Aorist and Future Passive

A separate passive stem

In the present and imperfect, middle and passive share their forms. In the aorist and future they normally have separate stems. Compare ἐλυσάμην, 'I released for myself', with ἐλύθην, 'I was released'. The sixth principal part gives you this passive stem.

The regular aorist passive is augment + stem + θη + endings: ἐλύθην, ἐλύθης, ἐλύθη, ἐλύθημεν, ἐλύθητε, ἐλύθησαν. These endings look like active endings, but the θη stem marks the form as passive. Never identify voice from the ending alone.

An aorist passive reports a past event as a whole. 'Was released' is the usual translation, not 'was being released', which normally represents an imperfect. Some verbs with passive morphology have intransitive or active English meanings, so always check the vocabulary and context.

• ὁ δοῦλος ἐλύθη ὑπὸ τοῦ κυρίου. — The slave was released by the master.
• οἱ μαθηταὶ ἐδιδάχθησαν. — The disciples were taught.

The second aorist passive

Some passive aorists use η without θ. This is called the second aorist passive. Its meaning is not different; its formation is. γράφω has ἐγράφην, 'I was written', and third singular ἐγράφη, 'it was written'.

Stem consonants may also change in first aorist passives: διδάσκω has ἐδιδάχθην and πέμπω has ἐπέμφθην. These are reasons to learn the sixth principal part rather than merely attaching -θην to the present form.

When parsing, ask three questions: is there an augment, what passive stem is present, and which person ending follows? θ is a helpful clue when it occurs, but its absence does not rule out a passive.

• ἐγράφη ὁ λόγος. — The message was written.
• ἐπέμφθη ὁ ἀπόστολος. — The apostle was sent.

Future passive and the aorist passive infinitive

The future passive uses the unaugmented passive stem, then σ and primary middle/passive endings: λυ-θη-σ-ομαι, 'I will be released'. The forms are λυθήσομαι, λυθήσῃ, λυθήσεται, λυθησόμεθα, λυθήσεσθε, λυθήσονται.

Keep the three future forms distinct: λύσω is active, λύσομαι is middle, and λυθήσομαι is passive. A second-aorist passive stem produces a future with ησ, without θ: γράφω has γραφήσομαι.

The aorist passive infinitive is λυθῆναι, 'to be released'; a second-aorist passive example is γραφῆναι, 'to be written'. These have no augment. As with other aorist infinitives, the whole-event viewpoint does not by itself put the action in past time.

• λυθήσεται ὁ δοῦλος. — The slave will be released.
• θέλω διδαχθῆναι. — I want to be taught.

Vocabulary (9)

Χριστός, ὁ

anointed one, Messiah, Christ

δαιμόνιον, τό

demon, evil spirit

σημεῖον, τό

sign, mark; wonder

ἁμαρτία, ἡ

sin

τυφλός, -ή, -όν

blind

φανερόω

I reveal, make clear, make known

ἀποκαλύπτω

I uncover, reveal

συνάγω

I gather, bring together

ἐγράφη

it was written (aorist passive of γράφω)