Ὁ Θεὸς καὶ πατὴρ τοῦ κυρίου ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ οἶδεν, ὁ ὢν εὐλογητὸς εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας, ὅτι οὐ ψεύδομαι. (2 Corinthians 11:31)
The God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who is blessed forever, knows that I am not lying.
Paul’s Solemn Appeal
In 2 Corinthians 11:31, Paul concludes a section of boasting in weakness with an oath before God. The verse reads: “The God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who is blessed forever, knows that I am not lying.” The syntax combines a solemn witness formula (οἶδεν), a relative clause identifying God (ὁ ὢν εὐλογητὸς), and a content clause (ὅτι οὐ ψεύδομαι) that affirms Paul’s truthfulness. The grammar intensifies Paul’s rhetorical strategy: he appeals to God as the ultimate witness of his integrity.
Key Verbal and Nominal Forms
- οἶδεν — “knows”: perfect active indicative, 3rd singular of οἶδα. Despite perfect form, it functions with present force, stressing God’s abiding knowledge.
- ὢν — “being”: present active participle, nominative masculine singular of εἰμί. Introduces a descriptive relative clause about God.
- ψεύδομαι — “I lie”: present middle/passive indicative (deponent), 1st singular of ψεύδομαι. Expresses denial of falsehood with present force.
Parsing Table
| Greek Form | Parsing | Aspect | Function | Translation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| οἶδεν | Perf. act. ind., 3rd sg. of οἶδα | Stative (present force) | Affirms God’s certain knowledge | “knows” |
| ὢν | Pres. act. part., nom. masc. sg. of εἰμί | Imperfective | Defines God as eternally blessed | “being” |
| ψεύδομαι | Pres. mid./dep. ind., 1st sg. of ψεύδομαι | Imperfective | Denial of lying | “I lie” |
The Witness Formula: οἶδεν
The verb οἶδεν introduces a formal witness appeal. Though morphologically perfect, οἶδα functions with present force: “God knows.” Paul calls on divine omniscience as his guarantee. In Greco-Roman rhetoric, appeals to gods as witnesses were common, but Paul’s use is distinctively Jewish-Christian: he names “the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,” grounding his oath in covenant relationship and Christological confession.
The Relative Clause: ὁ ὢν εὐλογητὸς εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας
The relative clause functions appositionally, further identifying God: “the one who is blessed forever.” The participle ὢν underscores an ongoing state: God’s blessedness is eternal, not temporary. The phrase εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας — “unto the ages” — reinforces the permanence of God’s praiseworthiness. Paul inserts doxology even in his oath, blending solemnity with worship.
The Content Clause: ὅτι οὐ ψεύδομαι
The conjunction ὅτι introduces the content of Paul’s assertion: “that I am not lying.” The present tense ψεύδομαι communicates Paul’s ongoing truthfulness, not just in the present statement but as a consistent pattern. The negative particle οὐ gives sharp denial. This emphatic self-defense responds to critics who accused Paul of inconsistency or deceit. His grammar provides clarity: he affirms continuous honesty under divine scrutiny.
Lexical Insights
- οἶδα — “to know,” often used for certain, intimate knowledge. God’s knowledge is absolute and enduring.
- εὐλογητός — “blessed, praised,” used in doxological contexts to describe God’s eternal worthiness.
- ψεύδομαι — “to lie, speak falsely.” A strong term for deliberate untruth, here emphatically denied.
Theological Reflection
Paul’s oath illustrates how Christian truthfulness is rooted in God’s character. His appeal to the “God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ” not only defends his integrity but also centers the discussion on God’s eternal blessedness. Grammar mirrors theology: the perfect form οἶδεν underscores God’s abiding knowledge; the participle ὢν affirms God’s eternal praiseworthiness; and the present ψεύδομαι insists on Paul’s ongoing honesty. The verse reminds readers that Christian testimony is always under the eye of God, whose eternal nature is itself a witness to truth.
Grammar That Becomes Oath
In 2 Corinthians 11:31, grammar functions like the courtroom oath. The finite verb οἶδεν provides the solemn appeal, the participle ὢν supplies a doxological identification of God, and the content clause with ψεύδομαι asserts Paul’s integrity. Syntax here is not mere structure but a vehicle for testimony: Paul binds his words to the eternal blessedness of God. In this way, the verse demonstrates how grammar itself can become an act of worshipful truth-telling.
