ὑψωθῆναι (upsothenai) in John 3:14: Verb Aorist Passive Infinitive

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

Aorist: the form presents the verbal action as a whole, but it should not be treated as a once-for-all formula.

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

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

Not applicable: 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.

Not applicable: 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.

The necessity statement about the Son of Man being lifted up

The necessity construction in John 3:14

ὑψωθῆναι is a Verb Aorist Passive Infinitive within "ὄφιν ἐν τῇ ἐρήμῳ, οὕτως ὑψωθῆναι δεῖ τὸν υἱὸν τοῦ ἀνθρώπου·". The aorist passive infinitive supplies the required action in the comparison with Moses lifting the serpent.

The passive infinitive does not decide by itself every layer of exaltation language. John's context connects the lifting up to the Son of Man and the saving purpose that follows.

High: The form matters because it functions as purpose-result in John 3:14.

Verb Aorist Passive Infinitive. completes what must happen to the Son of Man. Attached to the necessity statement about the Son of Man being lifted up. Governed by the necessity construction in John 3:14. The syntax should be explained from the clause, not isolated from the passage.

What must happen to the Son of Man in the comparison? The infinitive names the required lifting up of the Son of Man.

Direct: The infinitive directly supports wording such as must be lifted up.

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 use passive voice alone to decide agency. The verse states the necessity, and the Gospel supplies the larger passion context. grammatical gender proves theology: Grammatical gender is a language feature and should not be pressed beyond the verse.

The Textus Receptus witness for John 3:14 reads ὑψωθῆναι with the morphology label Verb Aorist Passive Infinitive.

The lemma is ὑψόω. The guide uses the gloss "I lift up, exalt" only to orient this occurrence.

ὑψωθῆναι appears in the phrase "ὄφιν ἐν τῇ ἐρήμῳ, οὕτως ὑψωθῆναι δεῖ τὸν υἱὸν τοῦ ἀνθρώπου·". The aorist passive infinitive supplies the required action in the comparison with Moses lifting the serpent.

John 3:14 uses the wilderness comparison to speak of the Son of Man being lifted up.

The form fits John's pattern where Jesus' lifting up gathers cross, revelation, and saving purpose together.

When teaching John 3:14, use the infinitive to show what must happen, then let the surrounding verses explain why it matters.

The passive infinitive does not decide by itself every layer of exaltation language. John's context connects the lifting up to the Son of Man and the saving purpose that follows.