ParticiplesI'm really struggling to understand participles. alanmacall » 01 Feb 2017 21:02
ἠ μετοχή ἔγκλισις
Used as a Noun (Substantive Participle)
The Greek Participle can be like a verb turned into a noun:
- Compare:
ὁ ἄνθρωπος ποιεῖ τι. The man does something.
ὁ πέμψας με ἀληθής ἐστιν The one sending me is true. Jn 8:26
The Greek Participle can be like an adjective:
- Compare:
ἐκεῖνος ἦν ὁ ἀνήρ ὁ πλούσιος. That one was a rich man.
ἐκεῖνος ἦν ὁ λύχνος ὁ φαίνων That one was the shining lamp. Jn 5:35
The Greek Participle can describe an action that is taking place alongside the main verb.
- Examples:
μὴ ἔχων σπέρμα ἀφῆκεν τὴν γυναῖκα αὐτοῦ τῷ ἀδελφῷ αὐτοῦ. Not having offspring he left his wife to his brother. Mt 22:25.
ἀκούσαντες ἐθαύμασαν When they heard, they marveled. Mt 22:22
κρούσαντος δὲ αὐτοῦ τὴν θύραν τοῦ πυλῶνος προσῆλθεν παιδίσκη ὑπακοῦσαι. After he knocked on the door, a servant girl went to answer. Ac 12:13 (Genitive Absolute Participle)
The Greek Participle can complete the meaning of some verbs than need help, like “stop, begin, continue” and others.
- ἐπαύσαντο τύπτοντες τὸν Παῦλον They stopped beating Paul. Ac 21:32
οὐ παύομαι εὐχαριστῶν ὑπὲρ ὑμῶν I do not cease giving thanks for you. Eph 1:16