Lesson XIX

Verbs: Perfect, Active

Middle/Passive

Indicative and Infinitive



The Greek perfect tense is literally a "perfect" or complete tense. It incorporates the entire spectrum of time. This tense signifies action that is complete with permanent results. These results may be understood to be continuing in the past, through the present, and into the future.



118a. Translation of the Perfect Tense

There is no single English tense comparable to the Greek perfect tense. The particular English tense selected for the translation of the Greek perfect tense depends upon the context. The English past tense - I believed; the English perfect tense - I have believed; the English past perfect or pluperfect tense - I had believed; or the English present tense ( not continuing action) - I believe may be used to translate a Greek perfect tense.

118b. Reduplication

Reduplication is found at the beginning of a verb in the perfect tense. It occurs in a variety of forms. The most frequent form in verbs that begin with a consonant is the repetition of the initial consonant with an e joining it to the stem. Illustration: the perfect tense stem for lu,w is lelu -; for gra,fw is gegraf -. When this form of reduplication occurs in verbs that begin with a rough mute consonant (1a.), the rough mute is reduplicated with its corresponding smooth mute consonant. Illustration: kec -- ; pef -- ; teq -- .

A second method of forming reduplication is by the addition of an e . This usually occurs when the stem begins with two consonants. Illustration: the perfect tense stem for ginw,skw is evgnw -. This method of reduplication is also used with verbs that formerly began with a consonant which has since been dropped. Illustration: the perfect tense stem for avnoi,gw is avnew|g -.

A third method of reduplication is by the lengthening of an initial vowel. This follows a pattern similar to the temporal augment. Illustration: the perfect tense stem of ai;rw is h;r -.

A fourth method of reduplication is by repeating both the initial vowel and consonant and by lengthening the initial vowel. Illustration: the perfect tense stem of avkou,w is avkhko -.

There is no sure way to determine which method of reduplication will be used in any given verb. The safest procedure is to check the principal parts. Verbs having both perfect, active and perfect, middle/passive forms in the New Testament follow the same method of reduplication for all three voices. Reduplication occurs in all moods and in all verbals . This differs from the augment which occurs in the indicative mood only of the imperfect and aorist tenses.



The perfect, active tense is based on the fourth principal part. It is identified by three characteristics: (1) some form of reduplication (118b.); (2) - k - tense suffix (a few verbs do not have a tense suffix in the perfect, active); and (3) secondary, inflections plus an a connecting vowel.

