Whether you are preparing for seminary, considering doctoral study,
or simply want an objective measure of where your Greek stands, BMA
Certification gives you a standard you can point to.
Three stages of certification, from BA-equivalent to doctoral-level
Greek competency. Each one earned through demonstrated mastery, not
just course completion.
An objective standard you can point to
Many colleges and seminaries allow students to waive language
requirements if they can demonstrate competency. BMA Certification
is designed to provide the kind of clarity that professors and
accrediting bodies can evaluate with confidence. Every certificate
carries a verification link, so anyone you show it to can confirm
it's genuine.
As BMA grows, additional benefits to certification will continue
to develop for certified members. The standard is built to hold.
Three stages of certification
Each stage maps to a specific milestone on the BMA success path,
with academic equivalences that place your Greek in a recognisable
context.
Stage 1 Certification
Demonstrates foundational competency: solid vocabulary, mastery of the Johannine Epistles, and confidence in translation and grammar.
Approximately 1,000 word vocabulary
Mastery of the Johannine Epistles (3 books)
Confidence translating and reading
Grammatical competence
Roughly equivalent to the Greek language requirements within a Bachelor of Arts in Biblical Studies. Not the degree itself, but the Greek component.
Timeline
Approximately 1 year of consistent work
Maintenance
Renew within 2 years if not progressing to Stage 2
Stage 2 Certification
Demonstrates reading mastery across Stage 2 of the success path (Tutor levels 7 to 12, through to 1 Peter), solid hermeneutical understanding, and exegetical competency.
Approximately 3,500 word vocabulary
Mastery of Tutor levels 7 to 12 (Stage 2 success path)
Confident with exegesis and grammar
Syntactical competence
Roughly equivalent to a robust graduate-level Greek education. More than sufficient for MDiv graduates without Greek to gain entrance into doctoral programs that require Greek.
Timeline
2 to 3 years of consistent work
Maintenance
Renew within 3 years if not progressing to Stage 3
Stage 3 Certification
Represents the proficiency needed to read the Greek New Testament daily, completing it in six months with little or no support from tools.
Approximately 5,300 word vocabulary
Mastery of all New Testament books (Stage 3 success path)
Advanced exegesis and linguistics
Experience in the Septuagint and Greek Fathers
Similar or better proficiency with the Greek text than most New Testament PhD programs require at graduation. Not the equivalent of a doctorate, but a fair representation of its Greek language requirements.
Timeline
3 to 5 years of consistent work
Maintenance
Perpetual, no renewal required
Track your progress in Tutor
Turn on Certification progress on your Success Path and a card
appears under each stage, showing how many requirements you've met,
what's next, and the next round you can register for. View your
progress clearly and work consistently throughout the year so that
you're ready when the certification round begins.
Your reading responses are uploaded there too, as a PDF or Word
document, and if one needs more work it comes back with comments.
The requirements you start under are the ones you finish under.
Rounds and exams
Exams run once a year in a certification round. When a round opens,
you register and book your exam time from the stage page in Tutor.
Stage 1 exams are small group calls with Neil, and Darryl examines
Stage 2. If you can't make a round, defer to the next one and your
progress and payment carry over. The 2027 exams are planned for July
and August.
What it costs
Certification is $100 USD per stage for Greek Mastery
members, paid once when you register, and there's no charge to
resit. It's included in the Premium Languages Membership.
Your certificate
When you're certified, your certificate appears in Tutor. Download it
as a PDF, add it to LinkedIn, or share its verification link so a
church, college or employer can confirm it's genuine.
What each stage requires
Certification is self-paced but objectively measured. Progress is
evaluated through course completion, demonstrated reading
competency, examination, and reading responses.
Stage 1 requirements
Completed a beginning Greek grammar (Beginning Greek in Small Steps is recommended; other beginning grammars are accepted)
Completed the Johannine Epistles Course (attendance and participation)
Mastery of the Johannine Epistles in Tutor (Stage 1 completion)
10-page formatted paper on a New Testament studies topic
Reading responses (2 pages each):
Intermediate Greek Grammar, Mathewson and Emig
The Greco-Roman World of the New Testament Era, James Jeffers
Hermeneutics: Principles and Processes of Biblical Interpretation (special reading response format, details provided on application)
Basics of Verbal Aspect in Biblical Greek, Constantine Campbell
Fundamentals of New Testament Textual Criticism, Stanley Porter and Andrew Pitts (book only, course reading, no course attendance required)
Stage 3 requirements
Mastery of all New Testament books (Stage 3 success path completion)
Reading competency: completed the Greek New Testament in six months
Spot translation exam: anywhere in the Greek New Testament and select Septuagint and Apostolic Fathers texts
Reading responses (2 pages each, texts to be confirmed on application)
* Estimated time varies from student to student. Certification is
self-paced but objectively measured.
Maintaining your certification
The greater your proficiency with Greek, the more you use it, and
the more you use it, the more you retain it. Maintenance
requirements reflect this reality. Earning a higher stage takes over
from the one below it.
Stage 1
Stage 1 certification lapses after 2 years if you have not
continued to develop or maintain your Greek. At this level,
vocabulary and reading experience are still developing, so
consistent engagement matters.
Stage 2
Stage 2 certification lapses after 3 years if you have not
continued to develop or maintain your Greek. Your working
vocabulary is solid, but regular engagement keeps it sharp.
Stage 3
Stage 3 certification does not lapse. At this level you can
read the Greek New Testament with ease, engage the Apostolic
Fathers, and read the Septuagint. There is no reason to stop.
Three ways to maintain Stage 1 or Stage 2 certification
Stay a member and stay consistent. A Consistency
Score of Marginal or better in the six months before your renewal
date renews your certification, and you'll be reminded well before
then.
Stay active in the community. Consistent
engagement in the community, including the reading calls and
Office Hours, counts toward maintenance.
Sit the spot translation exam. If you are no
longer a member, you can renew certification by sitting the exam
and demonstrating that your Greek has held. This option is
designed for members who have left the membership and need a
one-off renewal.
The path to Stage 1 certification
Certification follows naturally from working through the Greek
Mastery Membership. Here is the sequence.
1
Join the Greek Mastery Membership
Certification is available to Greek Mastery and Premium
Languages members. The membership opens several times a
year. Join the waitlist to be notified of the next intake.
Beginning Greek in Small Steps is built into Greek Tutor and
provides the grammar and vocabulary foundation the
certification requires. If you have already completed a
beginning Greek grammar elsewhere, that is accepted.
3
Complete the Johannine Epistles Course
The Johannine Epistles Course is part of the Greek Mastery
Membership and follows Beginning Greek. By the end you will
have mastered the Johannine Epistles and be reading New
Testament Greek with confidence.
4
Complete the reading and examination requirements
Work through your reading responses as you progress through
the membership, and upload each one in Tutor. Exams run once a
year, and the 2027 exams are planned for July and August.
5
Register for a round in Tutor
When a round opens, register from the stage page in Tutor and
book your exam time there. If you can't make it, defer to the
next round and your progress carries over.