Jenny Read-Heimerdinger examines the language of Luke-Acts drawing out aspects of Luke's use of Greek that traditional approaches have not accounted for, such as variation in word order, alternative spellings and fine distinctions between synonyms. Drawing on relatively recent developments in linguistics, broadly referred to as 'discourse analysis', Read-Heimerdinger shows how paying close attention to the context of language is important for understanding reasons behind an author's choices.

Read-Heimerdinger applies the tools of discourse analysis to a selection of features of Luke's Greek to demonstrate how principles that govern their use affect exegesis. Additionally, she makes suggestions to account for manuscript variation, which in turn have an impact on the editorial choices of Nestle-Aland's Greek New Testament.