6
MODIFIERS
ADJECTIVES AND ADVERBS
6.1. Now that we have learned some of the most basic building blocks in the language, nouns and verbs, we need to add some variety. Language would be pretty boring if all we ever said was “Sally saw the train,” “The dog chased the cat,” or “George sneezed.” One of the ways we can add that variety is by using words that describe these basic building blocks. To describe nouns we use words called adjectives, and to describe verbs we use adverbs.
6.2. An adjective is a word that modifies a substantive by describing, qualifying, limiting, or restricting it. Yet that definition does not help if you do not know what a substantive is, so we need to start there. A substantive is any word or group of words that functions as a noun. In English a substantive may be a noun, a pronoun, a gerund, a phrase, or a clause. For example, not only is dirge a noun, but so is the wailing—which is a gerund (a verb that acts like a noun). Thus both dirge and the wailing can be described as substantives. In Greek there are additional options that we will meet in due time.
English Adjectives
6.3. Adjectives may function one of three ways in English. First, an adjective may modify a noun (or other substantive). We can say, for example, “He is a good dog.” The adjective “good” tells us what kind of dog we are talking about. Adjectives that function this way usually precede the noun they modify and are called attributive adjectives—that is, they attribute a quality to a noun.
The second function is similar, but more indirect. Instead of referring directly to “the good dog,” we can make a statement about the dog—for example, “The dog is bad.” In this case we use a linking verb (“is”) and append an adjective. This is often called a predicate adjective, which is nothing more than an adjective functioning as a predicate nominative.
| He is a | good | dog. |
| ↕ adjective | ↕ head word | |
| ἐστὶν | καλὸν | κυνάριον. |
| Preach | the word | of God. |
| ↕ head word | ↕ gen. noun | |
| κήρυξον | τὸν λόγον | θεοῦ. |
The third function of adjectives in English is to take the place of a noun. These are called substantival adjectives. Even though a word is technically an adjective, we sometimes use it like a noun. In the two following examples the adjectives good, bad, and dead are used in noun slots.
Both the good and the bad are here.
The dead will rise.
Contrast similar statements using nouns.
Both dogs and cats are here.
The flag will rise.
Greek Adjectives
6.4. Greek adjectives function much like English adjectives. There are a few differences in position, and so forth, partly because Greek adjectives change form (that is, the way they are spelled), whereas English adjectives are always spelled the same way. The following sections tell you what you need to know.
Form of the Adjective
6.5. The most important thing to know about adjectives is that when modifying a noun, adjectives agree with that noun in gender, number, and case. An adjective does not have any gender of its own; it may be used to modify a noun in any gender. It does that by adding an ending that matches the noun in gender, number, and case. Since adjectives use the same case endings as nouns, that means there are no new endings to learn. The only difference is that these same endings now identify gender, not declension. Study the following examples, and notice that adjectives have the same endings that nouns have. The endings that you learned as second-declension endings for nouns (ος, ου, ῳ, ον, οι, ων, οις, ους) function as the endings on all masculine adjectives. Likewise, the first-declension endings (α/η, ας/ης, ᾳ/ῃ, αν/ην, αι, ων, αις, ας) become the feminine endings for adjectives, and the neuter variation of the second declension (ον, ου, ῳ, ον, α, ων, οις, α) provides the endings used on neuter adjectives.
| Masc. | Fem. | Neut. | ||
| NS | ἀγαθός | ἀγαθή | πονηρά | ἀγαθόν |
| GS | ἀγαθοῦ | ἀγαθῆς | πονηρᾶς | ἀγαθοῦ |
| DS | ἀγαθῷ | ἀγαθῇ | πονηρᾷ | ἀγαθῷ |
| AS | ἀγαθόν | ἀγαθήν | πονηράν | ἀγαθόν |
| NP | ἀγαθοί | ἀγαθαί | πονηραί | ἀγαθά |
| GP | ἀγαθῶν | ἀγαθῶν | πονηρῶν | ἀγαθῶν |
| DP | ἀγαθοῖς | ἀγαθαῖς | πονηραῖς | ἀγαθοῖς |
| AP | ἀγαθούς | ἀγαθάς | πονηράς | ἀγαθά |
6.6. You will notice that a feminine adjective may use either alpha endings or eta endings.[1] Which one it uses depends on the spelling of the adjective, and each adjective always uses the same pattern. (You do not have to know why, just be able to recognize them.) In the chart above, πονηρά (“bad”) has been added so that you can see a feminine form that uses alpha endings.
| T. Benj. 4.2, ὁ ἀγαθὸς ἄνθρωπος οὐκ ἔχει σκοτεινὸν ὀφθαλμόν. | The good person does not have a dark eye. |
| Mark 14:12, τῇ πρώτῃ ἡμέρᾳ τῶν ἀζύμων λέγουσιν αὐτῷ οἱ μαθηταὶ αὐτοῦ, . . . | On the first day of Unleavened Bread his disciples said to him, . . . |
In a lexicon, an adjective entry will look like this: ἀγαθός, ή, όν, good. This gives the masculine, feminine, and neuter endings; the entry does not use the same pattern as nouns. (You will remember that in a lexicon a noun entry gives the nominative singular form followed by the genitive singular ending and the article.) Adjectives will always be listed alphabetically in a lexicon according to the masculine nominative singular spelling, with the feminine and neuter endings added; there is no genitive ending listed and no article.
Remember that when modifying a noun, adjectives agree with that noun in gender, number, and case. This does not mean the endings will be spelled the same. Sometimes they will, but an adjective may have alpha endings when modifying a noun that uses eta endings (and vice versa). For example, “a bad commandment” could be written in Greek as πονηρὰ ἐντολή. Both words are feminine nominative singular, even though πονηρά uses the alpha endings and ἐντολή uses eta endings. Likewise, first-declension masculine words (or second-declension feminine words) will not usually match the spelling of the case endings of their adjectives.[2]
| 1 Tim. 6:15, ὁ μακάριος καὶ μόνος δυνάστης | the blessed and only Sovereign |
| 1 Clem. 34.1, Ὁ ἀγαθὸς ἐργάτης λαμβάνει τὸν ἄρτον τοῦ ἔργου αὐτοῦ. | The good worker receives the bread of his work. |
Two-Form Adjectives
6.7. Some adjectives use the same endings for masculine and feminine; these are usually the masculine endings above.[3] They will be listed in the lexicon like this: ἔρημος, ον, desolate. They decline in the following pattern:
| Masc./Fem. | Neut. | |
| NS | ἔρημος | ἔρημον |
| GS | ἐρήμου | ἐρήμου |
| DS | ἐρήμῳ | ἐρήμῳ |
| AS | ἔρημον | ἔρημον |
| NP | ἔρημοι | ἔρημα |
| GP | ἐρήμων | ἐρήμων |
| DP | ἐρήμοις | ἐρήμοις |
| AP | ἐρήμους | ἔρημα |
There are only a half-dozen such words that are common in the NT; you will learn them as part of the vocabulary in later chapters.[4] There are more adjectives that follow this pattern; most such words occur infrequently in the NT, but they occur often enough that you need to understand what is going on when you find one in the text.
