PRESENT ACTIVE INDICATIVEPRESENT ACTIVE INDICATIVELesson 3Lesson 3

J. Gresham MachenJ. Gresham MachenNew Testament Greek for BeginnersNew Testament Greek for Beginners

Vocabulary, tense, voice, mood, Vocabulary, tense, voice, mood, the stem, the endingsthe stem, the endings

16. Vocabulary16. Vocabulary

lu’w, lu’w, I loose, I I loose, I destroydestroy

ble’pw, ble’pw, I seeI see ginw’skw, ginw’skw, I I

knowknow gra’phw, gra’phw, I writeI write

lamba’nw, lamba’nw, I takeI take le’gw, le’gw, I sayI say ‘‘echw, echw, I haveI have dida’skw, dida’skw, I I

teachteach

Tense, voice and moodTense, voice and mood

17. The Greek verb has tense, voice 17. The Greek verb has tense, voice and mood, like the verb in other and mood, like the verb in other languages.languages.

17a. The present tense (in the 17a. The present tense (in the indicative) refers to present time.indicative) refers to present time.

17b. The active voice represents the 17b. The active voice represents the subject as acting instead of being subject as acting instead of being acted upon.acted upon.

17c. The indicative mood makes an 17c. The indicative mood makes an assertion, in distinction, for example, assertion, in distinction, for example, from a command or wish. from a command or wish.

18. Present active indicative of 18. Present active indicative of the verb lu’w, the verb lu’w, I loose, I destroyI loose, I destroy SINGULARSINGULAR 1. lu’w, 1. lu’w, I loose, I am I loose, I am

loosingloosing 2. lu’eis, 2. lu’eis, you loose, you loose,

you are loosingyou are loosing 3. lu’ei, 3. lu’ei, he looses, he he looses, he

is loosingis loosing NOTE: The letter NOTE: The letter

omega in the Greek omega in the Greek has been substituted has been substituted with our modern letter with our modern letter “w.” Thus “w.” Thus lu’w lu’w reads reads as lu’oo, with a long o.as lu’oo, with a long o.

PLURALPLURAL 1. lu’omen, 1. lu’omen, we loose, we loose,

we are loosingwe are loosing 2. lu’ete, 2. lu’ete, you loose, you loose,

you are loosingyou are loosing 3. lu’ousi, 3. lu’ousi, they loose, they loose,

they are loosingthey are loosing

The present active indicative of The present active indicative of the verb BLEPO, I see, is as the verb BLEPO, I see, is as follows:follows: SINGULARSINGULAR ble’pw, ble’pw, I seeI see ble’peis, ble’peis, you seeyou see ble’pei, ble’pei, he, she, it he, she, it

seessees NOTE: The letter NOTE: The letter

omega in the omega in the Greek has been Greek has been substituted with substituted with our modern letter our modern letter “w.” Thus “w.” Thus ble’pw ble’pw reads as ble’poo, reads as ble’poo, with a long o.with a long o.

PLURALPLURAL ble’pomen, ble’pomen, we seewe see ble’pete, ble’pete, you seeyou see ble’pousi, ble’pousi, they seethey see

The personal endings added to The personal endings added to the stems in present active the stems in present active indicative are:indicative are: SINGULARSINGULAR -w -w -eis-eis -ei-ei Example:Example: ginw’skw, ginw’skw, I knowI know ginw’skeis, ginw’skeis, you you

knowknow ginw’skei, ginw’skei, he, she, he, she,

it knowsit knows

PLURAPLURALL -omen-omen -ete-ete -ousi-ousi Example:Example: ginw’skomen, ginw’skomen, we we

knowknow ginw’skete, ginw’skete, you you

knowknow ginw’skousi, ginw’skousi, they they

knowknow

The present active indicative of The present active indicative of the verb the verb gra’phwgra’phw, I write, is as , I write, is as follows:follows: SINGULARSINGULAR gra’phw, gra’phw, I writeI write gra’pheis, gra’pheis, you you

writewrite gra’phei, gra’phei, he, she, it he, she, it

writeswrites NOTE: The letter NOTE: The letter

omega in the omega in the Greek has been Greek has been substituted with substituted with our modern letter our modern letter “w.” Thus gra“w.” Thus gra’phw ’phw reads as gra’phoo, reads as gra’phoo, with a long o.with a long o.

