Author Archives: Dennis Glover

Child of the Most High God, chosen by Him for His glory and giving me an Inheritance I could never have earned, and did not seek until He sought and found me. "Getting better" only because "Jesus is better than me being better", slowly learning to trust His promise and place no faith in myself.
American, patriot, Constitutionalist, military and teaching veteran.
Musician, composer, computer scientist, lifelong student, writer who's trying, seeker of truth, servant of my Master and Saviour.
Happy to be alive.

--Sola scriptura. Sola fide. Sola gratia. Solo Christo. Soli Deo Gloria.

ἀνέβη οὖν Σίμων Πέτρος καὶ εἵλκυσεν τὸ δίκτυον εἰς τὴν γῆν (John 21:11)

Title:  So Simon Peter Went Aboard and Dragged the Net to the Land

The text is, “ἀνέβη οὖν Σίμων Πέτρος καὶ εἵλκυσεν τὸ δίκτυον εἰς τὴν γῆν μεστὸν ἰχθύων μεγάλων ἑκατὸν πεντήκοντα τριῶν καὶ τοσούτων ὄντων οὐκ ἐσχίσθη τὸ δίκτυον”.

ἀνέβη -> third person, singular, aorist, active, indicative verb -> went aboard

οὖν -> coordinating inferential conjunction -> so

Σίμων -> masculine, singular, nominative, proper noun -> Simon

Πέτρος -> masculine, singular, nominative, proper noun -> Peter

 καὶ -> coordinating additive conjunction -> and

εἵλκυσεν -> third person, singular, aorist, active, indicative vb -> dragged | hauled

τὸ -> neuter, singular, accusative article -> the

δίκτυον -> neuter, singular, accusative noun -> net

εἰς -> preposition taking the accusative for its object word -> to

τὴν -> feminine, singular, accusative article -> the

γῆν -> feminine, singular, accusative noun -> land | shore

μεστὸν -> neuter, singular, accusative adjective -> full

ἰχθύων -> masculine, plural, genitive noun -> of fish

μεγάλων -> masculine, plural, genitive adjective -> large

ἑκατὸν -> masculine, plural, genitive, cardinal adjective -> a hundred

πεντήκοντα -> masculine, plural, genitive, cardinal adjective ->fifty

τριῶν -> masculine, plural, genitive, cardinal adjective -> three

καὶ -> coordinating additive conjunction -> and

τοσούτων -> masculine, plural, genitive pronoun -> so many

ὄντων -> present, participial, masculine, singular, genitive verb -> being

οὐκ -> negative particle -> not

ἐσχίσθη -> third person, singular, aorist, passive, indicative verb -> was torn

τὸ -> neuter, singular, nominative article -> the

δίκτυον -> neuter, singular, nominative noun -> net

The meaning of this verse is,

So Simon Peter went aboard and dragged the net to the land, full of large fish, a hundred fifty three, and being so many the net was not torn.

λέγει αὐτοῖς ὁ Ἰησοῦς ἐνέγκατε ἀπὸ τῶν ὀψαρίων ὧν ἐπιάσατε νῦν (John 21:10)

Title:  Jesus Says to Them, “You Bring of the Fish That You Have Now Caught.”

The text is, “λέγει αὐτοῖς ὁ Ἰησοῦς ἐνέγκατε ἀπὸ τῶν ὀψαρίων ὧν ἐπιάσατε νῦν”.

λέγει -> third person, singular, present, active, indicative verb -> says CER* said

αὐτοῖς -> third person, personal, masculine, plural, dative pronoun -> to them

ὁ -> masculine, singular, nominative article -> the NRIEH**

Ἰησοῦς -> masculine, singular, nominative, proper noun -> Jesus

ἐνέγκατε -> second person, plural, aorist, active, imperative verb -> you bring

ἀπὸ -> preposition taking the genitive for its object word -> of | from

τῶν -> neuter, plural, genitive article -> the

ὀψαρίων -> neuter, plural, genitive noun -> fish

ὧν -> neuter, plural, genitive, definite, relative pronoun -> that

ἐπιάσατε -> second person, plural, aorist, active, indicative verb -> you have caught

νῦν -> temporal adverb -> now

The meaning of this verse is,

Jesus said to them, “You bring me of the fish that you have now caught.”