6.8. Examples of Two-Form Adjectives
| John 17:3, αὕτη δέ ἐστιν ἡ αἰώνιος ζωή. | Now this is eternal life. |
| Gal. 3:1, Ὦ ἀνόητοιa Γαλάται.b | O foolish Galatians! |
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a ἀνόητος, ον, “foolish, dull-witted” b Γαλάτης, ου, ὁ, “an inhabitant of Galatia, a Galatian” |
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| Bar. 4:29, ἐπάξει ὑμῖν τὴν αἰώνιον εὐφροσύνην. | He will bring you everlasting rejoicing. |
Functions of Adjectives
6.9. Greek adjectives, like English ones, may function attributively (modify a noun), predicatively (as part of the predicate in a sentence, they describe the subject), or substantivally (substitute for a noun). When modifying a noun (attributive and predicate adjectives), adjectives agree with that noun in gender, number, and case.
Attributive Adjectives
6.10. Attributive adjectives are typically a direct description of a noun: τὸν πρῶτον λόγον (“the first word”) or τοῖς κενοῖς λόγοις (“the empty words”) or πιστοῦ λόγου (“a faithful/dependable word”). Predicate adjectives make a statement about the noun: οἱ λόγοι ἀληθινοί εἰσιν (“the words are true”).
An adjective that modifies an articular noun will always have an article in front of the adjective. This is called the attributive position. Two attributive patterns may occur; there is no difference in meaning.
| first attributive position | article ► adjective ► noun |
| ὁ ἅγιος θεός, “the holy God” | |
| second attributive position | article ► noun ► article ► adjective |
| ὁ θεὸς ὁ ἅγιος, “the holy God” | |
All the adjective examples thus far in this chapter have been in first attributive position; the word order is the same as English. Next is an example of an adjective in second attributive position.
| Luke 5:37, ῥήξει ὁ οἶνος ὁ νέος τοὺς ἀσκούς. | The new wine will break the wineskins. |
Whenever an attributive adjective follows the noun, the article must be repeated before the adjective. This is different from English, which does not use the second attributive position.
Predicate Adjectives
6.11. When no article precedes an adjective used with an articular noun, the adjective is said to be in predicate position and is translated as a predicate adjective,[5] supplying the verb is/are. In Greek (but not in English) a noun and an adjective can thus form a complete sentence all by themselves—for example, οἱ λόγοι ἀληθινοί, “The words are true.” A separate verb is not needed. Two patterns may occur; there is no difference in meaning.[6]
| first predicate position | adjective ► article ► noun |
| ἅγιος ὁ θεός, “God is holy” | |
| second predicate position | article ► noun ► adjective |
| ὁ θεὸς ἅγιος, “God is holy” | |
Here are two examples of adjectives in predicate position, one in each of the two possible predicate positions.
| Matt. 13:16, ὑμῶν μακάριοι οἱ ὀφθαλμοί. | Your eyes are blessed. |
| Rom. 11:16, εἰ δὲ ἡ ἀπαρχὴ ἁγία, καὶ τὸ φύραμα·a καὶ εἰ ἡ ῥίζα ἁγία, καὶ οἱ κλάδοι. | But if the firstfruits offeringb is holy, also the batch of dough, and if the root is holy, also the branches. |
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a φύραμα, ατος, τό, “batch of dough.” This is a third-declension noun; go by the article. b The firstfruits offering in this instance consisted of a piece of dough pinched off from the full batch of dough. |
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Adjectives with Anarthrous Nouns
6.12. What about nouns without articles (anarthrous nouns)? I am glad you asked, since this is the situation approximately 2,400 times in the NT—a quarter of all adjective-noun constructions, so you will see it fairly often. Here the rule is . . . CONTEXT! In such situations the adjective can be either attributive or predicate. Both ἀγαθὸς ἄνθρωπος and ἄνθρωπος ἀγαθός can mean either “a good man,” or “A man is good.” Only context can tell which one the writer intended. The most helpful context clue that distinguishes many such instances is the presence of another verb in the clause. In this case the adjective must be attributive since there cannot be two verbs in the same clause.[7]
6.13. Advanced Information for Reference:
Diagramming Attributive Adjectives
| John 20:3, Ἐξῆλθεν ὁ Πέτρος καὶ ὁ ἄλλος μαθητής. | Peter and the other disciple went out. |
Figure 6.1
Substantival Adjectives
6.14. Substantival adjectives take the place of a noun. Even though they are adjectives, in a sentence they act just like a noun. When they do, they usually have an article (but not always) and take the case appropriate to their function in the sentence; gender and number will agree with the noun for which they substitute. If an adjective functions as the subject of a sentence, it will be in the nominative case (e.g., ὁ διάβολος, “the adversary, the devil”); if it functions as an indirect object, it will be in the dative case (e.g., τῷ παραλυτικῷ, “to the paralytic”); and so on.[8]
| Matt. 13:39, ὁ ἐχθρός ἐστιν ὁ διάβολος. | The enemy is the devil. |
| Mark 10:21, δὸς (give!) τοῖς πτωχοῖς. | Give to the poor. |
| Matt. 12:35, ὁ ἀγαθὸς ἄνθρωπος ἐκβάλλει ἀγαθά, καὶ ὁ πονηρὸς ἄνθρωπος ἐκβάλλει πονηρά. | The good person brings out good things, and the evil person brings out evil things. |
6.15. Advanced Information for Reference:
Diagramming Substantival Adjectives
| Matt. 13:43, οἱ δίκαιοι ἐκλάμψουσιν ὡς ὁ ἥλιος. | The righteous will shine as the sun. |
Figure 6.2
A substantival adjective is diagrammed as if it were a noun. Words that are assumed in Greek may be supplied in English, such as “shines” in the example above. Other diagramming conventions supply “x” as a placeholder for these words or would insert the assumed Greek form in square brackets.