PLURALPLURAL gra’phomen, gra’phomen, we we

writewrite gra’phete, gra’phete, you you

writewrite gra’phousi, gra’phousi, they they

writewrite

The present active indicative of The present active indicative of the verb the verb lamba’nwlamba’nw, I take, is as , I take, is as follows:follows: SINGULARSINGULAR lamba’nw, lamba’nw, I takeI take lamba’neis, lamba’neis, you you

taketake lamba’nei, lamba’nei, he, he,

she, it takesshe, it takes

PLURALPLURAL lamba’nomen, lamba’nomen,

we takewe take lamba’nete, lamba’nete, you you

taketake lamba’nousi, lamba’nousi,

they takethey take

The present active indicative of The present active indicative of the verb the verb le’gwle’gw, I say, is as follows:, I say, is as follows:

SINGULARSINGULAR le’gw, le’gw, I sayI say le’geis, le’geis, you sayyou say le’gei, le’gei, he, she, it he, she, it

sayssays

PLURALPLURAL le’gomen, le’gomen, we we

saysay le’gete, le’gete, you sayyou say le’gousi, le’gousi, they they

saysay

The present active indicative of The present active indicative of the verb ‘the verb ‘echwechw, I have, is as , I have, is as follows:follows: SINGULARSINGULAR ‘‘echw, echw, I haveI have ‘‘echeis, echeis, you you

havehave ‘‘echei, echei, he, she, he, she,

it hasit has

PLURALPLURAL ‘‘echomen, echomen, we we

havehave ‘‘echete, echete, you you

havehave ‘‘echousi, echousi, they they

havehave

The present active indicative of The present active indicative of the verb the verb dida’skwdida’skw, I teach, is as , I teach, is as follows:follows: SINGULARSINGULAR dida’skw, dida’skw, I I

teachteach dida’skeis, dida’skeis, you you

teachteach dida’skei, dida’skei, he, he,

she, it teachesshe, it teaches

PLURALPLURAL dida’skomen, dida’skomen,

we teachwe teach dida’skete, dida’skete, you you

teachteach dida’skousi, dida’skousi,

they teachthey teach

19. Some distinctions noted19. Some distinctions noted

It will be observed that the distinctions It will be observed that the distinctions between between first person first person (person (person speaking), speaking), second person second person (person (person spoken to), spoken to), third person third person (person (person spoken of), and between the spoken of), and between the singular singular and and plural numbers, plural numbers, which is English which is English are indicated for the most part by are indicated for the most part by subject-pronouns, are indicated in the subject-pronouns, are indicated in the Greek by the endings. Thus no Greek by the endings. Thus no pronoun is necessary to translate pronoun is necessary to translate we we looseloose into Greek; the into Greek; the we we is sufficiently is sufficiently indicated by the ending –indicated by the ending –omen.omen.

The stemThe stem

20. The part of the verb that remains 20. The part of the verb that remains constant throughout the conjugation constant throughout the conjugation and has the various endings added and has the various endings added to it is call the to it is call the stem. stem. Thus the Thus the present stem of LU’W is LU-. The present stem of LU’W is LU-. The present stem of a verb can be present stem of a verb can be obtained by removing the final obtained by removing the final omega letter from the form given in omega letter from the form given in the vocabulary.the vocabulary.

The present of LE’GW, I say, is The present of LE’GW, I say, is LEG-.LEG-.

21. Distinctions between 21. Distinctions between I I loose loose and and I am loosingI am loosing In the present tense, there is in Greek In the present tense, there is in Greek

no distinction between no distinction between I loose,I loose, which which represents the action as taking place in represents the action as taking place in present time, and present time, and I am loosing, I am loosing, which which calls attention to the continuance of the calls attention to the continuance of the action. Both of these ideas, therefore, action. Both of these ideas, therefore, should be connected with the Greek should be connected with the Greek form LU’W. The distinction between the form LU’W. The distinction between the two will become exceedingly important two will become exceedingly important when we past over to past time; for when we past over to past time; for there the Greek makes the distinction there the Greek makes the distinction even more sharply than English.even more sharply than English.