ai;rw( -----, h=ra( h=rka( -----, h;rqhn

avkou,w( avkou,sw( h;kousa( avkh,koa( _____, hvkou,sqhn

avnabai,nw( avnabh,somai( avne,bhn( avnabe,bhka( _____, _____

avnoi,gw( avnoi,xw( avne,w|xa( avne,w|ga( -----, avnew,|cqhn

avpe,rcomai( avpeleu,somai( avph/lqon( avpelh,luqa( _____, _____

avposte,llw( -----, avpe,steila( avpe,stalka( -----, avpesta,lhn

ba,llw( -----, e;balon( be,blhka( -----, evblh,qhn

gi,nomai( genh,somai( evgeno,mhn( ge,gona( -----, evgenh,qhn

ginw,skw( gnw,somai( e;gnwn( e;gnwka( -----, evgnw,sqhn

gra,fw( gra,yw( e;graya( ge,grafa( -----, evgra,fhn

eivse,rcomai( eivseleu,somai( eivsh/lqon( eivselh,luqa( _____, _____

evkba,llw( -----, evxe,balon( evkbe,blhka( _____, evxeblh,qhn

evxe,rcomai( evxeleu,somai( evxh/lqon( evxelh,luqa( _____, _____

e;rcomai( evleu,somai( h=lqon( evlh,luqa( _____, _____

eu`ri,skw( eu`rh,somai( eu-ron( eu[rhka( _____, eu`rh,qhn

e;cw( e[xw( e;scon( e;schka( _____, _____

katabai,nw( katabh,somai( kate,bhn( katabe,bhka( _____, _____

kra,zw( _____, e;kraxa( ke,kraga( _____, _____

kri,nw( -----, e;krina( ke,krina( -----, evkri,qhn

lamba,nw( lh,myomai( e;labon( ei;lhqa( _____, _____

me,nw( -----, e;meina( meme,nhka( _____, _____

pei,qw( pei,sw( e;peisa( pe,poiqa( -----, evpei,sqhn

pi,nw( pi,omai( e;pion( pe,pwka( _____, _____

pisteu,w( pisteu,sw( evpi,steusa( pepi,steuka( -----, evpisteu,qhn

prose,rcomai( proseleu,somai( prosh/lqon( proselh,luqa( _____, _____

sw,zw( sw,sw( evswsa( se,swka( -----, evsw,qhn



-a -amen
-aj ate
-e (n) asi (n)

The connecting vowel is a . The personal endings are: -- , - j( -- , - men( - te( - si)

120a. Perfect, Active, Indicative - lu,w

le,luka - I loose, loosed, have loosed, had loosed

le,lukaj - you loose, loosed, have loosed, had loosed

le,luke - he, she, it looses, loosed, has loosed, had loosed

lelu,kamen - we loose, loosed, have loosed, had loosed

lelu,kate - you loose, loosed, have loosed, had loosed

lelu,kasi - they loose, loosed, have loosed, had loosed



120b. Perfect, Active, Indicative - ai;rw

h=rka h;rkamen
h=rkaj h;rkate
h=rke h;rkasi







The perfect, middle/passive forms are based on the fifth principal part. The forms for the middle voice and the passive voice are identical. The characteristics of the perfect, middle/passive forms are: (1) reduplication (118b.); (2) no tense suffix; (3) no connecting vowel; and (4) primary, middle/passive inflections.



ai;rw( -----, h=ra( h=rka( h=rmai( h;rqhn

avnoi,gw( avnoi,xw( avne,w|xa( avne,w|ga( avne,w|gmai( avnew,|cqhn

avpolu,w( avpolu,sw( avpe,lusa( _____, avpole,lumai( avpelu,qhn

avposte,llw( -----, avpe,steila( avpe,stalka( avpe,stalmai( avpesta,lhn

ba,llw( -----, e;balon( be,blhka( be,blhmai( evblh,qhn

bapti,zw( bapti,sw( evba,ptisa( _____, beba,ptismai( evbapti,sqhn

gi,nomai( genh,somai( evgeno,mhn( ge,gona( gege,nhmai( evgenh,qhn

ginw,skw( gnw,somai( e;gnwn( e;gnwka( e;gnwsmai( evgnw,sqhn

gra,fw( gra,yw( e;graya( ge,grafa( ge,grammai( evgra,fhn

de,comai( _____, evdexa,mhn( _____, de,degmai( _____

doxa,zw( doxa,sw( evdo,xasa( _____, dedo,xasmai( evdoxa,sqhn

evgei,rw( -----, h;geira( _____, evgh,germai( hvge,rqhn

euvaggeli,zomai( _____, euvhggelisa,mhn( _____, euvhgge,lismai( euvhggeli,sqhn

kri,nw( -----, e;krina( ke,krina( ke,krimai( evkrisqhn

pei,qw( pei,sw( e;peisa( pe,poiqa( pe,peismai( evpei,sqhn

pisteu,w( pisteu,sw( evpi,steusa( pepi,steuka( pepi,steumai( evpisteu,qhn

poreu,omai( poreu,somai( _____, _____, pepo,reumai( evporeu,qhn

suna,gw( suna,xw( sunh,gagon( _____, sunh/gmai( sunh,cqhn

sw,zw( sw,sw( e;swsa( se,swka( se,swsmai( evsw,qhn



-mai meqa
-sai - sqe
-tai - ntai





122a. Perfect, Middle, Indicative - lu,w

le,lumai - I loose myself, loosed myself, have loosed myself, had loosed myself

le,lusai - you loose yourself, loosed yourself, etc.

le,lutai - he, she, it looses himself, etc.

lelu,meqa - we loose ourselves, etc.

le,lusqe - you loose yourselves, etc.

le,luntai - they loose themselves, etc.



122b. Perfect, Passive, Indicative - lu,w

le,lumai - I am loosed, was loosed, have been loosed, had been loosed

le,lusai - you are loosed, were loosed, have been loosed, etc.

le,lutai - he, she, it is loosed, was loosed, etc.

lelu,meqa - we are loosed, were loosed, etc.

le,lusqe - you are loosed, were loosed, etc.

le,luntai - they are loosed, were loosed, etc.



