Category Archives: Declensions

Ὅτε γὰρ δοῦλοι ἦτε τῆς ἁμαρτίας ἐλεύθεροι ἦτε τῇ δικαιοσύνῃ. (Romans 6:20)

For when you were slaves of sin, you were free with respect to righteousness.

The Paradox Framed by Declension

In Romans 6:20, Paul constructs a stark paradox using precise noun cases: being a slave of one power means being free from another. This theological contrast—sin versus righteousness—is not merely stated; it’s declined. The article-noun pairings and dative constructions expose a mutual exclusivity that can only be communicated through inflection.

Verse Breakdown: Form, Case, and Theological Function Greek Word Morphology Case & Syntactic Role Notes δοῦλοι 2nd declension masculine nominative plural noun Subject of ἦτε “Slaves” — the foundational metaphor for human condition under sin ἦτε (1st instance) 2nd person plural imperfect indicative of εἰμί Linking verb “You were” — establishes past state of being τῆς ἁμαρτίας 1st declension feminine genitive singular noun with article Genitive of possession “Of sin” — what owned them as slaves ἐλεύθεροι 1st/2nd declension adjective, nominative plural masculine Predicate nominative with 2nd ἦτε “Free” — ironic, because it means they were not righteous τῇ δικαιοσύνῃ 1st declension feminine dative singular noun with article Dative of respect (“with regard to”) “In relation to righteousness” — not in service of it Grammatical Mirror: Two Spheres, Two Cases

Paul’s point is symmetrical:

– Nominative δοῦλοι – what you were in relation to sin.… Learn Koine Greek

Διὸ προσλαμβάνεσθε ἀλλήλους, καθὼς καὶ ὁ Χριστὸς προσελάβετο ἡμᾶς εἰς δόξαν Θεοῦ. (Romans 15:7)

Therefore welcome one another, just as also the Messiah welcomed us, for the glory of God.

Why Declensions Matter Here

In this compact verse, Paul commands imitation—not in abstract terms but in grammatical precision. The morphosyntactic alignment of subject, object, and preposition in the verse reinforces the mutuality of Christian love and the theocentric purpose behind it. From the middle imperative to the articular subject, each declinable element contributes to the theology of inclusion.

Detailed Declension Breakdown Greek Word Morphology Case & Syntactic Role Notes ἀλλήλους Reciprocal pronoun, accusative plural masculine Direct object of προσλαμβάνεσθε Mutuality emphasized: “one another” highlights equality and inclusion ὁ Χριστός 2nd declension masculine nominative singular noun with article Subject of προσελάβετο Emphatic by placement and article: the Messiah himself is the model ἡμᾶς 1st person plural personal pronoun, accusative Object of προσελάβετο Refers to believers—those formerly excluded but now received δόξαν 3rd declension feminine accusative singular noun Object of preposition εἰς Denotes goal or result: the entire movement aims toward “glory” Θεοῦ 2nd declension masculine genitive singular noun Genitive of possession Defines whose glory: not man’s glory, but God’s Case Functions that Reflect Theological Logic

– The accusative ἀλλήλους reinforces mutual reception: both subject and object are the same collective body.… Learn Koine Greek