Ablative Case

1. The Ablative of Separation

   This is the basic meaning of the ablative indicating separation from or out of something.

   εἰδὼς ὅτι ταχινή ἐστιν ἡ ἀπόθεσις (τοῦ σκηνώματός) μου

   (eidōs hoti tachinē estin hē apothesis [tou skēnōmatos] mou)

   "knowing that the laying aside of my earthly dwelling is imminent,…" (2 Peter 1:14).

   The phrase, "of my earthly dwelling" is the ablative of separation; i.e., "the laying aside from my earthly dwelling."

2. The Ablative of Source

   This use of the ablative emphasizes that the noun being modified by the noun in the ablative owes its origin in someway to the noun in the ablative.

   δικαιοσύνη γὰρ θεοῦ ἐν αὐτῷ ἀποκαλύπτεται (ἐκ πίστεως) εἰς πίστιν

   (dikaiosunē gar theou en autǭ apokaluptetai [ek pisteōs] eis pistin)

   "For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; …" (Romans 1:17a).

   The phrase, "from faith" may be considered the ablative of source; i.e., the righteousness of God imputed into a person's life comes into their life through faith alone, therefore, the origin of that righteousness within a person's heart is from faith.

3. Ablative of Means

   In this instance, the ablative may imply the means by which and out of which something emanates.

   καὶ πάντες οἱ ἀκούσαντες ἐθαύμασαν περὶ τῶν λαληθέντων (ὑπὸ τῶν ποιμένων) πρὸς αὐτούς

   (kai pantes hoi akousantes ethaumasan peri tōn lalēthentōn [hupo tōn poimenōn] pros autous)

   "And everyone who heard wondered concerning what was told them by the shepherds" (Luke 2:18).

   The phrase, "by the shepherds" is considered to be the ablative of means; i.e., it was from or out of the shepherds that this account emanated.

4. Ablative of Comparison

   This is the use of the ablative whereby, through comparison, there is the obvious sense of separation; i.e., something, for example, that is "greater" than something else-thus, separated from something.

   ἀμὴν λέγω ὑμῖν οὐκ ἐγήγερται ἐν γεννητοῖς γυναικῶν μείζων (Ἰωάννου τοῦ βαπτιστοῦ)

   (amēn legō humin; ouk egēgertai en gennētois gunaikōn meidzōn [Iōannou tou Baptistou])

   "Verily I say, to you, among those born of women there has not arisen anyone greater than John the Baptist" (Matthew 11:11).

   In this instance, the phrase, "greater than" (μείζων-meidzōn) is modifying "John the Baptist" which is in the ablative case and is implying a separation by comparison from every other person born of a woman.

Further Ablative Examples

The word in the parentheses in the Greek and transliteration and underlined in the English is the word in the ablative that will be identified. The ablative will be described in the same way that will be found described in an analytical lexicon which may be used later (e.g., ab. sg. masc. = ablative case, singular noun, masculine gender).

1. δυνάμεις τε οὐ τὰς τυχούσας ὁ θεὸς ἐποίει (διὰ τῶν χειρῶν) Παύλου

   (Dunameis te ou tas tuchousas ho Theos epoiei [dia tōn cheirōn] Paulou)

   "And God was performing extraordinary miracles by the hands of Paul" (Acts 19:11).

   "by the hands" is an Ablative of Means.

2. ἐν τῇ ἡμέρᾳ ἐκείνῃ ἐξελθὼν ὁ Ἰησοῦς (τῆς οἰκίας) ἐκάθητο παρὰ τὴν θάλασσαν

   En tē̜ hēmerą ekeinē̜ exelthōn ho Iēsous [tēs oikias] ekathēto para tēn thalassan)

   "On that day Jesus went out from the house, and was sitting by the sea" (Matthew 13:1).

   "from the house" is an Ablative of Separation.

3. ὁ γὰρ πατὴρ φιλεῖ τὸν υἱὸν καὶ πάντα δείκνυσιν αὐτῷ ἃ αὐτὸς ποιεῖ καὶ μείζονα (τούτων) δείξει αὐτῷ ἔργα ἵνα ὑμεῖς θαυμάζητε

   (ho gar patēr philei ton wheon kai panta deiknusin autǭ ha autos poiei, kai meizona [toutōn] deixei autǭ erga, hina humeis thaumazēte)

   "For the Father loves the Son, and shows Him all things that He Himself is doing; and greater works than these will He show Him, that you may marvel" (John 5:20).

   "than these" is an Ablative of Comparison.

4. τῇ δεξιᾷ οὖν τοῦ θεοῦ ὑψωθεὶς τήν τε ἐπαγγελίαν τοῦ πνεύματος τοῦ ἁγίου λαβὼν (παρὰ τοῦ πατρὸς) ἐξέχεεν τοῦτο ὃ ὑμεῖς καὶ βλέπετε καὶ ἀκούετε

   (tē̜ dexią oun tou theou hupsōtheis, tēn to epangelian tou pneumatos tou hagiou labōn [para tou patros], execheen touto ho humeis kai blepete kai akouete)

   "Therefore having been exalted to the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, He has poured forth this which you both see and hear" (Acts 2:33).

   "from the Father" is an Ablative of Source.