BBG Chapter 23 — First Aorist Active and Middle Indicative¶
Learn the first aorist (weak aorist) active and middle indicative paradigms: augment + verbal stem + σα tense formative + secondary endings (with special 1s and 3s forms). Study the consonantal changes that occur when σα is added to stems ending in stops, and learn liquid aorist stems that drop sigma and lengthen the preceding vowel. The first aorist is the most common aorist formation in the NT.
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|---|---|
| Exercises | View exercises → |
| Flashcard Decks | View decks → |
Basics of Biblical Greek Grammar, Mounce, 4th Edition Data: MACULA Greek TAGNT (~15,000 aorist active/middle indicative tokens NT-wide)
1. The First Aorist — Overview¶
The first aorist (also called the "weak aorist" in older grammars) is the regular formation for expressing perfective past action. It is characterized by the σα tense formant — the α in σα is the most recognizable marker of the first aorist.
| Feature | Value |
|---|---|
| Tense | Aorist |
| Aspect | Perfective (action viewed as whole) |
| Time | Past |
| Stem | Aorist stem (= present stem for regular verbs, or modified) |
| Augment | Yes |
| Tense Formant | σα (characteristic of first aorist) |
| Endings | Modified secondary endings (α replaces the connecting vowel) |
2. Building the First Aorist¶
Augment + Aorist stem + σα + (secondary) endings
For regular verbs (Pattern 1), the aorist stem = present stem.
| Step | Form | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Present stem | λυ- | From λύω |
| + augment | ἐλυ- | ε- prefix |
| + σα formant | ἐλυσα- | σα added after stem |
| + ending | ἔλυσα | 1sg ending = null (σα alone = 1sg) |
3. First Aorist Active Endings¶
The σα formant replaces the connecting vowel. The endings attach to σα-:
| Person/Number | Ending | Full Form |
|---|---|---|
| 1sg | — (null) | ἔ-λυ-σα |
| 2sg | -ς | ἔ-λυ-σα-ς |
| 3sg | -ε(ν) | ἔ-λυ-σε(ν) |
| 1pl | -μεν | ἐ-λύ-σα-μεν |
| 2pl | -τε | ἐ-λύ-σα-τε |
| 3pl | -ν | ἔ-λυ-σα-ν |
Note on 3sg: The α in σα shortens to ε before the 3sg ending: σαε → σε. This is the only place where the α disappears.
4. Full Paradigm — First Aorist Active Indicative (λύω)¶
| Person/Number | First Aorist Active | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| 1sg | ἔλυσα | I loosed |
| 2sg | ἔλυσας | You loosed |
| 3sg | ἔλυσε(ν) | He/she/it loosed |
| 1pl | ἐλύσαμεν | We loosed |
| 2pl | ἐλύσατε | You (pl) loosed |
| 3pl | ἔλυσαν | They loosed |
5. First Aorist Middle Endings¶
The middle voice adds middle endings after σα-:
| Person/Number | Ending | Full Form |
|---|---|---|
| 1sg | -μην | ἐ-λυ-σά-μην |
| 2sg | -ω | ἐ-λύ-σω (σαο contracts → σω) |
| 3sg | -το | ἐ-λύ-σα-το |
| 1pl | -μεθα | ἐ-λυ-σά-μεθα |
| 2pl | -σθε | ἐ-λύ-σα-σθε |
| 3pl | -ντο | ἐ-λύ-σα-ντο |
6. Full Paradigm — First Aorist Middle Indicative (λύω)¶
| Person/Number | First Aorist Middle | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| 1sg | ἐλυσάμην | I loosed (for myself) |
| 2sg | ἐλύσω | You loosed (for yourself) |
| 3sg | ἐλύσατο | He/she loosed (for himself/herself) |
| 1pl | ἐλυσάμεθα | We loosed (for ourselves) |
| 2pl | ἐλύσασθε | You (pl) loosed (for yourselves) |
| 3pl | ἐλύσαντο | They loosed (for themselves) |
7. Stop Consonant + σ in the First Aorist¶
The same stop + σ combinations from Ch19 (future) appear in the first aorist:
| Present | Aorist | Stop Combination |
|---|---|---|
| γράφω | ἔγραψα | φ + σ → ψ |
| ἄγω | ἤγαγον (2nd aor.) / — | — |
| πέμπω | ἔπεμψα | π + σ → ψ |
| κηρύσσω | ἐκήρυξα | κ + σ → ξ |
| βαπτίζω | ἐβάπτισα | δ + σ → σ |
| σῴζω | ἔσωσα | δ + σ → σ |
| πείθω | ἔπεισα | θ + σ → σ |
8. Liquid Aorists¶
Verbs with liquid stems (λ, μ, ν, ρ) cannot attach σ directly. Instead:
- σ drops
- The preceding vowel lengthens
- The aorist endings attach without σα
| Present | Aorist Active | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| μένω | ἔμεινα | ε → ει before ν |
| ἀποκτείνω | ἀπέκτεινα | ει before ν |
| αἴρω | ἦρα | ε → η (irregular) |
| ἐγείρω | ἤγειρα | ε → η (irregular) |
| ἀποστέλλω | ἀπέστειλα | ε → ει; λλ → λ |
| κρίνω | ἔκρινα | ι in stem |
| σπείρω | ἔσπειρα | ε → ει |
Note: Liquid aorists still have the 1sg ending pattern (-α, -ας, -ε, etc.) but without the σ. The vowel lengthening in the stem is the compensatory change for the lost σ.
9. Contract Verb First Aorists¶
Contract verb stems lengthen their final vowel before σ:
| Present | Aorist | Lengthening |
|---|---|---|
| ἀγαπάω | ἠγάπησα | α → η |
| ποιέω | ἐποίησα | ε → η |
| πληρόω | ἐπλήρωσα | ο → ω |
| λαλέω | ἐλάλησα | ε → η |
| δηλόω | ἐδήλωσα | ο → ω |
10. Comparing First and Second Aorist¶
| Feature | First Aorist | Second Aorist |
|---|---|---|
| Stem marker | σα formant | Different aorist stem (no σα) |
| 1sg | ἔλυσα (-σα) | ἔλαβον (-ον) |
| 3sg | ἔλυσε(ν) (-σε) | ἔλαβε(ν) (-ε) |
| Endings | α-based | Same secondary as imperfect |
| Older grammar term | "Weak aorist" | "Strong aorist" |
Key Diagnostic: Look for σ immediately after the stem (before the ending vowel). If present → first aorist. If absent and the stem is different from the present → second aorist.
11. Aspect and Translation¶
Both first and second aorists share identical aspect — perfective:
| Type | Form | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| 1st aorist | ἔλυσεν | "He loosed" |
| 2nd aorist | ἔλαβεν | "He took" |
| Imperfect (contrast) | ἔλυεν | "He was loosing" |
12. GNT Examples¶
| Reference | Greek | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| Matt 3:17 | εὐδόκησα | "I am well pleased" (aor. of εὐδοκέω) |
| John 3:16 | ἠγάπησεν | "He loved" (aor. of ἀγαπάω) |
| John 19:30 | ἔκλινεν | "He bowed" (liquid aor. of κλίνω) |
| Acts 2:41 | ἐβαπτίσθησαν | "They were baptized" (pass., Ch24) |
| Rom 5:8 | ἀπέθανεν | "He died" (2nd aor. of ἀποθνῄσκω) |