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Chapter 39 · Lesson 39.4 · Verb
Verb – ἐν, μετά, πρό + Infinitive (temporal prepositions)
ObjectivesLearning objectives
- The syntax and semantics of infinitive clauses with the prepositions ἐν, μετά, and πρό
VocabularyVocabulary
| Greek | Gloss | Part of speech | Paradigm |
|---|---|---|---|
| ἡ ἀπώλεια, -ας | the destruction | noun | B.a.α.ii |
| ἡ πήρα, -ας | the traveller’s bag | noun | B.a.α.ii |
| μέλας, μέλαινα, μέλαν | black | adjective | B.a.γ.x(a)2 (masc & neut), B.a.α.iii (fem) |
| ἐφίστημί σοι | (I) stand before you (dat) | verb | C.a.ε |
| θερίζω τι | (I) reap something (acc) | verb | C.a.θ |
| εὐδοκεῖ ἔν τινι | (he) is pleased with something/one (dat) | verb | C.a.β |
2 The ν of the stem drops out in Masculine Nom sg (μέλαν-ς à μέλας), and Neuter Nom and Acc pl have the typical -α endings (μέλανα).
SyntaxSyntax-semantics: Verb – ἐν, μετά, πρό + Infinitive (temporal prepositions)
Temporal infinitive clauses specify the temporal relationship between the eventuality referred to by the infinitive to the eventuality referred to in the main clause. Prepositions specify the specific temporal relationship between the two clauses, whether the infinitive eventuality comes before, during, or after the main clause eventuality. Remember, when an infinitive is preceded by a preposition, the infinitive will also have the singular neuter article of whatever case the preposition takes, and the subject of the infinitive will be given in accusative case:
μετὰ δὲ τὸ παραδοθῆναι τὸν Ἰωάννην ἦλθεν ὁ Ἰησοῦς εἰς τὴν Γαλιλαίαν (Mark 1:14)
After John was handed over, Jesus came to Galilee
The infinitive clause μετὰ δὲ τὸ παραδοθῆναι τὸν Ἰωάννην is temporally related to the main clause ἦλθεν ὁ Ἰησοῦς εἰς τὴν Γαλιλαίαν via the preposition μετά ‘after.’ In other words, the event referred to in the main clause (Jesus coming to Galilee) is said to come ‘after’ the event in the infinitive clause (John being handed over). If we changed the preposition to ἐν, we would get a different temporal relationship between the two clauses, i.e. the event of Jesus coming to Galilee would overlap with this time:
- (389) Temporal overlap between two events (ἐν) 3
- ἐν τῷ παραδίδοσθαι τὸν Ἰωάννην ἦλθεν ὁ Ἰησοῦς εἰς τὴν Γαλιλαίαν
- When John was being handed over, Jesus came to Galilee
Finally, we could use the preposition πρό, which would indicate that the event referred to with the infinitive precedes the event of the main clause:
πρὸ τοῦ παραδοθῆναι τὸν Ἰωάννην ἦλθεν ὁ Ἰησοῦς εἰς τὴν Γαλιλαίαν
Before John was handed over, Jesus came to Galilee
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New Testament text shown on hover: Greek from the SBLGNT, © 2010 Society of Biblical Literature and Logos Bible Software, CC BY 4.0; English from the Berean Standard Bible (public domain).