The main idea of the Greek middle

The middle voice presents the subject as inside the event—acting with reference to themselves, for their own benefit, or being affected by the action. It is not simply passive. Passive voice is used in English and Greek when you are describing something being done to an object; e.g., to you. such as, it was hitting me in the face. Middle voice would explain that it was your intention to be hit. In Greek all you would have to use is a certain ending to the action verb. In English you would have to add an explanation that you meant it to happen.

English must approximate this idea using other sentence structures.

How English translates Greek middle voice

1. Reflexive translation

Used when the subject acts on themselves.

• λούομαι → I wash myself [ending -ο-μαι says middle! In this case reflexive washing!

• κόπτομαι → I strike myself / I mourn (reflexive origin)

English uses reflexive pronouns because it has no middle voice.

2. Active translation (especially for deponent verbs)

Some Greek middle forms simply function as active verbs in meaning.

• ἔρχομαι → I go

• αἱροῦμαι → I choose (middle meaning differs from active “I take”)

English uses the plain active voice because the Greek middle form is idiomatic ("natural" to a native speaker of the time).

3. Self-benefactive translation

Used when the subject performs the action for their own advantage.

• λύομαι → I free myself / I get myself released (by paying ransom)

• αἱροῦμαι → I take for myself / I choose

English often must change the verb or add “for myself.”

4. Passive translation (when context shows true passive)

Translators know that Greek words like other languages sometimes legitimately interchange endings.
Both Greek middle and passive forms share endings in some tenses, so sometimes the meaning is genuinely passive and not a true middle.

• βαπτίζομαι ὑπό Ἰωάννου → I am being baptized by John

Context will determine whether the form is middle or passive.

5. Intransitive or spontaneous translation

Some middle forms express a state or spontaneous action.

• ἐγείρομαι → I wake up (middle) OR I am woken (passive)

English uses intransitive verbs (“wake up,” “appear,” “seem”).

Summary: How English handles the Greek middle

Greek Middle Function	English Strategy
Reflexive	“I wash myself,” “He prepared himself”
Self-benefactive	“I got myself ready,” “I chose”
Deponent	Active verb: “I go,” “I come,” “I choose”
Reciprocal	“They hugged each other”
Passive-like	“I am baptized,” “It is opened”
Spontaneous / Intransitive	“I wake up,” “It appears”

✔️ Practical rule used by translators

Translate the meaning, not the form. Ask: Is the subject acting on themselves, for themselves, or being affected? Then choose the English structure that best expresses that relationship.

1. ἔρχομαι — “I come / I go”

Greek form: present middle/passive Example: John 14:3

³ And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.

ὅτι ἔρχομαι

Meaning: The subject (Jesus in the context here) is involved in the action—movement that concerns the subject personally.

English translation:

• I am coming

• I come

Why middle? Greek treats motion verbs as “self-involving.” English simply uses its active voice. Nevertheless, knowing that Jesus expressed it in middle voice would add meaning to the statement. Jesus is involved in definitely coming!

2. βαπτίζομαι — “I am baptized / I get baptized”

Greek form: middle/passive Example: Mark 1:9 "And it came to pass in those days, that Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee, and was baptized of John in Jordan."

Ἰησοῦς… ἐβαπτίσθη

Meaning: Jesus undergoes baptism; the action affects him.

English translation:

• He was baptized (passive)

• He got baptized (middle nuance)

Why middle? The subject participates in the event although He is not the agent. English uses English's passive or get + verb in order to translate the meaning for us that He was involved.




1 Cor. 6:11 "you were washed" Abbott-Smith's Manual Greek Lexicon of the New Testament G628 [in LXX Greek translation of OT: Job 9:30 (H7364)*; Job 9:30 "If I wash myself with snow water, and make my hands never so clean;" ] to wash off, wash away; mid., metaph., c. acc rei, to wash off oneself: Acts 22:16 [Paul is commanded: "And now why tarriest thou? arise, and be baptized*, and wash away* thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord."]; absol., , ye washed yourselves clean (cf. Cremer, 406), 1 Cor. 6:11. *Acts 22:16Part of Speech: Verb Tense: Aorist Mood: Imperative (command) Voice: Middle [participant] Person: 2nd Person (you) Number: Singular

3. ἠγέρθη — “He was raised / He rose”

Greek form: aorist middle/passive Example: Matthew 28:6 "He is not here: for he is risen, as he said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay."

