Tense perfect

Glossary

Perfect is the verb tense-form used to describe the present state (e.g., you are forgiven) of what is being described or to describe something which took place in the past (e.g., we have eaten, they have traveled). It is often thought of as a completed action that has results which continue into the present time of the speaker.

Example: V-PT-1

Matthew 3:2

μετανοεῖτε

ἤγγικεν

γὰρ

ἡ

Βασιλεία

τῶν

Οὐρανῶν.

metanoeite

ēngiken

gar

hē

Basileia

tōn

Ouranōn.

Repent

is near

for

the

Kingdom

of the

Heavens

“Repent, for the kingdom of the heavens is near.” Or “Repent for the kingdom of heaven has come near.”

[Note]

  • The translation of “has come near” places an emphasis on the “completed action in the past” aspect, while the translation “is near” picks up on the stative aspect.

  • The English language also has difficulty picking up on another nuance in the Greek text. The placement of the perfect verb up front puts an emphasis on the nearness. “Repent, for NEAR is the kingdom of heaven.”

Article

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, or

    • Stative - The Perfect tense is a stative tense. It is used to express a state of being. Therefore, aspect is used to express the present state or condition rather than the action that occurred to arrive at the present condition. A past action is implied by use of the perfect tense.

  2. Time - the time of action

  • The principle use of the Perfect tense in the indicative mood is to express the state of being of its object at the time the speaker is speaking.

  • There is no implication that the current state will continue into the future based on the use of the Perfect tense.

The Perfect Tense occurs 1,574 times in the New Testament (compared to 11,572 for the Present Tense; 11,826 for the Aorist Tense; and 1,634 for the future tense. This is very close to the 1,691occurrences of the Imperfect Tense.).

The translator should give special attention when the Perfect Tense is used (compared to the Present Tense or the Aorist Tense) and try to note the significance of the meaning that is being conveyed by use of Perfect Tense.

The Perfect Tense is principally used to place an emphasis on the results or present condition that now exists from the past action. This condition may have come into being as a result of a single action in the past or as a result of a series of actions. As already stated, there is no implication (based on the use of the perfect tense) that these results will continue into the future, merely that they are still present at the time the speaker makes the statement. In V-TP-7d Imagined Event we give an example where the people only imagined that an event had occurred; and their perception was incorrect.

Based on the context, the use of the Perfect Tense may be classified into four separate categories:

  1. Intensive Perfect - The predominate use of the Perfect tense is referred to as the Intensive Perfect. Because the Perfect is a stative tense, the focus is on the resultant state as opposed to the completed act. Depending upon the context, there may be (1) a greater emphasis on the present condition; or (2) a greater emphasis on the completed action that resulted in the present condition in which case the use of a helping verb is appropriate. [See Example Intensive Perfect]

  2. Gnomic Perfect - The Gnomic Perfect refers to a state that results from an action that can occur at any time (an event that can be assumed to occur because it happens so frequently). [See Example Gnomic Perfect]

  3. Aoristic Perfect - In some cases it appears that the Perfect Tense is being used with the same meaning as the Aorist tense - to indicate an action that occurred in the past. However, some grammarians suggest that the translator use caution in coming to this conclusion. If the verb in the perfect tense occurs with other verbs in the aorist tense, the translator must ask why is this verb in the perfect tense? What seems to be a simple statement may be placed in the perfect tense to dramatize or place a special emphasis on this event. [See Example Aoristic Perfect]

  4. Present Force Perfect - It is frequently suggested that Οἶδα, although in the Perfect Tense, is used with a Present Tense meaning. Οἶδα is a stative verb and so lends itself to the Perfect Tense, however other stative verbs appear in the Present Tense such as εἴμι. These verbs could be classified as an Intensive Perfect with a greater emphasis on the present condition. [See Example Present Force Perfect]

Form:

The basic form for a verb in the indicative Perfect tense is given in Verb Master Table 4-Primary and Secondary Endings of Verbs and Verb-Master Table 8-The Perfect Tenses of the Master paradigm.

