Τὸ λοιπὸν οὖν, ἀδελφοί, ἐρωτῶμεν ὑμᾶς καὶ παρακαλοῦμεν ἐν κυρίῳ Ἰησοῦ, καθὼς παρελάβετε παρ’ ἡμῶν τὸ πῶς δεῖ ὑμᾶς περιπατεῖν καὶ ἀρέσκειν Θεῷ, ἵνα περισσεύητε μᾶλλον· (1 Thessalonians 4:1)
Finally then, brothers, we ask you and urge you in the Lord Jesus, just as you received from us how it is necessary for you to walk and to please God, that you may abound more.
Declension Analysis Table
| Greek Word | Morphology | Case & Syntactic Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| ἀδελφοί | Noun, vocative masculine plural | Direct address | Sets a fraternal, pastoral tone |
| ὑμᾶς (first occurrence) | 2nd person pronoun, accusative plural | Accusative direct object of ἐρωτῶμεν and παρακαλοῦμεν | The audience of the appeal |
| κυρίῳ | Noun, dative masculine singular with article | Dative of sphere or respect | Marks the sphere in which the appeal is made — “in the Lord” |
| Ἰησοῦ | Proper noun, genitive masculine singular | Genitive of relationship | Identifies the Lord as Jesus |
| ἡμῶν | 1st person pronoun, genitive plural | Genitive of source | Indicates from whom the teaching was received |
| ὑμᾶς (second occurrence) | 2nd person pronoun, accusative plural | Subject of infinitives περιπατεῖν and ἀρέσκειν | Accusative of reference with infinitives |
| Θεῷ | Noun, dative masculine singular | Dative of advantage | Marks God as the one pleased by the believers’ walk |
Vocatives Framing Pastoral Appeal
The vocative ἀδελφοί places the audience in a relationship of familial warmth and shared faith, setting the tone for exhortation.
Datives Defining Spiritual Sphere and Beneficiary
Κυρίῳ and Θεῷ function as dative markers of relational sphere and benefit, framing the exhortation as grounded in Christ and aimed toward God’s pleasure.
Accusatives as Recipients and Agents
The repeated ὑμᾶς underscores the personal nature of the appeal: the Thessalonian believers are both the recipients of the apostles’ urging and the agents who must act upon it.
Grammar Driving the Exhortation’s Force
Paul’s syntax binds theology to practice — the genitives root the instruction in apostolic authority, the datives anchor it in divine relationship, and the accusatives focus the responsibility squarely on the hearers.