*CER:  indicates a non-literal, but good translation.  In the first example here, the verb “λέγει” is present tense, which in the indicative mood often can be rendered in the aorist tense, since it expresses linear action not in the present but at some point in the past.  The designation CER is equivalent to “Contextual English Rendering”.

ς οὖν ἀπέβησαν εἰς τὴν γῆν βλέπουσιν ἀνθρακιὰν κειμένην (John 21:9)

Title:  About When they Disembarked they saw a Heap of Burning Charcoal Having Been Laid

The text is, “Ὡς οὖν ἀπέβησαν εἰς τὴν γῆν βλέπουσιν ἀνθρακιὰν κειμένην καὶ ὀψάριον ἐπικείμενον καὶ ἄρτον”.

Ὡς -> particle -> about

οὖν -> temporal adverb -> coordinating inferential conjunction -> when

ἀπέβησαν -> third person, plural, aorist, active, indicative verb -> they disembarked

εἰς  -> preposition taking the accusative for its object word -> to

τὴν -> feminine, singular, accusative  article -> the

γῆν -> feminine, singular, accusative noun -> land

βλέπουσιν -> third person, plural, present, active, indicative verb -> they see CER* they saw

ἀνθρακιὰν -> feminine, singular, accusative noun -> a heap of burning charcoal

κειμένην -> present, middle, participial, feminine, singular, accusative verb -> having been laid

καὶ -> coordinating additive conjunction -> and

ὀψάριον -> neuter, singular, accusative -> fish

ἐπικείμενον -> present, middle, participial, neuter, singular, accusative verb -> having been placed

καὶ -> coordinating additive conjunction -> and

ἄρτον -> masculine, singular, accusative noun -> bread

The meaning of this verse is,

About when they disembarked they saw a heap of burning charcoal having been laid and fish having been placed and bread.

*CER:  indicates a non-literal, but good translation.  In the first example here, the verb “βλέπουσιν” is present tense, which in the indicative mood often can be rendered in the aorist tense, since it expresses linear action not in the present but at some point in the past.  The designation CER is equivalent to “Contextual English Rendering”.

οἱ δὲ ἄλλοι μαθηταὶ τῷ πλοιαρίῳ ἦλθον οὐ γὰρ ἦσαν μακρὰν ἀπὸ τῆς γῆς (John 21:8)

Title:  Now the Other Disciples Arrived in the Boat Since they Were Not Far From the Land

The text is, “οἱ δὲ ἄλλοι μαθηταὶ τῷ πλοιαρίῳ ἦλθον οὐ γὰρ ἦσαν μακρὰν ἀπὸ τῆς γῆς ἀλλ’ ὡς ἀπὸ πηχῶν διακοσίων σύροντες τὸ δίκτυον τῶν ἰχθύων”.

οἱ -> masculine, plural, nominative article -> the

δὲ -> coordinating conjunction -> now

ἄλλοι -> masculine, plural, nominative, demonstrative adjective -> other

μαθηταὶ -> masculine, plural, nominative noun -> disciples

τῷ -> neuter, singular, dative article -> in the

πλοιαρίῳ -> neuter, singular, dative noun -> boat

ἦλθον -> third person, plural, aorist, active, indicative verb -> arrived | came

οὐ -> negative particle -> not

γὰρ -> coordinating explanatory conjunction -> because | for

ἦσαν -> third person, plural, imperfect, indicative verb -> they were

μακρὰν -> adverb of place -> far away

ἀπὸ -> preposition taking the genitive for its object word -> from

τῆς -> feminine, singular, genitive article -> the

γῆς -> feminine, singular, genitive noun -> land

ἀλλ’ -> coordinating adversative conjunction -> but

ὡς -> particle -> about

ἀπὸ -> preposition taking the genitive for its object word -> from

πηχῶν -> masculine, plural, genitive noun -> yards

διακοσίων -> masculine, plural, genitive, cardinal adjective -> two hundred

σύροντες -> present, active, participial, masculine, plural, nominative verb -> dragging

τὸ -> neuter, singular, accusative article -> the

δίκτυον -> neuter, singular, accusative noun -> net

τῶν -> masculine, plural, genitive article -> the NRIEH*

ἰχθύων -> masculine, plural, genitive noun -> of fish

The meaning of this verse is,

Now the other disciples arrived in the boat, since they were not far from the land, but about two hundred yards, dragging the net of fish.