οὐκ ἔστιν ὧδε· ἠγέρθη

Meaning: Could be passive (“was raised”) or middle (“rose”), depending on theology/context.


English translation:

• He has been raised (passive)

• He rose (middle/intransitive)

Why middle? Resurrection is an event in which the subject is deeply affected. English chooses based on context. However, remember that Jesus claimed to have power to raise Himself. John 10:18, "I have power to lay down My life, and I have power to take it again." So, middle would be appropriate.

4. τὸν ἐπενδύτην διεζώσατο — “I wrap myself / I put on clothing”

Greek form: middle Example: John 21:7 "Therefore that disciple whom Jesus loved saith unto Peter, It is the Lord. Now when Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he girt his fisher's coat unto him, (for he was naked,) and did cast himself into the sea."

τὸν ἐπενδύτην διεζώσατο

Meaning: Peter girds himself—action done for himself.

English translation:

• He put on his outer garment

• He wrapped himself in his garment (explicit reflexive)

Why middle? Self-benefactive. English uses reflexive or idiomatic active.

5. ἀποκρίνομαι — “I answer”

Greek form: middle (deponent) Example: Matthew 11:25 25 At that time Jesus answered and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes

ὁ Ἰησοῦς ἀποκριθεὶς εἶπεν

Meaning: Jesus responds—an internal, self-involved action.

English translation:

• Jesus answered and said

Why middle? Greek views answering as a self-involved act. English uses active.

6. φοβέομαι — “I fear / I am afraid”

Greek form: middle (deponent) Example: Matthew 1:20 "But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost."

μὴ φοβηθῇς

Meaning: The subject experiences fear internally.

English translation:

• Do not be afraid

Why middle? Emotion verbs often take middle voice. English uses be + adjective.

7. καυχάομαι — “I boast”

Greek form: middle (deponent) Example: Romans 5:3 "And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience;"

καὶ καυχώμεθα

Meaning: Boasting is self-referential.

English translation:

• We boast

• We rejoice (contextual)

Why middle? The action reflects back on the subject. English uses active.

8. ἁγνίζομαι — “I purify myself”

Greek form: middle Example: Acts 21:24 "Them take, and purify thyself with them, and be at charges with them, that they may shave their heads: and all may know that those things, whereof they were informed concerning thee, are nothing; but that thou thyself also walkest orderly, and keepest the law."

καὶ ἁγνίσθητι

Meaning: Ritual purification done by and for oneself.

English translation:

• Purify yourself

Why middle? Reflexive. English uses reflexive pronoun.

9. ἱλάσκομαι — “I make atonement / I propitiate”

Greek form: middle Example: Hebrews 2:17, "Wherefore in all things it behoved Him to be made like unto His brethren, that He might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, [Jesus] to make reconciliation for the sins of the people."

εἰς τὸ ἱλάσκεσθαι

Meaning: The priest performs atonement on behalf of others, but the middle voice shows personal involvement in the ritual.

English translation:

• to make propitiation

• to make atonement

Why middle? Ritual involvement. English uses active.

Why middle? The subject receives the benefit. English uses passive.

Summary: What these examples show

Greek middle voice therefore expresses:

• Reflexive action (purify yourself)

• Self-benefactive action (put on clothing)

• Internal emotion (fear)

• Personal involvement (answering, boasting)

• Spontaneous/intransitive action (rise)

• Passive-like reception (be baptized, be saved)

English must choose active, reflexive, passive, or idiomatic forms depending on context. It is important therefore for the student or teacher to consider this in harmonizing a doctrine. For example: 1 Cor. 6:11; is one required to be baptized in order to be sanctified and justified.

Unsatisfactory translations for 1 Corinthians 6:11, but some of the better.

Common English Bible w/ Apocrypha, "That is what some of you used to be! But you were washed clean, you were made holy to God, and you were made right with God in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our God."

The Complete Jewish Bible "Some of you used to do these things. But you have cleansed yourselves, you have been set apart for God, you have come to be counted righteous through the power of the Lord Yeshua the Messiah and the Spirit of our God."

Good News Translation "Some of you were like that. But you have been purified from sin; you have been dedicated to God; you have been put right with God by the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God."

New International Reader's Version "Some of you used to do those things. But your sins were washed away. You were made holy. You were made right with God. All of that was done in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God."