The use of the infinitive in Biblical Greek. PDF by Library of

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E USE OFTHE INFINITIVE
IN BIBLICAL GREEK.
BY

CLYDE W’r VOTAW, Ph. D.
Instructor in Biblical Greek in the University of Chicago.
‘hesis presented to the University of Chicago in pursuance
of the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy.
)i
CHICAGO ;
Published by the Author.
1896.
I
3
c THE TEXT.
1. THE TEXT.
For this study of the use of the infinitive in Biblical
Greek the texts have been:
for the Old Testament, canonical and apocryphal. the
((I)
Swete text of the Septuagint (Cambridge. 1887-94.3 vols.,
2 ed. of Vol. 1, 1895), comprising 2346 pages (0.T. 1909 pp.,
Apoc. 437 pp.)
(b) for the New Testament. the Westcott and Hort text
(Cambridge. 1881).comprising 528 pages.
The Swete text is the text of the Codex Vaticanus. edited
in accordance with the best scientific methods and the most
thorough critical knowledge. The Zac'/c)i((p in this MS. are
at Gen. 1:1-46:28; 2 Kgs. 2:5-7, 10-13; Psa. 105:27-137:6;
the Prayer of Manassas. and the Books oi Maccabees.
These defects are supplied fro.n the Alexandrine MS. or, in
the few cases where this also is defective, fron the uncial
MSS. which rank next in age or iinportance. This text is
accompanied on the page by footnotes which give thc mriant
readings i'onnd in the other three great uncial MSS.. Codices
Alexandrinus, Sinaiticus and Ephraemi. Of these the Alex.
is almost coaplete �or both 0. T. and Apoc., the Sin. con­
tains not more than one-half, and tho Eph. is but a fragment.
To these variant readings have been added those of three
lesser MSS.. D. E and F. in portions where the greater ones
are defective.
The Westcott and Hort text does not aim lo reproduce
the text of Codex Vaticanus for the New Testament, as the
Swete text does for the Old Testament, bTLitundertakes by a,
collation and critical use of all MSS. of the New Testament
to build up a text of the New Testament which shall be the
closest possible approximation to the original text,. But the
editors were led by their investigations to the belief that the
text of Codex Vaticanus was nearer to the original text than
-1
‘1
I
4 THE INFINITTT’E IN BIBLICAL GREEK.
that of any other single codex in existence. The Codex Vat­
icanus, which is complete for the New Testament, was there-
fore used by Westcott and Hort as the chief authority.
Next to this is ranked the Codex Sinaiticus, which contains
all but a small portion of the New Testament.
So that the text upon which this investigation is based is
substantially that of the Codex Vaticanus.
The variant readings of the MSS. affect about one-fourth
of all the instances of the infinitive. These variations are
not due to any peculiarities among the texts as regards the
logical uses which the infinitioe is made to serve, nor does
any one text noticeably surpass another in its number of in-
stances of the infinitive, nor does any one text as compared
with others show any great preference for the anarthrous as
against the nrticular infinitival form or the reverse. The
variations are mainly of three kinds: the anarthrous forin
of the infinitive often occurs in one text where the articular
forin is found in others, the tense forin of the same instance
oP the infinitive is frequently a present in one text and an
aorist in another. and sometimes an idea which is expressed
in one text by an infinitive is expressed in another text by
some other construction.
These variant readings anong the texts of the several
MSS.OCCIII- in tlie case of all the books except the very brief
ones. In so-ne books as compared with others the percent-
age 01mriations is large, while in others it is small. The
variations a1e due to scribal peculiarities and other incidents
1
of tiansuiission. They balance off against one another in
S~IC~aI way that they do not need further consideration for
the 1)u1p;es of this study. The classification of uses, the
distribution of instances and the total number of occurrences
of the infinitive are not materially affected by the Trariant
i.eadings.
THE TEXT. 5
2. TABLE OF THE USES OF THE INFINITIVE.
I. The Ancwtlirous Inyfiiiitice.
1. VERBAL OBJECT.31R9
1)of verbs in general (= b) except
2*36.
2) of verbs of commanding, promising and the like (= j).307
3) of verbs of bidding (understood) in salutations (=1).:j2
4)of verbs which introduce indirect discourse (=i).
lT2
5) of verbs of hindering and the like (=v).~"
2. PURPOSE.'^^^
1) distinct and specific, without attendant particle (=d).18XR
2) distinct and specific, with preceding (or &) (=e).97
$UTE
3) modified and general, without attendant particle (=o).~"'
3. SUBJECT.^^^
the subject of a verb personal or impersonal (=a).'"!'
4. RESULT.447
1)actual or hypothetical,without attendant particle (=p).'l'
2) actual or hypothetical, with preceding (or &) (=f ).'-"
3) epexegetic or explanatory, without attend. part. (=s).""
5. LIMITINGNOUNS,ADJECTIVES(AND ADVERBS).~~'
1)nouns signifying ability, fitness, need, time, etc. (=h).llt3
2) adjectives (and adverbs) of like signification (=g).9x
6. WITH ~ p l vOR ~ p l $v.58
the phrase having a temporal significance (=x).
RX
7. APPOSITION.3g
standing in apposition with a noun or pronoun (=c)."!'
8. PREPOSITIONOABJLECT.
22
standing as the object of a preposition (=k).22
9. PARENTHEATBICSOLUTE.
standing in a parenthetic clause, independently (=r).'
10. FORTHE IMPERATIVE.^
as a principal verb, expressing an exhortation (In).'
6
THE INFINITIVE IN BIBLICAL GREEK.
II. The As-ticular Infinitive.
1. PREPOSITIONOABJLECT."^^
standing as the object of a preposition, with or
TO;, T+
(=k).'I6'
Td
2. PURPOSE. 13''
1)distinct and specific, with TOG (=e).767
2) modified and general, with ( = o ) . ~ ~
TO;
3. VERBAL OBJECT.375
A. With 76, as the object of a verb ( = t ~ ) . ~ ~
B. With as the object of a verb,
TO;,
1)of verbs in general M MI)^^^, except
2) of verbs of commanding, promising and the like
(=j).37

