Tense future

Glossary

Future tense is a tense form the speaker uses to refer to an action which will take place at a point in the future from when he is speaking (e.g., she will sleep, I will run, they will eat). It can also be used to give a command (e.g., you will obey me!) When used with a participle, it refers to a time in the future from the time of the main verb.

Example: V-TF-1

John 6:54

ἀναστήσω	αὐτὸν	τῇ	ἐσχάτῃ	ἡμέρᾳ
anastēsō	auton	tē	eschatē	hēmera
I will raise up	him	in the	last	day

I will raise him up in the last day.

Article

Overview

The Tense of a verb is used to indicate the speaker’s perspective or viewpoint of:

1. Aspect - the kind of action of the verb. The kind of action may be unspecified (also known as simple or simply completed), continuous (also described as imperfective), or completed with an ongoing effect.

   • Future tense- In the Future tense, aspect is used to express an unspecified kind of action (merely that it will occur), without reference to its duration. This is similar to the Aorist Tense.

• Therefore, it could refer to an event that takes place over a period of time or in a moment, or is repeated. This can only be determined based on context, and not by the use of the future tense.

2. Time - the time of action for verbs in the Future tense is in the future from the viewpoint of the speaker.

The Principal uses of the future tense are:

• Predictive Future - The principal use of the Future tense in the indicative mood is to refer to an unspecified action or event (aspect) that will occur in the future. It is therefore predictive in nature.

• Future Imperative - The Future tense in the indicative mood may be used as a command instead of using the imperative mood.

• Deliberative Future - The Future tense may be used in the form of consideration or deliberation or thinking out the effects or consequences of a course of action. This often occurs in the form of a question.

• Gnomic Future – The Future tense may be used to describe an event that can reasonably be expected to occur in the future.

• A participle in the future tense refers to an action or event that will occur in the future when compared to the time of the main verb or the sentence.

Form:

The basic form for a verb in the indicative Future tense is given in Table 4 Primary and Secondary Endings of Verbs , and Table 6 (Master Verb Tense Chart - The Future Tenses) of the Master paradigm.

See also:

• Table V-IT-2 (Indicative Thematic Verbs built on the Future Tense Stem)

• Table V-IT-5b (Aorist Passive and Future Passive Verbs built on the Aorist Passive Tense Stem

• Table V-AT-1 εἰμί Indicative

• Table V-AT-D1 δίδωμι (Active Indicative)

• Table V-AT-D1a δίδομι Middle/passive indicative

• Table V-AT-D2 ἵστημι (Active Indicative)

• Table V-AT-D2a ἵστημι middle/passive indicative

• Table V-AT-D3 τίθημι (Active Indicative)

• Table V-AT-D3a τίθημι middle/passive indicative

There are only five future infinitives that occur in the New Testament.

• ἔσεσθαι (future infinitive of εἰμί -will be , it will be, will happen) occurs four times, and

• εἰσελεύσεσθαι once (future infinitive of εἰσέρχομαι – to enter, will enter, will go into).

There are only twelve future participles that occur in the New Testament. [ἄξων (to lead away), αποδώσοντες (to give), γενησόμενον (to become), έσόμενον (to happen), κακώσων (to harm), κατακρινῶν (to condemn), λαληθησομένων (to be spoken), παραδώσων (to betray), ποιήσων (to make or to bring), προσκυνήσων (to worship), συναντήσοντα (to happen), σώσων (to save)].

In this section we will describe the formation of Verbs with a theme vowel in:

• Future Tense - Active Indicative

• Future Tense - Middle Indicative

• Liquid Future – Active Indicative

• Liquid Future – Middle Indicative

• First Future – Passive Indicative

• Second Future – Passive Indicative , and the

• Future Tense of εἰμί

Liquid verbs are verbs that have a stem ending in λ,μ,ν, or ρ. They are called “liquid” because the air flows around the tongue or through the nose when forming the sound of the letter.

