Lesson 8 | Odds & Ends, Part 1

[4] Adverbial Participles

Much like English participles, Greek participles are able to communicate a variety of relationships. We will highlight the most common. Be sure to take note of the italicized connector words and bolded questions.
Temporal
In Greek II, we focused on the temporal relationship between an adverbial participle and the verb it modifies. We noted that a participle does not communicate time directly, but only relative time. That is, the action of the participle occurs either before or simultaneously with the action of the main verb. (It is possible for a participle to communicate action that occurs after the main verb, but this is rare and usually involves one of the other uses of the participle.)
As a general guide, present participles reflect simultaneous action and are translated using, “when…” or “while….” Aorist participles typically communicate antecedent time (i.e. occurring before the main verb) and so we translate them, “after….”
καθαρισμὸν τῶν ἁμαρτιῶν ποιησάμενος, ἐκάθισεν ἐν δεξιᾷ τῆς Μεγαλωσύνης ἐν ὑψηλοῖς.

After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high.

~Hebrews 1:3
Sometimes, when an aorist participle modifies an aorist verb, the actions may be simultaneous. For example,
καὶ ἐλθόντες εἰς τὴν οἰκίαν, εἶδον τὸ παιδίον μετὰ Μαρίας τῆς μητρὸς αὐτοῦ

And when they came into the house, they saw the child with Mary, his mother.

—Matthew 2:11
While these temporal relationships are a good starting place for translating adverbial participles, we should always probe further and ask if the author is intending something other than a simple temporal point of reference. In fact, we should only use the temporal relationship when it is clear that the author is seeking to answer the question When?.
Manner
The participle in this use answers the question How?, or more specifically, In what way?
Οἱ … οὖν ἐπορεύοντο χαίροντες ἀπὸ προσώπου τοῦ συνεδρίου

So they left the presence of the council rejoicing

—Acts 5:41
The participle χαίροντες tells us the way they went away from the council—that is, by rejoicing.
Means
Likewise, participles of means also answer the question How?, but not in the same sense. Rather, this participle fills in the idea, “by means of….”
Ταπεινώθητε οὖν ὑπὸ τὴν κραταιὰν χεῖρα τοῦ θεοῦ, … πᾶσαν τὴν μέριμναν ὑμῶν ἐπιρίψαντες ἐπʼ αὐτόν,

Humble (yourselves), therefore, under the mighty hand of God, … casting all your anxieties on him,

~1 Peter 5:6–7
The participle ἐπιρίψαντες (from ἐπιρίπτω, I throw upon) communicates how we are to humble (ταπειὀω) ourselves under God’s strong hand: by means of casting our anxieties upon him. By doing so, we show our dependence on him.
Causal
Causal participles answer the question Why?. Specifically, it offers the reason or cause for the action of the main verb.
Ἰωσὴφ δὲ …, δίκαιος ὢν καὶ μὴ θέλων αὐτὴν ⸀δειγματίσαι, ἐβουλήθη λάθρᾳ ἀπολῦσαι αὐτήν.

Now, Joseph …, being a just man and not wanting to put her to shame, resolved to divorce her quietly.

~Matthew 1:19
The pair of participles tell us the reason why Joseph decided to not make a public spectacle in divorcing Mary—because he was a righteous man and did not want to shame her.
Purpose
Participles which communicate purpose also answer the question Why?, but with the specific answer, “in order to ….” Thus, they point forward to the intended goal of the main clause.
καὶ ἐπηρώτησεν εἷς ἐξ αὐτῶν νομικὸς πειράζων αὐτόν

And one of them, a lawyer, questioned (him) in order to test him.

~Matthew 22:35
In this case, translating πειράζων (πειράζω) as a bare participle, “One of them questioned him, testing him,” would be inadequate. It does not clarify the relationship between the questioning and the testing. We can test whether the participle communicates purpose by inserting the phrase “in order to” before the participle. We can also use that same phrase to make a smooth English translation. The lawyer had an aim in mind. He questioned Jesus in order to test him.
Result
Result is very similar to purpose. Purpose points to an intended outcome, while a result is an actual outcome. Think: With what result?. The phrase, “with the result that/of …”  will help clarify this relationship.
καὶ αὐτὸς ἐδίδασκεν ἐν ταῖς συναγωγαῖς αὐτῶν δοξαζόμενος ὑπὸ πάντων.

And he taught in their synagogues, being glorified by all.

~Luke 4:14
Throughout Galilee, Jesus taught in the synagogues, with the result that he was glorified by everyone who heard.
Concessive
A concessive participle presents a potential obstacle that turns out to not hinder the action of the main verb. That is, the main clause is true in spite of the obstacle posed by the concessive participle. It answers the question Despite what?. We can also test this relationship by using the words although, even though, and nevertheless.
γνόντες τὸν θεὸν οὐχ ὡς θεὸν ἐδόξασαν

Although they knew God, they did not honor him as God

~Romans 1:21
Beholding the evidences for God in nature, all people (including pagans) should glorify God. But they do not. Even though they knew God, nevertheless they did not glorify God. In this case, it helps to translate the participle as a finite verb and add a conjunction that makes the concessive relationship clear.

Keys to identifying adverbial relationship of participles:
Is the emphasis on the timing of the main verb? Then it is temporal.
Consider the context carefully. What clues does the text offer to discern how the action of the participle is related to the action of the main verb? What question is the participial clause answering?
Insert the connector words we have highlighted for each relationship to test it out. (Sometimes it helps to translate the participle as a finite verb, borrowing the subject from the main verb.)