THE PROGRESSIVE IMPERFECT
The Imperfect is used of action in progress in past time.
Mark 12:41; καὶ πολλοὶ πλούσιοι ἔβαλλον πολλά, and many that were rich were casting in much.
Luke 1:66; καὶ γὰρ χεὶρ κυρίου ἦν μετ’ αὐτοῦ, for the hand of the Lord was with him.
John 11:36; Ἴδε πῶς ἐφίλει αὐτόν, behold how he loved him.
The statement respecting the translation of the Progressive Present (cf.THE PROGRESSIVE PRESENT), applies to the Imperfect also. Notice the third example above, and see also Luke 2:51, his mother kept [διετήρει] all these things in her heart; in Luke 24:32, A.V., did not our heart burn within us, is better than R.V., was not our heart burning within us. Though the verb is a periphrastic Imperfect, καιομένη ἦν, the English form did burn sufficiently suggests action in progress to render it adequately.
