Greek Form Guide

πεινῶντες (peinontes) in Matthew 5:6: Verb Present Active Participle Nominative Plural Masculine

πεινῶντες (peinontes) in Matthew 5:6

Textual Witness

πεινῶντες peinontes Verb Present Active Participle Nominative Plural Masculine

The witness reads πεινῶντες in Matthew 5:6.

How The Form Affects Interpretation

The participle frames righteousness as an object of deep desire.

How To Communicate It

Use it to show that the Beatitude describes active longing for righteousness.

What Not To Say

  • Grammatical form should serve context, not override it.
  • Keep hunger coordinated with thirsting.
  • Keep righteousness as the object of the longing.
  • Do not turn the metaphor into physical hunger alone.
  • Do not make grammar settle the full doctrine of righteousness.

What Does The Label Mean?

Part of Speech

Verb: the form is a participle, carrying verbal action while describing a clause participant.

Tense / Aspect

Present: often views the action as in progress, customary, or presently in view. Context decides the exact force.

Voice

Active: presents the subject as carrying out the action.

Mood

Participle: carries a verbal idea while also functioning like an adjective or clause element.

Person

Not applicable: this non-finite verbal form does not mark grammatical person.

Case

Nominative: marks the subject or predicate role as the context requires.

Number

Plural: the number should be read from this occurrence, not generalized beyond the clause.

Gender

Masculine: grammatical gender marks form agreement and does not by itself make a theological claim.

What The Form Does In This Verse

Attached To

Those who hunger

Governed By

Jesus' fourth Beatitude declaration in Matthew 5:6

Role In The Phrase

Names the first desire in the blessed group's longing for righteousness.

What It Is Not Doing

Do not detach hunger from the coordinated thirsting and the object righteousness.

How Much The Form Matters Here

Interpretive Weight

High: The form names the first half of the Beatitude's desire pair.

Syntax Profile

Substantival participle naming the blessed group. identifies those hungering for righteousness. Attached to those who hunger. Governed by Jesus' fourth Beatitude declaration in Matthew 5:6. Read with the coordinated thirsting participle and the object righteousness.

Reader Question

What kind of desire does Jesus bless here? Hungering for righteousness, paired with thirsting for it.

Translation Effect

Direct: The form directly supports those who hunger.

Where Caution Is Needed

The form is metaphorical in this context because its object is righteousness.

Fallacies To Avoid

How The Interpretation Is Derived

Textual Witness

The witness reads πεινῶντες in Matthew 5:6.

Lexical Identity

The lemma πεινάω carries the gloss "I am hungry, needy", and here it names hungering or intense need.

Grammar In Context

The participle stands with the article and is coordinated with thirsting, both directed toward righteousness.

Passage Meaning

Jesus blesses those who hunger and thirst for righteousness because they will be satisfied.

Canonical Fit

The form fits Matthew's portrayal of kingdom desire as a deep longing for righteousness.

Communication Use

Use it to show that the Beatitude describes active longing for righteousness.

Do Not Derive

Do not make hunger alone define righteousness or the whole promise of satisfaction.