Quick Reference Guide

Greek Alphabet and Diphthongs

αβγδεζηθκλμνξοπρτυϕχψω

ΑΒΓΔΕΖΗΘΙΚΛΜΝΞΟΠΡΣΤΥΦΧΨΩ

Greek Case System

1. Nominative Case - The Noun is the Subject Producing the Action
   1. Subject Nominative
      • Noun is the subject
   2. Predicate Nominative
      • Used with a state of being verb to describe another noun
   3. Renaming Nominative (Nominative of Appellation)
      • In English, an appositive, set off with commas, to rename another noun
   4. Independent Nominative
      • Parenthetical noun in no direct relation to verb i.e., (even Christ)
   5. Nominative of Exclamation
      • Noun or noun phrase used to express a concept without a verb
2. Genitive Case - The Noun is the Subject Producing the Action
   1. Genitive of Description
      • Basic use describing a noun (house of blue — for blue house)
   2. Genitive of Possession
      • Basic use describing possession (house of Peter — for Peter's house)
   3. Genitive of Relationship
      • Family member (Son of Zebedee)
   4. Adverbial Genitive - Describes the type of action being expressed by the noun
      1. Genitive of Time
         • The kind of time rather than a particular duration (they took him by night)
      2. Genitive of Place
         • Focuses on some sort of contact at a particular place
      3. Genitive of Reference
         • Allows an adjective to be applied in a way limited by the context
   5. Genitive with Nouns of Action - Modifies either the subject noun or object noun
      1. Subjective Genitive
         • Performs the action implied by the noun as the subject
      2. Objective Genitive
         • Receives the action implied by the noun as the object
   6. Genitive of Apposition
      • Renames a noun more specifically; state of Colorado (a part of a whole)
   7. Partitive Genitive
      • The genitive noun is the whole, the modified noun is the part
   8. Genitive Absolute
      • Parenthetical clause that has no essential grammatical connection
3. Ablative Case - Denotes separation
   1. Ablative of Separation
      • Separation from or out of something
   2. Ablative of Source
      • The noun being modified by the ablative owes its origin to that noun
   3. Ablative of Means
      • Refers to the origin as the source out of which something emanates
   4. Ablative of Comparison
      • Separates a noun by comparison (none greater than John the Baptist)
4. Dative Case - Indirect Object
   1. Dative of Indirect Object
      • Person to whom, or for a thing is done (Throw the ball to John)
   2. Dative of Advantages or Disadvantages
      • A direct benefit to the person receiving (Paul gave her his hand)
   3. Dative of Possession
      • Ownership (The tabernacle of testimony was to the fathers of us)
   4. Dative of Reference
      • An indirect reference indicated (death with reference to sin)
5. Locative Case - Location of Origin
   1. Locative of Place
      • Where (in the city of David)
   2. Locative of Time
      • When (I say to you, that you yourself this very night…)
   3. Locative of Sphere
      • Placing a conceptual idea within the boundaries of another (I am gentle and humble in heart)
6. Instrumental Case - The Means by Which Something is Done
   1. Instrument of Means
      • Basic means used to accomplish something; Answers the question, How?
   2. Instrument of Cause
      • Simply states the cause; Answers the questions, Why?
   3. Instrument of Manner
      • Refers to the manner by which something is carried out (with thankfulness)
   4. Instrument of Measure
      • Measures time, space, material (kept secret for long ages past)
   5. Instrument of Association
      • Another party is involved and an association is established
   6. Instrument of Agency
      • Tells by what agent something is accomplished (led by the Spirit)
7. Accusative Case - The Object of the Verb
   1. Accusative of the Direct Object
      • Receives the action of the verb
   2. Adverbial Accusative
      • The noun acts as a sort of indirect object
      1. Adverbial Accusative of Measure
         • For instance, time (And about the eleventh hour, after he went out) When?
      2. Adverbial Accusative of Manner
         • Answers the question, How? (at the most, three)
      3. Adverbial Accusative of Reference
         • How much? (We are to grow up in all aspects into Him)
   3. Cognate Accusative
      • The noun means the same as the verb (They feared fear)
   4. Double Accusative - The verb necessitates a double accusative
      1. Personal and Impersonal Object
         • Teach you (personal object) the elementary principles (impersonal object) of the oracles of God
      2. Direct and Predicate Object
         • To take Him (direct object) by force in order to make king (predicate object)
   5. Accusative Absolute
      • Stands apart grammatically from the rest of the sentence
   6. Accusative Oaths
      • Exhortation (adjure you by the Lord)
8. Vocative Case - The Case of Address
   • Matthew 27:46: "My God, My God, why hast Thou forsaken me?"

