THE ACCUSATIVE (EXTENT OR LIMITATION)

1. Accusative of Direct Object

2. Double Accusative
3. Accusative of Measure (Time, etc.)
4. Subject of Infinitive
5. Accusative with Certain Prepositions

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Overview of Nouns and the Article
Masculine Feminine Neuter
Article Noun Article Noun Article Noun
Sing. Nom. ὁ λογος ἡ ἀρχη το ἐργον
Gen. του λογου της ἀρχης του ἐργου
Dat. τῳ λογῳ τῃ ἀρχῃ τῳ ἐργῳ
Acc. τον λογον την ἀρχην το ἐργον
Plural Nom. οἱ λογοι αἱ ἀρχαι τα ἐργα
Gen. των λογων των ἀρχων των ἐργων
Dat. τοις λογοις ταις ἀρχαις τοις ἐργοις
Acc. τους λογους τας ἀρχας τα ἐργα
Note:
Article endings are the same as the noun except in masc. and fem. nom.,
and in the neuter (sing.) nom. and acc.
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Variant Feminine Forms
(day) (glory) (beginning)
Sing. Nom. ἡµερα δοξα ἀρχη
Gen. ἡµερας δοξης ἀρχης
Dat. ἡµερᾳ δοξῃ ἀρχῃ
Acc. ἡµεραν δοξαν ἀρχην
Plural Nom. ἡµεραι δοξαι ἀρχαι
Gen. ἡµερων δοξων ἀρχων
Dat. ἡµεραις δοξαις ἀρχαις
Acc. ἡµερας δοξας ἀρχας
Notes: • α and η variations between sing. and pl.
• Vowel or ρ before end, or σ, χ, ζ
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 Masculine Feminine Neuter
3rd Decl. 1st Decl. 3rd Decl.
Singular Nom. πας πασα παν
Gen. παντος πασης παντος
Dat. παντι πασῃ παντι
Acc. παντα πασαν παν
Plural Nom. παντες πασαι παντα
Gen. παντων πασων παντων
Dat. πασιν πασαις πασιν
Acc. παντας πασας παντα
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THE ACCUSATIVE (EXTENT OR LIMITATION)

Daniel B. Wallace, The Basics of New Testament Syntax, p.

82f.

Wallace, Greek Grammar beyond the Basics, p. 179f.

Maximilian Zerwick, Biblical Greek Illustrated by Examples,

Chapter 2, Section 5

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 1. ACCUSATIVE OF DIRECT OBJECT

Definition: ‘The accusative substantive indicates the

immediate object of the action of a transitive verb. It receives
the action of the verb. In this way it limits the verbal action.’
(Wallace, p. 179)

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 1. ACCUSATIVE OF DIRECT OBJECT

Matt 5:46 ἐὰν ἀγαπήσητε τοὺς ἀγαπῶντας ὑμᾶς

if you love those who love you

Mark 2:17 οὐκ ἦλθον καλέσαι δικαίους ἀλλὰ ἁμαρτωλούς

I did not come to call the righteous but sinners

John 3:16 ἠγάπησεν ὁ θεὸς τὸν κόσμον

God loved the world

Acts 10:14 οὐδέποτε ἔφαγον πᾶν κοινὸν καὶ ἀκάθαρτον

I have never eaten anything that is common or unclean

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 2. DOUBLE ACCUSATIVES

Two Types of Double Accusatives (verbs which take two

objects)

1. Double Accusative of the Person and Thing

2. Double Accusative of the Object-Complement

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 2. DOUBLE ACCUSATIVES

1. Double Accusative of the Person and Thing

Definition: ‘Certain verbs take two direct objects, one a person

and the other a thing. The thing is the nearer object; the
person is the more remote object.’ (Wallace, p. 181)

In English we would expect the person to be in the dative:

‘I teach you Greek’ = ‘I teach Greek to you’

In most cases the person receives the thing and so is

considered the more remote object.

