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In general it can be said that in the passive voice the subject is acted upon or receives the action expressed by the verb. No volition - nor even necessarily awareness of the action - is implied on the part of the subject. That is, the subject may or may not be aware, its volition may or may not be involved. But these things are not stressed when the passive is used.
[Wallace breaks his discussion of the passive voice into "Passive construction" (with and without expressed agency, and the passive with an accusative object) and three "Passive uses," two of which are listed below.]
Simple Passive
The most common use of the passive voice is to indicate that the subject receives the action. No implication is made about cognition, volition, or cause on the part of the subject. This usage occurs both with and without and expressed agent.
- Mark 4:6 When the sun rose, it was scorched.
- Acts 1:5 You will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.
Deponent Passive
A verb that has no active form may be active in meaning though passive in form. |
