Biblical Greek (Advanced): 03. Conditional Sentences
Conditional Sentences
Conditional sentences are sentences using this paradigm: if clause (condition), then clause (result). The conditional clause is called protasis (from προ + ἳστημι) and the resultative clause is called apodosis (from ἀπόδοσις). In Greek, there are four categories (classes) of conditional sentences. We will consider their construction patterns below.
| Protasis | Apodosis | |
| I. | εἰ + indicative | any tense, any mood |
| II. | εἰ + past indicative | (ἄν) + past indicative |
| III. | ἐάν + subjunctive | any tense, any mood |
| IV. | εἰ + optative | ἄν + optative |
First Class: Assumed True for Argument’s Sake
Definition: Indicates the assumption of truth for the sake of argument. The point of the argument is based on the assumption of reality.
Construction: εἰ + indicative (any mood) (protasis), indicative (any mood) (apodosis).
Example:
| 1 Cor 15:13 | εἰ δὲ ἀνάστασις νεκρῶν οὐκ ἔστιν, οὐδὲ Χριστὸς ἐγήγερται |
|
|
If there is no ressurrection from dead, neither Christ has risen |
Second Class: Contrary to Fact
Definition: Indicates the assumption of an untruth for the sake of argument. If negation is employed, protasis uses μή and apodosis οὐ.
Construction: εἰ + past indicative (protasis), ἄν + past indicative (apodosis).
Example:
| John 5:46 | εἰ ἐπιστεύετε Μωϋσεῖ, ἐπιστεύετε ἂν ἐμοί |
|
|
If you believed Moses, you would believe me |
Third Class: Probability Expression
Definition: Presents the condition as uncertain of fulfillment, but still likely. A speaker is considering probability that condition will become a reality.
Construction: ἐάν or ἄν subjunctive (protasis) + any tense, any mood (apodosis).
Example:
| John 8:51 | ἀμὴν ἀμὴν λέγω ὑμῖν, ἐάν τις τὸν ἐμὸν λόγον τηρήσῃ, θάνατον οὐ μὴ θεωρήσῃ εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα |
|
|
amen, amen I say to you, if anyone keeps my word, he will never see death forever |
Fourth Class: Future Less Probable
Definition: Indicates a possible condition in the future, usually a remote possibility. No complete examples in the NT.
Construction: εἰ + optative (protasis), ἄν + optative (apodosis).
Example:
| 1 Pet 3:14 | εἰ καὶ πάσχοιτε διὰ δικαιοσύνην, μακάριοι |
|
|
if you should suffer for righteousness, [you would be] blessed |
Assignments
Study the story of The Temptation of Jesus in Matthew 4:1-12, where conditional sentences are employed. Decide their category and consider their meaning. Learn included vocabulary for the text.
1 Τότε ὁ Ἰησοῦς ἀνήχθη εἰς τὴν ἔρημον ὑπὸ τοῦ πνεύματος πειρασθῆναι ὑπὸ τοῦ διαβόλου. 2 καὶ νηστεύσας ἡμέρας τεσσεράκοντα καὶ νύκτας τεσσεράκοντα, ὕστερον ἐπείνασεν. 3 καὶ προσελθὼν ὁ πειράζων εἶπεν αὐτῷ· εἰ υἱὸς εἶ τοῦ θεοῦ, εἰπὲ ἵνα οἱ λίθοι οὗτοι ἄρτοι γένωνται. 4 ὁ δὲ ἀποκριθεὶς εἶπεν· γέγραπται· οὐκ ἐπʼ ἄρτῳ μόνῳ ζήσεται ὁ ἄνθρωπος, ἀλλʼ ἐπὶ παντὶ ῥήματι ἐκπορευομένῳ διὰ στόματος θεοῦ.
5 Τότε παραλαμβάνει αὐτὸν ὁ διάβολος εἰς τὴν ἁγίαν πόλιν καὶ ἔστησεν αὐτὸν ἐπὶ τὸ πτερύγιον τοῦ ἱεροῦ 6 καὶ λέγει αὐτῷ· εἰ υἱὸς εἶ τοῦ θεοῦ, βάλε σεαυτὸν κάτω· γέγραπται γὰρ ὅτι
τοῖς ἀγγέλοις αὐτοῦ ἐντελεῖται περὶ σοῦ
καὶ ἐπὶ χειρῶν ἀροῦσίν σε,
μήποτε προσκόψῃς πρὸς λίθον τὸν πόδα σου.
7 ἔφη αὐτῷ ὁ Ἰησοῦς· πάλιν γέγραπται· οὐκ ἐκπειράσεις κύριον τὸν θεόν σου.
8 Πάλιν παραλαμβάνει αὐτὸν ὁ διάβολος εἰς ὄρος ὑψηλὸν λίαν καὶ δείκνυσιν αὐτῷ πάσας τὰς βασιλείας τοῦ κόσμου καὶ τὴν δόξαν αὐτῶν 9 καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ· ταῦτά σοι πάντα δώσω, ἐὰν πεσὼν προσκυνήσῃς μοι. 10 τότε λέγει αὐτῷ ὁ Ἰησοῦς· ὕπαγε, σατανᾶ· γέγραπται γάρ· κύριον τὸν θεόν σου προσκυνήσεις καὶ αὐτῷ μόνῳ λατρεύσεις.
11 Τότε ἀφίησιν αὐτὸν ὁ διάβολος, καὶ ἰδοὺ ἄγγελοι προσῆλθον καὶ διηκόνουν αὐτῷ.
Exercises
Charts
Conditional Sentences
| Greek |