Rating: 
Summary: Consider the 1979 edition at half the price (used)!
Review: While attending seminary, like most theological students, I purchased Thayers Greek-English Lexicon. It was good and easy to use. But as I advanced in my studies my professors were increasingly critical of Thayer and expected us to use the more scholarly Arndt/Gingrich. So as a impoverished theological student with a wife and baby, I purchased Arndt/Gringrich with my babys milk money so I could be more scholarly.I wish I saved my money. Do not get me wrong. It is by far the superior lexicon. Its definitions are massive and the survey of a words etymology is unsurpassed; but realistically, it has more information than this country preacher is looking for. Like detective Joe Friday of Dragnet fame, all I want is the facts. Behind me as I write this review is my theological library. Two lexicons, Arndt/Gringrich and Thayers stand side by side. Occasionally, when I need a lexicon in my biblical studies, I always turn to Thayer. So unless you are planning on writing for a theological journal, save your babys milk money and use Thayer.
Rating: 
Summary: I spent my babys milk money for this!
Review: While attending seminary, like most theological students, I purchased Thayers Greek-English Lexicon. It was good and easy to use. But as I advanced in my studies my professors were increasingly critical of Thayer and expected us to use the more scholarly Arndt/Gingrich. So as a impoverished theological student with a wife and baby, I purchased Arndt/Gringrich with my babys milk money so I could be more scholarly. I wish I saved my money. Do not get me wrong. It is by far the superior lexicon. Its definitions are massive and the survey of a words etymology is unsurpassed; but realistically, it has more information than this country preacher is looking for. Like detective Joe Friday of Dragnet fame, all I want is the facts. Behind me as I write this review is my theological library. Two lexicons, Arndt/Gringrich and Thayers stand side by side. Occasionally, when I need a lexicon in my biblical studies, I always turn to Thayer. So unless you are planning on writing for a theological journal, save your babys milk money and use Thayer.
Rating: 
Summary: an essential
Review: With the exception of the short dictionary at the back of my Greek New Testament, no tool has been of more use in my study of Biblical Greek than this lexicon. More than just a dictionary, the strength of this lexicon is that it gives both specific meanings of words in context as well as a knowledge of the shadings of meaning that a word carries throughout the Bible. This moves the student from a general grasp of a thing to an attentiveness to the precise way God has made himself known--there is nothing quite like it. As other reviewers have noted, this is probably not a good place for beginners hoping to do a word study to jump in. I'd recommend Vine's for that. I also recommend that those serious in the study of Biblical Greek use this book in conjunction with a Greek New Testament, Mr. Mounce's Grammar (his lexicon is handy too), and Zerwick's Grammatical Analysis. This broad group of tools should help keep you from falling pray to a single interpretive spin. Don't let its size and price scare you off--this book is essential for the student of Biblical Greek.
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