Examples of Adjectives
6.16. Now, that is a lot of information with only a few examples, so we need to look at some Greek texts that use adjectives.
| Mark 1:24, εἶ ὁ ἅγιος τοῦ θεοῦ. | You are the Holy One of God. |
| John 4:23, οἱ ἀληθινοὶ προσκυνηταὶ προσκυνήσουσιν (will worship) τῷ πατρί. | The true worshipers will worship the Father. |
| Rom. 7:12, ὁ νόμος ἅγιος καὶ ἡ ἐντολὴ ἁγία καὶ δικαία καὶ ἀγαθή. | The law is holy, and the commandment is holy and righteous and good. |
| Mark 1:26, σπαράξαν (it convulsed) αὐτὸν τὸ πνεῦμα τὸ ἀκάθαρτον καὶ φωνῆσαν (crying out) φωνῇ μεγάλῃ ἐξῆλθεν (it came out) ἐξ (out) αὐτοῦ.a | The unclean spirit convulsed him, and crying out with a loud voice, it came out of him. |
a The repetition of ἐξ (the preposition ἐκ, “out”) as a prefix on the verb and as a separate preposition following the verb is redundant in English but is common in Greek and is even a mark of good style. “Out” is used only once in an English equivalent. |
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| Luke 1:49, ἅγιον τὸ ὄνομα αὐτοῦ. | His name is holy. |
| 2 Tim. 2:11, πιστὸς ὁ λόγος· εἰ γὰρ συναπεθάνομεν, καὶ συζήσομεν.a | The saying is trustworthy: For if we died with [him], also we will live together with [him]. |
a The verb συζήσομεν is a compound form: σύν + ζάω. A nu on the end of a preposition often drops off when prefixed to a verb that begins with a consonant. The previous verb in this clause, συναπεθάνομεν, did not drop the nu because the stem began with a vowel. See your lexicon for the meaning of both verbs (συναποθνῄσκω and συζάω). They are forms you have not yet learned to identify; the first is an aorist, and the second a future tense-form. |
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| T. Benj. 6.5, ἡ ἀγαθὴ διάνοια οὐκ ἔχει δύο γλώσσας. | The good mind does not have two tongues. |
| Gen. 1:2, ἡ δὲ γῆ ἦν ἀόρατος καὶ ἀκατασκεύαστος. | Now the earth was unseen and unformed. |
| Gen. 13:13, οἱ δὲ ἄνθρωποι οἱ ἐν Σοδόμοιςa πονηροὶ καὶ ἁμαρτωλοί. | Now the men in Sodom were evil and sinful. |
a οἱ ἐν Σοδόμοις, “the ones in Sodom” |
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Now You Try It
6.17. Many words that you have not learned yet are glossed parenthetically in the following examples. Any that are not glossed either you should know from your vocabulary or you can identify by using your lexicon.
| John 6:40, ἀναστήσω (I will raise) αὐτὸν ἐγὼ τῇ ἐσχάτῃ ἡμέρᾳ. | Who is raising whom? (Give the Greek word, and tell how you know.) Why is ἡμέρᾳ in the dative case? (It is not the indirect object.) How is ἡμέρᾳ described? |
| John 3:16, Οὕτως ἠγάπησεν (he loved) ὁ θεὸς τὸν κόσμον, ὥστε τὸν υἱὸν τὸν μονογενῆa ἔδωκεν (he gave).b | Who loved whom? Who gave whom? What does ὥστε indicate? How is υἱόν described? |
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a The adjective μονογενῆ is a two-form adjective (μονογενής, ές) that follows an uncommon pattern of endings. In this text you can tell that it must be masculine singular accusative because of the article. See app. A for the full set of forms; μονογενής follows the same pattern as ἀληθής. b Since the Son is clearly related to God as Son to Father in Johannine theology (see, e.g., John 1:14; 3:35), you can understand the article in τὸν υἱόν as “his,” even though it is not a pronoun by form. This use of the article as a pronoun is common. |
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| 1 Cor. 1:9, πιστὸς ὁ θεός. | Identify the subject, verb, and predicate in this statement. |
| John 5:30, ἡ κρίσις ἡ ἐμὴ δικαία ἐστίν. | There are two adjectives, and each is functioning differently. Explain each one. |
| John 5:25, ἀμὴν ἀμὴν λέγω ὑμῖν ὅτι ἔρχεται (it is coming) ὥρα (an hour) καὶ νῦν ἐστιν ὅτε οἱ νεκροὶ ἀκούσουσιν (they will hear). | How is the adjective functioning in this verse? What case is ὑμῖν and why is it in that case? (“Why” relates to how it is functioning in the sentence, not how you know what case it is.) |
| Rev. 22:6, εἶπέν (he said) μοι, Οὗτοιa οἱ λόγοι πιστοὶ καὶ ἀληθινοί. | Why is μοι in the dative case? How are οἱ λόγοι described, in addition to οὗτοι? There is no verb in the quotation; what would you need to add if you were to put it into English? How is that addition justified? |
a οὗτοι (“these”) is a pronoun modifying οἱ λόγοι; even though it is in predicate position, you do not add a form of is as you do with adjectives in this position. |
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| Ruth 2:10, ἐγώ εἰμι ξένη.a | |
a The adjective ξένη often has an article when used substantivally (see your lexicon), but it is not necessary (as here). |
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This is part of Ruth’s response to the kindness shown to her by Boaz.
| 1 Kgdms. (1 Sam.) 2:2, οὐκa ἔστιν ἅγιος ὡς κύριος, καὶ οὐκ ἔστιν δίκαιος ὡς ὁ θεὸς ἡμῶν· οὐκ ἔστιν ἅγιος πλὴν σοῦ. | Is πλήν functioning as a conjunction or a preposition in this verse? (See your lexicon.) Why is σοῦ in the genitive case? |
a The negative οὐκ negates the verb ἔστιν, “there is” (note the accent; see §5.19), and the adjective functions substantivally: “There is not one who is holy.” All three phrases are similar. |
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This is Hannah’s prayer ascribing greatness to God.
6.18. You met the word αὐτός in chapter 4. In the vast majority of instances, this word is the third-person pronoun (“he, she, it”). In some instances, it can also function as an adjective, with two different meanings.
αὐτός = Identification, “Same”
6.19. The first use of αὐτός as an adjective is called the adjectival identifying use. In this situation αὐτός functions, not as a pronoun, but as an adjective modifying another word in the same gender, number, and case. It is usually in attributive position: it will be preceded by an article (usually first attributive position, but occasionally second). In this instance it means “same.” This identifies or particularizes the noun.
