I read somewhere (I can't remember where) that each of our modern-day paragraphs is the equivalent of a single sentence in the original Greek. But my interlinear Bible seems to not back that up. I believe that there are a few different Greek texts that are drawn upon for our New Testament. Is that the source of the "discrepancy"? Please give me a clue. -- Richard Daisuke Hayashi (Tokyo)

No, this is not true. There are a couple of long sentences in the Greek New Testament (for example, 1 Peter 1:3ff), but, no, it is not true that every paragraph is one sentence in the original. In fact, every Greek manuscript has slightly different paragraphing. (Variation in paragraphing is, of course, not a matter of inspiration.)

In fact, when I was in London (spending a few years in postgrad study) I knew a man who was doing his PhD on the differences in paragraphing from manuscript to manuscript. At any rate, they are not all the same.

This article is copyrighted and is for private use and study only. © 2004. Reprints or public distribution is prohibited without the express consent of Douglas Jacoby.