Present Subjunctive Middle and Passive
Biblical Greek Lesson 16
The Greek present subjunctive middle refers to a verb form that expresses ongoing or continuous action, typically in contexts of uncertainty, possibility, or intention, where the subject is acting upon or for itself.
The present subjunctive middle is built from the present stem of the verb and uses middle/passive endings specific to the subjunctive mood. Here are the endings for the present subjunctive middle in Greek:
Person | Singular | Plural
1st Person | -ωμαι | -ώμεθα
2nd Person | -ῃ | -ησθε
3rd Person | -ηται | -ωνται
Present Subjunctive Middle of λούω:
Person | Singular | Plural
1st Person | λούωμαι | λούωμεθα
2nd Person | λούῃ | λούησθε
3rd Person | λούηται | λούωνται
In Greek, the Present Subjunctive Passive is morphologically identical to the middle voice in the subjunctive mood. This is because in the present tense, Greek uses the same set of endings for both the middle and passive voices.
For both the middle and passive voices in the present subjunctive, the thematic vowel is either -ω- or -η-, depending on the person and number.
Singular Forms:
1st person singular: ω (e.g., λούωμαι)
2nd person singular: ῃ (e.g., λούῃ)
3rd person singular: ῃ (e.g., λούῃται)
Plural Forms:
1st person plural: ω (e.g., λούωμεθα)
2nd person plural: η (e.g., λούησθε)
3rd person plural: ω (e.g., λούωνται)
The subjunctive mood in Greek is commonly used in exhortations, particularly to encourage action.
The hortatory subjunctive is used in the first-person plural to urge a group (including the speaker) to take action.
This is equivalent to “Let us...” in English.
προσερχώμεθα — “Let us come.”
προσερχώμεθα οὖν μετὰ παρρησίας τῷ θρόνῳ τῆς χάριτος, ἵνα λάβωμεν ἔλεος καὶ χάριν εὕρωμεν εἰς εὔκαιρον βοήθειαν — “Let us come boldly before the throne of grace (Hebrews 4:16).
Vocabulary
λύω (luō) – “To loose, to release”
λύωμαι — “I may loose (for myself)” or “I may be loosed.”
ποιέω (poieō) – “To do, to make”
ποιῶμαι — “I may do (for myself)” or “I may be made.”
δέχομαι (dechomai) – “To receive, to accept”
δέχωμαι — “I may receive.”
βάλλω (ballō) – “To throw, to cast”
βάλλωμαι — “I may cast (for myself)” or “I may be cast.”
γράφω (graphō) – “To write”
γράφωμαι — “I may write (for myself)” or “I may be written.”
ἄγω (agō) – “To lead”
ἄγωμαι — “I may lead (for myself)” or “I may be led.”
φαίνω (phainō) – “To appear, to shine”
φαίνωμαι — “I may appear (for myself)” or “I may be revealed.”
σῴζω (sōzō) – “To save”
σῴζωμαι — “I may save (myself)” or “I may be saved.”
ἵστημι (histēmi) – “To stand, to set”
ἵσταμαι — “I may stand (for myself)” or “I may be set.”
λαμβάνω (lambanō) – “To take, to receive”
λαμβάνωμαι — “I may take (for myself)” or “I may be received.”
ἀσπάζομαι, I solute, greet
εὐαγγέλιον, Good news (gospel)
δέχομαι, I receive in a welcoming manner
καθώς, Even as, Just as
νέος, New (in time)
καινός, New (in kind)
μαρτυρία, Witnessing, Testimony