-
Greek Lessons
- Verbal Aspect in New Testament Greek: Imperfective vs. Perfective
- Chiasmus, Inclusio, and Anaphora in New Testament Greek
- Numbered and Named: Genitive Constructions and Enumerated Tribes in Revelation 7:7
- Semantic Range of Greek Verbs in the New Testament: A Case Study on ἀγαπάω and φιλέω
- Released to Serve Anew: Aorist Passives, Participles, and the Tension of Transformation in Romans 7:6
-
Category
Tag Archives: Present Indicative
Present Indicative: The Present Of Past Action Still In Progress
The Present Of Past Action Still In Progress
The Present Indicative, accompanied by an adverbial expression denoting duration and referring to past time, is sometimes used in Greek, as in German, to describe an action which, beginning in past time, is still in progress at the time of speaking. English idiom requires the use of the Perfect in such cases.
Acts 15:21; Μωϋσῆς γὰρ ἐκ γενεῶν ἀρχαίων κατὰ πόλιν τοὺς κηρύσσοντας αὐτὸν, for Moses from generations of old has had in every city them that preached him. See also Luke 13:7, ἔρχομαι, 15:29, δουλεύω, John 5:6, ἔχει; 2 Tim. 3:15, οἶδας.… Learn Koine Greek
Posted in Grammar
Tagged Aorist Indicative, Present Indicative, δουλεύω, ἔρχομαι, ἔχει, οἶδας, πάρλαι, πάρος, ποτὲ
Comments Off on Present Indicative: The Present Of Past Action Still In Progress
Present Indicative: The Historical Present in Greek
The Historical Present
The Present Indicative is used to describe vividly a past event in the presence of which the speaker conceives himself to be.
Mark 11:27; Καὶ ἔρχονται πάλιν εἰς Ἱεροσόλυμα, and they come again to Jerusalem.
See also Luke 8:49, ἔρχεταί; John 18:28, Ἄγουσιν. This use is very frequent in the gospels.
The Greek Present Indicative tense, often referred to in biblical studies as the “historical present,” is a linguistic feature that enlivens narrative by describing past events as if they are occurring in the present. This stylistic choice creates immediacy, drawing the reader into the scene and making the events more vivid and dynamic.… Learn Koine Greek
Posted in Grammar
Tagged Historical Present, Present Indicative, Ἄγουσιν, ἔρχεταί
Comments Off on Present Indicative: The Historical Present in Greek
Present Indicative: The Aoristic Present
The Aoristic Present
The Present Indicative is sometimes used of an action or event coincident in time with the act of speaking, and conceived of as a simple event. Most frequently the action denoted by the verb is identical with the act of speaking itself, or takes place in that act.
Acts 16:18; Παραγγέλλω σοι ἐν ὀνόματι Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ, I command thee in the name of Jesus Christ.
See also Mark 2:5, ἀφίενταί; Acts 9:34, ἰᾶταί; Acts 26:1, Ἐπιτρέπεταί; Gal. 1:11, Γνωρίζω and the numerous instances of le,gw in the gospels.
REMARK. This usage is a distinct departure from the prevailing use of the Present tense to denote action in progress (cf.… Learn Koine Greek
Posted in Grammar
Tagged Aoristic Present, Ernest De Witt Burton, Present Indicative, ἀφίενταί, Ἐπιτρέπεταί, ἰᾶταί
Comments Off on Present Indicative: The Aoristic Present
Present Indicative: The General Or Gnomic Present
The General Or Gnomic Present
The Present Indicative is used to express customary actions and general truths.
Matt. 7:17; οὕτως πᾶν δένδρον ἀγαθὸν καρποὺς καλοὺς ποιεῖ, τὸ δὲ σαπρὸν δένδρον καρποὺς πονηροὺς ποιεῖ, every good tree bringeth forth good fruit.
2 Cor. 9:7; ἕκαστος καθὼς προῄρηται τῇ καρδίᾳ, μὴ ἐκ λύπης ἢ ἐξ ἀνάγκης ἱλαρὸν γὰρ δότην ἀγαπᾷ ὁ θεός, for God loveth a cheerful giver.… Learn Koine Greek
Posted in Grammar
Tagged Ernest De Witt Burton, Gnomic Present, Present Indicative
Comments Off on Present Indicative: The General Or Gnomic Present
