δύνασθε (dynasthe) in John 15:5: Verb Second Person Plural Present Middle or Passive Deponent Indicative

Verb: the form names an action, state, or verbal idea. The verse determines how strongly the verbal form should be pressed.

Present: tense and aspect describe how the action is presented in this form, but context decides the exact force.

Middle or Passive Deponent: voice describes how the subject relates to the verbal action in this form.

Indicative: the form's mood helps explain how the verbal idea functions in the clause.

Second Person: the form marks who is involved in the verbal assertion, command, or clause.

Not applicable: this verb form is not using noun case to mark its sentence role.

Plural: the form is marked for grammatical number and should be tied to the subject or clause it serves.

Not applicable: this verb form does not use grammatical gender to make its point.

Jesus' statement that apart from him the disciples can do nothing

The ability statement in John 15:5

δύνασθε is a Verb Second Person Plural Present Middle or Passive Deponent Indicative within "πολύν· ὅτι χωρὶς ἐμοῦ οὐ δύνασθε ποιεῖν οὐδέν.". The present deponent indicative states the disciples' inability apart from Jesus.

The verb does not deny ordinary human activity in every sense. In the vine image, it speaks about fruitfulness apart from Jesus.

High: The form matters because it functions as predicate in John 15:5.

Verb Second Person Plural Present Middle or Passive Deponent Indicative. states inability apart from Jesus. Attached to Jesus' statement that apart from him the disciples can do nothing. Governed by the ability statement in John 15:5. The syntax should be explained from the clause, not isolated from the passage.

What does Jesus say the disciples can do apart from him? The verb states that they are not able to do anything in the fruitfulness frame of the verse.

Direct: The form directly supports you can do nothing.

The same morphology label can function differently in another verse. The immediate wording should decide the contextual force. Grammar identifies the form's role; the passage supplies the interpretive weight. Grammatical gender is not a separate theological claim.

Grammar alone proves doctrine: The form supports interpretation only as it serves the verse and its context. form label replaces context: Do not isolate can from the vine image. The verse's concern is fruitful life in dependence on Jesus. grammatical gender proves theology: Grammatical gender is a language feature and should not be pressed beyond the verse.

The Textus Receptus witness for John 15:5 reads δύνασθε with the morphology label Verb Second Person Plural Present Middle or Passive Deponent Indicative.

The lemma is δύναμαι. The guide uses the gloss "I am powerful, am able" only to orient this occurrence.

δύνασθε appears in the phrase "πολύν· ὅτι χωρὶς ἐμοῦ οὐ δύνασθε ποιεῖν οὐδέν.". The present deponent indicative states the disciples' inability apart from Jesus.

John 15:5 grounds fruitfulness in abiding in Jesus and denies fruitfulness apart from him.

The form fits John's emphasis on dependence on Jesus for life and fruit.

When teaching John 15:5, use the ability verb to show dependence without broadening the claim beyond the verse's fruitfulness frame.

The verb does not deny ordinary human activity in every sense. In the vine image, it speaks about fruitfulness apart from Jesus.