122c. Perfect, Middle/Passive, Indicative - pisteu,w

pepi,steumai pepisteu,meqa

pepi,steusai pepi,steusqe

pepi,steutai pepi,steuntai



As illustrated above, a perfect, middle/passive stem that ends in a vowel or diphthong adds the inflections without contraction. When the stem ends in a consonant, however, certain contractions and euphonic changes occur.



by p( b( or f becomes - mmai* preceded by t( d( or q becomes - smai* preceded by l or r retains the l or r (- lmai( - rmai ) * preceded by n becomes - smai* preceded by s retains the s (- smai ).





preceded by p( b( or f becomes - yai* preceded by t( d( or q becomes - sai* preceded by l or r retains the l or r (- lsai( - rsai ) * or preceded by s becomes - sai . (1)



preceded by p( b( or f becomes - ptai* preceded by t( d( or q becomes - stai* or preceded by l( r( n( or s retains the l( r( n( or s (- ltai( - rtai( - ntai( - stai ).





inflection. The remaining - qe of the inflection preceded by k( g( or c becomes - cqe* preceded by p( b( or f becomes - fqe* preceded by t( d( or q becomes - sqe* or preceded by l( r( n( or s retains the l( r( n( or s (- lqe( - rqe( - nqe( - sqe ).



This type of construction will be introduced in a later lesson.



pepo,reumai - I come, have come, had come

pepo,reusai - you come, have come, had come

pepo,reutai - he, she, it comes, has come, had come

peporeu,meqa - we come, have come, had come

pepo,reusqe - you come, have come, had come

pepo,reuntai - they come, have come, had come

The perfect, active, infinitive is based on the fourth principal part. The reduplication is retained in all moods and in the verbals. The perfect, active, infinitive inflection is - enai . The accent will always be on the penult. Illustration: the perfect, active infinitive of lu,w is leluke,nai* of ai;rw is hvrke,nai)



125a. Perfect, Middle/Passive, Infinitive

The perfect, middle/passive, infinitive is based on the fifth principal part. The inflection is - sqai with no connecting vowel. When this inflection is joined to a stem ending in a vowel no alteration occurs. When it is joined to a stem ending in a consonant, the contractions discussed in paragraph 123 (5) regarding the second person, plural are also applicable to the perfect, middle/passive, infinitive. The accent is on the penult. Illustration: the perfect, middle/passive, infinitive of lu,w is lelu,sqai* of pisteu,w is pepisteu/sqai)



This comes from an obsolete present tense ei;dw and the second aorist ei=don) The meaning of oi=da in the perfect tense is "I know." It is always given an English present tense translation.



126a. Perfect, Active, Indicative - oi=da

oi=da - I know

oi=daj - you know

oi=de - he, she, it knows

oi;damen - we know

oi;date - you know

oi;dasi - they know



126b. Perfect, Active, Infinitive - oi=da

Although this is a perfect tense, the reduplication of oi of oi=da changes back to ei in the infinitive. The perfect, active, infinitive of oi=da is eivde,nai)





a`marta,nw (2) - I sin

avpagge,llw - I announce, I proclaim

diw,kw - I persecute; pursue

qerapeu,w - I heal [therapeutic]

kaqi,zw - I sit down, am seated

oi=da - I know

paralamba,nw - I take, receive

prosfe,rw - I bring to, present, offer

spei,rw - I sow

mikro,j( mikra,( mikro,n - little, small [microscope]

tri,toj( tri,th( tri,ton - third [trident]

