What is an infinitive?

In English, infinitives are easy to spot. All you are looking for is a verb preceded by the word “to” and you have an infinitive. Note the infinitives in bold below. Notice also the occurrences of the word “to” that are not followed by a verb. These, of course, are not infinitives.

12 I want you to know, brothers, that what has happened to me has really served to advance the gospel, 13 so that it has become known throughout the whole imperial guard and to all the rest that my imprisonment is for Christ. 14 And most of the brothers, having become confident in the Lord by my imprisonment, are much more bold to speak the word without fear. 15 Some indeed preach Christ from envy and rivalry, but others from good will. 16 The latter do it out of love, knowing that I am put here for the defense of the gospel. 17 The former proclaim Christ out of selfish ambition, not sincerely but thinking to afflict me in my imprisonment. 18 What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is proclaimed, and in that I rejoice. Yes, and I will rejoice, 19 for I know that through your prayers and the help of the Spirit of Jesus Christ this will turn out for my deliverance, 20 as it is my eager expectation and hope that I will not be at all ashamed, but that with full courage now as always Christ will be honored in my body, whether by life or by death. 21 For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. 22 If I am to live in the flesh, that means fruitful labor for me. Yet which I shall choose I cannot tell. 23 I am hard pressed between the two. My desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better. 24 But to remain in the flesh is more necessary on your account. 25 Convinced of this, I know that I will remain and continue with you all, for your progress and joy in the faith, 26 so that in me you may have ample cause to glory in Christ Jesus, because of my coming to you again" —Philippians 1:12-26

21 And you, who once were alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, 22 he has now reconciled in his body of flesh by his death, in order to present you holy and blameless and above reproach before him, 23 if indeed you continue in the faith, stable and steadfast, not shifting from the hope of the gospel that you heard, which has been proclaimed in all creation under heaven, and of which I, Paul, became a minister. 24 Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I am filling up what is lacking in Christ’s afflictions for the sake of his body, that is, the church, 25 of which I became a minister according to the stewardship from God that was given to me for you, to make the word of God fully known, 26 the mystery hidden for ages and generations but now revealed to his saints. 27 To them God chose to make known how great among the Gentiles are the riches of the glory of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. —Colossians 1:21-27

Infinitives to break into a new proposition

There are many kinds of infinitives, but really only one type which you will want to break off to be its own proposition—a purpose infinitive. You can distinguish an infinitive of this kind by inserting the words “in order” before the infinitive. If inserting this phrase rightly captures the meaning, then it is a purpose infinitive. In the above passages, there are two purpose infinitive which should be broken off to start a new proposition.

And you...he has now reconciled in his body of flesh by his death, in order to present you holy and blameless (Colossians 1:22) I became a minister...[in order] to make the word of God fully known (Colossians 1:26)

Infinitives to not break off

Understanding the above section and which infinitives you ought to break off is most important. Still, having a general sense of the other categories can also help. Let's look at four such categories. Such infinitives should not be broken off, since doing so would divide up a single verbal thought.

1) Infinitives acting as the subject of another verb.

There are three examples of this type of infinitive in the above texts. Note how the infinitive comes before the verb in each example and is its subject.

For to me to live is Christ (Philippians 1:21) and to die is gain (Philippians 1:21) But to remain in the flesh is more necessary on your account. (Philippians 1:24)

2) Complementary infinitives.

This type of infinitive is more common and comes after the verb, extending or completing the verbal idea. A strong indicator that you know that you have met a complementary infinitive is if the verb that precedes it seems incomplete.

I want you to know, brothers (Philippians 1:12) that what has happened to me has really served to advance the gospel (Philippians 1:12) but thinking to afflict me in my imprisonment. (Philippians 1:17) If I am to live in the flesh (Philippians 1:22) My desire is to depart (Philippians 1:23) so that in me you have ample cause to glory in Christ Jesus, (Philippians 1:26) God chose to make known how great among the Gentiles are the riches of the glory of this mystery (Colossians 1:25)

3) Infinitives connected to adjectives

Sometimes infinitives will follow adjectives in order to fill out their meaning. We have one example of this sort from the passages above.

[most of the brothers] are much more bold to speak the word without fear. (Philippians 1:14)

4) Infinitives connected to question words

Infinitives may also follow question words like what, how and when. There are no examples of this in the above texts, but these should give you the idea.

Can you tell me how to get there? I do not know when to go.

Good news and bad news

The good news is that most of the core grammatical concepts needed to properly break up propositions are already above. So if you can understand this step and the last, then you are in really good shape for the rest of this lesson and the next.

The bad news is that there is already an exception we must note. One of the examples above does not work—“My desire is to depart” from verse 23. Note that this verse continues with “and be with Christ.” The problem with not breaking off “to depart” into its own proposition is that Paul's expressed desire here is two-fold. It is not only that he desires to depart; he also desires to be with Christ. To show this in bracketing, we are going to need to break off “to depart” so that we can combine it with “and be with Christ” before connecting it to “My desire is.”

Quiz

25 I have thought it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus my brother and fellow worker and fellow soldier, and your messenger and minister to my need, 26 for he has been longing for you all and has been distressed because you heard that he was ill. 27 Indeed he was ill, near to death. But God had mercy on him, and not only on him but on me also, lest I should have sorrow upon sorrow. 28 I am the more eager to send him, therefore, that you may rejoice at seeing him again, and that I may be less anxious. 29 So receive him in the Lord with all joy, and honor such men, 30 for he nearly died for the work of Christ, risking his life to complete what was lacking in your service to me. 1 Finally, my brothers, rejoice in the Lord. To write the same things to you is no trouble to me and is safe for you. —Philippians 2:25-3:1

Should "to send" (vs25) be broken off to start a new proposition?

No, it is not an infinitive

Yes, it is a purpose infinitive

No, it is acting as the subject of a verb

No, it is a complementary infinitive