3) of verbs of hindering and the like (=v).";'
4. RESULT.'^*
1) actual or hypothetical, with (
TO; =.f).*6
2) epexegetic or explanatory, with (=s).
TO; 7x
5. LIMITINGN OUNSAND ADJECTIVES11.8
1)nouns signifying ability, fitness, time, etc. with TO; (=It).!'*
2) adjectives of like signification, with (=(I).~~
TO;
6 SUBJECT. lU7
1)with 76, as subject of a finite verb (=a).B9
2) with as subject of a finite verb
TO;, (=CC(X)."~
i. APPOSITIOK.
24
standing in apposition with a noun or pronoun, with
TO;
o!' 76 (=c)."
8. CAUSE, MANNER,MEANS7
indimtins the cause, manner or means of the action of
tlie governing verb, with
T+ (=7~).~
III the wltorc. table, after the main diviaioii between the uses of tlie anctrthrous and those
of the iirticnlm iutinitive, tlie :irrnngenient is by rnaiii groups in order of relative frequency
of occnrrence of the uses in Uiblic:il (;reek :is B whole. The superior figures iiitlicate thc
actual number of in\tances of e:icli ube, wit11 the reservation that it has sometimes been
tlifflcnlt to c1:issify certain mhiguous or :inomulous instances of the iufinitive.
i
VSES OF THE ANARTHROUS INFINITIVE.
3. THE USES OF THE ANARTHROUS INFINITIVE.
1) OF VERBS IN GENERAL(=b)""". EXCEPT-
Many Greek verbs either require or assume an infinitive
to complete or make specific their meaning.
EX. 2:15. icrjrci &vcXcv MwucrCjv.
1 Mace. 15:14. O ~ Kcikrw o;i3&a iKaopc&aOui.
Matt. 11:20. r6rc $p&ro 6vci8I[Civ r&s ~ X E L F .
Also Deut. 4:l. 25:7. 1 Kgs. 5 3 . Psa. 939. Prov. 11:12. ISL.
1:li. Wis. Sol. 4::. Wis. Sir. 23:l. Judh. 9:8. Tob. t5:l.Bar.
33. 2 Mace. 23. Mk. H:14. Lk. 820. Jno. 8:lO. Acts 12:X
Roin. 15%. Phil. 4:12 Heb. 11:24,25.
The list for Biblical Greek shows2Hi verbs followed by
the infinitive in this construction. of which the most coinmoii
are 86vapu1, 8&, G~XO~UPLo,;Xop~l,pCXXw, xpourl877p1, TTTOL&.This
use 01 the infinitive is iound twice as frequently LLSany
othcr; in the 0. T. it is somewhat surlmsscd by the ust' to
express purpose; but in the Apoc. and N. T. it oc<:urs four
times as often its any other use.
The following sub-classes ( j, 1, i, v>a re 'also object intin­
itives. but because they present the object idea in a special
aspect it is desirable to arrange thein into gronl~by them­
selvcs.
2) OF VEI~BO.F~ COMMANDINGPi.toMIsIN(: AND THE
LIKE( =j ).i''i
The infinitive is used :is the object of verbs of coininancl­
ing. lxomising and the like, to indicate that which one com­
mands anothci to do. OY 1):oinises (generdly under oath) to
do �or another.
Gel?. 42 25. ivcrdXaro 'Iwu$+ ipaAijuul r& gyylu u ~ G v .
I
Deut. 10:ll. T$V yijv ;v L.:pouu TOTS xuTp&Tlv U6TGV 80~VJlU&OTS.
8 THE INFINITIT'E IN BIBLICAL GREEK.
1 Mace. 1237. iirhat~v'IoxvaO&v TOTS rap' a&@ ypqyop~~v.
1 Mace. 9:71. c$~oU�v ah+ pi &[qrijuai a&+ KaKdv.
Matt. 27:58. T ~ T E6 IIEihdros IK~~EUaiUro8EoOVijvai.
1Thess. 5 :27. IVO~K([W T;)V K6plOV &vayvw&v~l T+V huroXljv.
Also 1 Sam. 14:3-1. 30:15. 3 Chron. 249. Isa. 54:9,10. Jer.333.
Esd. A. 6:16. 8:92. Esth. Add. B :6. Judh. 1:12. Tob. 10:7.
2 Mace. 191. Lk. 855. Acts 1032. Rom. 12:3. 1 Tim. 6:li.
Only three instances in N. T. of promise under oath, two of
which are in quotations from 0. T., Acts *.2:30". 23:l-L. Heb.
'*3:I8".
The list for Biblical Greek shows 38 verbs followed by
the infinitive in this construction, of which the most common
are rdaao (irpoa-, auv-) iiri-) irapa-, &a-), KEXE~WX,Cyw, eTirov, Gpvvpi, 6p-
This use is mainly after verbs of commanding.
KL'[O.
3) OF VERBS OF BIDDING(UNDERSTOOD) IN SALUTATIONS
(=,).,Z
A sliecial group of infinitives belonging to class j just
described are here kept distinct because the governing verb,
which would if used express a coinmand or exhortation, is
uniformly omitted, although implied in the context.
1Mace. lo:%. PaaiXe;s Aqprjrpios r@ 2Ovei TGV 'Iou8alov Xalpeiv.
2 Mace. 9:19. 70% XP~UTOTS 'IovGalois TOTS ToXlrais irohX& Xalpeiv
K U ~6yialveiv Kai e6irpdrTeiv Puuiheh 'Avdoxoq.
Acts 23 :26. KXa6Gios huulus T+ Kparlary rjyepdvi CP~ALKXLaL'pt-iv.
2 Jno. 10. Kai Xalpeiv a&$ p$ X~YYETE.
Also Esd. A. 6:7. 8:9. Esth. Add. Ed. 2 Mace. 1:lO. Acts 1533.
Jas. 1:l. 2 Jno. 11. This use is not found in 0. T. and but
five times as cited in N. T. ; it belongs mainly to the Apoc.
The infinitive in this construction is always in the present
tense. The phrase is idiomatic, employed as a forinula of
address in letters and formal utterances. Four verbs appear
in this use, Xalpeiv mainly, and ;yicrlveiv, e;irp&r~iv) 2ppGaOal.
4) OF VEEBSINTRODUCININDGIR ECDTIS COURSE( =i).lYZ
The infinitive is used as the object of verbs of saying,
thinking and the like, to reproduce in indirect quotation that
VSES OF THE ANARTHROUS INFINITIVE. 9
which was previously spoken or thought. But grammarians
admit to this class only such infinitives following verbs of
above signification as have the same tense as the direct forin
and which stand for indicative or optative inodal forins in
the original utterance. These limitations are not quite sat­
isfactory. but the way to a better classification is not clear.
1 Sam. 19:14. Xkyovalv &oxkaOu~ u;&.
Job 34~12.olr~8; r6v K6plOV drora roirjaelv;
Judh. 1313. 2tcX&ueuOal yhp ;+.I.
2 Mace. 6 24. roXXol rGv V&JV ;roXapdvrrs ‘EXcdlupov r6v ~V~V~KOVTU-
�75
/L�TU~�P~Kd�VlS~ 6l.hhO~VhTpdV.
Mk. 8:27. r1vu pe Xkyovcrlv ot dvOpwro1 ~IVUL;
1 Cor. 7:26. vop.l[w ofv ro%o KUX& ;r&pxclv.
Also Gen. 26:20. Num. 14:31. 2 Chron. 28:lO. Prov. %:9. Wis.
Sol. 15:12. Wis. Sir. 51:24. Esth. Add. F:ll. 3 Mace. 3:7.
4 Maw. 2:13. Jno. 12:18. Acts 13:25. 25:4. Jas. 2:14. Rev. 2:9.
The list for Biblical Greek shows 46 verbs followed by
the infinitive in this construction, of which the most common
+&,
are XE‘yw, eIrov, +&VKW, 05opa1,~oKEIw. Few instances of this
use occur in 0. T.. while there are inany in the Ap~ca.nd
N. T. (mainly in Lk. and Acts).
5) OF VERBS OF H~NDEI~IANNDG THE LIKE(XV).”’
The infinitive is used after verbs of hindering and the like
to express that which one is hindered (actually or conatively)
from doing. The negative pj in a few instances accompanies
this infinitive. without reversing the meaning of the phrase.
EX. 36:6. K d iKd66V,J 6 huh$ 271 XpO(T+kp�lV.
Nurn. 32:7. b;r71 8Lu(rrpC+�7�7as 611vo1us 7GV vtGv ’I. p$ 8l;rp;jVul;
I Mace. 13:4‘3.
~KwX~OVTO~KiTOp�dEff6Ll.
Tob. 1:11. c~vvcrrjprpT+V qvxrjv pov p$ +zye?v.
Acts H:36. 71 KWX~EpLe purriaOijvui;
Gal. 5:T. 71s ;pss ~VLKO~E&VA@&? pi rd6ca6ui;
Also 1 Sam. 25:33. Esd. B. 4:4. Job 33:14. Prov. 32’7. Wis.
Sir. 19:2H. 20:91. 4 Mr~cc.5 : X . Matt. 19:14. Lk. 23:2. Acts
4:17. 24:23. Heb. 7:2X 1 Tim. 43.
10 THE INFINITIVE IN BIBLICAL GItEEK.
The list for Biblical Greek shows 12 ~erbsfollon-r..cidby
the infinitive in this construction, KWXGWbeing the chief one.
2. Pzrr]lor5Y~.
lFl3
1) DISTINCT AND SPECIFICW,ITHOUT ATTESDAST
PARTICL(=Ed),12xi
The infinitive is used to express the distinct and slwcific
purpose of the action or state denoted by the govcirning verb.
Gen. 19:13. &&T.~LXEV rj@s K6pm
<KT~~$UUL;T<V.
I Macc. 2:44. ot ~ o ~ E~ *o i+ ~Ta~ zev~v u~We +JL.
Lk. 4:16. Kai 6vlurq 6vayvGvai.
Also Deut. 4:5.2 S~~8I5I.. Job 1:4,6. Hos. 2:15. Ezeli. 2O:l.
Wis. Sir. 2:l. Tob. 3:17. Bar. 1:8.3 Macc. >:lo. Mk. 3:14.21.
Acts 17:14,26,27. Gal. 1:18. Col. 125. Heb. $):?A.
This use of the infinitive is second only to that of g~~icml
object in order of relative frequency of occiirrencc.
2) DISTINCT AND SPECIFIC, WITH PRECEDIXG &re
(OR &)
The infinitive preceded by the particle GaTe-iii two 01'
three N. T. instances by ds instead-is used to esprcw tho
distinct and specific purpose of the action or state clciiotcd
by the governing verb.
Josh. 8:3. &vlur'~Iquoiis . . Wnurc &va/3ijvuL cis ral.
1Macc. 4:1,2. napCXa/3ev I'opylas revramuXLhlovs &dpap . . GUT�
&L/3aAc?v 271-1 r$v rape&oX+.
Lk. 429. rjyayov a&& L s & +p6os so; o'povs . . &re K~TUKP~~VIUUL
a;&.

Also Num. 5 3 . Esd. B. 12:7,8. Esth. 122. Isa. 10:2. Drtn. 1:4.

Esd. A. 8:15. Esth. Add. A:6. 1 Mace. 10:3. 2 Mttcc. 2:6.

4 Macc. 15. Matt. 1O:l. 15:33. 27:l. Lk. 20:20.

This use is fonnd mainly in 0. T. (largely in Gen.. Ex..
Lev.), and there are but A instances in N. T. counting Acts
2024 where all editors but W. and H. have this tlse of the
infinitive. In Lk. 9:52 W. and H. have &, other editors GUT�.