Biblical Greek (Beginners): 09. Perfect, Pluperfect

Perfect

Perfect is not used that often as in the case of other tenses. However, if it is used, it is important in interpretation for us.

Perfect represent a perfective tense (as is suggested by its name) and describes the action that took place and was completed in the past, and in some way interfering with its effects or results to the present (from the point of view of the writer). Emphasis is on the outcome of the action. In a way, it ensures the continuity of the already completed action, but not in a permanent or eternal sense. We will translate into English according to the context, but mostly we will use perfect.

Reduplication (Doubling)

This is a duplication of the first letter of the verb and the insertion of the ε.

• Full (initial letter is fully duplicated):

  • letters κγχ, τδθ, πβφ, letters ρλμν

  • letters χφθ

• Incomplete (full duplication is not taking place):

  • vowels, letters ρζξψ and others outside of the above

Middle-Passive

Does not contain discerning letters κα, but just the endings are employed.

Irregular verbs

Irregular verbs are losing letter κ similarly to aorist in the case of letter σ. Particular irregular forms are to be found in dictionary.

Examples

Pluperfect

Like perfect, it speaks of an action based on a previous event. In case of pluperfect, this event or action is always in the past. Pluperfect describes past action that preceded some action in the past. Therefore it is past perfect tense. It also describes a perfective action.

Pluperfect is similar to perfect in its form, with the difference that the augment may be at the beginning of the word. Like imperfect, it has only indicative forms.

Pluperfect occurs 86 times in the text of the NT, and all of the occurrences are in the gospels and acts, only in three cases it is different. In the active voice we recognize it by the diphthong ει and reduplication.

Middle-Passive

In the middle-passive voice, pluperfect occurs total of 7x in the NT text (middle 2x, passive 5x). We are conjugating the middle-passive voice according to the modified endings of the imperfect.

Examples