22. Distinctions between 22. Distinctions between you you loose loose and and you are loosingyou are loosing The second person, The second person, you loose you loose or or you you

are loosing, are loosing, in English may of course in English may of course be either singular or plural, and may be either singular or plural, and may be translated by the student either by be translated by the student either by LU’EIS or by LU’ETE, except when LU’EIS or by LU’ETE, except when the context makes plain which is the context makes plain which is meant (i.e., whether plural or meant (i.e., whether plural or singular). Where it is desired, in the singular). Where it is desired, in the exercises, to indicate whether plural exercises, to indicate whether plural or singular is meant, the archaic or singular is meant, the archaic forms forms thou loosestthou loosest, etc. and , etc. and ye ye looseloose, etc. will be used., etc. will be used.

23. Exercises23. Exercises

A. 1. ble’peis, ginw’skeis, lamba’neis.A. 1. ble’peis, ginw’skeis, lamba’neis. 2. gra’phei, ‘echei, le’gei.2. gra’phei, ‘echei, le’gei. 3. lu’ei, dida’skei, ble’pei.3. lu’ei, dida’skei, ble’pei. 4. lamba’nomen, ‘echomen, ginw’skomen.4. lamba’nomen, ‘echomen, ginw’skomen. 5. ble’pete, le’gete, gra’phete.5. ble’pete, le’gete, gra’phete. 6. dida’skousi, lamba’nousi, lu’ousi.6. dida’skousi, lamba’nousi, lu’ousi. 7. ginw’skete, ginw’skeis, ginw’skomen.7. ginw’skete, ginw’skeis, ginw’skomen. 8. ble’pomen, dida’skousi, le’gei.8. ble’pomen, dida’skousi, le’gei. 9. ‘echeis, ble’pousi, lamba’nomen.9. ‘echeis, ble’pousi, lamba’nomen. It is advised that the student procure a It is advised that the student procure a

book by Machen and learn the Greek book by Machen and learn the Greek alphabets and be conditioned with how alphabets and be conditioned with how these appear. these appear.

Translate Translate (see Machen’s, p. 22).(see Machen’s, p. 22).

B.1. We are knowing, we see, we are B.1. We are knowing, we see, we are seeing.seeing.

2. They are loosing, they loose, he 2. They are loosing, they loose, he looses.looses.

3. He is loosing, ye have, thou 3. He is loosing, ye have, thou knowest.knowest.

4. I am taking, we know, they say.4. I am taking, we know, they say. 5. He has, we are writing, they see.5. He has, we are writing, they see.

Answers to exercisesAnswers to exercises

A. 1. A. 1. You see, you know, you take.You see, you know, you take. 2.2. He writes, he has, he says. He writes, he has, he says. 3. 3. He looses, he teaches, he sees.He looses, he teaches, he sees. 4. 4. We take, we have, we know.We take, we have, we know. 5. 5. You see, you say, you write.You see, you say, you write. 6. 6. They teach, they take, they loose.They teach, they take, they loose. 7. 7. You know, thou knowest, we You know, thou knowest, we

know.know. 8. 8. We see, they teach, he says.We see, they teach, he says. 9. 9. You have, they see, we take.You have, they see, we take.

Answers to exercisesAnswers to exercises

B. 1. B. 1. ginw’skomen, ble’pomen, ginw’skomen, ble’pomen, ble’pomenble’pomen

2. 2. lamba’nomen, lamba’nomen, lamba’nomen, lamba’nomen, lu’eilu’ei

3. 3. lu’ei, ‘echete, ginw’skeislu’ei, ‘echete, ginw’skeis 4. 4. lamba’nw, ginw’skomen, lamba’nw, ginw’skomen,

le’gousile’gousi 5. 5. ‘echei, gra’phomen, ble’pousi‘echei, gra’phomen, ble’pousi