Table V-TF-2 Formation of Future Tense Active Indicative

Table V-TF-2 Formation of Future Tense Active Indicative Verb (with a theme vowel)
Future Active Tense Stem	+	Tense Formative (σ)	+	Connecting Vowel	+	Primary Active Personal Ending
λυ	+	σ	+	ο	+	μεν	->	λύσομεν
We will loose

Table V-TF- 2a Future Active Indicative

Table V-TF-2a Future Tense (of Verbs with a theme vowel) Active Indicative
Single		Tense formative	connecting vowel	Primary Active Personal Ending *
1 Person	λύσω **	σ	ο	-	I will loose
2 Person	λύσεις	σ	ε	ις	You will loose
3 Person	λύσει	σ	ε	ι	He (she, it) will loose
Plural
1 Person	λύσομεν	σ	ο	μεν	We will loose
2 Person	λύσετε	σ	ε	τε	You will loose
3 Person	λύσουσι(ν) ***	σ	ο	νσι	They will loose

[Note]:

1. • The Primary active personal ending are listed in Quadrant 1 of Master Table 4

2. ** There is no primary personal ending for the 1 person singular. In this case the connecting vowel omicron has lengthened to an omega.

3. *** Third person plural ending – The primary personal ending is νσι which would result in λύσονσι, but the “ν” drops out because it is followed by a sigma and the connecting vowel “o” lengthens to compensate for the missing “v”. Therefore, λυ + σ +ο + νσι becomes λυ +σ + ου + σι -> λύσουσι

Table V-TF-3 Formation of Future Tense – Middle Indicative

Table V-TF-3 Formation of Future Tense Middle Indicative Verb (with a theme vowel)
Future Active Tense Stem	+	Tense Formative (σ)	+	Connecting Vowel	+	Primary Middle Personal Ending
λυ	+	σ	+	ο	+	μαι	->	λύσομαι
I will loose myself

Table V-TF-3a Future Middle Indicative (of verbs with a theme vowel)

Table V-TF-3a Future Tense Verbs (with a theme vowel) Middle Indicative
Single		Tense formative	connecting vowel	Active Personal Ending
1 Person	λύσομαι	σ	ο	μαι	I will loose for myself
2 Person	λύσῃ  *	σ	ε	σαι	You will loose for yourself
3 Person	λύσεται	σ	ε	ται	He (she, it) will loose for himself
Plural
1 Person	λυσόμεθα	σ	ο	μεθα	We will loose for ourselves
2 Person	λύσεσθε	σ	ε	σθε	You will loose for yourselves
3 Person	λύσονται	σ	ο	νται	They will loose for themselves

Note: 1. * λυ + σ+ε+σαι -> The sigma drops out because it is between two vowels and so we get λυ σ ε αι -> Then the epsilon and the alpha contract to η and so we get λυ σ ηι -> A final iota subscripts when following the long vowels (ω,η, or ᾶ) resulting in λὐσῃ.

Table V-TF-4 Formation of Liquid Future Active Indicative

Table V-TF-4 Formation of Liquid Future Tense Active Indicative Verb (with a theme vowel)
Future Active Tense Stem	+	Tense Formative (εσ)	+	Connecting Vowel	+	Primary Active Personal Ending
κριν	+	εσ	+	ο	+	μεν	->	κρινοῦμεν *
We will judge (decide, prefer)

[Note] * The sigma is intervocalic (between two vowels]. When this occurs it often drops out resulting in κριν ε ο μεν. The epsilon and the omicron then contract to form ου resulting in -> κρινοῦμεν.

Table V-TF-4a Future Active Indicative (of Liquid verbs with a theme vowel)

Table V-TF-4a Future Tense of Liquid Verbs (with a theme vowel) Active Indicative
Single		Tense formative	connecting vowel	Active Personal Ending
1 Person	κρινῶ [note 2]	εσ	ο	-	I will judge
2 Person	κρινεῖς [note 3]	εσ	ε	ς	You will judge
3 Person	κρινεῖ [note 4]	εσ	ε	ι	He (she, it) will judge
Plural
1 Person	κρινοῦμεν [note 5]	εσ	ο	μεν	We will judge
2 Person	κρινεῖτε [note 6]	εσ	ε	τε	You will judge
3 Person	κρινοῦσι(ν) [note 7]	εσ	ο	νσι	They will judge

Notes:

1. First, note that all forms have a circumflex accent on the last syllable.

2. [κριν + εσ + ο + -] -> The first person singlular personal ending is “nothing”, so we start with κριν + εσ + ο ->; The sigma is intervocalic (between two vowels) and drops out and the preceding vowel is lengthened becoming κριν η ο ->; The eta and the omicron then contract to become -> κρινῶ.