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 2. DOUBLE ACCUSATIVES

a) Teaching, Reminding

John 14:26 ἐκεῖνος ὑμᾶς διδάξει πάντα

he will teach you[p] all things[th]

1 Cor 4:17 ὅς ὑμᾶς ἀναμνήσει τὰς ὁδούς μου

who will remind you[p] of my ways[th]

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 2. DOUBLE ACCUSATIVES

b) Clothing, Anointing

Matt 27:31 ἐξέδυσαν αὐτὸν τὴν χλαμύδα καὶ ἐνέδυσαν

αὐτὸν τὰ ἱμάτια αὐτοῦ

They stripped him[p] of [his] robe[th] and put his own

garments[th] on him[p]

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 2. DOUBLE ACCUSATIVES

c) Inquiring, Asking

Matt 21:24 ἐρωτήσω ὑμᾶς κἀγὼ λόγον ἕνα

I shall ask you[p] one thing[th]

Mark 6:22 αἴτησόν με ὅ ἐὰν θέλῃς

ask me[p] [for] whatever[th] you wish

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 2. DOUBLE ACCUSATIVES

d) Other Types of Causative Ideas

1 Cor 3:2 γάλα ὑμᾶς ἐπότισα

I gave you[p] milk[th] to drink

Luke 11:46 φορτίζετε τοὺς ἀνθρώπους φορτία

you burden men[p] with burdens[th]

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 2. DOUBLE ACCUSATIVES

2. Double Accusative of the Object-Complement

Definition: ‘An object-complement double accusative is a

construction in which one accusative substantive is the direct
object of the verb and the other accusative (either noun,
adjective, participle, or infinitive) complements the object in
that it predicates something about it.’ (Wallace, p. 182)

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 2. DOUBLE ACCUSATIVES

2. Double Accusative of the Object-Complement

How to tell between the object and the complement?

• If one of the two is a pronoun, it will be the object; (pronouns

trump proper names or articular nouns)
• If one of the two is a proper name, it will be the object;
• If one of the two is articular, it will be the object

These are found with particular verbs.

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 2. DOUBLE ACCUSATIVES

a) Calling, Designating, Confessing

Matt 22:43 Δαυὶδ ἐν πνεύματι καλεῖ αὐτὸν κύριον

David in the Spirit calls him[obj] Lord[comp]

John 5:18 πατέρα ἴδιον ἔλεγεν τὸν θεόν

he was calling God[obj] his own Father[comp]

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 2. DOUBLE ACCUSATIVES

b) Making, Appointing

Matt 4:19 ποιήσω ὑμᾶς ἁλιεῖς ἀνθρώπων

I will make you[obj] fishers[comp] of men

John 4:46 ἐποίησεν τὸ ὕδωρ οἶνον

he turned the water[obj] [into] wine[comp]

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 2. DOUBLE ACCUSATIVES

c) Sending, Expelling

1 John 4:14 πατὴρ ἀπέσταλκεν τὸν υἱὸν σωτῆρα

the Father sent the Son[obj] [as] Savior[comp]

Luke 6:22 ὅταν … ἐκβάλωσιν τὸ ὄνομα ὑμῶν ὡς

πονηρόν
whenever … they cast out your name[obj] as evil[comp]

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 2. DOUBLE ACCUSATIVES

d) Considering, Regarding

Phil 3:7 ταῦτα ἥγημαι … ζημίαν

I regard these things[obj] [to be] loss[comp]

Rom 6:11 λογίζεσθε ἑαυτοὺς εἶναι νεκροὺς τῇ ἁμαρτίᾳ

consider yourselves[obj] to be dead[comp] to sin

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 2. DOUBLE ACCUSATIVES

e) Having, Taking

Mark 12:23 οἱ γὰρ ἑπτὰ ἔσχον αὐτὴν γυναῖκα

for the seven [brothers] had her[obj] [as] a wife[comp]

Jas 5:10 ὑπόδειγμα λάβετε … τοὺς προφήτας

[as] an example[comp] take … the prophets[obj]

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 2. DOUBLE ACCUSATIVES

f) Declaring, Presenting

Rom 3:25 ὃν προέθετο ὁ θεὸς ἱλαστήριον

whom[obj] God put forth [as] a propitiation[comp]

Col 1:28 ἵνα παραστήσωμεν πάντα ἄνθρωπον τέλειον

ἐν Χριστῷ
in order that we might present every person[obj] [as]
perfect[comp] in Christ

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 2. DOUBLE ACCUSATIVES

g) Debatable passages

John 4:54 τοῦτο δεύτερον σημεῖον ἐποίησεν ὁ Ἰησοῦς

Jesus made this[obj] [to be] the second sign[comp]

Cf. Rm. 10:9; Titus 2:10

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3. ACCUSATIVE OF MEASURE (TIME, ETC.)

