Ἄφες (Aphes) in Matthew 3:15: Verb Second Person Singular Second Aorist Active Imperative

Verb: the form presents an action, request, or command rather than naming a thing or person.

Second Aorist: commonly views the action as a whole event. It should not be treated as automatically punctiliar or automatically past in every context.

Active: presents the subject as doing or carrying the action.

Imperative: presents the verbal idea as a command, appeal, or summons to action.

Second person: the hearer or hearers are grammatically addressed by the verbal form.

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

Singular: the command is addressed to one person, which fits Jesus speaking directly to John in the scene.

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

Ἄφες ἄρτι

The imperative is shaped by Jesus' direct speech to John and by the surrounding reason clause, which explains why the request is being made.

It functions as a concise, direct request or command: let it happen now, or allow it for the moment.

It does not by itself state the full theological reason, nor does it decide the broader meaning apart from the sentence that follows.

High: The imperative gives Jesus' direct instruction to John within a theologically significant scene.

Aorist active imperative command. calls John to permit the action in the present moment. Attached to Jesus' instruction to John to allow it now. Governed by the direct speech and the following righteousness reason clause. The imperative has force, but the reason clause explains the theological purpose.

What does Jesus tell John to do? He tells John to allow it now, with the reason supplied by the following clause.

Direct: The imperative directly supports renderings such as 'Permit it now' or 'Allow it now.'

The aorist imperative should not be made to prove once-for-all force; the scene and reason clause control the interpretation.

Aorist imperative means once-for-all: The aorist imperative presents the command as a whole action here; it does not by itself prove once-for-all force.

The TR witness reads Ἄφες ἄρτι in Jesus' reply, immediately followed by the explanation that this is fitting for them to fulfill all righteousness.

The lemma ἀφίημι can mean release, let go, permit, forgive, or leave, but this occurrence is governed by the immediate context of permission.

The imperative form fits a personal appeal from Jesus to John and supports the sense of allowing or permitting the action to proceed now.

Here the verb contributes to Jesus' instruction that John should permit this present action so that righteousness may be fulfilled.

Within Matthew, the term can carry a range of meanings, but this verse uses it in a permission sense rather than in a direct statement about forgiveness of sins.

For readers and teachers, the form highlights the directness of Jesus' speech and the immediacy of the requested response.

Do not make the imperative itself carry the full doctrine of forgiveness or divine release; that would go beyond what this sentence establishes.