*NRIEH: For the sake of clarity the word is translated into English, but to avoid such odd constructions as applying a definite article (“the”) to a substantive sufficiently determined by its being a proper noun, or by the use of a qualifier other than the definite article. An example would be the basic translation “Peter said to the Jesus”; the word “the” is completely unnecessary. There are many examples of this in the New Testament. The designation NRIEH is equivalent to “Not Rendered Into English Here”.

λέγει οὖν ὁ μαθητὴς ἐκεῖνος ὃν ἠγάπα ὁ Ἰησοῦς τῷ Πέτρῳ· ὁ κύριός ἐστιν (John 21:7)

Title:  Thereupon, the Disciple Whom Jesus Loved Said to Peter, “It is the Lord.”

The text is, “λέγει οὖν ὁ μαθητὴς ἐκεῖνος ὃν ἠγάπα ὁ Ἰησοῦς τῷ Πέτρῳ· ὁ κύριός ἐστιν Σίμων οὖν Πέτρος ἀκούσας ὅτι ὁ κύριός ἐστιν τὸν ἐπενδύτην διεζώσατο ἦν γὰρ γυμνός καὶ ἔβαλεν ἑαυτὸν εἰς τὴν θάλασσαν”.

λέγει -> third person, singular, present, active indicative verb -> says CER* said

 οὖν -> coordinating inferential conjunction -> thereupon

ὁ -> masculine, singular, nominative article -> the

μαθητὴς -> masculine, singular, nominative noun -> disciple

ἐκεῖνος -> masculine, singular, nominative, demonstrative pronoun -> that NRIEH

ὃν -> masculine, singular, accusative, definite, relative pronoun -> whom

ἠγάπα -> third person, singular, imperfect, active, indicative verb -> loved

ὁ -> masculine, singular, nominative article -> the NRIEH**

Ἰησοῦς -> masculine, singular, nominative, proper noun -> Jesus

τῷ -> masculine, singular, dative article -> the NRIEH

Πέτρῳ -> masculine, singular, dative, proper noun -> to Peter

ὁ -> masculine, singular, nominative article -> the

κύριός -> masculine, singular, nominative noun -> Lord

ἐστιν -> third person, singular, present, indicative verb -> it is

Σίμων -> masculine, singular, nominative, proper noun -> Simon

οὖν -> coordinating inferential conjunction -> thus | when

Πέτρος -> masculine, singular, nominative, proper noun -> Peter

ἀκούσας -> aorist, active, participial, masculine, singular, nominative verb -> having heard

ὅτι -> subordinating complementary conjunction -> that

ὁ -> masculine, singular, nominative article -> the

κύριός -> masculine, singular, nominative noun -> Lord

ἐστιν -> third person, singular, present, indicative verb -> it is CER it was

τὸν -> masculine, singular, accusative article -> the

ἐπενδύτην -> masculine, singular, accusative noun -> outer garment

διεζώσατο -> third person, singular, aorist, middle,indicative verb -> he donned

ἦν -> third person, singular, imperfect, indicative verb -> he was

γὰρ -> coordinating explanatory conjunction -> because

γυμνός -> masculine, singular, nominative adjective -> naked

καὶ -> coordinating additive conjunction -> and

ἔβαλεν -> third person, singular, aorist, active, indicative verb -> threw

ἑαυτὸν -> third person, masculine, singular, reflexive pronoun -> himself

εἰς -> preposition taking the accusative for its object word -> into

τὴν -> feminine, singular, accusative article -> the

θάλασσαν -> feminine, singular, accusative noun -> sea

The meaning of this verse is,

Thereupon, the disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, “It is the Lord.”  When Simon Peter, having heard that it was the Lord, he donned the outer garment, because he was naked, and threw himself into the sea.

*CER:  indicates a non-literal, but good translation.  In the first example here, the verb “ἔρχεται” is present tense, which in the indicative mood often can be rendered in the aorist tense, since it expresses linear action not in the present but at some point in the past.  The designation CER is equivalent to “Contextual English Rendering”.

δὲ εἶπεν αὐτοῖς βάλετε εἰς τὰ δεξιὰ μέρη τοῦ πλοίου τὸ δίκτυον καὶ εὑρήσετε (John 21:6)

Title:  Then He Said to Them, “You Throw the Net on the Right Side of the Boat and Discover.”

