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409 lines
17 KiB
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<HTML><HEAD>
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<TITLE>BLB - Help/FAQ - Greek Verb Tenses</TITLE>
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<DIV CLASS="head">
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<A ID="1"></A>What do the Greek verb tenses mean?
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</DIV>
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<div class="subhead">
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<A ID="toc"></a>Contents
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<DIV CLASS="main-just"><div class="pad2030">
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<ul class="blue1">
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<li><a href="#intro">Introduction</a></li>
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<li><a href="#number">Number & Person</a></li>
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<li><a href="#tense">Tense</a></li>
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<li><a href="#voice">Voice</a></li>
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<li><a href="#mood">Mood</a></li>
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<li><a href="#infinitive">Infinitive</a></li>
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<li><a href="#resources">Additional Resources</a></li>
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<li><a href="#notes">Notes</a></li>
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</ul>
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<div class="subhead">
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<A ID="intro"></a>Introduction
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</div>
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<DIV CLASS="main-just"><div class="pad2030">
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<P>When accessing information about verbs throughout our New Testament concordance, you'll find numerous references to Greek verb tenses, their voice, and their mood. The following list identifies each verb tense and its part in speech via a comparative example in English using the the verb "to loose."</p>
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<p><em>To access the verb's tense, voice, and mood, press the <b>tense</b> button in the concordance tool.</em></p>
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<div align="center"><img src="./gifs/help/luw.gif" border="0" align="center"></div>
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<div class="subhead">
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<A ID="number"></a>Number and Person
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</div>
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<DIV CLASS="main-just"><div class="pad2030">
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Before discussing tense, voice, and mood, it is first necessary to have an understanding of person and number.<br><br>
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<b>Person:</b> This is what determines whether the subject is the speaker (first person), is being spoken to (second person) or being spoken about (third person).<br><br>
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<b>Number:</b> This is what determines whether a verb is singular or plural.<br><br>
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<td colspan="2" bgcolor="f5f5f5" style="border-width:0px 0px 0px 0px;border-style:dashed;border-color:#000;text-align:center;text-valign:middle;font-weight:bold;">
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Number
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Singular
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Plural
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<div class="90">Person</div>
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First
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I
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We
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Second
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You
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Y'all
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Third
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He, She, it
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They
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</table>
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</td>
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</table>
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</div>
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<div class="subhead">
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<A ID="tense"></a>Tense
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</div>
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<DIV CLASS="main-just"><div class="pad2030">
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<P>Tense plays a very crucial role in the study of New Testament exegesis. Dana and Mantey
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understood its significance in saying that "no element of the Greek language is
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of more importance to the student of the New Testament than the matter of tense".
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<A ID="n1a" href="#n1b"><b>[1]</b></a> Tense deals both with <em>time</em>
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and <em>kind of action</em>. Ancient Greek focused more on the latter of
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these aspects (that is, kind of action); however, time does play a role in verb tense
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when the mood is indicative (<a href="#mood">the four moods are explained below</a>).</P>
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<P>The <em>aspect</em> of a verb correlates with the kind of action. It determines whether the
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verb's action is punctiliar, linear or perfected. These are described in the following table.</P>
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<b>Punctiliar:</b>
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<td width="90" style="border-width:0px 0px 1px 0px;border-style:dashed;border-color:#000;">
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<img src="./gifs/help/aspect03.gif"><br>
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</td>
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<td width="215" style="border-width:0px 0px 1px 0px;border-style:dashed;border-color:#000;text-align:left;">
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action that relates to a specific <em>point</em> in time
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<b>Linear:</b>
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<td width="90" style="border-width:0px 0px 1px 0px;border-style:dashed;border-color:#000;">
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<img src="./gifs/help/aspect04.gif"><br>
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action that is in the progress of occuring
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<b>Perfected:</b>
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<img src="./gifs/help/aspect05.gif"><br>
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</td>
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<td width="215" style="text-align:left;">
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action that is both punctiliar and linear in that it refers to action relating to a point in time, yet has results that are in the progress of occuring
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</td>
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</table>
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</div>
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<br>