3. [κριν + εσ + ε + ς] -> The sigma is intervocalic and drops out becoming κριν ε ε σ ->; The two epsilons then contract to become -> κριν ει σ -> κρινεῖς.

4. [κριν + εσ + ει] -> The sigma is intervocalic and drops out becoming κριν ε ει -> ; The epsilon and the (epsilon iota) contract to become -> κρινεῖ.

5. [κριν + εσ + ο + μεν] -> The sigma is intervocalic and drops out becoming κριν ε ο μεν -> ; Then the epsilon and the omicron contract resulting in -> κρινοῦμεν.

6. [κριν + εσ + ε +τε] -> The sigma is intervocalic and drops out becoming κριν ε ε τε -> ; Then the two epsilons contract resulting in -> κρινεῖτε.

7. [κριν + εσ + ο + νσι] -> The nu in the primary personal ending drops out because of the sigma to become -> κριν εσ o σι ->; Then, the sigma drops out because it is intervocalic -> κριν ε o σι ->; Then the the epsilon and the omicron contract resulting in -> κρινοῦσι.

Table V-TF-5 Formation of Liquid Future Tense – Middle Indicative

Table V-TF-5 Formation of Liquid Future Tense Middle Indicative Verb (with a theme vowel)
Future Active Tense Stem	+	Tense Formative (εσ)	+	Connecting Vowel	+	Primary Middle/Passive Personal Ending
κριν	+	εσ	+	ο	+	μαι	->	κρινοῦμαι *
I will judge myself

• [Note] The sigma is intervocalic (between two vowels]. When this occurs it often drops out resulting in κριν ε ο μαι. The epsilon and the omicron then contract to form ου resulting in -> κρινοῦμαι.

Table V-TF-5a Future Middle Indicative (of Liquid verbs with a theme vowel)

Table V-TF-5a Future Tense of Liquid Verbs (with a theme vowel) Middle Indicative
Single		Tense formative	connecting vowel	Active Personal Ending
1 Person	κρινοῦμαι [note 2]	εσ	ο	μαι	I will judge myself
2 Person	κρινῇ [note 3]	εσ	ε	σαι	You will judge yourself
3 Person	κρινεῖται [note 4]	εσ	ε	ται	He (she, it) will judge themself
Plural
1 Person	κρινούμεθα [note 5]	εσ	ο	μεθα	We will judge ourselves
2 Person	κρινεῖσθε [note 6]	εσ	ε	σθε	You will judge yourselves
3 Person	κρίνοῦνται [note 7]	εσ	ο	νται	They will judge themselves

Notes:

1. First - note that all but one of the forms has a circumflex accent. The circumflex accent marks the contraction. The first person plural has an acute accent on the antepenult syllable (the third syllable from the end). It does not have a circumflex accent, because the circumflex can only stand on the last two syllables.

2. κριν + εσ + ο + μαι -> The sigma is intervocalic (between two vowels) and drops out. -> κριν ε ο μαι. Then the epsilon and omicron contract to become κρινοῦμαι.

3. κριν + εσ + ε + σαι -> The sigma is intervocalic and drops out and the preceding vowel is lengthened becoming κριν η ε σαι -> The eta and epsilon contract to become an eta. -> κριν η σαι Then, the second sigma is now intervocalic and it drops out. The eta and alpha contract to an eta. -> κριν η ι -> The final iota then subscripts -> κρινῇ.

4. κριν + εσ + ε + ται -> The sigma is intervocalic and drops out becoming κριν ε ε ται -> The two epsilons then contract to become -> κριν ει ται -> κρινεῖται.

5. κριν + εσ + ο + μεθα -> The sigma is intervocalic and drops out becoming κριν ε ο μεθα-> The epsilon and the (οmicron) contract to become -> κριν ου μεθα -> κρινοῦμεθα

6. κριν + εσ + ε + σθε -> The sigma is intervocalic and drops out becoming κριν ε ε σθε -> Then the two epsilons contract resulting in -> κρινεῖσθε.

7. κριν + εσ + ο + νται -> The sigma is intervocalic and drops out becoming -> κριν ε ο νται -> Then the epsilon and the omicron contract resulting in -> κρινοῦνται.

Table V-TF-6 Formation of First Future Passive Indicative

As with the Aorist tense, there is no difference in meaning between a 1st Future Passive Indicative verb and a 2nd Future Passive Indicative verb. They are both Future Passive Indicative verbs. If it helps, you may think of it as a room (the Future Passive room) and the Future Passive room that has two doors. It does not matter which door you use to enter the room. In both cases the word is now in the Future Passive room.