See also:

The Paradigms also contain forms of verbs in the Perfect tense for the subjunctive mood, imperative mood, participles, and infinitives. See Paradigms:

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

  • The 1st and 2nd Perfect Active Indicative

  • Perfect Middle/Passive Indicative

  • Athematic Perfect Indicative

Form - First and Second Perfect Active Indicative for Thematic Verbs

As with the Aorist Tense, The Koine Greek language has two ways of forming the Perfect Tense.

  • 1st Perfect, and

  • 2nd Perfect

There is no difference in meaning between a 1st Perfect verb and a 2nd Perfect Verb. They are both perfect verbs. If it helps, you may think of it as a room (the Perfect Tense room) and the Perfect Tense room has two doors. It does not matter which door you use to enter the room. In both cases the word is now in the Perfect Tense room. The vast majority of Perfect verbs in the New Testament are 1st Perfect Verbs.

  • 1st Perfect verbs use the same verbal stem that is used in the present tense.

  • 2nd Perfect verbs are first formed by making a change to the present tense stem for the verb. The change in the stem let’s the reader know that it is a 2nd Perfect verb.

Table V-PT-2 Perfect Active Indicative Verbs

Built on the verb λύω (I loose) and γράφω (I write)

Table V-PT-2
Perfect Active
Indicative Verbs (with a Theme Vowel)
Based on the Perfect Active Tense Stem
1st Perfect 2nd Perfect
Single
1 Person λέλυκα γέγραφα
2 Person λέλυκας γέγραφας
3 Person λέλυκε(ν) γέγραφε(ν)
Plural
1 Person λελύκαμεν γεγράφαμεν
2 Person λελύκατε γεγράφατε
3 Person λελύκασι(ν) γεγράφασι(ν)

Table V-PT-2a Formation of First Perfect Active Indicative Verb

Table V-PT-2a
Formation of
First Perfect Active Indicative
for Thematic Verbs
Reduplication + 1st Perfect Active
Tense Stem		 + Tense
Formative		 + Primary
Active
Personal Ending
λε + λυ + κα + μεν -> λελύμεν
We have loosed

The 1st Perfect Active Indicative for a verb is formed by using:

  1. Reduplication - or duplicating the first consonant of the tense stem for the verb (for verbs that begin with a single consonant) and adding and epsilon.

  2. Plus The first perfect active tense stem

  3. Plus the tense formative (κα)

  4. Plus the primary active personal ending.

Note on Reduplication:

  1. for verbs that begin with a vowel the beginning vowel lengthens and becomes:

  • an eta (η) for verbs beginning with an alpha (α) or an epsilon (ε), or

  • an omega (ω) for verbs beginning with an omicron (ο)

  • α -> η

  • ε -> η

  • ο -> ω

This is known as “vocalic reduplication” and is the same as with the aorist or imperfect tenses. The tense formative “κα” will make it clear that this is a perfect tense verb and not an aorist or imperfect tense verb. For example: αἴρω -> ἧρκα (I have raised up)

  1. Exception: Verbs that begin with a diphthong may or may not lengthen. For Example: εὐλογέω -> εὐλόγηκα (I have blessed)

  2. Reduplication will cause the consonant to lose its aspiration for aspirated verbs that begin with a phi(φ), xi (χ), or theta (θ) in the third column of the Square of Stops Table (or see below this paragraph). Therefore, the phi will change to a pi (π), the xi to a kappa (κ), and the theta to a tau (τ). This makes it easier to pronounce. The consonants in the first two columns (Voiceless and Voiced) will reduplicate like any other consonant. For Example: [the third column verb φιλέω -> πεφίληκα (I have loved)] and [the first column verb καλέω -> κέκληκα (I have called)].

Square of Stops
Voiceless Voiced Aspirated
Labiel π β φ
Velar κ γ χ
Dental τ δ θ

  1. For compound verbs, the reduplication will take place after the prefix with the verbal part of the compound verb. For example: καταβαίνω -> καταβέβηκα (I have come down).

  2. Contract verbs will lengthen the contract vowel as in the case of φιλέω in paragraph c) above. The epsilon lengthened to an eta. (φιλέω -> πεφίληκα ( I have loved).

