Keraia
Lexicon

εἰμί

eimito beHow to read Greek
greekNew TestamentVerb2,465 occurrences27 books2,100 verses

Definition

εἰμί,

with various uses and significations, like the English verb to be.

I. As substantive verb.

1. Of persons and things, to be, exist: Acts 17:28, John 1:1; 8:58; 17:5, al; ὁ ὢν καὶ ὁ ἦν (for past ptcp.), Revelation 1:4, 8; 4:8; 11:17; 16:5 (see Swete, Ap., 5; M, Pr., 228); τὰ (μὴ) ὄντα, Romans 4:17, 1 Corinthians 1:28.

2. Of times, events, etc., to be, happen, take place: Matthew 24:3, Mark 14:2; 15:42, Luke 21:23, John 4:6, 23; 5:10, al.

3. to be present, be in a place, have come: Matthew 2:13, 15, Mark 1:45; 5:21; 15:40, Luke 1:80; 5:29, John 7:30, al.; before εἰς, Mark 2:1; before ἐκ, (ἐξ), Matthew 1:20; 21:25, Mark 11:30, John 3:31, al.

4. Impers., ἔστι, ἦν, etc.;

(a) there is (Fr. il y a), was, etc.: Matthew 16:28, Luke 16:19, John 3:1; 5:2, Romans 3:10, al.; with dative (of the possessor; Bl., §37, 3), Matthew 16:22, Luke 1:7, John 18:10, Romans 9:2, al.; ἔστιν ὅς, ὅστις (chiefly in pl), Matthew 16:28; 19:2, Mark 9:1, al.;

(b) with inf., = ἔξεστιν (which see), it is possible: Hebrews 9:5, 1 Corinthians 11:20, RV (but see ICC, in l.).

II. As copula uniting subject and predicate.

1. Expressing simply identity or equivalence: Matthew 5:13; 14:15, Luke 1:18, 19, John 1:1; 4:19, Revelation 3:9, al. mult.

2. Explicative, as in parable, figure, type, etc.: Matthew 13:19, 1 Corinthians 9:2; 10:4; 11:25, Galatians 4:24, Revelation 17:15, al.; ταῦτ᾽ ἔστιν, Matthew 27:46, Mark 7:2, Romans 7:18 al.; ὅ ἐστιν, Mark 3:17, Colossians 1:24, Hebrews 7:2, al.; akin to this is the sacramental usage: Matthew 26:26-28, Mark 14:22, 24, Luke 22:19, 1 Corinthians 11:24 (see ICC on Mk, I Co, ll. with; DB, iii, 148 f.).

3. C. genitive: qual., etc., Mark 5:42, Luke 3:23, 1 Corinthians 14:33, Hebrews 12:11, al.; part., 1 Timothy 1:20, 2 Timothy 1:15; poss., Matthew 5:3, 10, Mark 12:7, Luke 4:7; of service or partisanship, Romans 8:9, 1 Corinthians 1:12, 2 Corinthians 10:7, 2 Timothy 2:19.

4. C. dative (BL, §37, 3): Acts 1:8; 9:15, Romans 4:12, 1 Corinthians 1:18; 2:14, Revelation 21:7, al.

5. C. ptcp., as a periphrasis for the simple verb (Bl., §62, 1, 2; M, Pr., 225 ff.);

(a) with ptcp. pf. (cl.): Matthew 10:30, Luke 9:32, John 3:24, Acts 21:35, 1 Corinthians 15:19, al;

(b) with ptcp. pr. (esp. in impf., as in Heb. and Aram.; Dalman, Words, 35 f.), Matthew 7:29, Mark 1:22, Luke 4:31; 14:1, Acts 1:10, al. mult., id. for imper. (M, Pr., 180f., 182f.), with ellipsis of εἰμί, Romans 12:9, 10, Hebrews 13:5, al.;

(with) with ptcp. aor. (cl), Luke 23:9.

6. Seq. εἰς (cf. Heb. הָיָה לְ), a vernac. usage (M, Pr., 71): Matthew 19:5, Mark 10:8, Hebrews 8:10, al.

7. C. adv.: Matthew 19:20, Mark 4:26, Luke 18:11, al.

8. Ellipses;

(a) of the copula (Bl., §30, 3): Matthew 8:29; 24:32, John 21:22, 23, Hebrews 6:4, al.;

(b) of the predicate: ἐγώ εἰμί, Matthew 14:27, Mark 6:50, al.; absol. (cf. Deuteronomy 32:39; אֲנִי הוּא), Mark 13:6, John 4:26, al. (cf. ἄπ-, ἔν-, πάρ-, συμ-πάρ-, σύν-ειμι).

Hebrew words it translates

The Hebrew words that the ancient Greek translation of the Old Testament renders as εἰμί:

