for’ at the beginning of this verse? According to Thayer the Greek particle gar assigns a reason. In John 3:16, it explains the reason for what was said before. This will take us back to verses 14 and 15. The Son of Man will be lifted up so that everyone who believes in Him will have eternal life. Why will they have eternal life? Because God loved the world so much that he gave His Son.
6.2.1.4. αλλα (alla)
Alla is found 611 times in 603 verses in the New Testament. It was the strongest way to say ‘but’ in Greek. What follows after alla is in strong contrast to what was said before. It is the word used by Christ in Matthew 4:4:
Man does not live by bread alone, but [alla] by every word that comes from the mouth of God (NET).
See also:
I have not come to abolish these things but [alla] to fulfill them (Matt. 5:17 NET).
Not only this, but [alla] we also rejoice in sufferings (Rom. 5:3 NET).
6.2.1.5. ουν (oun)
Oun appears 518 times in the New Testament. This small word is very often inferential. The writer is drawing a conclusion based on what was said before. It is translated as ‘therefore’. Paul used it a number of times in his letters, to conclude what he had taught in previous sections.
Therefore [oun] I exhort you, brothers and sisters (Rom. 12:1 NET).
I, therefore [oun], the prisoner for the Lord, urge you (Eph. 4:1 NET).
Therefore [oun], if you have been raised with Christ (Col. 3:1 NET).

6.2.2. Subordinating conjunctions
The two main subordinating conjunctions in the New Testament are hoti (oti) and hina (ina). Hoti appears 1,189 times and hina 621 times.
6.2.2.1. ὅτι (hoti)
Thayer gives the following definitions for hoti, ‘that, because, since’. Often it is translated as ‘because, for’. Examples can be seen in the Beatitudes in Matthew 5. The second phrase answers the question ‘why’? The answer is: because!
3 Blessed are the poor in spirit, for (hoti) the kingdom of heaven belongs to them.
4 Blessed are those who mourn, for (hoti) they will be comforted.
5 Blessed are the meek, for (hoti) they will inherit the earth.
6 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for (hoti) they will be satisfied.
7 Blessed are the merciful, for (hoti) they will be shown mercy.
8 Blessed are the pure in heart, for (hoti) they will see God.
9 Blessed are the peacemakers, for (hoti) they will be called the children of God.
10 Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness, for (hoti) the kingdom of heaven belongs to them.
11 Blessed are you when people insult you and persecute you and say all kinds of evil things about you falsely on account of me.
12 Rejoice and be glad because your reward is great in heaven, for (hoti) they persecuted the prophets before you in the same way (Matt. 5:3-12 NET).

6.2.2.2. ἵνα (hina)
Thayer defined hina as ‘that, in order that, so that’. Hina denotes purpose or the result. An example of this can be found in the well-known verse in John 3:16.
For this is the way God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so (hina) that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life (NET).
The final part of this verse is the same as in verse 15. Robertson made the following comments about that verse, which are applicable to verse 16:
Final use of hina with present active subjunctive of echō, that he may keep on having eternal life (a frequent phrase in John, always in John aiōnios occurs with zōē, 16 times in the Gospel, 6 in 1John, ageless or endless life, beginning now and lasting forever).
Other examples are:
Do not judge (hina) so that you will not be judged (Matt. 7:1 NET).
But this has happened (hina) so that the scriptures of the prophets would be fulfilled (Matt. 26:56 NET).
But now I ask you … (hina) that we love one another (2 John 1:5 NET)