The Greek verb distinctly functions to express an action. This expression conveys two elements, time of action and kind of action. Tense deals with these two aspects of the verb, with the primary focus on the kind of action. Time is only a minor consideration in the Greek tense.
The fundamental significance of the present tense Greek verb is to denote progress. It is primarily linear; however, it may indicate punctiliar action.
The Progressive Present:
This use is the nearest to the root idea of the tense. The action of the verb is in progress or in a persistent state. When used with the indicative mood, it relates to the present time.
The present tense utilizes three kinds of action. It may be used descriptively to indicate the action taking place, or conveying a more pictorial present. The distinctive force of the present may also be to present a picture in the mind of the event in progress as occurring.
In the parable of the ten virgins, we come to the foolish virgins. They have an issue because they failed to prepare. σβέννυνται denotes the occurring action of the lamps going out. The present tense of σβέννυμι (to quench) conveys the ongoing action, depicting lamps slowly fading as they run out of oil (Matthew 25:8).
The Indicative Present Passive Ending:
Person Singular Plural
1st -ομαι -όμεθα
2nd -ῃ -εσθε
3rd -εται -ονται
In Acts 8:30, Philip asks the Ethiopian Eunuch if he understands what he is reading. He was reading from the prophet Isaiah. γινώσκεις is the present indicative active form of γινώσκω (to experientially know). Along with γινώσκεις, Philip employs ἀναγινώσκεις, the present indicative active form of ἀναγινώσκω (to read). Both verbs use the present tense to describe actions that are currently occurring.
The Indicative Present Active Endings:
Person Singular Plural
1st -ω -ομεν
2nd -εις -ετε
3rd -ει -ουσι(ν)
The action or state being expressed by the Progressive Present is in the past and is still in progress at the present. Usually has an adverb of time. Occurs frequently in the New Testament.
The present tense is used in the sense of continual, existing present action in Romans 1:16 where Paul states that he is not ashamed of the gospel of the Christ. Paul deploys ἐπαισχύνομαι, the present passive form of ἐπαισχύνομαι (to put to shame).
ἐπαισχύνομαι does not utilize the present active forms. This word is only found in the middle or passive forms. Middle expresses reflective actions, and passive indicates the subject is being acted upon. Some grammarians use the concept of “a deponent verb” to label verbs they perceive to be active, but do not have an active form. However, upon close examination of these words, there is no justifiable reason to modify the meaning of the Greek forms of the verb to force them into the concept of English grammar. All so-called “deponent” verbs possess an active form; however, they are not used in writing due to the nature of the kind of action and its relation to the subject that the word conveys. These words use a middle or passive voice for emphasis, thereby indicating that the subject is either acting on his own behalf or being acted upon. Therefore, they should be translated as closely as possible to convey the Greek concept, in accordance with Greek grammar. Although there are cases where the Greek verb cannot be expressed in the middle or passive in English, this is due to English grammar’s lack of mechanisms to handle such cases, not a defect in Greek grammar. e.g., John 1:9—a man cannot cause himself to come into the world. English cannot convey this in the passive, whereas Greek is perfectly fine with using a passive for ἔρχομαι (to come), since it denotes that a person comes either by acting on his own behalf or by being acted upon.
