Prohibition in Pieces: The Syntax of μήτε-Series and Elliptical Infinitives

Καὶ εἶπε πρὸς αὐτούς· μηδὲν αἴρετε εἰς τὴν ὁδόν, μήτε ῥάβδους μήτε πήραν μήτε ἄρτον μήτε ἀργύριον μήτε ἀνὰ δύο χιτῶνας ἔχειν. (Luke 9:3)

One Command, Many Echoes

In Luke 9:3, Jesus gives travel instructions to His disciples—commands that seem sparse and ascetic, but under the surface they reflect rich grammatical craftsmanship. What seems at first glance like a rapid-fire list of things not to carry is actually a layered and elliptical prohibition structure—an advanced example of negative coordination using μήτε along with an infinitival ellipsis that reveals both grammatical precision and theological poignancy.

This lesson will focus on two interwoven syntactic phenomena:

1. Use of μήτε in a list of negative imperatival instructions
2. Ellipsis of the verb after μήτε-series—specifically, ellipsis of the infinitive “to take” and its syntactic implications

Negative Coordination with μήτε

In Greek, μήτε is used to coordinate multiple negated elements, particularly within imperatives, subjunctives, or infinitives—where οὐδέ would not be syntactically appropriate. Luke 9:3 exhibits a beautiful chain of μήτε-coordinated items, all dependent on a negated command:

μηδὲν αἴρετε — “Take nothing”

Followed by:

• μήτε ῥάβδους – nor staffs
• μήτε πήραν – nor a bag
• μήτε ἄρτον – nor bread
• μήτε ἀργύριον – nor silver
• μήτε ἀνὰ δύο χιτῶνας ἔχειν – nor to have two tunics each

The paratactic rhythm formed by μήτε creates an intensifying cascade of renunciations, making the command more solemn and memorable. But Luke doesn’t simply pile up objects—he varies the syntax to highlight the final clause.

Ellipsis of the Verb and the Shift to Infinitive

The entire first sequence of μήτε items depends syntactically on the imperative verb αἴρετε (“take”), which governs each μήτε phrase.

But suddenly, the last clause shifts:
μήτε ἀνὰ δύο χιτῶνας ἔχειν

Here, the governing verb changes from finite imperative to infinitive—ἔχειν (“to have”)—without repeating the main verb explicitly.

This is a clear instance of infinitival ellipsis: the verb is not repeated, but syntactically inferred. The ellipsis introduces a new predicate action (ἔχειν) within the same structure of negated coordination. The μήτε thus governs:
– Accusative objects under an implied imperative verb (αἴρετε)
– And then an infinitive clause without full repetition.

Such shifts reflect:

• Greek flexibility in coordinating actions of different forms
• Economy of style—Luke avoids repetition for rhetorical compactness
• Emphasis on the last item: the infinitive ἔχειν stands out syntactically and thematically

Morphology of Key Forms

1. αἴρετε
   • Root: αἴρω
   • Form: Present Active Imperative, 2nd Person Plural
   • Lexical Meaning: “lift,” “take up,” “carry”
   • Contextual Notes: Here used idiomatically: “take with you on the road”
2. μήτε
   • Form: Coordinating negative particle (used with non-indicative moods and infinitives)
   • Lexical Meaning: “nor,” “not even”
   • Contextual Notes: Used repeatedly to intensify the series of negated items, creating liturgical cadence
3. ἔχειν
   • Root: ἔχω
   • Form: Present Active Infinitive
   • Lexical Meaning: “to have,” “to hold”
   • Contextual Notes: Stands alone at the end, forming a new predicate through ellipsis—emphasizing even personal possessions (like clothing) must be relinquished

Visual Map: Syntax of the Prohibition

The Ellipsis that Speaks Volumes

Luke’s stylized command here is not merely a practical checklist—it’s a grammar of surrender. The ellipsis is itself a kind of silence that speaks: there’s no need to repeat the verb, because the burden of repetition is precisely what the disciples are told to abandon.

Each μήτε cuts off an expected provision; each noun stripped away is a reminder that the journey requires dependency. And then, as if to leave the reader hanging in that bare minimalism, Luke finishes with an infinitive—ἔχειν—a verb that usually promises possession, but here declares its absence.

In the syntax of this verse, theology and grammar converge: the absence of provisions becomes a grammatical structure, and the grammatical structure becomes a mirror of discipleship.

Grammar That Walks Barefoot

Luke 9:3 is more than a travel advisory — it is a grammatical embodiment of mission. The disciples are told to take nothing, and the very syntax of the sentence strips itself down alongside them. Each μήτε peels away a layer of dependency: no staff, no bag, no bread, no silver — and finally, not even an extra tunic. By the time we reach the infinitive ἔχειν, the reader, like the disciple, is left with only the journey itself.

Greek grammar here becomes performative: the ellipsis, the unspoken repetition, the crescendo of μήτε, all mirror the radical simplicity of the disciple’s path. There is a beauty in the grammatical bareness — an eloquence in what is withheld. Syntax becomes discipleship. Punctuation becomes posture.

In this way, the grammar walks barefoot. And the reader walks with it — lighter, poorer, and strangely richer for having paid attention to the way language itself follows the road of Christ.