Usage patterns

Old TestamentNew Testament

Occurrences

2,465 total
  1. John 19:19ἦν · It read
    Pilate also had a notice posted on the cross. It read: JESUS OF NAZARETH, THE KING OF THE JEWS.
  2. John 19:20ἦν · was; ἦν · it was
    Many of the Jews read this sign, because the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city, and it was written in Hebrew, Latin, and Greek.
  3. John 19:21εἰμι · I am
    So the chief priests of the Jews said to Pilate, “Do not write, ‘The King of the Jews,’ but only that He said, ‘I am the King of the Jews.’”
  4. John 19:23ἦν · was
    When the soldiers had crucified Jesus, they divided His garments into four parts, one for each soldier, with the tunic remaining. It was seamless, woven in one piece from top to bottom.
  5. John 19:24ἔσται · [will get]
    So they said to one another, “Let us not tear it. Instead, let us cast lots to see who will get it.” This was to fulfill the Scripture: “They divided My garments among them, and cast lots for My clothing.” So that is what the soldiers did.
  6. John 19:31ἦν · It was; ἦν · was
    It was the day of Preparation, and the next day was a High Sabbath. In order that the bodies would not remain on the cross during the Sabbath, the Jews asked Pilate to have the legs broken and the bodies removed.
  7. John 19:35ἐστιν · is
    The one who saw it has testified to this, and his testimony is true. He knows that he is telling the truth, so that you also may believe.
  8. John 19:38ὢν · who was
    Afterward, Joseph of Arimathea, who was a disciple of Jesus (but secretly for fear of the Jews), asked Pilate to let him remove the body of Jesus. Pilate gave him permission, so he came and removed His body.
  9. John 19:40ἐστὶν
    So they took the body of Jesus and wrapped it in linen cloths with the spices, according to the Jewish burial custom.
  10. John 19:41Ἦν · there was; ἦν · had yet been
    Now there was a garden in the place where Jesus was crucified, and in the garden a new tomb in which no one had yet been laid.
  11. John 19:42ἦν · was
    And because it was the Jewish day of Preparation and the tomb was nearby, they placed Jesus there.
  12. John 20:1οὔσης · while it was
    Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene went to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the entrance.
  13. John 20:7ἦν · had been
    The cloth that had been around Jesus’ head was rolled up, lying separate from the linen cloths.
  14. John 20:14ἐστιν · it was
    When she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there. But she did not recognize that it was Jesus.
  15. John 20:15ἐστιν · He was
    “Woman, why are you weeping?” Jesus asked. “Whom are you seeking?” Thinking He was the gardener, she said, “Sir, if you have carried Him off, tell me where you have put Him, and I will get Him.”
  16. John 20:19Οὔσης · It was; ἦσαν · were [together]
    It was the first day of the week, and that very evening, while the disciples were together with the doors locked for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them. “Peace be with you!” He said to them.
  17. John 20:24ἦν · was
    Now Thomas called Didymus, one of the Twelve, was not with the disciples when Jesus came.
  18. John 20:26ἦσαν · were
    Eight days later, His disciples were once again inside with the doors locked, and Thomas was with them. Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.”
  19. John 20:30ἔστιν · are
    Jesus performed many other signs in the presence of His disciples, which are not written in this book.
  20. John 20:31ἐστιν · is
    But these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in His name.
  21. John 21:2ἦσαν · were
    Simon Peter, Thomas called Didymus, Nathanael from Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two other disciples were together.
  22. John 21:4ἐστιν · it was
    Early in the morning, Jesus stood on the shore, but the disciples did not recognize that it was Jesus.
  23. John 21:7ἐστιν · It is; ἐστιν · it was; ἦν · he had removed it
    Then the disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, “It is the Lord!” As soon as Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put on his outer garment (for he had removed it) and jumped into the sea.
  24. John 21:8ἦσαν · they were
    The other disciples came ashore in the boat. They dragged in the net full of fish, for they were not far from land, only about a hundred yards.
  25. John 21:11ὄντων · with
    So Simon Peter went aboard and dragged the net ashore. It was full of large fish, 153, but even with so many, the net was not torn.
  26. John 21:12εἶ · are; ἐστιν · it was
    “Come, have breakfast,” Jesus said to them. None of the disciples dared to ask Him, “Who are You?” They knew it was the Lord.
  27. John 21:18ἦς · you were
    Truly, truly, I tell you, when you were young, you dressed yourself and walked where you wanted; but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will dress you and lead you where you do not want to go.”
  28. John 21:20ἐστιν · is going to
    Peter turned and saw the disciple whom Jesus loved following them. He was the one who had leaned back against Jesus at the supper to ask, “Lord, who is going to betray You?”
  29. John 21:24ἐστιν · is; ἐστίν · is
    This is the disciple who testifies to these things and who has written them down. And we know that his testimony is true.
  30. John 21:25Ἔστιν · There are
    There are many more things that Jesus did. If all of them were written down, I suppose that not even the world itself would have space for the books that would be written.
  31. Acts 1:7ἐστιν · It is
    Jesus replied, “It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by His own authority.
  32. Acts 1:8ἔσεσθέ · you will be
    But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you, and you will be My witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
  33. Acts 1:10ἦσαν · They were
    They were looking intently into the sky as He was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them.
  34. Acts 1:12ἐστιν · is
    Then they returned to Jerusalem from the Mount of Olives, which is near the city, a Sabbath day’s journey away.
  35. Acts 1:13ἦσαν · they were
    When they arrived, they went to the upper room where they were staying: Peter and John, James and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James son of Alphaeus, Simon the Zealot, and Judas son of James.
  36. Acts 1:14ἦσαν
    With one accord they all continued in prayer, along with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with His brothers.
  37. Acts 1:15ἦν
    In those days Peter stood up among the brothers (a gathering of about a hundred and twenty) and said,
  38. Acts 1:17ἦν · He was
    He was one of our number and shared in this ministry.”
  39. Acts 1:19ἔστιν · is
    This became known to all who lived in Jerusalem, so they called that field in their own language Akeldama, that is, Field of Blood.)
  40. Acts 1:20ἔστω · let there be
    “For it is written in the book of Psalms: ‘May his place be deserted; let there be no one to dwell in it,’ and, ‘May another take his position.’
  41. Acts 2:1ἦσαν · they were
    When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place.
  42. Acts 2:2ἦσαν · they were
    Suddenly a sound like a mighty rushing wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting.