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A. Pure Dative Uses

The subgroups here are specific uses built on the root idea of _personal interest_ and reference/respect.

1. Dative of Indirect Object [ to, for ]
The dative substantive is that to or for which the action of a verb is performed. The indirect object _will only occur with a transitive verb_. When the transitive verb is in the active voice, the indirect object receives the direct object ("the boy hit the ball to me "); when the verb is in the passive voice, the indirect object receives the subject of the verb ("the ball was hit to me "). The keys are (1) the verb must be transitive, and (2) if the dative can be translated with to or for it is most likely indirect object.

• John 4:10 and he would have given to you living water
• Luke 1:13 Your wife Elizabeth will bear a son to you, and you will call his name John

Dative of Interest [ for the benefit of, in the interest of / to the disadvantage of, against ]
The dative substantive indicates the person (or, rarely, thing) interested in the verbal action. The dative of advantage ( commodi) has a to or for idea, while the dative of disadvantage ( incommodi) has an against idea.

• Matt 23:31 You testify against yourselves
• 1Cor 6:13 food is for [the benefit of] the stomach

Dative of Reference / Respect [ with reference to ]
The dative substantive is that in reference to which something is presented as true. An author will use this dative to qualify a statement that would otherwise typically not be true.

• Rom 6:2 How shall we who died [with reference ] to sin still live in it?
• Rom 6:11 Consider yourselves to be dead to sin, but alive to God

Dative in Simple Apposition
Though not technically a syntactical category, the dative case (as well as the other cases) can be an appositive 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 dative substantive can belong to any dative category and the second is merely a clarification of who or what is mentioned. Thus, the appositive "piggy-backs" on the first dative's use, as it were.

• Matt 27:2 They handed [him] over to Pilate, the governor
• Luke 1:47 My spirit rejoices in God my Savior

B. Local Dative Uses

The subgroups here are specific uses built on the root idea of position, whether spatial, nonphysical, or temporal.

Dative of Sphere [ in the sphere of ]
The dative substantive indicates the sphere or realm in which the word to which it is related takes place or exists. Normally this word is a verb, but not always.

• Acts 16:5 The churches grew in faith
• Matt 5:8 Blessed are the pure in heart

Dative of Time (when)
The noun in the dative indicates the time when the action of the main verb is accomplished. The dative routinely denotes _point of time_, answering the questioni "When?" In the eight-case system, this would abe the locative of time. Though common enough, this usagae is being increasingly replaced in Koine Greek with en + the dative.

• Matt 17:23 [At a point in time] on the third day he will be raised
• Matt 24:20 But pray that your flight will not be during the winter nor on the sabbath

C. Instrumental Dative Uses

This subgroups here are specific uses built on the root idea of means, although some loosely fit under this umbrella.

Dative of Association (Accompaniment, Comitative) [ in association with ]
The dative substantive indicates the person or thing one associates with or accompanies

• Acts 9:7 the men who were traveling with him
• 2Cor 6:14 Do not become unequally yoked [in association] with unbelievers

Dative of Manner (Adverbial Dative) [ with, in (answering "How?") ]
The dative substantive denotes the manner in which the action of the verb is accomplished. Like many adverbs, this use of the dative answers the question "How?" The manner can be an accompanying action, attitude, emotion, or circumstance. Hence, such a dative noun routinely has an abstract quality. This usage is being supplanted by en + dative (or meta + gen) in Koine Greek.

• John 7:26 He speaks with boldness (= boldly)
• 1Cor 10:30 if I partake [of the food] with thanksgiving (= thankfully)

Dative of Means/Instrument [ by, by means of, with ]
The dative substantive is used to indicate the means or instrument by which the verbal action is accomplished.

• Matt 8:16 He cast out the spirits by [means of] a word
• John 11:2 She wiped his feet with her hair.

Dative of Measure/ Degree of Difference [ by ]
The dative substantive, when following or preceeding a comparative adjective or adverb, may be used to indicate the extent to which the comparison is true or the degree of difference that exists in the comparison.

• Rom 5:8-9 While we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more [literally, "more by much "], then, since we have now been justified by his blood, we will be saved from the [coming] wrath through him.
• Phil 2:12 you obeyd ... much more in my absence.

Dative of Cause [ because of ]
The dative substantive indicates the cause or basis of the action of the verb.

• Luke 15:17 How many of my father's hirelings are overflowing in bread, but I am perishing here because of a famine?
• Rom 4:20 He did not waver because of unbelief

D. The Uses of the Dative After Certain Words

There are some uses of the dative that do not neatly fit into any of the above categories

12. Dative Direct Object
A number of verbs take the dative as their direct object. Also, it should be noted that such datives are usually related to verbs implying personal relation. Thus the meanings of the verbs correspond in meaning to the basic ideas of the pure dative.

• Heb 1:6 And let all the angels of God worship him.

13. Dative After Certain Nouns
A few nouns take datives after them. Again, the notion of personal interest is almost always seen. This category is not particularly common. These nouns are verbal nouns (i.e. they are cognate to a verb) Furthermore, frequently that noun finds its counterpart in one of the verbs taking a dative direct object

• Matt 8:34 All the city came out for a meeting with Jesus
• 1Cor 16:15 service to all the saints

14. Dative After Certain Adjectives
A few adjectives are followed by the dative case. Once again, when the idea of personal interest appears, the dative is naturally used.

• Matt 13:31 The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed
• Rom 1:30 disobedient to parents