The text is, “δὲ εἶπεν αὐτοῖς βάλετε εἰς τὰ δεξιὰ μέρη τοῦ πλοίου τὸ δίκτυον καὶ εὑρήσετ ἔβαλον οὖν καὶ οὐκέτι αὐτὸ ἑλκύσαι ἴσχυον ἀπὸ τοῦ πλήθους τῶν ἰχθύων”.

ὁ -> masculine, singular, nominative article – the NRIEH*

δὲ -> coordinating conjunction -> then

εἶπεν -> third person, singular, aorist, active, indicative verb -> he said

αὐτοῖς -> third person, personal, masculine, plural, dative pronoun -> to them

βάλετε -> second person, plural, aorist, active, imperative verb -> you throw

εἰς -> preposition taking the accusative for its object word -> on

τὰ -> neuter, plural, accusative article -> the

δεξ -> neuter, plural, accusative adjective -> right

μέρη -> neuter, plural, accusative noun -> side

τοῦ -> neuter, singular, genitive article -> of the

πλοίου -> neuter, singular, genitive noun -> boat

τὸ -> feminine, singular, accusative article -> the

δίκτυον -> feminine, singular, accusative article -> net

καὶ -> coordinating additive conjunction -> and

εὑρήσετε -> second person, plural, future, active, indicative verb -> discover

ἔβαλον -> third person, plural, aorist, active, indicative verb -> they cast

οὖν -> coordinating inferential conjunction -> so

καὶ -> coordinating additive conjunction -> and

οὐκέτι -> temporal adverb -> not | no longer

αὐτὸ -> third person, personal, neuter, singular, accusative pronoun -> it

ἑλκύσαι -> aorist, active, infinitive verb -> to haul

ἴσχυον -> third person, plural, imperfect, active, indicative verb -> were

ἀπὸ -> preposition taking the genitive for its object word -> because

τοῦ -> neuter, singular, genitive article -> of the

πλήθους -> neuter, singular, genitive noun -> number | quantify

τῶν -> masculine, plural, genitive article ->  the NRIEH 

ἰχθύων -> masculine, plural, genitive noun -> of fish

The meaning of this verse is,

Then he said to them, “You throw the net on the right side of the boat, and discover.  So they cast, and no longer were able to haul it, because of the number of fish.

λέγει οὖν αὐτοῖς ὁ Ἰησοῦς παιδία μή τι προσφάγιον ἔχετε ἀπεκρίθησαν αὐτῷ· οὔ (John 21:5)

Title:  So Jesus Said to Them, “Children, Have You any Food?”  They answered him, “No.”

The text is, “λέγει οὖν αὐτοῖς ὁ Ἰησοῦς παιδία μή τι προσφάγιον ἔχετε ἀπεκρίθησαν αὐτῷ· οὔ”.

λέγει -> third person, singular, present, active, indicative verb -> says CER* said

οὖν -> coordinating inferential conjunction -> so

αὐτοῖς -> third person, personal, plural, dative pronoun -> to them

ὁ -> masculine, singular, nominative article -> the NRIEH**

Ἰησοῦς -> masculine, singular, nominative, proper noun -> Jesus

παιδία -> neuter, plural, vocative noun -> children

μή -> negative particle -> not

τι -> neuter, singular, accusative, indefinite pronoun ->  any

προσφάγιον -> food

ἔχετε -> second person, plural, present, active, indicative verb -> you have

ἀπεκρίθησαν -> third person, plural, aorist, passive, indicative verb -> they answered

αὐτῷ -> third person, personal, masculine, singular, dative pronoun -> him

οὔ -> negative particle -> no

The meaning of this verse is,

So Jesus said to them, “Children, have you any food?”  They answered him, “No.

 

*CER:  indicates a non-literal, but good translation.  In the first example here, the verb “ἔρχεται” is present tense, which in the indicative mood often can be rendered in the aorist tense, since it expresses linear action not in the present but at some point in the past.  The designation CER is equivalent to “Contextual English Rendering”.

*NRIEH: For the sake of clarity the word is translated into English, but to avoid such odd constructions as applying a definite article (“the”) to a substantive sufficiently determined by its being a proper noun, or by the use of a qualifier other than the definite article. An example would be the basic translation “Peter said to the Jesus”; the word “the” is completely unnecessary. There are many examples of this in the New Testament. The designation NRIEH is equivalent to “Not Rendered Into English Here”.

Πρωΐας δὲ ἤδη γενομένης ἔστη Ἰησοῦς εἰς τὸν αἰγιαλόν οὐ μέντοι ᾔδεισαν οἱ μαθηταὶ ὅτι Ἰησοῦς ἐστιν (John 21:4)

Title:  Morning  Already Breaking, Jesus Stood on the Shore, But the Disciples Did Not Yet Know that it Was Jesus

The text is, “Πρωΐας δὲ ἤδη γενομένης ἔστη Ἰησοῦς εἰς τὸν αἰγιαλόν οὐ μέντοι ᾔδεισαν οἱ μαθηταὶ ὅτι Ἰησοῦς ἐστιν”.

Πρωΐας -> feminine, singular, genitive noun -> morning

δὲ -> coordinating conjunction -> but

ἤδη -> temporal adverb -> already

γενομένης -> aorist, middle, participial, feminine, singular,genitive verb -> breaking

ἔστη -> third person, singular, aorist, active, indicative verb -> stood

Ἰησοῦς -> masculine, singular, nominative, proper noun -> Jesus

εἰς -> preposition taking the accusative for its object word -> on

τὸν -> masculine, singular, accusative article -> the

αἰγιαλόν -> masculine, singular, accusative noun -> shore

οὐ -> negative particle -> not

μέντοι -> coordinating adversative conjunction -> yet

ᾔδεισαν -> third person, plural, perfect, active, indicative verb -> did know

οἱ -> masculine, plural, nominative article -> the

μαθηταὶ -> masculine, plural, nominative noun -> disciples

ὅτι -> subordinating complementary conjunction -> that

Ἰησοῦς -> masculine, singular, nominative, proper noun -> Jesus

ἐστιν -> third person, singular, present, indicative verb -> it is CER* it was

The meaning of this verse is,

Morning already breaking, Jesus stood on the shore, but the disciples did not yet know that it was Jesus.

*CER:  indicates a non-literal, but good translation.  In the first example here, the verb “ἔρχεται” is present tense, which in the indicative mood often can be rendered in the aorist tense, since it expresses linear action not in the present but at some point in the past.  The designation CER is equivalent to “Contextual English Rendering”.

λέγει αὐτοῖς Σίμων Πέτρος· ὑπάγω ἁλιεύειν (John 21:3)

Title:  Simon Peter Said to Them, “I Go To Fish”

The text is, “λέγει αὐτοῖς Σίμων Πέτρος· ὑπάγω ἁλιεύειν λέγουσιν αὐτῷ· ἐρχόμεθα καὶ ἡμεῖς σὺν σοί ἐξῆλθον καὶ ἐνέβησαν εἰς τὸ πλοῖον καὶ ἐν ἐκείνῃ τῇ νυκτὶ ἐπίασαν οὐδέν”.

λέγει -> third person,  singular, present, active, indicative verb -> says CER* said

αὐτοῖς -> third person,personal,  masculine, plural, dative pronoun -> to them

Σίμων -> masculine, singular, nominative, proper noun -> Simon

Πέτρος -> masculine, singular, nominative, proper noun -> Peter

ὑπάγω -> third person, singular, present, active, indicative verb -> I go

 ἁλιεύειν-> present, active, infinitive verb -> to fish

λέγουσιν -> third person, plural, present, active, indicative verb -> they say CER they said

αὐτῷ -third person, personal, masculine, singular, dative pronoun -> to him

ἐρχόμεθα -> third person, plural, present, middle, indicative verb -> go

καὶ -> coordinating additive conjunction -> and

ἡμεῖς -> first person, personal, plural, nominative pronoun -> we

σὺν -> preposition taking the dative for its object word -> with

σοί -> second person, personal, singular, dative pronoun -> you

ἐξῆλθον -> third person, plural, aorist, active, indicative verb -> they came out

καὶ -> coordinating additive conjunction -> and

ἐνέβησαν -> third person, plural, aorist, active, indicative verb -> embarked

εἰς -> preposition taking the accusative for its object word -> into

τὸ -> neuter, singular, accusative article -> the

πλοῖον -> neuter, singular, accusative noun -> boat

καὶ -> coordinating additive conjunction -> but

ἐν -> preposition taking the dative for its object word -> during

ἐκείνῃ -> feminine, singular, dative, demonstrative pronoun -> that

τῇ -> feminine, singular, dative article -> the NRIEH**

νυκτὶ -> feminine, singular, dative noun -> night

ἐπίασαν -> third person,plural, aorist, active, indicative verb -> they caught

οὐδέν -> neuter, singular, accusative, indefinite adjective -> nothing

The meaning of this verse is,

Simon Peter says to them, “I go to fish”.  They said to him, “We go with you.”  They came out and embarked into the boat, but they caught nothing during that night.

