Hi, I need the precise count of Greek imperatives in James; how can I do that specific grammatical search in Logos?

  2. Search—>Morph and select the GNT and book of James. In the search area, type in the @ symbol. Select Verb—>Imperative.

  3. I put your question into the smart search of Logos as "I need the precise count of Greek imperatives in James" It gives you the answer.

  4. James contains fifty-five imperative verbs in both second and third person, plus four imperatival future forms[1]—totaling approximately sixty commands across its 109 verses. However, the search results show some variation in the exact count depending on methodology. One source identifies 55 imperative verbs within 108 verses[2], while another syntactical analysis counts 52 imperatives and 1 imperatival participle across 108 verses[3]. The slight differences reflect different counting methods and whether imperatival participles are included in the total. What makes this count particularly significant is its concentration. These imperatives comprise a higher ratio to total words (3.375 percent) than in any other New Testament book[1]. This represents the highest concentration of imperatives in any comparable text in the New Testament, with the second-highest concentration appearing in Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount, which contains 50 imperative verbs in 107 verses[2]. Beyond the raw count, one scholar identified 31 present tense imperatives and 28 aorist imperatives[2], a distinction that carries interpretive weight. Present tense imperatives typically refer to ongoing or repeated action (“make it a habit to...” or “keep on...”), while aorist imperatives more simply state “do this”[2]. Of the 24 paragraphs in the Greek text of James, all but 4 or 5 begin with an imperative[2], underscoring how thoroughly the letter’s structure reflects its hortatory purpose. [1] Herbert W. Bateman IV and William C. Verner, James: An Exegetical Guide for Preaching and Teaching, ed. Herbert W. Bateman IV, Big Greek Idea Series (Grand Rapids, MI: Kregel Academic, 2022), 45. [2] C. Mack Roark, “James’s Ethical Imperatives (Lesson Reference: Book of James),” in Biblical Illustrator Treasury: James, Biblical Illustrator Treasury (Nashville, TN: LifeWay Christian Resources, n.d.), 23. [3] Richard Bauckham, “Foreword,” in The Genre, Composition and Hermeneutics of the Epistle of James (Milton Keynes: Paternoster Press, 2003), 37.