Εἰσερχόμενοι δὲ εἰς τὴν οἰκίαν ἀσπάσασθε αὐτήν λέγοντες· εἰρήνη τῷ οἴκῳ τούτῳ. (Matthew 10:12)
And when you enter the house, greet it, saying: “Peace to this house.”
Declension Analysis Table
| Greek Form | Morphology | Case & Function | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| τὴν οἰκίαν | 1st declension feminine accusative singular with article | Accusative object of preposition εἰς | Indicates the destination of entry — “into the house.” |
| αὐτήν | 3rd person pronoun, accusative feminine singular | Accusative direct object of ἀσπάσασθε | Refers back to οἰκίαν; “greet it.” |
| εἰρήνη | 1st declension feminine nominative singular | Nominative subject (of implied verb “be”) | The greeting itself: “Peace.” The nominative is used in a formulaic exclamation of blessing. |
| τῷ οἴκῳ | 2nd declension masculine dative singular with article | Dative of indirect object / recipient | “To the house” — recipient of the blessing. |
| τούτῳ | Demonstrative pronoun, dative masculine singular | Modifies οἴκῳ | Emphasizes specificity: “to this very house.” |
The Grammar of Greeting
- Accusative: τὴν οἰκίαν and αὐτήν mark movement and direct action — the disciples enter and greet the physical home.
- Nominative: εἰρήνη functions as the declared subject of the blessing — an implied “let there be peace.”
- Dative: τῷ οἴκῳ τούτῳ specifies the receiver of the spoken peace, turning a simple house into a theological locus of divine favor.
The Syntax of Hospitality
The sentence moves from motion (εἰσερχόμενοι) to salutation (ἀσπάσασθε) to benediction (εἰρήνη τῷ οἴκῳ τούτῳ)* — each stage guided by a distinct case. The nominative εἰρήνη names the blessing, while the dative τῷ οἴκῳ channels it toward a recipient.
Declensions That Carry Peace
The declensions here trace the rhythm of mission and mercy: the **accusatives** enact approach, the **nominative** declares divine peace, and the **dative** delivers it. In Matthew 10:12, grammar becomes liturgy—peace itself grammatically directed “to this house.”
