In καὶ ὁ κόσμος παράγεται καὶ ἡ ἐπιθυμία αὐτοῦ· ὁ δὲ ποιῶν τὸ θέλημα τοῦ Θεοῦ μένει εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα (1 John 2:17), John presents a profound contrast between what is fading and what endures. The grammatical tension hinges on two verbs: παράγεται (is passing away) and μένει (remains). One is passive and transient; the other is active and eternal. Greek grammar doesn’t just state the theological point — it performs it. The world is in the passive voice, swept along by time. The doer of God’s will remains — with present active force — into the age to come.
Morphological Breakdown
- καὶ –
Root: καί
Form: coordinating conjunction
Lexical Meaning: “and”
Contextual Notes: Links both the world and its desires as elements passing away. - ὁ κόσμος –
Root: κόσμος
Form: nominative masculine singular noun with article
Lexical Meaning: “the world”
Contextual Notes: Not creation itself but the present world system opposed to God. - παράγεται –
Root: παράγω
Form: present passive indicative, 3rd person singular
Lexical Meaning: “is passing away,” “is fading”
Contextual Notes: Present tense shows ongoing action. Passive voice depicts the world as not active but subject to dissolution. - καὶ ἡ ἐπιθυμία αὐτοῦ –
Root: ἐπιθυμία, αὐτός
Form: nominative feminine singular noun + genitive pronoun
Lexical Meaning: “and its desire”
Contextual Notes: Refers to worldly craving or lust; tightly bound to the fate of the world itself. - ὁ δὲ ποιῶν –
Root: ποιέω
Form: nominative masculine singular article + present active participle
Lexical Meaning: “but the one doing”
Contextual Notes: Present participle indicates ongoing obedience. The contrastive δὲ sets up a stark alternative to the world. - τὸ θέλημα τοῦ Θεοῦ –
Root: θέλημα, Θεός
Form: accusative neuter singular noun + genitive noun
Lexical Meaning: “the will of God”
Contextual Notes: The object of ποιῶν — the divine will as the defining pursuit of the one who remains. - μένει –
Root: μένω
Form: present active indicative, 3rd person singular
Lexical Meaning: “remains,” “abides”
Contextual Notes: Present tense shows continuous, unshaken permanence in contrast to παράγεται. - εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα –
Root: αἰών
Form: prepositional phrase (accusative masculine singular)
Lexical Meaning: “into the age,” “forever”
Contextual Notes: Idiom for eternal permanence. The grammatical preposition marks the movement into unending duration.
Present Passive vs. Present Active: What Passes and What Persists
The world παράγεται — not just “will pass” but “is already passing.” Greek uses the present passive to depict transience as a current reality. It’s not awaiting future destruction; it’s already unraveling. In contrast, the believer μένει — an active verb of endurance and agency. The syntax paints two movements: the world fading passively, the obedient soul remaining actively.
This contrast is reinforced by aspect and voice. The passive voice in παράγεται emphasizes the world’s helplessness, while the active μένει highlights conscious, God-oriented perseverance.
The Present Participle ποιῶν: Ongoing Obedience
John does not say “the one who has done” God’s will, but ὁ ποιῶν — “the one doing.” The participle is present and active, signaling continuous practice rather than completed action. Remaining forever is not tied to a moment of obedience, but to a way of life — a living, enduring response to God’s will. Greek participles are ideal for expressing identity, and here the participle defines the person by what he does habitually.
Grammar That Judges and Promises
This verse contains no imperatives — only indicative verbs and participles. And yet, it judges the world and blesses the obedient. The passive decay of the cosmos stands as warning; the active endurance of the obedient as hope. Through the precision of aspect and voice, the Greek grammar itself carries the theology: what fades will fade, and what is done in God’s will endures forever.