Examples of the Adjectival Identifying Use of αὐτός
6.20. In first attributive position:
| Mark 14:39, καὶ πάλιν ἀπελθὼν προσηύξατο τὸν αὐτὸν λόγον.a | And again after going away he prayed the same thing. |
a λόγος can mean not only “word” but also “thing”—which makes better sense here. “He prayed the same word” communicates only in an awkward fashion in English; it is not more “literal” or accurate, only more clumsy and amateurish. |
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| 1 Cor. 15:39, οὐ πᾶσα σὰρξ ἡ αὐτὴ σάρξ. | Not all flesh is the same flesh. |
| 2 Cor. 4:13, ἔχοντες τὸ αὐτὸ πνεῦμα τῆς πίστεως, καὶ ἡμεῖς πιστεύομεν. | But having the same spirit of faith, we also believe. |
| 1 Clem. 20.8, ὠκεανὸςa καὶ οἱ μετ᾿ αὐτὸνb κόσμοι ταῖς αὐταῖς ταγαῖς τοῦ δεσπότου διευθύνονται.c | The ocean and the lands beyond it by the same decrees of the Master are governed. |
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a ὠκεανός, οῦ, ὁ, “ocean” b μετ᾿ αὐτόν, “beyond it” (first attributive position) c διευθύνω, “I guide, direct, govern” |
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6.21. In second attributive position (rare in NT):
| Heb. 11:9, Πίστει (by faith) παρῴκησενa εἰς γῆν τῆς ἐπαγγελίας ὡς ἀλλοτρίαν ἐν σκηναῖς κατοικήσαςb μετὰ Ἰσαὰκ καὶ Ἰακὼβ τῶν συγκληρονόμων τῆς ἐπαγγελίας τῆς αὐτῆς. | By faith he lived in the land of promise as an alien, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, joint heirs of the same promise. | |
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a An aorist form you will learn later: παροικέω, “I live.” b Another aorist form like παροικέω, “living, dwelling, residing.” It is a participle, so there is no subject; it modifies παρῴκησεν. |
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| Herm. Sim. 66.1, Μετὰ ἡμέρας ὀλίγας εἶδον (I saw) αὐτὸν εἰς τὸ πεδίονa τὸ αὐτὸ ὅπου καὶ τοὺς ποιμένας ἑωράκειν (I had seen). | After a few days I saw him in the same plain where I had also seen the shepherds. |
a πεδίον, ου, τό, “plain, field” |
| 2 Macc. 3:33, οἱ αὐτοὶ νεανίαι πάλιν ἐφάνησαν τῷ Ἡλιοδώρῳ. | The same young men appeared again to Heliodorus. |
6.22. The following examples show the less common adjectival identifying function of αὐτός when it is in predicate position (αὐτός ► article ► noun). Only context can determine this. Normally when αὐτός is in predicate position it will be the intensive use (see below), but sometimes that makes no sense, in which case we conclude that it is identifying rather than emphasizing. (This situation is not common.)
| Luke 13:31, Ἐν αὐτῇ τῇ ὥρᾳ προσῆλθάν τινες Φαρισαῖοι. | In the same hour (or, that very hour) some Pharisees came. |
| 2 Esd. (Ezra) 5:3, ἐν αὐτῷ τῷ καιρῷ ἦλθεν (he came) ἐπ᾿ αὐτοὺς Θανθαναῒ ἔπαρχοςa πέραν τοῦ ποταμοῦ καὶ Σαθαρβουζανὰ καὶ οἱ σύνδουλοι αὐτῶν. | At the same time (or, that very day) Thanthanai, the commander beyond the River, came to them, and Satharbouzana and their fellow slaves. |
a ἔπαρχος, ου, ὁ, “commanding officer” |
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6.23. If αὐτός has an article, but it does not modify another word, it may be substantival: “the same one/thing.”
| Ps. 101:28 (102:27 Eng.), σὺ δὲ ὁ αὐτὸς εἶ. | But you are the same. |
| 1 Cor. 1:10, Παρακαλῶ (I exhort) δὲ ὑμᾶς, ἀδελφοί,a διὰ τοῦ ὀνόματος τοῦ κυρίου ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ, ἵνα τὸ αὐτὸ λέγητε πάντες (all).b | But I exhort you, brothers and sisters, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all speak the same thing. |
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a See the sidebar in §6.25, “ἀδελφός as ‘Brother or Sister.’” b πάντες is the nominative subject (it is a third-declension form you have not learned yet), and τὸ αὐτό is the accusative direct object. |
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| Phil. 3:1, Τὸ λοιπόν, ἀδελφοί μου, χαίρετε (rejoice!) ἐν κυρίῳ. τὰ αὐτὰ γράφειν ὑμῖν ἐμοὶ μὲν οὐκ ὀκνηρόν, ὑμῖν δὲ ἀσφαλές. | Finally, my brothers and sisters, rejoice in the Lord. For me to write the same things to you is not troublesome, but for you it is safe [i.e., a safe course of action]. |
αὐτός = Intensification, “-self”
6.24. The second use of αὐτός as an adjective does not identify but indicates emphasis. This was one of the linguistic tools that speakers and writers had to indicate what was most prominent in their discourse. In English this is often equivalent to the use of himself (or herself, itself, themselves, etc.). When it is used to indicate emphasis, αὐτός modifies another word with which it agrees in gender, number, and case (just like any other adjective), but it is usually not preceded by an article (predicate position; see §6.11). It is almost always in the nominative case (239× of 243× in the NT), and it usually modifies the subject of the sentence.[9]
6.25. Examples of the Adjectival Intensifying Use of αὐτός
| John 4:2, Ἰησοῦς αὐτὸς οὐκ ἐβάπτιζεν ἀλλ᾿ οἱ μαθηταὶ αὐτοῦ. | Jesus himself was not baptizing, but his disciples [were baptizing]. |
In this passage, αὐτός modifies a noun with which it agrees in gender, number, and case. As usual, it is in the nominative case modifying the subject, and it is apparently in predicate position.[10] But what about αὐτοῦ? Why is it not translated “themselves” in this verse? (The answer is in the footnote, but try to figure it out for yourself before you check.)[11]
| John 5:36, αὐτὰ τὰ ἔργα ἃ ποιῶ μαρτυρεῖ περὶ ἐμοῦ. | The works themselves which I am doing testify concerning me. |
| Mark 12:36, αὐτὸς Δαυὶδ εἶπεν ἐν τῷ πνεύματι τῷ ἁγίῳ. | David himself spoke by the Holy Spirit. |
| Josh. 4:9, ἔστησεν (set up) δὲ Ἰησοῦς καὶ ἄλλους δώδεκα λίθους ἐν αὐτῷ τῷ Ἰορδάνῃ. | Now Joshua also set up twelve other stones in the Jordan [River] itself. |
Now You Try It
6.26. These examples include several different uses of αὐτός. They are not marked, so you must decide how each one is functioning.
| John 14:11, πιστεύετέ μοι ὅτι ἐγὼ ἐν τῷ πατρὶ καὶ ὁ πατὴρ ἐν ἐμοί· εἰ δὲ μή, διὰ τὰ ἔργα αὐτὰ πιστεύετε. |
This sentence introduces a grammatical pattern that you have not seen yet. In the first clause the pronoun μοι is in the dative case, but it functions as the direct object of the verb πιστεύετε, not the indirect object. The disciples are to believe Jesus when he describes his relationship to the Father (the dative indicates the object of their faith, and the ὅτι clause the content). Some verbs customarily or optionally may take their direct object in the dative or genitive case rather than the usual accusative. See the fuller explanation in the next chapter (“Objects in Genitive or Dative Cases”).