In the case of a Future Passive verb, the Future Passive tense is built upon the Aorist Passive Tense stem without the augment. A First Future Passive verb is built upon a First Aorist Passive Tense stem and the Second Future Passive verb is built upon a Second Aorist Passive Tense stem. In both cases the verb is a Future Passive Indicative verb.

Table V-TF-6 Formation of First Future Passive Indicative Verb

Table V-TF-6 Formation of First Future Passive Indicative Tense Verb (with a theme vowel)
Aorist Passive Tense Stem	+	Tense Formative (θησ)	+	Connecting Vowel	+	Primary Middle/Passive Personal Ending
λυ	+	θησ	+	ο	+	μαι	->	λυθήσομαι
I will be loosed (set free)

Note:

• There is no augment, because the augment indicates past time in the indicative mood.

• The tense formative θησ is similar to the tense formative for the First Aorist Passive Indicative verb θη but with the sigma (σ) for the future tense added on.

• The presence of the tense formative “θησ” tells us this is a Future Passive Indicative verb with one exception. The Aorist Passive third person plural ends with “-θησαν”. In this case the sigma is part of the third person plural ending “σαν” and is not a part of the tense formative.

Table V-TF- 6a First Future Passive Indicative ( of verbs with a theme vowel)

Table V-TF-6a First Future Passive Verbs (with a theme vowel) Indicative
Single		Tense formative	connecting vowel	Active Personal Ending
1 Person	λυθήσομαι	θησ	ο	μαι	I will be loosed
2 Person	λυθήσῃ *	θησ	ε	σαι	You will be loosed
3 Person	λυθήσεται	θησ	ε	ται	He (she, it) will be loosed
Plural
1 Person	λυθήσόμεθα	θησ	ο	μεθα	We will be loosed
2 Person	λυλήσεσθε	θησ	ε	σθε	You will be loosed
3 Person	λυθήσονται	θησ	ο	νται	They will be loosed

Note: * λυ + θησ + ε + σαι -> The second sigma is intervocalic and drops out -> λυ θησ ε αι -> Then the epsilon and alpha contract to an eta according to the rules for contraction -> λυ θησ ηι -> Then the iota subscripts when preceded with the long vowel α,η, or ω. -> λυθήσῃ

Table V-TF-7 Formation of Second Future Passive Indicative

As we stated with Table V-TF-6, there is no difference in meaning between a 1st Future Passive Indicative verb and a 2nd Future Passive Indicative verb. They are both Future Passive Indicative verbs. The Second Future Passive verb is built upon a Second Aorist Passive Tense stem.

Table V-TF-7 Formation of Second Future Passive Indicative Tense Verb (with a theme vowel)
Aorist Passive Tense Stem	+	Tense Formative (ησ)	+	Connecting Vowel	+	Primary Middle/Passive Personal Ending
χαρ	+	ησ	+	ο	+	μαι	->	χαρήσομαι
I will be glad

Note:

• There is no augment, because the augment indicates past time in the indicative mood.

• The tense formative ησ is similar to the tense formative for the First Aorist Passive Indicative verb η but with the sigma (σ) for the future tense added on.

Table V-TF- 7a Second Future Passive Indicative (of verbs with a theme vowel)

Table V-TF-7a Second Future Passive Verbs (with a theme vowel) Indicative
Single		Tense formative	connecting vowel	Active Personal Ending
1 Person	χαρήσομαι	ησ	ο	μαι	I will be glad
2 Person	χαρήσῃ  *	ησ	ε	σαι	You will be glad
3 Person	χαρήσεται	ησ	ε	ται	He (she, it) will be glad
Plural
1 Person	χαρησόμεθα	ησ	ο	μεθα	We will be glad
2 Person	χαρήεσθε	ησ	ε	σθε	You will be glad
3 Person	χαρήσονται	ησ	ο	νται	They will be glad

Note 1:

*χαρ + ησ + ε + σαι -> The second sigma drops out because it is intervocalic. -> becoming χαρ ησ ε αι -> Then the epsilon and the alpha contract to an eta in accordance with the rules of contraction -> χαρ ησ η ι -> Finally, the iota subscripts under the long eta -> χαρήσῃ.

