Home | Changes | Index | Search | Go

A. Substantival Uses of the Accusative

Accusative Direct Object
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.

• Matt 5:46 if you love those who love you
• Mark 2:17 I did not come to call the righteous but sinners

Double Accusative
There are two types of double accusative constructions - i.e., constructions in which a verb takes two accusatives. Because the semantics are different, it is important to distinguish them.

1. a. Double Accusative of the Person and Thing 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. Another way to put this is that the person is the object affected, while the thing is the object effected.
   • John 14:26 He will teach you all things
   • Matt 27:31 They stripped him of [his] robe and put his own garments on him.
2. b. Double Accusative of Object-Complement 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. The complement may be substantival or adjectival. This usage occurs only with certain kinds of verbs.
   • Matt 22:43 David in the Spirit calls him [obj] Lord [comp]
   • Matt 4:19 I will make you [obj] fishers [comp] of men.

Predicate Accusative
The accusative substantive (or adjective) stands in predicate relation to another accusative substantive. The two will be joined by an equative verb, either an infinitive or participle.

• Luke 4:41 They knew that he was the Christ.
• Eph 2:21 although you were dead in [your] trespasses

Accusative Subject of the Infinitive
The accusative substantive frequently functions semantically as the subject of the infinitive. Though older grammars insist that technically this is an accusative of respect, from a descriptive and functional perspective, it is better to treat it as subject.

• Matt 22:3 He sent his servants to call those who had been invited
• Heb 5:12 You need someone to teach you.

Accusative in Simple Apposition
Though not technically a syntactical category, the accusative case (as well as the other cases) can be adjacent to another substantive in the same case. An appositional construction involves two adjacent substantives that refer to the same person or thing and have the same syntactical relation to the rest of the clause. The first accusative substantive can belong to any accusative category, and the second is merely a clarification of who or what is mentioned. Thus, the appositive "piggy-backs" on the first accusative's use, as it were.

• Mark 1:16 Andrew the brother of Simon
• Acts 16:31 Believe in the Lord Jesus and you will be saved.

B. Adverbial Uses of the Accusative

Adverbial Accusative (Accusative of Manner)
The accusative substantive functions semantically like an adverb in that it qualifie s the action of the verb rather than indicating quantity or extent of the verbal action. It frequently acts like an adverb of manner, though not always.

• Matt 10:8 You received freely, freely give
• Matt 6:33 but seek first the kingdom of God

Accusative of Measure (Extent of Time or Space) [for the extent of, for the duration of ]
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).

• Luke 2:44 but assuming that he was in the group, they went a day's journey
• Matt 20:6 Why have you been standing here idle the whole day?

Accusative of Respect or (General) Reference [ with reference to, or concerning ]
The accusative substantive restricts the reference of the verbal action. It indicates with reference to what the verbal action is represented as true.

• Matt 27:57 a rich man from Arimathea, Joseph by name
• John 6:10 Then the men sat down - with reference to number about 5000