Verse in Greek
Μὴ ταρασσέσθω ὑμῶν ἡ καρδία· πιστεύετε εἰς τὸν Θεόν, καὶ εἰς ἐμὲ πιστεύετε.
Focus Topic: Prohibition with Subjunctive and Ambiguous Indicative-Imperative Parallel
This verse opens Jesus’ farewell discourse with a calm imperative and dual directives for belief. The grammar includes a third-person prohibition with the present subjunctive and two second-person plural present forms that could be read as either imperative or indicative depending on the translation and punctuation.
Prohibition: Μὴ ταρασσέσθω ὑμῶν ἡ καρδία
ταρασσέσθω is a present passive imperative, 3rd person singular, from ταράσσω (“to be troubled, stirred up”). The subject is ἡ καρδία (“the heart”), and it is placed after the verb for emphasis. The possessive genitive ὑμῶν (“of you”) further personalizes the appeal.
| Phrase | Parsing | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| ταρασσέσθω | Present passive imperative, 3rd singular | “Let not… be troubled” |
| ἡ καρδία ὑμῶν | Nominative + genitive | “your heart” |
Ambiguous Mood Forms: πιστεύετε εἰς τὸν Θεόν, καὶ εἰς ἐμὲ πιστεύετε
πιστεύετε is present active indicative or imperative, 2nd person plural, from πιστεύω (“to believe”). In both clauses, this form could be read either as a statement or a command:
- πιστεύετε εἰς τὸν Θεόν — “Believe in God” or “You believe in God”
- καὶ εἰς ἐμὲ πιστεύετε — “Believe also in me” or “and you believe in me”
The context favors the imperative reading for both verbs, matching the emotional and rhetorical structure: after calming them, Jesus urges active trust in both the Father and himself.
Prepositional Phrases: εἰς τὸν Θεόν / εἰς ἐμὲ
These use the preposition εἰς + accusative to express belief “into” or “upon” the object — denoting personal trust rather than abstract belief. The same grammatical structure is applied equally to the Father and the Son.
Key Observations
- ταρασσέσθω offers a gentle third-person imperative — not commanding the person, but the inner emotion (“let not your heart be troubled”).
- The use of μή with the present imperative indicates a call to stop an ongoing disturbance.
- Both πιστεύετε forms, although morphologically ambiguous, are likely imperatives in this calming and exhortative context.
- Jesus equates faith in God and faith in himself grammatically and theologically.
Grammatical Comfort and Christological Clarity
In a time of rising anxiety for his disciples, Jesus uses gentle grammar: a passive imperative that soothes, and parallel exhortations that place him alongside the Father. The syntax both comforts and commands, calling for an anchored trust in the divine person of Christ as they face separation and suffering.