tuflo,j( tuflh,( tuflo,n - blind

su,n - prep. c . dat. - with, along with

w,j - (subordinate conjunction) - that

- (adverb) - as

kaqw,j - (adverb) - as, just as, even as





  1. u`mei/j de. ble,yete ta. shmei/a evpi. th/| tri,th| h`me,ra| kai. kaqi,sete su.n toi/j dikai,oij kai. paralh,myesqe do,xan avpo. tw/n avrciere,wn)
  2. para. th.n po,lin ai` parabolai. peri. tw/n evqnw/n tou/ ko,smou avphgge,lhsan dia. tw/n avgge,lwn oi] e;mellon qerapeuqh/nai u`po. th/j ceiro.j tou/ qeou/)
  3. vIhsou/j ei=pen w`j maka,rioi oi` po,dej oi] ouvk evporeu,qhsan eivj to,pouj a`marti,aj h' eu`re,qhsan u`po. th.n evxousi,an dou,lwn)
  4. tou,touj ga.r tou.j no,mouj u`pe.r avnqrw,pou auvto.j evgw. ge,grafa evpi. th/| kardi,a| auvtou/ kai. ouvk evpi. li,qw| o[ti swqh,setai evn pi,stei ou; te e;rgoij)
  5. evn ou=n th/| h`me,ra| evkei,nh| gnwsqh,sesqe kaqw.j evgnw,kate kai. gnw,sesqe ta. paidi,a tou/ qeou/ avll v a;nqrwpoi u`ma/j dia. to.n cristo,n)
  6. a;ndrej evn tw/| sabba,tw| a;rcontai fagei/n spei/rai, te kai. ou[twj a`marta,nousi kai. eivse,rcontai eivj qa,naton o[ti ouv qe,lousi prosfe,rein e`autou.j pro.j to.n pate,ra)
  7. evk th/j avrch/j cro,nou oi` ovfqalmoi. tw/n tuflw/n ouvk hvdunh,qhsan ivdei/n ta. kala. th/j gh/j ouvde. ai` kardi,ai tw/n ponhrw/n avkou/sai to.n lo,gon tou/ qeou/ h' labei/n th.n ca,rin auvtou/ h' pisteu/sai eivj to. o;noma auvtou/)
  8. o` to,te ku,rioj auvto.j ei=pen ti,j evleu,setai met v evmou/ pro.j to. mikro.n ploi/on kai. dida,xei evkei,nouj tou.j maqhta.j peri. th/j basilei,aj tw/n ouvranw/n)
  9. h=n ouvdei.j avpo. tw/n ui`w/n th/j gunaiko.j o]j evxh,rceto evk tw/n a`gi,wn o`dw/n e[kastoj de. oi=den o[ti vIhsou/j evsti.n o` cristo.j kai. evn tw/| oi;kw| tou/ kuri,ou avpokri,netai toi/j avdelfoi/j auvtou/ kai. le,gei o[ti e;cei to. pneu/ma tou/ a;rcontoj tw/n aivw,nwn kata. tou.j lo,gouj th/j mhtro.j auvtw/n kai. patro,j)
  10. avpo. tou/ o;clou tine.j h;kousan vIhsou/n o[te ei=pen w`j o` prw/toj e;scatoj prw/to,j te o` e;scatoj kai. hvqe,lhsan gene,sqai oi` maqhtai. auvtou/)
  11. ta. ou=n ovno,mata tw/n a`gi,wn ge,graptai evn ouvranw/| dia. th.n pi,stin auvtw/n pro.j to.n qeo.n oi` de. nekroi. evn tw/| cristw/| evsw,qhsan tw/| ai[mati tou/ ui`ou/ tou/ qeou/ kai. e;cousi to. pneu/ma auvtou/ evn tai/j e`autw/n kardi,aij)
  12. avpekrino,meqa ga.r tou,toij toi/j avdelfoi/j toi/j a`gi,oij kai. evgra,fomen o[ti evkei/noi oi` lo,goi ou]j h;kouon genh,sontai oi` lo,goi tou/ patro,j mou)
  13. auvtoi. ga.r u`mei/j oi;date ti, le,gein o[ti oi;date ti,j du,natai labei/n u`ma/j meta. qa,naton kai. evne,gkai eivj do,xan)
  14. a;ndrej kai. gunai/kej evxh,rconto evk tou,twn tw/n po,lewn avnqrw,pou avll v ouvdei.j evpi,steuen w`j ouv pa,lin evleu,sontai)
  15. auvto.j ga.r avpekrino,mhn tisi. kai. e;legon o[ti ou-toi, eivsin oi` a;delfoi, mou)

1. There is no example of a n followed by - sai)

2. From this point on check the vocabulary in the back of this book or in a lexicon for the principal parts of the verb.