Verb Tenses

1. Present Tense - Continuous or linear action
   1. Progressive Present
      • Ongoing, continuous
   2. Customary Present
      • A general occurrence; a customary action
   3. Iterative Present
      • Action repeated at various intervals or time periods
   4. Historical Present
      • A past event described in the present tense for emphasis
   5. Aoristic Present
      • Occurring now, emphasizing the present occurrence of a linear action
   6. Futuristic Present
      • The future that is so certain it is described in the present
   7. Tendential Present
      • Present tense used to describe an event that will very likely happen
   8. Static Present
      • Something in a constant state of existence
2. Imperfect Tense - Continuous action in the past
   1. Progressive Imperfect
      • Continuous action ongoing in the past
   2. Customary Imperfect
      • That which has regularly or 'customarily' occurred in the past
   3. Inceptive Imperfect
      • Emphasizes the beginning of continuous action in the past
   4. Iterative Imperfect
      • Action that was continuously repeated at various intervals
3. Future Tense - Both progressive and punctiliar action
   1. Predictive Future
      • Action that will simply occur at some future time
   2. Progressive Future
      • An action that will continue to happen in the future
   3. Imperative Future
      • A command that assumes an action will take place in the future
   4. Gnomic Future
      • A universal truth that will continue to be true in the near future
4. Aorist Tense - Expresses punctiliar action that has happened
   1. Constative Aorist
      • An action taken in its entirety that has occurred
   2. Ingressive Aorist
      • The beginning of an action
   3. Culminative Aorist
      • The completion of an action
   4. Gnomic Aorist
      • Used to depict a timeless truth or event
   5. Epistolary Aorist
      • Used to place a writer in the same time frame as his readers
   6. Dramatic Aorist
      • Used to express a recent or current event as an accomplished act
5. Perfect Tense - One of the most important tenses in the NT! It represents an action that is complete but has an ongoing resultant state of being
   1. Intensive Perfect
      • Emphasizes the present results of a completed action
   2. Consummative Perfect
      • Emphasizes the completed act more than the results, although the results are clearly in the picture
   3. Dramatic Perfect
      • Emphasis is placed on an event in the past in a dramatic way, versus focusing on the results, although here too, the results are in the picture
   4. Present Perfect or Perfect with a Present Emphasis and Force
      • This is associated with verbs stating a condition, so that the act and the results are virtually one and the same
   5. Gnomic Perfect
      • Expresses a universal truth with an ongoing application for all people at all times
   6. Allegorical Perfect
      • Old Testament events viewed with a New Testament application
6. Pluperfect Tense - An action completed in the past that had an ongoing state of being in the past
   1. Intensive Pluperfect
      • Emphasis on the existing results in the past of some previous action in the past
   2. Consummative Pluperfect
      • Emphasis on the completed action in the past, with the results in the past being secondary

Voice

1. Active Voice - Reflects the subject that performs the action
2. Middle Voice - The agent participates in the results of the action
   1. Intensive Middle
      • Stresses the agent (he and no one else is performing the action)
   2. Reflexive Middle
      • The agent directly participates in the results of the action (hitting himself)
   3. Reciprocal Middle
      • Plural subject directly involved in both (men hitting one another)
3. Passive Voice - Subject is being acted upon by someone or something else

Mood

1. Indicative Mood - Reality, that which is actually occurring
2. Subjunctive Mood - Likely to occur
   1. Hortatory Subjunctive
      • First person, exhortation (Let us hit)
   2. Prohibitive Subjunctive
      • Used with second person aorist subj. (Lead us not into temptation)
   3. Deliberative Subjunctive
      • A question that expects no answer
   4. Emphatic Negation
      • Double negative; the impossibility of an action to occur (they shall in no way perish)
   5. Final Subjunctive
      • Used with particle ἵνα, ὅπως, or ὅταν to express purpose
   6. Probable Subjunctive
      • Used with ὲὰν or ἀν in the "if" clause with a subjunctive verb, and an indicative verb in the "then" clause, and ει with an indicative verb in the "if" clause, as well as as any verb in the "then" clause, including ἀν with an indicative verb in the "then" clause.
3. Optative Mood - Action one hopes will occur
4. Imperative Mood - A command that is possible
   • Present: keep on doing
   • Aorist: start doing
   • Third person: gives permission (let him)

Participles

Participles are verbal adjectives that behave like a verb and an adjective.

1. Present Participle - Action simultaneous with action of the main verb
2. Aorist Participle - Action happening before the action of the main verb
3. Perfect Participle - Action happening before the main verb, with ongoing state of actuality
4. Future Participle - Action that is going to happen after the main verb, but rare in the NT
5. Periphrastic Participles - A combination of the verb εἰμί, and a participle for emphasis
   1. Periphrastic Present – present tense of εἰμί, and present participle
      • Ongoing continuous action of an event in present time
   2. Periphrastic Imperfect – imperfect of εἰμί, and present participle
   3. Periphrastic Present – present tense of εἰμί, and present participle
      • Ongoing continuous action of an event in the past
   4. Periphrastic Future – future of εἰμί, and present participle
      • Ongoing continuous action of an event in the future
   5. Periphrastic Perfect – present tense of εἰμί, and perfect participle
      • [Insert]
   6. Periphrastic Pluperfect – imperfect of εἰμί, and perfect participle
      • Ongoing effect in the past of a completed task
   7. Periphrastic Future Perfect – future of εἰμί, and perfect participle
      • Ongoing effect in the future of an already completed task

Infinitives

Infinitives are verbal nouns that use the preposition "to" with a verb, like "to eat, to go," etc., and they can also be used with "ing," like "going, riding," etc. The context will determine its usage.

1. Present Infinitive
   • Emphasizes continuous action
2. Aorist Infinitive
   • Emphasizes undefined or punctiliar action
3. Perfect Infinitive
   • Emphasizes completed action with ongoing results