  3. Perfect verb stems that begin with two consonants, usually prefix an epsilon. For example γινὠσκω -> ἔγνωκα (I have known/ I have come to know) or έγνώκαμεν. In this case the presence of the tense formative “κα” will inform the reader that this is a perfect verb and the “ ε” at the beginning of the verb is a reduplication. Therefore, this is not an imperfect or aorist verb.

Form - V-PT-3 The Second Perfect Active Indicative verb:

There are only a few Second Perfect verbs in the New Testament from 26 different stems. Some of the most frequent are:

  • ἀκούω -> ἀκήκοα (I have heard)

  • γίνομαι -> γέγονα (I have become)

  • γράφω -> γέγραφα (I have written)

  • ἔρχομαι -> ἐλήλυθα (I have gone)

  • λαμβάνω -> εἴληφα ( I have received)

  • πείθω -> πέποιθα (I have persuaded), and

  • οἴδα (I know) which is a perfect verb that is used in Koine Greek with a present tense meaning.

Table V-PT-3 Formation of Second Perfect Active Indicative Verb

Table V-PT-3
Formation of
Second Perfect Active Indicative
for Thematic Verbs
Reduplication + 2nd Perfect Active
Tense Stem		 + Tense
Formative		 + Primary
Active
Personal
Ending
γε + γραφ + α + - -> γέγραφα
I have written

V-PT-4 Formation of Perfect Middle/Passive Indicative Verb

Perfect Middle/Passive indicative verbs are formed from the Perfect Middle/Passive tense stem.

There is NO Tense formative and NO connecting vowel for verbs in the Perfect Middle/Passive indicative tense.

The Perfect Middle tense is identified by the reduplication + and absence of a connecting vowel + The Quadrant 3 Middle/Passive Personal Ending attached directly to the Perfect Tense Stem.

There are no Second Perfects in the Middle/Passive because there is no tense formative.

Table V-PT-4
Formation of
Perfect Middle/Passive Indicative Tense
for Thematic Verbs
Reduplication + Perfect Middle/Passive
Tense Stem		 + Quadrant 3
Secondary
Middle/Passive
Personal Ending
λε + λυ + μαι -> λέλυμαι
I have been loosed

Table V-PT-5 Indicative Verbs with a Theme Vowel Based on the Perfect Middle/Passive Tense Stem

Table V-PT-5
Perfect Active
Indicative Verbs (with a Theme Vowel)
Based on the Perfect Middle/Passive
Tense Stem
λύω
I loose
Single
1 Person λέλυμαι
2 Person λέλυσαι
3 Person λέλυται
Plural
1 Person λελύμεθα
2 Person λελύσθε
3 Person λελύνται

V-PT-6 Formation of Athematic Perfect Indicative Verbs

As with the formation of Perfect verbs with a theme vowel:

  • Athematic verbs reduplicate the initial consonant with an epsilon. and

  • Use κα for a tense formative

Table V-PT-6
Perfect Athematic Indicative Verbs
δίδωμι ἵστημι τίθημι
Active Middle
Passive		 Active Middle
Passive		 Active Middle
Passive
Singular
1 person δέδωκα δέδομαι ἕστηκα -  ** τέθεικα τέθειμαι
2 person δέδωκας δέδοσαι * ἕστηκας - τέθεικας τέθεισαι *
3 person δέδωκε(ν) δέδοται ἕστηκε(ν) - τέθεικε(ν) τέθειται
Plural
1 person δεδώκαμεν δεδόμεθα ἑστήκαμεν - τεθείκαμεν τεθείμεθα
2 person δεδώκατε δέδοσθε ἑστήκατε - τεθείκατε τέθεισθε
3 person δέδωκαν δέδονται ἑστήκασι(ν) - τεθείκασι(ν) τέθεινται

[Νοτε] * Because there is no vowel between the tense formative and the Personal ending, the sigma does not drop out and we have the true second person singular Middle/Passive ending.

** There are no occurrences for ἵστημι in the Perfect Middle/Passive Indicative.

Examples:

Intensive Perfect- V-PT-7a Greater Emphasis Current State

The Perfect Tense places an emphasis on the results or present state of the subject as a result from an action completed in the past. This is the most common use of the Perfect Tense. It is referred to as the Intensive Perfect. However, the use of the Perfect Tense does NOT imply that the results will continue forever. This type of conclusion must be made on the basis of other factors.