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<b>The Present Tense</b>
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<div class="block">The present tense can either be continuous/ongoing or undefined. The continuous present is usually translated as "I am loosing" while the undefined is best translated as "I loosen." When the present is used with the indicative mood it denotes present time.<br><br>
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Example: <a href="/kjv/Rev/Rev003.html#20"><b>Rev 3:20</b></a><br>
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</td>
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<img src="./gifs/help/rev3_20.gif"><br><img src="./gifs/clearpixel.gif" width="1" height="3"><br>
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</td>
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<b>Behold, I stand at the door and <span style="color:#f00;">knock</span></b>
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</td>
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</table>
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</div>
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<b>The Imperfect Tense</b>
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<div class="block">The action of the imperfect tense is very similar to that of the present tense. It represents continuous or reoccuring action in the past time (when used with the indicative). This is best translated as "I was loosing."<br><br>
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Example: <a href="/kjv/Mar/Mar004.html#33"><b>Mar 4:33</b></a><br>
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</td>
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<img src="./gifs/help/mar4_33.gif"><br><img src="./gifs/clearpixel.gif" width="1" height="3"><br>
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<b>And with many such parables He <span style="color:#f00;">was speaking</span> the word to them</b>
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</table>
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</div>
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<b>The Aorist Tense</b>
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<div class="block">This tense is hardly a <em>tense</em> at all. It describes indefinite or undefined action. The word <em>aoristos</em> derives from an alpha privative (ie. negation) and the verb <em>horizô</em> (meaning "to bound") thus meaning "without boundaries".<A ID="n2a"> </a><a href="#n2b"><b>[2]</b></a> With the indicative mood it is often best translated as a simple past: "I loosed."<br><br>
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Example: <a href="/kjv/Jhn/Jhn003.html#16"><b>Jhn 3:16</b></a><br>
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<img src="./gifs/help/jhn3_16.gif"><br><img src="./gifs/clearpixel.gif" width="1" height="3"><br>
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<b>For God so <span style="color:#f00;">loved</span> the world</b>
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</div>
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<b>The Future Tense</b>
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<div class="block">This tense generally denotes action that will occur in the future. This is best translated as "I will loose."<br><br>
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<td STYLE="border-width: 0px 0px 1px 0px;border-style:solid;border-color:#000;background-color:f5f5f5;">
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Example: <a href="/kjv/1Cr/1Cr006.html#3"><b>1Cr 6:3</b></a><br>
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<img src="./gifs/help/1cr6_3.gif"><br><img src="./gifs/clearpixel.gif" width="1" height="3"><br>
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<b>Do you not know that <span style="color:#f00;">we will judge</span> angels?</b>
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</td>
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</table>
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</div>
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<b>The Perfect Tense</b>
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<div class="block">Action that has been completed in the past yet has results occurring in the present are expressed by the perfect tense. The perfect is often translated as "I have loosened."<br><br>
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<td STYLE="border-width: 0px 0px 1px 0px;border-style:solid;border-color:#000;background-color:f5f5f5;">
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Example: <a href="/kjv/Jhn/Jhn019.html#22"><b>Jhn 19:22</b></a><br>
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</td>
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<img src="./gifs/help/jhn19_22.gif"><br><img src="./gifs/clearpixel.gif" width="1" height="3"><br>
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</td>
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<b>Pilate answered, "That which <span style="color:#f00;">I have written</span>, <span style="color:#f00;">I have written</span>."</b>
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</div>
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<b>The Pluperfect Tense</b>
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<div class="block">The pluperfect has the same <em>aspect</em> as the perfect, yet it's time is farther removed into the past than that of the perfect. Both the completed action <em>and</em> the results of that action occur in the past. It also represents action that is complete and viewed from a point in the past time.<A ID="n3a"> </a><a href="#n3b"><b>[3]</b></a> The usual translation for the pluperfect is "I had loosened."<br><br>
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Example: <a href="/kjv/Mar/Mar015.html#46"><b>Mar 15:46</b></a><br>
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</td>
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<img src="./gifs/help/mar15_46.gif"><br><img src="./gifs/clearpixel.gif" width="1" height="3"><br>
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<b>In a tomb which <span style="color:#f00;">had been hewn</span> out of the rock</b>
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<A ID="voice"></a>Voice
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</div>
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<DIV CLASS="main-just"><div class="pad2030">
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Biblical Greek has three voices, <em>active</em>, <em>middle</em>, and <em>passive</em>:<br><br>
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<b>The Active Voice:</b>
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<div class="block">This occurs when the action of the verb is being performed by the subject.</div>
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<b>The Middle Voice:</b>
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<div class="block">When the subject of the verb does action unto itself, or for its own benefit, the middle voice is used.</div>
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<b>The Passive Voice:</b>
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<div class="block">The passive represents the action of the verb being done <em>unto</em> the subject but not <em>by</em> the subject.</div>
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</div>
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</div>
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<div class="subhead">
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<A ID="mood"></a>Mood
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</div>
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<DIV CLASS="main-just"><div class="pad2030">
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There are four moods in Greek. They demonstrate the relationship between the action of the verb and reality. They denote whether the action is factual, potential, wishful, or a command.
