This verse from Jesus’ response to his disciples reveals a deeply layered teaching about singleness, sacrifice, and the kingdom of heaven. Through repetitive structures, relative clauses, passive and middle verbs, and a rare optative imperative, the grammar of Matthew 19:12 communicates both clarity and challenge: εἰσὶ γὰρ εὐνοῦχοι οἵτινες ἐκ κοιλίας μητρὸς ἐγεννήθησαν οὕτω· καὶ εἰσὶν εὐνοῦχοι οἵτινες εὐνουχίσθησαν ὑπὸ τῶν ἀνθρώπων, καὶ εἰσὶν εὐνοῦχοι οἵτινες εὐνούχισαν ἑαυτοὺς διὰ τὴν βασιλείαν τῶν οὐρανῶν. ὁ δυνάμενος χωρεῖν χωρείτω.
The Greek Text in Focus
εἰσὶ γὰρ εὐνοῦχοι οἵτινες ἐκ κοιλίας μητρὸς ἐγεννήθησαν οὕτω· καὶ εἰσὶν εὐνοῦχοι οἵτινες εὐνουχίσθησαν ὑπὸ τῶν ἀνθρώπων, καὶ εἰσὶν εὐνοῦχοι οἵτινες εὐνούχισαν ἑαυτοὺς διὰ τὴν βασιλείαν τῶν οὐρανῶν. ὁ δυνάμενος χωρεῖν χωρείτω (Matthew 19:12)
“For there are eunuchs who were born that way from their mother’s womb, and there are eunuchs who were made eunuchs by men, and there are eunuchs who made themselves eunuchs for the sake of the kingdom of heaven. He who is able to accept this, let him accept it.”
Grammatical Highlights
- εἰσὶ — present indicative active, third plural; “there are.”
- εὐνοῦχοι — nominative masculine plural; “eunuchs,” repeated three times.
- οἵτινες — relative pronoun; introduces each defining clause.
- ἐγεννήθησαν — aorist indicative passive, third plural; “were born.”
- εὐνουχίσθησαν — aorist indicative passive, third plural; “were made eunuchs.”
- εὐνούχισαν — aorist indicative active, third plural; “made themselves eunuchs.”
- ἑαυτούς — accusative reflexive pronoun; “themselves.”
- διὰ τὴν βασιλείαν τῶν οὐρανῶν — preposition + accusative; “for the sake of the kingdom of heaven.”
- ὁ δυνάμενος — nominative masculine singular participle; “the one who is able.”
- χωρεῖν — present infinitive active; “to accept / to make room for.”
- χωρείτω — present imperative active, third singular; “let him accept it.”
Tripartite Structure: Repetition with Variation
Three parallel clauses begin with εἰσὶν εὐνοῦχοι οἵτινες. The use of οἵτινες (rather than simple οἵ) adds a slight nuance of definition or explanation: “who indeed are the kind that…” Each clause presents a different source of “eunuch-status”: natural birth, human intervention, and voluntary action for spiritual reasons.
Voice and Agency: Passive, Passive, Active
Jesus moves from ἐγεννήθησαν (passive — born that way), to εὐνουχίσθησαν (passive — made so by others), to εὐνούχισαν ἑαυτούς (active and reflexive — made themselves). The final example uses the aorist active and the reflexive pronoun ἑαυτούς, highlighting intentional, personal sacrifice. This ascending grammar reflects escalating levels of voluntary renunciation.
Final Imperative: χωρείτω
The conclusion ὁ δυνάμενος χωρεῖν χωρείτω is not merely a summary, but a call to receive. The participle ὁ δυνάμενος (“the one who is able”) functions substantively. The verb χωρεῖν can mean “to accept,” “to grasp,” or “to make space for.” The third-person imperative χωρείτω (rare in Greek) strongly invites — or challenges — the hearer to internalize the teaching, if they have spiritual capacity.
| Phrase | Form | Function | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| εἰσὶν εὐνοῦχοι | Present Indicative + Noun | Main clause (repeated thrice) | There are eunuchs |
| οἵτινες ἐγεννήθησαν οὕτω | Relative clause + Passive Aorist | Born that way | Who were born so |
| οἵτινες εὐνουχίσθησαν ὑπὸ τῶν ἀνθρώπων | Relative clause + Passive Aorist | Made eunuchs by men | Who were made eunuchs by men |
| οἵτινες εὐνούχισαν ἑαυτούς | Relative clause + Active Aorist + Reflexive | Self-renunciation | Who made themselves eunuchs |
| διὰ τὴν βασιλείαν τῶν οὐρανῶν | Preposition + Accusative | Purpose / motivation | For the sake of the kingdom of heaven |
| ὁ δυνάμενος χωρεῖν | Participle + Infinitive | Conditional subject | The one able to accept |
| χωρείτω | Present Imperative, 3rd Singular | Final exhortation | Let him accept it |
The Grammar of Spiritual Renunciation
In Matthew 19:12, Greek grammar is used to distinguish degrees of status and sacrifice. From passive origins to active consecration, Jesus recognizes different ways a person may become “set apart.” The shift in voice mirrors a shift in agency. The final imperative calls for spiritual discernment. This is grammar that not only describes renunciation — it dares the reader to choose it.