Definition: ‘The accusative substantive indicates the extent of

the verbal action. This can either be how far (extent of space)
or for how long (extent of time). The usage is quite rare with
space, though somewhat common with time.’ (Wallace, p.
201)

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3. ACCUSATIVE OF MEASURE (TIME, ETC.)

1) Accusative for Extent of Space

Luke 2:44 νομίσαντες δὲ αὐτὸν εἶναι ἐν τῇ συνοδίᾳ ἦλθον

ἡμέρας ὁδόν
but assuming that he was in the group, they went a day’s
journey

John 6:19 ἐληλακότες οὖν ὡς σταδίους εἴκοσι πέντε ἢ

τριάκοντα
therefore, when they had rowed about twenty-five or thirty
stades

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3. ACCUSATIVE OF MEASURE (TIME, ETC.)

2) Accusative for Extent of Time

Matt 20:6 τί ὧδε ἑστήκατε ὅλην τὴν ἡμέραν ἀργοί;

Why have you been standing here idle the whole day?

Matt 4:2 νηστεύσας ἡμέρας τεσσεράκοντα καὶ νύκτας

τεσσεράκοντα
fasting forty days and forty nights

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3. ACCUSATIVE OF MEASURE (TIME, ETC.)

Time 'how long' – accusative

Time 'during’ – genitive
Time 'at' – dative

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3. ACCUSATIVE OF MEASURE (TIME, ETC.)

If I were to say, “I worked last night” it could mean (1) during

the night, (2) all night, or (3) at a point of time in the night. But
in Greek, the case of night would indicate what I meant. If I
had said νυκτός (gen.), I would mean “during the night.” If I
had said νυκτί (dat.) I would mean “at a point of time in the
night (e.g., 1 a.m.).” If I had said νυκτά (acc.) I would mean
“for the length of the night.”
(Wallace, p. 203)

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3. ACCUSATIVE OF MEASURE (TIME, ETC.)

• δυο ἡµερας ἀκουουσιν του κυριου.

ἡµερας is acc. plural
In a time expression acc. means time 'how long', expressed
in English by 'for'
Sentence = 'For two days they listen to the Lord.'

• της ἡµερας ἀκουουσιν του κυριου.

ἡµερας is gen. sing.
In a time expression gen. means time 'during', expressed in
English by 'during' or 'by’
Sentence = 'During the day they listen to the Lord.' or 'By
day they listen to the Lord.'
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3. ACCUSATIVE OF MEASURE (TIME, ETC.)

• τῃ ἡµερᾳ ἀκουουσιν του κυριου.

ἡµερᾳ is dat.
In a time expression dat. means time 'at which', expressed in
English by 'on'.
Sentence = 'On the day they listen to the Lord.'

Note: Sometimes, although no preposition is needed, ἐν is used as well

as the dative (ἐν τῃ ἡµερᾳ βλεπουσιν). This makes no difference to
the meaning.

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3/ ACCUSATIVE OF MEASURE (TIME, ETC.)

In Greek, which case would be used for these time

expressions?

They came on the Sabbath. Dative

He fasted for forty days. Accusative
Nicodemus came by night. Genitive
Three days he was in the tomb. Accusative
At dawn the stone moved. Dative
He was arrested during Passover. Genitive

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 4. SUBJECT OF INFINITIVE

Definition: ‘The accusative substantive frequently functions

semantically as the subject of the infinitive.’ (Wallace, p. 192)

Normally the subject of the infinitive is the same as the

subject of the main verb and thus is in the nominative case.

For example, in Luke 19:47 we read οἱ γραμματεῖς

ἐζήτουν αὐτὸν ἀπολέσαι (“the scribes were seeking
to kill him”).

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 4. SUBJECT OF INFINITIVE

When the infinitive requires a different agent, it is almost

always put in the accusative case.

Contrast

1. “She wanted to learn something.”

2. “She wanted me to learn something,” “me” is both the
direct object of “wanted” and the subject of “to learn.”

3. “I know he is good” = “I know him to be good” (γινώσκω

αὐτὸν εἶναι ἀγαθόν.)