| Matt. 17:8, ἐπάραντες (when they raised) δὲ τοὺς ὀφθαλμοὺς αὐτῶν οὐδέναa εἶδον (they saw) εἰ μὴ αὐτὸν Ἰησοῦν μόνον. | |
a The lexical form of οὐδένα is οὐδείς. See the paradigm in §12.25. |
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| John 2:23–24, πολλοὶ ἐπίστευσαν εἰς τὸ ὄνομα αὐτοῦ θεωροῦντες (because they saw) αὐτοῦ τὰ σημεῖα ἃ ἐποίει (he did)· αὐτὸς δὲ Ἰησοῦς οὐκ ἐπίστευεν (entrust) αὐτὸν αὐτοῖς διὰ τὸ αὐτὸνa γινώσκεινb πάντας. | |
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a αὐτόν, even though it is accusative, is the subject of the infinitive (γινώσκειν). You will understand why after we study infinitives in chap. 22. b διὰ τό + infinitive (γινώσκειν) forms a causal statement, “because . . .” |
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6.27. Thus far in this chapter we have studied words that modify nouns, that is, adjectives. Now it is time to look at one of the ways a writer or speaker can add a little variety to verbs. The words that modify or describe verbs are called adverbs.
| Function | Usual Position | English Equivalent |
| Pronoun | — | he, she, it |
| Adjective: identifying | attributive | same |
| Adjective: intensive | predicate | self |
Most English speakers studying Greek can define an adverb as a word that modifies a verb. Some will also recognize that adverbs can modify other words such as other adverbs, adjectives, prepositions, or larger word units. Greek adverbs are similar in function, and like English adverbs, they do not decline. That is, in contrast to the adjectives earlier in this chapter, adverbs have only one ending rather than a set of endings. The most common ending for Greek adverbs is -ως (similar to the English -ly suffix).[12] This ending is added to an adjective to create the adverb.[13] Thus in English we have the adjective nice and the adverb nicely. So in Greek we have similar formations, which include the following:
| Adjective | Adverb | |
| ἁγνός, “pure” | ► | ἁγνῶς, “purely” |
| ἄδικος, “unjust” | ► | ἀδίκως, “unjustly” |
| βραδύς, “slow” | ► | βραδέως, “slowly” |
| δίκαιος, “just, righteous” | ► | δικαίως, “justly, righteously” |
| ἔσχατος, “last” | ► | ἐσχάτως, “lastly, finally” |
| ἕτερος, “other, different” | ► | ἑτέρως, “otherwise, differently” |
| ἰσχυρός, “strong” | ► | ἰσχυρῶς, “strongly” |
| καινός, “new” | ► | καινῶς, “newly” |
| κακός, “bad, evil, wicked” | ► | κακῶς, “badly, evilly, wickedly” |
| μέγας, “large, great” | ► | μεγάλως, “greatly” |
| μωρός, “foolish” | ► | μωρῶς, “foolishly” |
| ὅλος, “whole, complete” | ► | ὅλως, “wholly, completely” |
| ὅμοιος, “like, similar” | ► | ὁμοίως, “likewise, similarly” |
| ταχύς, “quick” | ► | ταχέως, “quickly” |
| φανερός, “clear, plain” | ► | φανερῶς, “clearly, plainly” |
6.28. Many of these -ως adverbs describe the manner in which the action of the verb is performed. Other suffixes that are also used to create adverbs might express time (-οτε), source (-θεν), position (-ω), or frequency (-ις),[14] and others have no distinctive suffix at all. The best way to identify an adverb is through learning the most common ones and by using the lexicon for the others. The syntax of adverbs is flexible, but it is common for adverbs of time to precede the word modified, while adverbs of place typically follow the word modified. Other types of adverbs can be found in either position.
The most common word in Koine texts (other than the article), the conjunction καί, can also be used as an adverb. As a conjunction, καί is most commonly equivalent to the English “and” or “but”; it always joins two equal grammatical pieces (two nouns, two verbs, two phrases, two clauses, etc.). When the elements standing on either side of καί are not grammatically equal, then καί is being used adverbially and means “even” or “also.”
Adverbs can also be used substantivally (as a noun). In these instances an article is used as a nominalizer to indicate that the adverb is being used as a noun. For example, the adverb ἄνω, “up, above,” can be used as a noun: τὰ ἄνω ζητεῖτε (“Seek the things above,” Col. 3:1); the neuter plural article tells us that it is to “the things” that are above that the writer refers. Or in Luke 1:48, ἀπὸ τοῦ νῦν μακαριοῦσίν με means “from the present time they will bless me” (the adverb νῦν means “now,” thus “the now time,” or “the present time”).
| Mark 1:45, ἤρχοντο πρὸς αὐτὸν πάντοθεν. | They came to him from everywhere. |
| Mark 2:25, λέγει αὐτοῖς, Οὐδέποτε ἀνέγνωτε τί ἐποίησεν Δαυίδ; | He said to them, “Have you never read what David did?” |
| Mark 3:1, εἰσῆλθεν πάλιν εἰς τὴν συναγωγήν. | He entered again into the synagogue. |
| Mark 7:6, Καλῶς ἐπροφήτευσεν Ἠσαΐας περὶ ὑμῶν τῶν ὑποκριτῶν. | Isaiah prophesied well [i.e., correctly] concerning you hypocrites. |
| Gen. 7:4, ἔτι γὰρ ἡμερῶν ἑπτὰ ἐγὼ ἐπάγω ὑετὸν ἐπὶ τὴν γῆν. | For yet seven days [and] I will bring rain on the earth [i.e., within seven days, I will bring . . .]. |
| Matt. 4:8, Πάλιν παραλαμβάνει αὐτὸν ὁ διάβολος εἰς ὄρος ὑψηλὸν λίαν. |
There are two adverbs in this sentence; the first modifies the verb, the second an adjective.
| Mark 16:2, λίαν πρωῒ ἔρχονται ἐπὶ τὸ μνημεῖον. |
The adverb λίαν modifies another adverb, πρωΐ, which in turn modifies the verb, ἔρχονται (“they came”).
| Rom. 1:9, ἀδιαλείπτως μνείαν ὑμῶν ποιοῦμαι (I am making). | |
| Matt. 26:71, λέγει τοῖς ἐκεῖ, Οὗτος ἦν (he was) μετὰ Ἰησοῦ τοῦ Ναζωραίου. | |
| Exod. 2:13, Διὰ τίa σὺ τύπτεις τὸν πλησίον; | |
a Διὰ τί, “why?” |
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6.31. Advanced Information for Reference:
Diagramming Adverbs
| Rom. 3:21, Νυνὶ δὲ χωρὶς νόμου δικαιοσύνη θεοῦ πεφανέρωται. | But the righteousness of God is now revealed apart from the law. |
Figure 6.3
The Negatives
6.32. Greek has a number of ways of expressing negation, but the most common is the use of a negative adverb, either οὐ or μή. There are multiple forms of these two basic words. In the case of οὐ, the spelling will change depending on the following word. If the following word begins with a vowel with a smooth breathing, it takes the form οὐκ; before a word with a rough breathing, it is οὐχ. (This difference is simply for euphony; it does not affect the meaning.) There are also compound forms such as οὐδείς/μηδείς, οὔπω/μήπω, οὐδέπω/μηδέπω, and οὐθείς/μηθείς. (See your lexicon for these forms.)
