Nouns are often used as verbs and verbs as nouns.
For instance, my grandmother would use the noun, butter, as a verb. “Do you want me to butter your toast?”
Let’s look at a sample from Scripture. The following is from the Berean Literal Translation of Matthew 28: 19: “Therefore having gone [as you are going], disciple all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.”
Here, “disciple” is used as a verb, an imperative (command). Disciple (verb). Something you should do. Many translations take this same Greek word and translate it as a verb plus noun: “make disciples.” Here “disciple” is used as a noun (direct object) and “make” is the verb (a transitive verb). Disciple can be a noun or a verb. A disciple is a pupil, student, or follower of a teacher or leader. “To disciple” is to lead someone, teaching and training a person to follow the leader (Christ), in order to become more like Him.
Subject, verb, direct object: Disciples disciple disciples: noun, verb, noun.
What’s your point?
My husband and I recently spent a week at Good Samaritan Mission in Balm/Wimauma, Florida. The director, Bill Cruz, is a licensed, certified Marriage and the Family Counselor. Besides being a professional counselor, he has been a pastor, mission director, and actor. We love to hear his stories and his biblical teaching.
In discussing the arc of marriage and child-rearing, Bill noted that when we become parents, the words, “Father” and “Mother” are verbs. We spend decades fathering and mothering our children. We verb them: hold them, feed them, change them, and get up at night with them. We teach and train them. Yes, we disciple them. We take them to school, church, and activities. We are verbing.
Then parents become nouns. What does this mean? How does that look?
Journey North Character 