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Verb · Grammar concept

Verb: Perfect/Leluka medio-passive

Perfect/Leluka medio-passive is a verb topic in Koine (biblical) Greek. This page gathers its forms, paradigms, and function, drawn from the lessons of Reading Greek Deeply.

Verb2 lessons7 paradigms

MorphologyVerb – Perfect/Leluka medio-passive singular

  • The Leluka med-psv endings are the same as the Luo endings, but with an uncontracted 2s ending and no theme vowel: -μαι, -σαι, and -ται (see 7.1.4.1)
  • As Leluka forms, they have a reduplicated stem
Morphology: Verb – Perfect/Leluka medio-passive singular
δέ-δε-μαι
2nd personδέ-δε-σαι
3rd personδέ-δε-ται

fromLesson 23.2

MorphologyVerb – Perfect/Leluka medio-passive plural

  • The pl med-psv Leluka forms have all the characteristics of the sg forms (see 23.2.3.1)
  • Reduplicated stem
  • Same endings as med-psv Luo
  • No theme vowels
Morphology: Verb – Perfect/Leluka medio-passive plural
SingularPlural
1st personδέ-δε-μαιδε-δέ-μεθα
2nd personδέ-δε-σαιδέ-δε-σθε
3rd personδέ-δε-ταιδέ-δε-νται

fromLesson 24.1

SemanticsVerb – Leluka (3 – Present stative)

In addition to the result perfect and existential perfect readings, Leluka can refer to a present state where a prior causative event is only inferrable. The most common verb in this respect is the verb οἶδα ‘know’ (introduced in 20.2.2). This use is introduced here and is expanded upon in 47.2.3.1.

  • (201) Present stative Leluka
  • ὁ θεὸς οἶδεν (2 Cor 11:11)
  • God knows

fromLesson 23.2

SemanticsVerb – Middle (2 – Affected subject)

Besides a reflexive interpretation, the middle voice can also be used when the subject of the verb is affected by the action in some way:

  • (211) Subject is affected by the action
  • These people μετὰ χαρᾶς δέχονται τὸν λόγον [with joy receive the word] (Luke 8:13)

The verb δέχομαι ‘receive’ involves someone now in possession of something they were not in possession of before (though that possession may be metaphorical, as it is in our verse when people receive the word). While middle verbs often have affected subjects, it is not the case that every verb with an affected subject will be in the middle. A verb like λαμβάνω ‘take’ also has a meaning where the subject ends up with something they did not begin with, but it is in active voice. There is a slight difference in meaning between these two verbs, though. Whereas λαμβάνω may refer to someone who is actively taking something, δέχομαι refers to the act of receiving something that is offered. In other words, the subject in λαμβάνω plays a more active role in coming into possession of the object. Although we cannot assume that a verb with an affected subject is in the middle voice, some verbs with an affected subject do appear in the middle voice, especially when the subject plays less of an active role in the event.

fromLesson 24.1

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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).