LESSON 15
IMPERFECT MIDDLE and PASSIVE VERBS

Greek	Meaning	Notes
γυνή	woman, wife	cognate: gynacology
δεξιός	right	opposite to left, i.e., right-hand side
ἐκεῖ	there
διό	wherefore	i.e., for what reason
σοφία	wisdom
βιβλίον	book	cognate: Bible
δαιμόνιον	demon
ἔργον	work	cognate: energy, erg
θάλασσα	sea
πλοῖον	boat
καθαρίζω	I cleanse, purify	cognate: catheter, cathartic, catharsis
οὐδέ	and not, nor, not even
οὐδέ ... οὐδέ	neither ... nor
οὔπω	not yet	careful, this is not a verb even though it ends in ω.

The imperfect middle and passive voice

1. The imperfect middle voice is identical in form to the imperfect passive voice.
2. The difference will be in function or meaning.

Imperfect middle indicative forms

Singular
	Form	Meaning
1st	ἐλυόμην	I was loosing myself
2nd	ἐλύου	you were loosing yourself
3rd	ἐλύετο	he was loosing himself
Plural
	Form	Meaning
1st	ἐλυόμεθα	we were loosing ourselves
2nd	ἐλύεσθε	you were loosing yourselves
3rd	ἐλύοντο	they were loosing themselves

Imperfect passive indicative forms

Singular
	Form	Meaning
1st	ἐλυόμην	I was being loosed
2nd	ἐλύου	you were being loosed
3rd	ἐλύετο	he was being loosed
Plural
	Form	Meaning
1st	ἐλυόμεθα	we were being loosed
2nd	ἐλύεσθε	you were being loosed
3rd	ἐλύοντο	they were being loosed

1. The endings of the these imperfect middle/passive verbs are:
   1. -μην, -σο, -το, -μεθα, -σθε, -ντο
2. Once again, the variable vowel ο/ε is added to the stem.
   1. ο before μ or ν
   2. ε before the rest
3. One exception:
   1. In the second person singular, the ending -εσο becomes -ου.
   2. Thus ἐλύεσο becomes ἐλύου.
4. If a verb is deponent in the present, it is also deponent in the imperfect.
   1. Thus ἔρχομαι becomes ἠρχόμην.
5. A Greek exception
   1. Normally you expect that a plural subject always has a verb with plural ending.
      1. οἱ ἄνθρωποι ἔχουσι τὸν βιβλίον.
      2. the men have the book.
      3. ἄνθρωποι is plural and so is ἔχουσι
   2. However, in Greek, when the subject is a neuter plural noun, the verb is almost always in the singular rather than the plural.
      1. τὰ τέκνα ἔξει τὸν βιβλίον.
      2. The children have the book.
      3. not τὰ τέκνα ἔχουσι τὸν βιβλίον

The translation of the conjunction καί

1. Most of the time καί simply means and. It joins two ideas.
2. Sometimes καί is found immediately in front of a word and means also or even.
   1. γινώσκουσι καὶ ἁμαρτωλοὶ τὸν νόμον. Even sinners know the law.
   2. τοῦτο δὲ καὶ ἐγὼ γινώσκω. But this I also know.
3. Sometimes two instances of καί appear.
   1. The first instance should be translated both, the second as and.
   2. καὶ οἱ μαθηταὶ καὶ οἱ προφῆται γινώσκουσι τοῦτο.
   3. Both the disciples and the prophets know this.

The translation of οὐδέ

1. Often οὐδέ is a simple negative meaning and not or nor.
   1. οὐ γινώσκω τοῦτο, οὐδὲ γινώσκεις αὐτό.
   2. I do not know this nor do you know it.
2. Sometimes οὐδέ is emphatic and should be translated not even.
   1. οὐδὲ οἱ προφῆται βλέπουσιν τὸν θεόν.
   2. Not even the prophets see God.
3. Like καί ... καί, οὐδέ ... οὐδέ is translated as neither ... nor.
   1. οὐδὲ οἱ μαθηταὶ γινώσκουσι τοῦτο οὐδὲ οἱ προφῆται.
   2. Neither the disciples nor the prophets know this.

VERB IDENTIFICATION

1. Ask yourself the following questions:
   1. Does it have an augment?
      1. Yes, then it is a past tense
      2. No, then it is present tense
   2. If it is a past tense, does it have the endings:
      -ν, -ς, (blank), -μεν, -τε, -ν (or -σαν)?
      1. Yes, it is imperfect active
      2. No, it is imperfect middle/passive
   3. If it is a present tense, does it have the endings:
      -ω, -εις, -ει, -ομεν, -ετε, -ουσι ?
      1. If yes, it is present indicative active.
      2. If no, then it is present indicative middle/passive.

Translate the following:

1. οὗτοι οἱ λόγοι ἐν τῷ βιβλίῳ ἐγράφοντο.
2. καὶ οἱ λόγοι καὶ αἱ γραφαὶ τῶν προφητῶν ἠκούοντο ὑπὸ τῶν ἁμαρτωλῶν.
3. ἐν ἐκείναις ταῖς ἡμέραις οὐδὲ ἐδιδασκόμεθα ὑπ̓αὐτοῦ οὐδὲ ἐδιδάσκομεν τοὺς ἄλλους.
4. τὸτε ὄχλος ἐξεπορεύετο πρὸς αὐτόν, νῦν δὲ οὐκέτι ἐκπορεύεται.
5. καὶ πρὸς τοὺς πονηροὺς ἀδελφοὺς ἐφέρετο τὰ δῶρα.
6. οὔπω βλέπουσι τὸν κύριον ἐν τῇ δόξῃ αὐτοῦ, ἀλλὰ ἐδιδάσκοντο ὑπ̓ αὐτοῦ καὶ ἐν ταῖς ἡμέραις ταῖς κακαῖς.
7. οἱ μαθηταὶ κατήρχοντο πρὸς τὴν θάλασσαν καὶ εἰσηρχόμεθα εἰς τὸ πλοῖον σὺν τῷ κυρίῳ.
8. ὁ μεσσίας ἐξέβαλλε τὰ δαιμόνια ἐκ τῶν ἁμαρτωλῶν καὶ ἐκαθάριζεν αὐτοὺς ἀπὸ τῶν ἁμαρτιῶν αὐτῶν.
9. ἐσμὲν ἐν τῷ κόσμῳ, ἐσμὲν δὲ καὶ ἐν τῇ βασιλείᾳ τοῦ θεοῦ.
10. διὰ τὸν λόγον τοῦ κυρίου τὰ δαιμόνια ἐξήρχετο ἐκ τῶν ἀνθρώπων.