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<br><br>
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<b>The Indicative Mood:</b>
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<div class="block">This is the mood of assertion or <em>presentation</em> of certainty.<A ID="n4a"> </a><a href="#n4b"><b>[4]</b></a> The indicative mood is the only one to give designation concerning time (past, present, and future). The majority of all verbs used in the New Testament occur in the indicative mood. </div>
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<b>The Subjunctive Mood:</b>
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<div class="block">This is the mood of probability or desirability. It, however, has many usages and this is only a general definition. </div>
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<b>The Optative Mood:</b>
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<div class="block">The optative has relatively few appearences in the New Testament because—by the time the New Testament was written—the subjunctive has taken over some of the classical usages of it. Some of its usages include, a wish/prayer or a potential statement. Mounce states that the optative is two steps away from reality whereas the subjunctive is only one step away.<A ID="n5a"> </a><a href="#n5b"><b>[5]</b></a> </div>
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<b>The Imperative Mood:</b>
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<div class="block">This mood is reserved for the indication of commands.</div>
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</div>
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</div>
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<div class="subhead">
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<A ID="infinitive"></a>Infinitive
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</div>
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<DIV CLASS="main-just"><div class="pad2030">
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An infinitive is a verbal noun. Neither person nor number are found in the infinitive and it does not have mood designation. It is best translated, "to loose."
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</div>
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</div>
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<div class="subhead">
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<A ID="resources"></a>Additional Resources
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</div>
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<div class="main-left">
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<div class="pad2030">
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<p>For additional information regarding Greek verbs and other grammatical issues the following books should be of great value:</p>
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<p><strong>Beginning Students</strong></p>
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<ul class="blue1">
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<li>William D. Mounce. <em>Basics of Biblical Greek</em>. Grand Rapids: Zondervan Publishing House, 1993.</li>
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<li>N. Clayton Croy. <em>A Primer of Biblical Greek</em>. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1999.</li>
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</ul>
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<p><strong>Advanced Students</strong></p>
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<ul class="blue1">
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<li>Daniel B. Wallace. <em>Greek Grammar Beyond the Basics</em>. Grand Rapids: Zondervan Publishing House, 1996.</li>
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<li>F. Blass and A. Debrunner. <em>A Greek Grammar of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature</em>. Translated and Revised by Robert W. Funk. Chicago: The University of Chicago Press, 1961.</li>
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</ul>
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</div>
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</div>
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<div class="subhead">
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<A ID="notes"></a>Notes
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</div>
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<div class="main-left">
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<div class="pad2030">
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<a href="#n1a"><b>[1]</b></a><A ID="n1b"> </a>H. E. Dana and Julius R. Mantey. <em>A Manual Grammar of the Greek New Testament</em>. New York: The Macmillan Company, 1927. p. 176<br>
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<a href="#n2a"><b>[2]</b></a><A ID="n2b"> </a>Stephen W. Paine. <em>Beginning Greek: A Functional Approach</em>. New York: Oxford UP, 1961. p. 41<br>
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<a href="#n3a"><b>[3]</b></a><A ID="n3b"> </a>H. E. Dana and Julius R. Mantey. <em>A Manual Grammar of the Greek New Testament</em>. New York: The Macmillan Company, 1927. p. 178<br>
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<a href="#n4a"><b>[4]</b></a><A ID="n4b"> </a>See Daniel B. Wallace. <em>Greek Grammar Beyond the Basics</em>. Grand Rapids: Zondervan Publishing House, 1996. p. 448<br>
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<a href="#n5a"><b>[5]</b></a><A ID="n5b"> </a>William D. Mounce. <em>Basics of Biblical Greek</em>. Grand Rapids: Zondervan Publishing House, 1993. p. 325<br>
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