Koine Greek
From Textus Receptus
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Revision as of 14:35, 27 October 2008
Koine Greek (Greek: Κοινὴ Ἑλληνική, IPA: [ciˈni e̞liniˈci], "common Greek", or ἡ κοινὴ διάλεκτος, [i ciˈni ðiˈale̞kto̞s], "the common dialect") is the popular form of Greek which emerged in post-Classical antiquity (c.300 BC – AD 300). Other names are Alexandrian, Hellenistic, Common, or New Testament Greek. Koine was the first common supra-regional dialect in Greece and came to serve as a lingua franca for the eastern Mediterranean and ancient Near East throughout the Roman period. It was also the original language of the New Testament of the Christian Bible. Koine is the main ancestor of modern Greek.
