Second Aorist Indicative Active and Middle
Biblical Greek Lesson 17
The Second Aorist Indicative in Greek functions similarly to the First Aorist but has irregular forms that resemble the Imperfect tense in some instances. It is still an aspect of completed action but differs in formation.
The Second Aorist differs from the First Aorist in that it does not use the standard -σα suffix (in the active and middle voices) and often involves irregular stem changes.
The Time of the Aorist in Greek
The Aorist tense in Greek does not inherently indicate a specific time but rather aspect, meaning the kind of action rather than the time of action. Its primary kind of action is punctiliar. However, in the Indicative Mood, the Aorist normally refers to past action. This is due to the combination of the augment (ἐ-) and the verb endings.
Outside the Indicative Mood, the Aorist is timeless or gnomic in action—the Aorist does not necessarily refer to the past.
In narrative, the difference between the Aorist Indicative and the Imperfect Indicative is that the Aorist Indicative expresses punctiliar action in the past, whereas the Imperfect Indicative expresses durative (ongoing, continuous, or habitual) action in the past.
Formation of the Second Aorist Indicative Active
The typical components of a Second Aorist verb include:
Augment (ἐ-) → Indicates past time in the Indicative Mood.
Irregular (modified) verb stem → Often shorter than the Present Stem.
Secondary active endings (borrowed from the Imperfect Tense).
Endings for the Second Aorist Indicative Active
Person | Singular | Plural
1st | ἔλαβον (I took) | ἐλάβομεν (We took)
2nd | ἔλαβες (You took) | ἐλάβετε (You all took)
3rd | ἔλαβε(ν) (He/she/it took) | ἔλαβον (They took)
Endings for the Second Aorist Indicative Middle
Person | Singular | Plural
1st | ἐλαβόμην (I took for myself) | ἐλαβόμεθα (We took for ourselves)
2nd | ἐλάβου (You took for yourself) | ἐλάβεσθε (You all took for yourselves)
3rd | ἐλάβετο (He/she/it took for himself/herself) | ἐλάβοντο (They took for themselves)
Endings for the Second Aorist Indicative Middle
Person | Singular | Plural
1st | -όμην → ἐλαβόμην ("I took for myself") | -όμεθα → ἐλαβόμεθα ("We took for ourselves")
2nd | -ου → ἐλάβου ("You took for yourself") | -εσθε → ἐλάβεσθε ("You all took for yourselves")
3rd | -ετο → ἐλάβετο ("He/she/it took for himself/herself") | -οντο → ἐλάβοντο ("They took for themselves")
Examples:
ἔβαλεν αὐτὸν εἰς φυλακὴν
"cast him into prison." (Matthew 18:30)
ὡς οὖν εἶπεν αὐτοῖς ἐγώ εἰμι,
"Therefore, as He said, “I, on my part, am.” (John 18:5)
Vocabulary:
Common Second Aorist Verbs
Present Tense | Second Aorist | Meaning
ἀγω (I lead) | ἤγαγον | I led
αἱρέω (I take up) | εἷλον | I took up
ἀποθνῄσκω (I die) | ἀπέθανον | I died
βάλλω (I throw) | ἔβαλον | I threw
γίνομαι (I become) | ἐγενόμην | I became
ἔρχομαι (I come/go) | ἦλθον | I came/went
ἐσθίω (I eat) | ἔφαγον | I ate
εὑρίσκω (I find) | εὗρον | I found
ἔχω (I have) | ἔσχον | I had
λαμβάνω (I take/receive) | ἔλαβον | I took/received
λέγω (I say) | εἶπον | I said
λείπω (I leave) | ἔλιπον | I left
ὁράω (I see/discern) | εἶδον | I saw/dicerned
πάσχω (I suffer) | ἔπαθον | I suffered
πίπτω (I fall) | ἔπεσον | I fell
τίκτω (I bear/give birth) | ἔτεκον | I bore/gave birth
τρέχω (I run) | ἔδραμον | I ran
φέρω (I bring/carry) | ἤνεγκον | I brought/carried
φεύγω (I flee) | ἔφυγον | I fled
Common Second Aorist Middle Verbs
Present Tense | Second Aorist Middle | Meaning
γίνομαι (I become) | ἐγενόμην | I became
δέχομαι (I receive) | ἐδεξάμην | I received
αἱρέομαι (I choose) | εἱλόμην | I chose