The words οὐ and μή are synonymous in meaning, but they are typically used in different contexts. Most verbs are negated with the negative adverb οὐ, but some kinds of verbs require μή.[15] All you need to know now is that both οὐ and μή negate the statement in which they occur. Remember that these words are adverbs, so they will normally negate verbs (not nouns).
6.33. There is one additional use of the negative in rhetorical questions that is important to remember. If speakers want to imply a particular answer to a yes or no question, they can do so by their choice of negatives. In questions phrased in the indicative mood, using οὐ implies a positive/yes answer, but using μή implies a negative/no answer. For example, if I were to ask you about your preparation for a Greek exam, I could phrase my question one of two ways in English: “You studied for this exam, didn’t you?” or “You didn’t study for this exam, did you?” The first implies a positive answer—I am assuming that you did study (your exam score demonstrated it). The second question also makes an assumption: it assumes, based on your score, that you did not study. The word order in the English sentences implies the answer.
Greek can make this same distinction, but word order is not useful in this case, since word order is not generally semantic in Greek. Instead, οὐ is used in questions in which the speaker wants to imply a positive answer, but μή is selected to imply a negative answer.[16] (The various forms of οὐ and μή carry the same implications.) The negative will often (though not always) stand at the beginning of such a rhetorical question.
Consider the following examples and notice the implications of the choice of οὐ or μή in each case. You will want to check the context of each of these (use an English Bible) to understand the implications of the speaker’s choice of negatives.[17]
6.34. Examples of Negatives in Questions
| John 9:40, Μὴ καὶ ἡμεῖς τυφλοί ἐσμεν; | “We are not blind also, are we?” |
The implication of the question with μή in this verse could be paraphrased, “You can’t mean, can you, that we are also blind?!”
| Mark 6:3, οὐχ οὗτός ἐστιν ὁ τέκτων, ὁ υἱὸς τῆς Μαρίας καὶ ἀδελφὸς Ἰακώβου καὶ Ἰωσῆτος καὶ Ἰούδα καὶ Σίμωνος; καὶ οὐκ εἰσὶν αἱ ἀδελφαὶ αὐτοῦ ὧδε πρὸς ἡμᾶς; | “This is the carpenter, isn’t it? The son of Mary and the brother of James and Joses and Jude and Simon? And his sisters are here with us, aren’t they? |
| Gen. 37:13, εἶπεν Ἰσραὴλ πρὸς Ἰωσήφ, Οὐχ οἱ ἀδελφοί σου ποιμαίνουσιν ἐν Συχέμ; δεῦρο ἀποστείλω σε πρὸς αὐτούς. | Israel said to Joseph, “Your brothers are pasturing [the flocks] in Shechem, aren’t they? Come, I will send you to them.” |
| Luke 17:17, ὁ Ἰησοῦς εἶπεν (said), Οὐχὶ οἱ δέκα ἐκαθαρίσθησαν (were cleansed); οἱ δὲ ἐννέα ποῦ; | |
| 1 Cor. 12:29–30, μὴ πάντεςa ἀπόστολοι;b μὴ πάντες προφῆται; μὴ πάντες διδάσκαλοι; μὴ πάντες δυνάμεις;c μὴ πάντες χαρίσματαc ἔχουσιν ἰαμάτων;c μὴ πάντες γλώσσαις λαλοῦσιν; μὴ πάντες διερμηνεύουσιν;d | |
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a πάντες, “all” (masc. pl. nom.) b Each verbless clause (a form of the verb εἰμί must be supplied) in these two verses contains two nominatives: one a substantival adjective, and the other a noun. The first nominative in word order is the subject, and the second is the predicate nominative (see §14.13.3). c These words are all third-declension nouns that you will learn later: δυνάμεις, fem. pl. nom. ► δύναμις, εως, ἡ, “deed of power” (i.e., one of the words for “miracle” in the NT); χαρίσματα, neut. pl. acc. ► χάρισμα, ατος, τό, “gift”; ἰαμάτων, neut. pl. gen. ► ἴαμα, ατος, τό, “healing.” d A long string of negative rhetorical questions such as this sounds very stilted if translated with the implications spelled out explicitly as above, so standard translations often simplify the questions; e.g., “Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? Do all possess gifts of healing? Do all speak with tongues? Do all interpret?” (ESV; cf. NIV; ctr. NASB, NET, which retain the negative implications). |
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Advanced Information for Reference:
Comparative and Superlative Adjectives and Adverbs
6.36. The following material is supplemental, and many instructors will not take time to cover it in class with you. It is provided here as a resource for when you encounter other forms of adjectives. These are not nearly as common as the regular adjectives, but it is important to understand them when you do discover one in your reading. You should at least skim through this material so that you know what is here. Someday you will need it.
Comparative and Superlative Adjectives
6.37. An adjective can have three degrees: positive, comparative, or superlative. The positive degree is the usual, uncompared form of the adjective: “large” (μέγας). The comparative degree denotes the greater of two items: “larger” (μείζων). The superlative degree describes the greatest, or a comparison of three or more: “largest” (μέγιστος). Not all such forms are created the same way, but one common formation is the use of specific suffixes, one set of which is -τερος, -τερα, -τερον (masc., fem., neut.) for comparative and -τατος, -τατη, -τατον for superlative. Another pattern uses -ων, -ιστος for comparative and superlative, respectively. Some words have substitute forms for the comparative and superlative instead of modifying the positive form (see ἀγαθός in the following list; it has two sets of forms). The most common words of these types in both the NT and LXX are listed below. Masculine singular nominative forms are shown.[18]
ἀγαθός ► κρείττων ► κράτιστος (“strong, stronger, strongest” or “good, better, best”)[19]
ἀγαθός ► βελτίων ► βέλτιστα (“good, better, best”)
ἐλαχύς ► ἐλάσσων ► ἐλάχιστος (“little, less, least”)
κάλος ► κάλλιστος ► καλλίστατος (“good, better, best”)
μέγας ► μείζων ► μέγιστος (“large, larger, largest” or “great, greater, greatest”)[20]
μικρός ► μικρότερος ► μικρότατος (“small, smaller, smallest”)
πολύς ► πλείων ► πλεῖστος (“many, more, most”)[21]
πρέσβυς ► πρεσβύτερος ► πρεσβύτατος (“old, older, oldest”)
ὕψος ► ὑψηλός ► ὕψιστος (“high, higher, highest”)
These comparative and superlative forms are declined like the usual adjective forms. The -ος ending in -τερος and -τατος forms is the masculine singular nominative ending. Three sample paradigms of comparative forms are shown to illustrate the ending patterns. One gives the irregular comparative formation using -ων, a second the common comparative -τερος formation. The third is a superlative using -τατος. Only masculine forms are shown here, though the full set of forms for all genders may be used.
