LESSON 28
IMPERATIVE

Greek	Meaning	Notes
ἁγιάζω	I sanctify
θέλω	I want, wish
οὖς, ὠτός, τό	ear
τίνω	I drink
σπείρω	I sow
ἄχρι + Gen	until
πρίν	before

Imperative Mode

1. The imperative mode expresses command
2. It is found only in the second and third person.
3. In the New Testament, it appears only in the Present and Aorist tenses.
4. In the Aorist tense, there is no augment

Imperative forms

Present Active imperative of λύω

	Singular	Plural
2nd Person	λῦε	λύετε
3rd Person	λυέτω	λυέτωσαν

Present Middle/Passive imperative of λύω

	Singular	Plural
2nd Person	λύου	λύεσθε
3rd Person	λυέσθω	λυέσθωσαν

First Aorist Active imperative of λύω

	Singular	Plural
2nd Person	λῦσον	λύσατε
3rd Person	λυσάτω	λυσάτωσαν

First Aorist Middle imperative of λύω

	Singular	Plural
2nd Person	λῦσαι	λύσασθε
3rd Person	λυσάσθω	λυσάσθωσαν

First Aorist Passive imperative of λύω

	Singular	Plural
2nd Person	λύθητι	λύθητε
3rd Person	λυθήτω	λυθήτωσαν

Second Aorist Active imperative of λείπω

	Singular	Plural
2nd Person	λίπε	λίπετε
3rd Person	λιπέτω	λιπέτωσαν

Second Aorist Passive imperative of ἀποστέλλω

	Singular	Plural
2nd Person	άποστάληθι	ἀποστάλητε
3rd Person	ἀποσταλήτω	ἀποσταλήτωσαν

Present imperative of εἰμί

	Singular	Plural
2nd Person	ἴσθι	ἔστε
3rd Person	ἔστω	ἔστωσαν

Functions of the imperative

1. In the second person, the imperative is a command similar to English
   1. λύε τὸν ἄνθρωπον could mean:
      1. Present Indicative: You^s are loosing the man
      2. Present Imperative: Loose the man !
   2. λύετε τὸν ἄνθρωπον could mean:
      1. Present Indicative: You^p are loosing the man
      2. Present Imperative: Loose the man !
   3. The context should reveal if it is indicative or imperative.
2. In the third person, the imperative is a command that begins with "let"
   1. λυέτω τὸν ἄνθρωπον means let him loose the man
   2. λυέτωσαν τὸν ἄνθρωπον means let them loose the man
3. The time of the action is lost in the imperative mode.
4. The distinction between the present and aorist imperative is in the kind of action (on-going or punctilliar).
   1. The Present Imperative gives the sense of persisting in an action. Thus λῦε αὐτόν could be translated keep on loosing him.
   2. The Aorist Imperative gives the sense of beginning an action which has not yet started. Thus λῦσον αὐτόν means start loosing him.

Basic uses of the Imperative

1. Cohortative: A positive command. These are the types used in the examples above.
2. Prohibitive: A negative command.
   1. Only the present imperative is used in this construction.
   2. The negative particle μή is used and it prohibits the continuance of an act which is already in progress. Thus it urges someone to stop doing something.
   3. μὴ λέγετε ταῦτα means stop saying these things.
   4. Note the distinction we made when we studied the aorist subjunctive which is used to prohibit the beginning of an action.
3. Entreaty:
   1. This is the use of the imperative to express a request rather than a direct command.
   2. When Jesus prayed in John 17:11, He requested something of God, He did not command God.
   3. πάτερ ἅγιε, τήρησον αὐτοὺς ἐν τῷ ὀνόματί σου. Holy Father, keep them in Your name.
4. Permissive:
   1. This imperative form uses the third person and it requires the word "let" to make the meaning clear in English.
   2. λυέτω τὸν ἄνθρωπον means Let him continue loosing the man.
   3. λυσάτω τὸν ἄνθρωπον means Let him start loosing the man.

Examples of the Imperative

ἀγαπᾶτε τοὺς ἐχθροὺς ὑμῶν
love your enemies (Matt. 5:44)

ἐγώ εἰμι· μὴ φοβεῖσθε
It is I; stop being afraid (Matt. 14:27)

λάβετε φάγετε, τοῦτό ἐστιν τὸ σῶμά μου.
Take, eat, this is my body (Matt. 26:26)

ἀσπάζου τοὺς φίλους κατ’ ὄνομα.
Greet the friends by name (3John 15)

σταύρωσον, σταύρωσον αὐτόν.
Crucify him! crucify him! (Luke 23:21)

πιστεύω· βοήθει μου τῇ ἀπιστίᾳ.
I believe; help my unbelief (Mark 9:24)

ὑπόστρεφε εἰς τὸν οἶκόν σου
Return into your home (Luke 8:39)

Ἀμήν, ἔρχου κύριε Ἰησοῦ.
Amen, come, Lord Jesus (Rev 22:20)

αἱ γυναῖκες, ὑποτάσσεσθε τοῖς ἀνδράσιν
wives, be subject to [your] husbands (Col 3:18)

Translate the following:

1. ἁγίαζε τὸ ἱερὸν τοῦ θεοῦ.
2. ἀκούσατε τὸν λόγον τοῦ κυρίου καὶ σώθητε.
3. μὴ λέγε πονηρὰ τοῖς τέκνοις καὶ εἶπε ἀγαθὰ αὐτοῖς.
4. ἀκουέσθωσαν αἱ παραβολαὶ περὶ τῆς βασιλείας ἐν τῇ ἐκκλησίᾳ.
5. κύριε, κατάβηθι πρίν ἀποθανεῖν τὸ παιδίον μου.
6. εἰ ὁ ἄνθρωπος πιστεύει εἰς τὸν κύριον, βαπτισθήτω.
7. πίνετε τὸ ὕδωρ τῆς ζωῆς καὶ ἐσθίετε τὸν ἄρτον τῆς ζωῆς.
8. γίνου πιστὸς ἄχρι θανάτου.
9. ὁ ἔχων ὦτα ἀκουσάτω.
10. μὴ εἰσέλθῃς εἰς τὴν πόλιν τὴν οὖσαν ἐν τῷ ὄρει.
11. ἴδετε τὰς χεῖράς μου.
12. λαβὼν αὐτὸν ἄγε αὐτὸν πρὸς ἡμᾶς.