Example V-PT-7a Intensive Perfect Tense - greater emphasis on the Current State

Mark 5:34

ἡ

πίστις

σου

σέσωκέν

σε

hē

pistis

sou

sesōken

se

The

faith

of you

it has healed

you

Your faith has healed you.

Intensive Perfect V-PT-7b Emphasis Completed Action

Example V-PT-7b Intensive Perfect Tense - greater emphasis on the completed action that resulted in current state.

1 Jn 1:3

ὃ

ἑωράκαμεν

καὶ

ἀκηκόαμεν

ἀπαγγέλλομεν

καὶ

ὑμῖν

ho

heōrakamen

kai

akēkoamen

apangellomen

kai

hymin

What

we have seen

and

we have heard

we declare

also

to you

What we have seen and heard, we declare also to you.

Intensive Perfect - V-PT-7c Emphasis Current Condition Only

Acts 24:7 is an example of the emphasis on the present state of Paul as a result of his having been placed in prison in the past. His current state is “imprisoned.” It is also clear from the context, there is a possibility of his release by the next governor. The emphasis is on his current condition as a result of past action, not on what may or may not happen in the future.

Example V-PT-7c Current Condition only

Acts 24:27

ὁ

Φῆλιξ

κατέλιπε

τὸν

Παῦλον

δεδεμένον

ho

Phēlix

katelipe

ton

Paulon

dedemenon

The

Felix

left

the

Paul

bound/imprisoned

Felix left Paul imprisoned.

Intensive Perfect - V-PT-7d Imagined Event

The use of the perfect tense is based on the view point of the speaker. The speaker’s viewpoint may or may not be true.

Example V-PT-7d Imagined Event

Mark 6:14

ἔλεγον

ὅτι

Ἰωάννης

ὁ

βαπτίζων

ἐγήγερται

ἐκ

νεκρῶν

elegon

hoti

Iōannēs

ho

baptizōn

egēgertai

ek

nekrōn

They were saying

that

John

the

one who baptizes

has been raised

from

(the) dead

They (some) were saying, “John the Baptist has been raised from the dead”

Gnomic Perfect - V-PT-8

The Gnomic Perfect refers to a state that could result from an action that could occur at any time.

Example V-PT-8 Gnomic Perfect

Rm 7.2

ἡ

γὰρ

ὕπανδρος

γυνὴ

τῷ

ζῶντι

ἀνδρὶ

δέδεται

νόμῳ

ἐὰν

δὲ

ἀποθάνῃ

ὁ

ἀνήρ

κατήργηται

ἀπὸ

τοῦ

νόμου

hē

gar

hypandros

gynē

tō

zōnti

andri

dedetai

nomō

ean

de

apothanē

ho

anēr

katērgētai

apo

tou

nomou

The

for

married

woman

to the

while living

husband

is bound

by law

if

but

he dies

the

man

she is released

from

the

law

For the married woman remains bound by law to the living husband, but if the husband dies, she has been released from the law

Aoristic Perfect V-PT-9

In some cases it appears that the Perfect Tense is being used with the same meaning as the Aorist tense. It simply refers to an action that occurred in the past. However, some grammarians suggest that one use caution in coming to this conclusion. If the verb in the perfect tense occurs with other verbs in the aorist tense, the translator must ask why is this verb in the perfect tense? What, at first glance, seems to be a simple statement about an event that occurred in the past, may be placed in the perfect tense to dramatize or place a special emphasis on this event.

Example V-PT-9 Aoristic Perfect

Rev 7:14

καὶ

εἴρηκα

αὐτῷ

κύριέ

μου

σὺ

οἶδας

kai

eirēka

autō

kyrie

mou

sy

oidas

and

I said

to him

Lord

of me

you

you know

And I said to him, “My lord,you know.”

Present Force Perfect V-PT-10

Example V-PT-10 Present Force Perfect

Mark 14:71

οὐκ

οἶδα

τὸν

ἄνθρωπον

τοῦτον

ouk

oida

ton

anthrōpon

touton

not

I know

the

man

this

I do not know this man