Instrumental Case

The root idea being expressed in the instrumental case is that of means; i.e., the means by which something is done or carried out.

1. The Instrumental of Means

   This is the use that is closest to the basic meaning of the case, and it is the meaning used most with the instrumental case in the New Testament; it focuses on impersonal means as the agent.

   διὰ τὸ αὐτὸν πολλάκις (πέδαις καὶ ἁλύσεσιν) δεδέσθαι

   (dia to auton pollakis [pedais kai halusesin] dedesthai)

   "because he had often been bound with shackles and chains,…" (Mark 5:4).

   Here the phrase, "with shackles and chains" contains, two words, "shackles" and "chains" that may be considered to be the instrumental of means by which he was "bound."

2. The Instrumental of Cause

   This simply states the cause by which an action occurs.

   μή πως (τῇ περισσοτέρᾳ λύπῃ) καταποθῇ ὁ τοιοῦτος

   (mē pōs [tē̜ perissoterą lupē̜] katapothē̜ ho toioutos)

   "lest somehow such a one be overwhelmed by excessive sorrow." (2 Corinthians 2:7).

   The clear cause by which someone would be overwhelmed is by "excessive sorrow."

3. The Instrumental of Manner

   This refers to the manner by which something is carried out.

   εἰ ἐγὼ (χάριτι) μετέχω

   (ei egō [chariti] metechō,…)

   "If I partake with thankfulness" (1 Corinthians 10:30).

   In this passage, "with thankfulness" is the manner by which he is partaking of the food he eats.

4. The Instrumental of Measure

   This use of the instrumental in the New Testament is primarily associated with time, but in general it is used to express means of measure: time, space, material, etc.

   κατὰ ἀποκάλυψιν μυστηρίου (χρόνοις αἰωνίοις) σεσιγημένου

   (kata apokalupsin mustēriou [chronois aiōniois] sesigēmenou,…)

   "according to the revelation of the mystery which has been kept secret for long ages past,…" (Romans 16:25).

   The phrase, "for long ages past" is clearly being used to express the measure of time by which the "revelation of the mystery has been kept secret."

5. The Instrumental of Association

   In this use of the instrumental, another party is involved through which the association is established.

   καὶ ὄφελόν γε ἐβασιλεύσατε ἵνα καὶ ἡμεῖς (ὑμῖν) συμβασιλεύσωμεν

   (kai ophelon ge ebasileusate, hina kai hēmeis[humin] sumbasileusōmen)

   "and I would indeed that you had become kings so that we also might reign with you" (1 Corinthians 4:8).

   Here, the Corinthian believers are the second party as the ones reigning as kings that Paul addresses that he et al might reign "with you"; thus, "with you" is the instrumental of association

6. The Instrumental of Agency

   At times agency is used in the Greek New Testament with the instrumental without a preposition and with a verb in the middle or passive voice.

   εἰ δὲ (πνεύματι) ἄγεσθε οὐκ ἐστὲ ὑπὸ νόμον

   (ei de [pneumati] agesthe, ouk este hupo nomon)

   "But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the Law" (Galatians 5:18).

   Here the agency by which we are "being led" is the Holy Spirit, "by the Spirit."

Further Instrumental Examples

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

1. καὶ ἐδόθη αὐτοῖς ἐξουσία ἐπὶ τὸ τέταρτον τῆς γῆς ἀποκτεῖναι (ἐν ῥομφαίᾳ καὶ ἐν λιμῷ καὶ ἐν θανάτῳ) καὶ ὑπὸ τῶν θηρίων τῆς γῆς

   (kai edothē autois exousia epi to tetarton tēs gēs, apokteinai [en rhomphaią kai en limǭ kai en thanatǭ] kai hupo tōn thēriōn tēs gēs)

   "And authority was given to them over a fourth of the earth, to kill with sword and with famine and with pestilence and by the wild beasts of the earth" (Rev. 6:8b).

   "with sword, with famine, with pestilence" is an Instrumental of Means.

2. λέγω δέ (πνεύματι) περιπατεῖτε καὶ ἐπιθυμίαν σαρκὸς οὐ μὴ τελέσητε

   (Legō de, [pneumati] peripateite kai epithumian sarkos ou mē telesēte)

   "But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh" (Gal. 5:16).

   "by the Spirit" is an Instrumental of Agency.

3. ἐξελθόντι δὲ αὐτῷ ἐπὶ τὴν γῆν ὑπήντησεν ἀνήρ τις ἐκ τῆς πόλεως ἔχων δαιμόνια καὶ (χρόνῳ ἱκανῷ) οὐκ ἐνεδύσατο ἱμάτιον καὶ ἐν οἰκίᾳ οὐκ ἔμενεν ἀλλ᾽ ἐν τοῖς μνήμασιν

   (exelthonti de autǭ epi tēn gēn hupēntēsen anēr tis ek tēs poleōs echōn daimonia; kai [chronǭ hikanǭ] ouk enedusato himation, kai en oikią ouk emenen all en tois mnēmasin)

   "And when He had come out onto the land, He was met by a certain man from the city who was possessed with demons; and who had not put on any clothing for a long time, and was not living in a house, but in the tombs" (Lk. 8:27).

   "for a long time" is an Instrumental of Measure.

4. ἀλλ᾽ ἐν παντὶ συνίσταντες ἑαυτοὺς ὡς θεοῦ διάκονοι (ἐν ὑπομονῇ πολλῇ ἐν θλίψεσιν ἐν ἀνάγκαις ἐν στενοχωρίαις)

   (all en panti sunistantes heautous ōs theou diakonoi, [en hupomonē̜ pollē̜, en thlipsesin, en anagkais, en stenochōriais])

   "but in everything commending ourselves as servants of God, in much endurance, in afflictions, in hardships, in distresses" (2 Corinthians 6:4).

   "in much endurance…" is an Instrumental of Cause.

5. ἵνα (ἐν χαρᾷ) ἐλθὼν πρὸς ὑμᾶς διὰ θελήματος θεοῦ συναναπαύσωμαι ὑμῖν

   (hina [en charą] elthōn pros humas did thelēmatos Theou sunanapausōmai humin)

   "so that I may come to you in joy by the will of God and find refreshing rest in your company" (Romans 15:32).

   "in joy" is an Instrumental of Manner.

6. καὶ Ἰησοῦς προέκοπτεν (ἐν τῇ) σοφίᾳ καὶ ἡλικίᾳ καὶ χάριτι (παρὰ) θεῷ καὶ (ἀνθρώποις)

   (Kai Iēsous proekopten [en tē̜] sophią kai ēlikią kai chariti [para theǭ] kai [anthrōpois])

   "And Jesus kept increasing in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men" (Luke 2:52).

   "with God…men" is an Instrumental of Association.