Comparative and Superlative Adjectives
| Comparative | Superlative | ||
| μέγας, “great” | ἄξιος, “worthy” | ||
| NS | μείζων | ἀξιώτερος | ἀξιώτατος |
| GS | μείζονος | ἀξιωτέρου | ἀξιωτάτου |
| DS | μείζονι | ἀξιωτέρῳ | ἀξιωτάτῳ |
| AS | μείζονα | ἀξιώτερον | ἀξιώτατον |
| NP | μείζονες | ἀξιώτεροι | ἀξιώτατοι |
| GP | μειζόνων | ἀξιωτέρων | ἀξιωτάτων |
| DP | μείζοσι(ν) | ἀξιωτέροις | ἀξιωτάτοις |
| AP | μείζονας | ἀξιωτέρους | ἀξιωτάτους |
In Koine Greek the superlative degree was dying out, its function being assumed by the comparative. For example, someone might use μείζων when context requires us to understand it as if it were μέγιστος. Most superlative forms have an elative sense, that is, instead of “greatest,” the elative sense would be “very great.” As usual, context is the key in understanding the meaning of any given statement. A good lexicon will tell you what you need to know about these forms and the variations that are possible.[22]
Comparative and Superlative Adverbs
6.38. Comparative adverbs use the same comparative morphemes as do comparative adjectives. The most common ending is -τερως (the usual adverb ending -ως replacing the case ending on the comparative adjective ending -τερος)—for example, περισσοτέρως, “even more.” Also common is the use of the neuter singular accusative form of the comparative adjective as a comparative adverb; for example, ὕστερον, “later,” is the neuter form of ὕστερος, α, ον, “last.” To create a superlative, the plural form may be used instead of the singular; for example, βέλτιστα (neut. pl. acc.), “best,” functions as the superlative of ἀγαθός. Thus we have σοφῶς (positive, “wisely”), σοφώτερον (comparative, “more wisely”), and σοφώτατα (superlative, “most wisely”).
Many comparative and superlative adverbs, however, use nonstandard formations that must be learned or identified with the lexicon. These adverb forms will usually be listed in the lexicon under the adjective. The most common superlative adverb in the NT is μάλιστα, “most of all, especially,” and it occurs there only 12 times.[23] The positive form is μάλα (“very”), and the comparative is μᾶλλον (“more”). Other forms include the adverb εὖ, “well,” which uses βέλτιον, “better,” as the comparative form. Likewise the adverb ἐγγύς, “near,” uses either ἐγγύτερον or ἆσσον, “nearer,” as the comparative and ἔγγιστα, “nearest,” as the superlative.
Forms of μέγας and πολύς
6.39. The adjectives μέγας (“great, large”) and πολύς (“much, many”) have a few oddities. Both follow the same pattern, which is (mostly) second declension for masculine and neuter and first declension (eta endings) for feminine. The nominative and accusative singular in both masculine and neuter, however, appear to use third-declension endings (which you will learn later). Their forms are as follows:
| Masc. | Fem. | Neut. | Masc. | Fem. | Neut. | |
| NS | πολύς | πολλή | πολύ | μέγας | μεγάλη | μέγα |
| GS | πολλοῦ | πολλῆς | πολλοῦ | μεγάλου | μεγάλης | μεγάλου |
| DS | πολλῷ | πολλῇ | πολλῷ | μεγάλῳ | μεγάλῃ | μεγάλῳ |
| AS | πολύν | πολλήν | πολύ | μέγαν | μεγάλην | μέγα |
| NP | πολλοί | πολλαί | πολλά | μεγάλοι | μεγάλαι | μεγάλα |
| GP | πολλῶν | πολλῶν | πολλῶν | μεγάλων | μεγάλων | μεγάλων |
| DP | πολλοῖς | πολλαῖς | πολλοῖς | μεγάλοις | μεγάλαις | μεγάλοις |
| AP | πολλούς | πολλάς | πολλά | μεγάλους | μεγάλας | μεγάλα |
6.40. Examples of Comparative and Superlative Adjectives
| 2 Tim. 4:13, φέρε (bring!) τὰ βιβλία μάλιστα τὰς μεμβράνας. | Bring the books, especially the parchments. |
| Gal. 4:13, εὐηγγελισάμην ὑμῖν τὸ πρότερον.a | I preached to you first. |
a The adverb πρότερον often has an article; the meaning is unaffected. |
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| Acts 26:5, τὴν ἀκριβεστάτηνa αἵρεσιν τῆς ἡμετέρας θρησκείας | The strictest party of our religion |
a The superlative suffix can take regular adjective endings; here it is a fem. sg. acc., -τάτην, instead of -τάτος. |
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| Mark 12:31, μείζων τούτωνa ἄλλη ἐντολὴ οὐκ ἔστιν. | There is no other commandment greater than these. |
a With comparative forms (either adjectives or adverbs), it is common to use a genitive-case noun or pronoun to indicate what is being compared. This is called a “genitive of comparison,” and the word than is supplied with the genitive in translation. Thus μείζων τούτων means “greater than these.” |
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| 1 Cor. 7:9, κρεῖττόν ἐστιν γαμῆσαι ἢa πυροῦσθαι.b | It is better to marry than to burn [i.e., with sexual desire]. |
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a For the word ἤ, see your lexicon; in this instance, it means “than” instead of “or.” b Both γαμῆσαι and πυροῦσθαι are infinitive forms that you have not learned yet. In the translation they are “to marry” and “to burn.” |
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| Gen. 47:6, ἰδοὺ ἡ γῆ Αἰγύπτου ἐναντίον σού ἐστιν· ἐν τῇ βελτίστῃ a γῇ κατοίκισον (settle!) τὸν πατέρα (father) σου καὶ τοὺς ἀδελφούς σου. | Behold, the land of Egypt is before you. Settle your father and your brothers in the best land. |
a βέλτιστα (neut. pl. acc.) functions as the superlative adjective of ἀγαθός. Here the form βελτίστῃ is the fem. sg. dat. form to agree with τῇ γῇ (first attributive position). |
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| John 4:1, ἤκουσαν (heard) οἱ φαρισαῖοι ὅτι Ἰησοῦς πλείονας μαθητὰς ποιεῖ καὶ βαπτίζει ἢ Ἰωάννης. | Who heard? What did they hear? Who is doing the action of βαπτίζει? Who is receiving the action? What word does the adjective πλείονας modify? |
| Heb. 4:12, ὁ λόγος τοῦ θεοῦ [is] ἐνεργὴς καὶ τομώτερος ὑπὲρ πᾶσαν μάχαιραν δίστομον. | What is the subject? How is it restricted? What two equal things does καί connect? |
| Heb. 7:22, κρείττονος διαθήκης γέγονενa ἔγγυος Ἰησοῦς. | What is the subject and the predicate nominative of the linking verb? What is an ἔγγυος, and how is the word described? How is διαθήκης described? |
a γέγονεν is a linking verb similar to εἰμί, “is.” |
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| 1 Clem. 13.1, μάλιστα μεμνημένοι (remembering) τῶν λόγων τοῦ κυρίου Ἰησοῦ | |
| Let. Aris. 296, ἄξιοι θαυμασμοῦ κατεφαίνοντό (they appeared) μοι καὶ τοῖς παροῦσι (ones present), μάλιστα δὲ τοῖς φιλοσόφοις. | |
6.42. Reading Passage: John 5:39–47
Adjective forms in the reading passage are marked with bold.