*CER:  indicates a non-literal, but good translation.  In the first example here, the verb “ἔρχεται” is present tense, which in the indicative mood often can be rendered in the aorist tense, since it expresses linear action not in the present but at some point in the past.  The designation CER is equivalent to “Contextual English Rendering”.

Posted in: Christianity, Gospel of John, New Testament Translation

ἦσαν ὁμοῦ Σίμων Πέτρος καὶ Θωμᾶς ὁ λεγόμενος Δίδυμος (John 21:2)

Title:  And Together Were Simon Peter and Thomas, the one Called Didymus

The text is, “ἦσαν ὁμοῦ Σίμων Πέτρος καὶ Θωμᾶς ὁ λεγόμενος Δίδυμος καὶ Ναθαναὴλ ὁ ἀπὸ Κανὰ τῆς Γαλιλαίας καὶ οἱ τοῦ Ζεβεδαίου καὶ ἄλλοι ἐκ τῶν μαθητῶν αὐτοῦ δύο”.

ἦσαν -> third person, plural, imperfect, indicative verb -> there were

ὁμοῦ -> adverb of place -> together

Σίμων -> masculine, singular, nominative, proper noun -> Simon

Πέτρος -> masculine, singular, nominative, proper noun -> Peter

καὶ -> coordinating additive conjunction -> and

Θωμᾶς -> masculine, singular, nominative, proper noun -> Thomas

ὁ -> masculine, singular, nominative article -> the

λεγόμενος -> present, passive, participial, masculine, singular, nominative verb -> one being called

Δίδυμος -> masculine, singular, nominative, proper noun -> Didymus

καὶ -> coordinating additive conjunction -> and

Ναθαναὴλ -> masculine, singular, nominative, proper noun -> Nathanael

ὁ -> masculine, singular, nominative article -> the NRIEH*

ἀπὸ -> preposition taking the genitive for its object word -> of

Κανὰ -> feminine, singular, genitive, proper noun -> Cana

τῆς -> feminine, singular, genitive article -> the NRIEH

Γαλιλαίας -> masculine, singular, genitive, proper noun -> of Galilee

καὶ -> coordinating additive conjunction -> and

οἱ -> masculine, plural, genitive article -> the NRIEH

τοῦ -> masculine, singular, genitive article -> the NRIEH

Ζεβεδαίου -> masculine, singular, genitive, proper noun -> of Zebedee

καὶ -> coordinating additive conjunction -> and

ἄλλοι -> masculine, plural, nominative, demonstrative adjective -> others

ἐκ -> preposition taking the genitive for its object word -> of

τῶν -> masculine, plural, genitive article -> the NRIEH

μαθητῶ ν -> masculine, plural, genitive noun -> disciples

αὐτοῦ -> third person, personal, masculine, singular, genitive pronoun -> his

δύο -> masculine, plural, nominative, cardinal adjective -> two

The meaning of this verse is,

And together were Simon Peter and Thomas, the one being called Didymus, and Nathanael of Cana of Galilee, and of Zebedee**, and two others of his disciples.

*NRIEH: For the sake of clarity the word is translated into English, but to avoid such odd constructions as applying a definite article (“the”) to a substantive sufficiently determined by its being a proper noun, or by the use of a qualifier other than the definite article. An example would be the basic translation “Peter said to the Jesus”; the word “the” is completely unnecessary. There are many examples of this in the New Testament. The designation NRIEH is equivalent to “Not Rendered Into English Here”.

**Some clarification is in order here, as the translation fails to identify anything as “belonging” to Zebedee, leaving only “of Zebedee” in the text. The combination of “οἱ”, a masculine, plural, genitive article, followed by “τοῦ”, a masculine, singular, genitive article, neither article denoting anything which it makes definite, is rendered as “the sons” in many English translations, and that serves in a not disturbing way to identify what exactly it is that is, or who exactly they are, “of Zebedee”.  James and John, whom we take to be these “two disciples” are identified in Matthew 10:35 and Mark 3:17 as “sons of Zebedee”.