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 4. SUBJECT OF INFINITIVE

1) Unambiguous Constructions (with one Accusative

Substantive)

Matt 22:3 ἀπέστειλεν τοὺς δούλους αὐτοῦ καλέσαι τοὺς

κεκλημένους
he sent his servants to call those who had been invited

Luke 18:16 ἄφετε τὰ παιδία ἔρχεσθαι πρός με

let the children come to me

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 4. SUBJECT OF INFINITIVE

2) Potentially Ambiguous Constructions (with two

Accusatives)

Often in the NT a construction will have an accusative subject

as well as an accusative predicate or an accusative direct
object. In such cases, how can one tell which is which?

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 4. SUBJECT OF INFINITIVE

2) Potentially Ambiguous Constructions (with two

Accusatives)

If (1) a subject accusative and (2) predicate accusative (S-P)

- apply same rules for determining Nom Subj. and Pred. Nom

If (1) a subject accusative and (2) an direct object (S-O)

- apply ‘common sense’ (only four S-O constructions are

ambiguous in the NT, Wallace, p. 194).

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 4. SUBJECT OF INFINITIVE

a) Subject and Predicate Accusative (with Equative

Verb Infinitives)

• If one of the two is a pronoun, it will be the subject;

(pronouns trump proper names or articular nouns)
• If one of the two is a proper name, it will be the subject;
• If one of the two is articular, it will be the subject

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 4. SUBJECT OF INFINITIVE

a) Subject and Predicate Accusative (with Equative

Verb Infinitives)

Mark 14:64 κατέκριναν αὐτὸν ἔνοχον εἶναι θανάτου

they judged him to be guilty of death

Acts 28:6 ἔλεγον αὐτὸν εἶναι θεόν

they were saying that he was a god

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 4. SUBJECT OF INFINITIVE

b) Subject and Direct Object (with Transitive Verb

Infinitives)

Luke 2:27 ἐν τῷ εἰσαγαγεῖν τοὺς γονεῖς τὸ παιδίον Ἰησοῦν

when the parents brought in the child Jesus

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 5. ACCUSATIVE WITH CERTAIN PREPS.

Definition: ‘Certain prepositions take the accusative after

them.’ (Wallace, p. 205)

1. Focus on the preposition rather than the case of its

accompanying noun

1. Refer to BDAG for the meaning of the particular

preposition/case combination

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5. ACCUSATIVE WITH CERTAIN PREPS.

Prepositions dictate the case of

the noun they precede
Preposition Case
εἰς = to, into
Accusative
προς = to, towards
ἀπο = (away) from
Genitive
ἐκ = (out) from
ἐν = in Dative

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 5. ACCUSATIVE WITH CERTAIN PREPS.

Prepositions with three cases

ἐπι +
accusative onto – βαλλει τον ἀρτον ἐπι το βιβλιον
- she throws the bread onto the book
genitive location on - ἐπι της γης - on the land/earth
in the time of – περιπατει ἐπι του Ἰησου
- he lives in the time of Jesus
dative location on/in - ἐπι τοις οὐρανοις
- in the heavens
on the basis of – οὐ περιπατει ἐπι ἀρτῳ
- she does not live by bread
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 5. ACCUSATIVE WITH CERTAIN PREPS.

Prepositions with two cases

because of – δια τον ὀχλον - because of the

accusative crowd
δια+
genitive through – δια του ἀγγελου - through the
messenger
accusative according to – κατα νοµον - according to law
κατα+
genitive against – κατα του Ἰησου - against Jesus
accusative after – µετα το σαββατον - after the Sabbath
µετα+
genitive with – µετα αὐτου - with him

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 5. ACCUSATIVE WITH CERTAIN PREPS.

Prepositions with two cases

accusative approximately, around -περι τον Παυλον -

genitive around Paul
περι+
concerning, about - περι ἁµαρτιας - concerning
sin
accusative above - ὑπερ την γην - above the earth
ὑπερ+ genitive
on behalf of - ὑπερ τεκνου - on behalf of a child
accusative under - ὑπο νοµον - under law
ὑπο+ genitive by - ὑπο του Πετρου - by Peter

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THE ACCUSATIVE (EXTENT OR LIMITATION)

1. Accusative of Direct Object

2. Double Accusative
3. Accusative of Measure (Time, etc.)
4. Subject of Infinitive
5. Accusative with Certain Prepositions

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