Verb: Elelukein

GrammarVerb – Elelukein

The Elelukein form (traditionally called the Pluperfect) is found only 88 times in the NT. The endings are also similar to paradigms we have already seen, and we have even learned a pluperfect verb in a previous lesson, namely ᾔδειν (see 19.4.2 vocabulary).

fromLesson 44.4

MorphologyVerb – Elelukein

• Elelukein verbs normally begin with the ε augment marking past tense, but this sometimes drops out
• The initial reduplication and κ mark perfect aspect, but the κ is followed by ει rather than α
• The person endings follow the same pattern as -βαίνω/γινώσκω verbs (see 18.1.3.1), but attached to κει
• Pluperfect μι verbs are regular like perfect μι verbs (see 19.1.4.1); forms of ἵστημι are the most common, e.g. εἱστήκειν ‘stood’

fromLesson 44.4

SemanticsVerb – Pluperfect

We have described the perfect as a present tense form with all kinds of different aspectual readings (see Semantics C). These same readings are available with the pluperfect except that the time we are talking about is in the past:

• (455) Result perfect in the past
• δεδώκει δὲ ὁ παραδιδοὺς αὐτὸν σύσσημον αὐτοῖς (Mark 14:44)
• The betrayer had given a sign to them

fromLesson 44.4