How Can You Believe?
39ἐραυνᾶτε (you are searching) τὰς γραφάς, ὅτι (because) ὑμεῖς δοκεῖτε ἐν (in) αὐταῖς ζωὴν αἰώνιον ἔχειν· καὶ ἐκεῖναί εἰσιν αἱ μαρτυροῦσαι (ones that testify) περὶ (concerning) ἐμοῦ· 40καὶ οὐ θέλετε ἐλθεῖν (to come) πρός με ἵνα (that) ζωὴν ἔχητε (you should have).
41Δόξαν παρὰ (from) ἀνθρώπων οὐ λαμβάνω, 42ἀλλὰ ἔγνωκα (I know) ὑμᾶς ὅτι (that) τὴν ἀγάπην τοῦ θεοῦ οὐκ ἔχετε ἐν ἑαυτοῖς. 43ἐγὼ ἐλήλυθα (have come) ἐν τῷ ὀνόματι (name) τοῦ πατρός (Father) μου, καὶ οὐ λαμβάνετέ με· ἐὰν (if) ἄλλος ἔλθῃ (should come) ἐν τῷ ὀνόματι τῷ ἰδίῳ, ἐκεῖνον λήμψεσθε (you will receive). 44πῶς δύνασθε (are able) ὑμεῖς πιστεῦσαι (to believe) δόξαν παρὰ ἀλλήλων λαμβάνοντες (when you receive), καὶ τὴν δόξαν τὴν παρὰa τοῦ μόνου θεοῦ οὐ ζητεῖτε; 45μὴ δοκεῖτε (think!) ὅτι (that) ἐγὼ κατηγορήσω (will accuse) ὑμῶν πρὸς (to/before) τὸν πατέρα (Father)· ἔστιν ὁ κατηγορῶν (one who accuses) ὑμῶνb Μωϋσῆς, εἰς ὃνc ὑμεῖς ἠλπίκατε (hope). 46εἰ γὰρ ἐπιστεύετε (you had believed) Μωϋσεῖ, ἐπιστεύετε (you would have believed) ἂνd ἐμοί·e περὶ (concerning) γὰρ ἐμοῦ ἐκεῖνος (he) ἔγραψεν (wrote). 47εἰ δὲ τοῖς ἐκείνου (his) γράμμασιν (writings, NPD) οὐ πιστεύετε, πῶς τοῖς ἐμοῖς ῥήμασιν (words, NPD) πιστεύσετε (you will believe);
a τὴν παρά, “which is from”
b For an explanation of the genitive case of ὑμῶν, see §7.23.
c εἰς ὅν, “in whom”
d The word ἄν (“then”) is in a postpositive position, so in an English equivalent it would be understood before the preceding verb, ἐπιστεύετε.
e For an explanation of the dative case of ἐμοί, see §7.23.
6.43. Vocabulary for Chapter 6
| Part of Speech | Definition | Possible Glosses | Frequency | |
| Word | NT | LXX | ||
| Adjectives | ||||
| ἅγιος, α, ον | Set apart for deity | holy (adj.); God’s people, saints (subst.) | 233 | 832 |
| Ἰουδαῖος, αία, αῖον | Jewish/Judean either by birth/ethnicity or by practice (adj.); Jew/Judean (subst.) | Jewish/Judean (adj.); Jew/Judean (subst.) | 195 | 207 |
| ἄλλος, η, ο | That which is distinct from another entity | other, another | 155 | 108 |
| πρῶτος, η, ον | Having primary position in a sequence, either temporally, numerically, or in prominence | first, earlier | 155 | 223 |
| νεκρός, ά, όν | Without life, “dead” (adj.); one who is dead, “corpse” (subst.) (both adj. and noun may refer to physical or spiritual/moral death)a | dead (adj.); dead body, corpse (subst.) | 128 | 83 |
| ἴδιος, α, ον | Belonging to oneself | one’s own | 114 | 79 |
| μόνος, η, ον | The only entity in a class or the only such entity that is present | only, alone | 114 | 164 |
| δίκαιος, α, ον | In accord with standards for acceptable behavior, that which is obligatory in view of certain requirements of justice; conforming to the laws of God, being in a right relationship with God; substantivally, one who has been declared right before God | upright, fair; righteous, just | 79 | 435 |
| δυνατός, ή, όν | Having power or competence; capable of being realized, to be possible | able, capable, powerful; it is possible (neut.) | 32 | 185 |
| Adverbs | ||||
| οὕτως | A particle that introduces a description of the manner or way in which something is done | in this manner, thus, so | 208 | 852 |
| καθώς | A marker of similarity or manner | as, even as, just as | 182 | 279 |
| τότε | A temporal adverb that specifies sequence (A then B) or refers to a specific time (either past or future) | then, at that time, when | 160 | 293 |
| νῦν | A temporal adverb that indicates present time | now (adv.); the present (subst.) | 147 | 701 |
| πάλιν | An adverb that indicates repetition or additional occurrence | again, once more | 141 | 88 |
| ἐκεῖ | An adverb of place indicating a location in contrast to “here” | there, in that place | 105 | 798 |
a CL lists νεκρός as two separate entries, one an adjective (νεκρός, ά, όν), the other a noun (νεκρός, ου, ὁ). BDAG has a single listing under the adjective form with two divisions, adjective and noun.
6.44. Key Things to Know for Chapter 6
What is the most important thing to know about Greek adjectives?
What endings do adjectives use?
When using a lexicon, how can you distinguish nouns from adjectives?
What are the four positions of adjectives, and how does that affect their meaning?
Do you understand and can you distinguish the two uses of αὐτός as an adjective?
What is the most common way to create an adverb in Greek?
When does καί function as an adverb, and what does it mean in that situation?
How can a Greek speaker/writer imply a yes or no answer to a question?