Table V-TF-8 Future Tense of εἰμί

The future tense for εἰμί is easy to learn when the student notices that it is made up of the future tense formative (εσ) + the connecting vowel + plus the Primary Middle/Passive Personal Ending.

Table V-TF-8 Future Tense of εἰμί Indicative Mood
Single		Tense formative	connecting vowel	Primary Middle/Passive Personal Ending
1 Person	ἔσομαι	εσ	ο	μαι	I will be
2 Person	ἔσῃ [Νοτε 1]	εσ	ε	σαι	You will be
3 Person	ἔσται [Νοτε 2]	εσ	ε	ται	He (she, it) will be
Plural
1 Person	ἐσόμεθα	εσ	ο	μεθα	We will be
2 Person	ἔσεσθε	εσ	ε	σθε	You will be
3 Person	ἔσονται	εσ	ο	νται	They will be

• Note 1 - εσ ε σαι -> The second sigma (σ) is intervocalic and drops out becoming -> εσ ε αι. Then the episilon and the alpha contract to become an eta -> εσ ηι. Finally, the iota subscripts becoming εσῃ.

• Note 2 - The connecting vowel omicron (ο) drops out in the third person singular. This is the one exception to the pattern.

Examples

Example V-TF-9 Predictive Future

Predictive Future - The principle use of the Future tense in the indicative mood is to refer to unspecified action or event (aspect) that will occur in the future. It is therefore predictive in nature.

V-TF-9 Predictive Future Example

John 6:44
κἀγὼ	ἀναστήσω	αὐτὸν	ἐν	τῇ	ἐσχάτῃ	ἡμέρᾳ.
kagō	anastēsō	auton	en	tē	eschatē	hēmera
and I	I will raise up	him	in	the	last	day

and I will raise him up on the last day.

Example V-TF-10 Future Imperative

Future Imperative - The Future tense in the indicative mood may be used as a command instead of using the imperative mood.

V-TF-10 Future Imperative

Romans 13:9
οὐ φονεύσεις	οὐ κλέψεις	οὐκ ἐπιθυμήσεις	καὶ	εἴ		τις	ἑτέρα	ἐντολή
ou phoneuseis	ou klepseis	ouk epithymēseis	kai	ei		tis	hetera	entolē
Do not murder	do not steal	do not covet	and	if	(there is)	any	other	commandment

you shall not kill, you shall not steal, you shall not covet, and if (there is) any other commandment…

Example V-TF-11 Deliberative Future

Deliberative Future - The Future tense may be used to express consideration, deliberation, or thinking about the effects or consequences of a course of action. This often occurs in the form of a question.

V-TF-11 Deliberative Future

Romans 6:1
τί	οὖν	ἐροῦμεν?	ἐπιμένωμεν	τῇ	ἁμαρτίᾳ?
ti	oun	eroumen?	epimenōmen	tē	hamartia?
What	then	shall we say?	Are we to continue	in	sin?

What then will we say? Should we continue in the sin?

Example V-TF-12 Gnomic Future

The Gnomic Future is not used as a way to predict the future, but to describe an event that can reasonably be expected to occur in the future.

V-TF-12 Gnomic Future

Matthew 6:21
ὅπου	γάρ	ἐστιν	ὁ	θησαυρός	σου	ἐκεῖ	ἔσται	καὶ	ἡ	καρδία	σου.
hopou	gar	estin	ho	thēsauros	sou	ekei	estai	kai	hē	kardia	sou.
Where	for	it is	the	treasure	of you	there	it will be	also	the	heart	of you.

For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

Example V-TF-13 Participle

Participles in the future tense refer to an action or event that will occur in the future when compared to the time of the main verb for the sentence. In the New Testament, there are only 13 participles that occur in the future tense.

V-TF-12 Participle

Matthew 27:49
ἴδωμεν	εἰ	ἔρχεται	Ἠλείας	σώσων	αὐτόν.
idōmen	ei	erchetai	Ēleias	sōsōn	auton.
Let us see	if	he will come	Elijah	saving	him

We may see whether Elijah comes to save him.

[Note: - In this verse ἔρχεται is in the present tense and σώσων is a future masculine plural participle modifying the coming of Elijah. The English translations are picking up on the future tense of the participle and applying it to the verb. In any event the future participle is referring to a time that is future from those who are speaking.]