ἐντολὴν (entolen) in John 13:34: Noun Accusative Singular Feminine

Noun: the word names a person, reality, title, idea, or thing in the sentence. Context determines what the noun contributes here.

Accusative: the case marks how the form relates to the surrounding words in this occurrence.

Singular: the form is grammatically singular or plural in this occurrence and should be read within the clause context.

Feminine: the form belongs to this grammatical class here. Grammatical gender does not by itself make a theological gender claim.

ἐντολὴν καινὴν δίδωμι ὑμῖν, ἵνα

The verb of giving in John 13:34

ἐντολὴν is a Noun Accusative Singular Feminine within "ἐντολὴν καινὴν δίδωμι ὑμῖν, ἵνα". The accusative noun names the commandment Jesus gives to his disciples.

The noun does not make Christian love a detached rule apart from Jesus' pattern.

High: The form matters because it functions as direct-object in John 13:34.

Noun Accusative Singular Feminine. functions as the direct object of what Jesus gives. Attached to Jesus' statement that he gives a new commandment. Governed by the verb of giving in John 13:34. The syntax should be explained from the clause, not isolated from the passage.

What is Jesus giving in this sentence? The accusative noun names the commandment Jesus gives to his disciples.

Direct: The accusative noun directly supports rendering the phrase as a commandment that Jesus gives.

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. command language cancels grace: The command is real, but John 13:34 grounds it in Jesus' love, not in detached moralism. grammatical gender proves theology: Grammatical gender is a language feature and should not be pressed beyond the verse.

The Textus Receptus witness for John 13:34 reads ἐντολὴν with the morphology label Noun Accusative Singular Feminine.

The lemma is ἐντολή. The guide uses the gloss "an ordinance, injunction, command" only to orient this occurrence.

ἐντολὴν appears in the phrase "ἐντολὴν καινὴν δίδωμι ὑμῖν, ἵνα". The accusative noun names the commandment Jesus gives to his disciples.

John 13:34 introduces Jesus' new commandment: that his disciples love one another as he has loved them.

The form fits John's connection between Jesus' love and the community's visible obedience.

When teaching John 13:34, use this form to show that the love command is not optional advice. It is the commandment Jesus gives.

Do not treat the noun commandment as legalism by itself. The verse defines the command through Jesus' own love.