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. Ephesians 6:9ἐστιν · is; ἔστιν · there is
    And masters, do the same for your slaves. Give up your use of threats, because you know that He who is both their Master and yours is in heaven, and there is no favoritism with Him.
  2. Ephesians 6:12ἔστιν · is
    For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this world’s darkness, and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.
  3. Ephesians 6:17ἐστιν · is
    And take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
  4. Philippians 1:1οὖσιν
    Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus, To all the saints in Christ Jesus at Philippi, together with the overseers and deacons:
  5. Philippians 1:7ἐστιν · It is; ὄντας · are
    It is right for me to feel this way about all of you, since I have you in my heart. For in my chains and in my defense and confirmation of the gospel, you are all partners in grace with me.
  6. Philippians 1:10ἦτε · may be
    …so that you may be able to test and prove what is best and may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ,
  7. Philippians 1:23εἶναι · be
    I am torn between the two. I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is far better indeed.
  8. Philippians 1:28ἐστὶν · is
    …without being frightened in any way by those who oppose you. This is a clear sign of their destruction but of your salvation, and it is from God.
  9. Philippians 2:6εἶναι
    Who, existing in the form of God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped,
  10. Philippians 2:13ἐστιν · it is
    For it is God who works in you to will and to act on behalf of His good purpose.
  11. Philippians 2:26ἦν · he has been
    For he has been longing for all of you and is distressed because you heard he was ill.
  12. Philippians 2:28ὦ · may be
    Therefore I am all the more eager to send him, so that when you see him again you may rejoice, and I may be less anxious.
  13. Philippians 3:3ἐσμεν · [who] are
    For it is we who are the circumcision, we who worship by the Spirit of God, who glory in Christ Jesus, and who put no confidence in the flesh—
  14. Philippians 3:7ἦν · was
    But whatever was gain to me I count as loss for the sake of Christ.
  15. Philippians 3:8εἶναι · as
    More than that, I count all things as loss compared to the surpassing excellence of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ
  16. Philippians 4:8ἐστὶν · is
    Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think on these things.
  17. Philippians 4:9ἔσται · will be
    Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me, put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.
  18. Philippians 4:11εἰμι; εἶναι · to be
    I am not saying this out of need, for I have learned to be content regardless of my circumstances.
  19. Colossians 1:6ἐστὶν · [this gospel] is
    …that has come to you. All over the world this gospel is bearing fruit and growing, just as it has been doing among you since the day you heard it and truly understood the grace of God.
  20. Colossians 1:7ἐστιν · is
    You learned it from Epaphras, our beloved fellow servant, who is a faithful minister of Christ on our behalf,
  21. Colossians 1:15ἐστιν · is
    The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation.
  22. Colossians 1:17ἐστιν · is
    He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together.
  23. Colossians 1:18ἐστιν · is; ἐστιν · is
    And He is the head of the body, the church; He is the beginning and firstborn from among the dead, so that in all things He may have preeminence.
  24. Colossians 1:21ὄντας · were
    Once you were alienated from God and were hostile in your minds, engaging in evil deeds.
  25. Colossians 1:24ἐστιν · is
    Now I rejoice in my sufferings for you, and I fill up in my flesh what is lacking in regard to Christ’s afflictions for the sake of His body, which is the church.
  26. Colossians 1:27ἐστιν · is
    To them God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.
  27. Colossians 2:3εἰσιν · are
    …in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.
  28. Colossians 2:5εἰμι · I am present
    For although I am absent from you in body, I am present with you in spirit, and I delight to see your orderly condition and firm faith in Christ.
  29. Colossians 2:8ἔσται
    See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception, which are based on human tradition and the spiritual forces of the world rather than on Christ.
  30. Colossians 2:10ἐστὲ · you have been; ἐστιν · is
    And you have been made complete in Christ, who is the head over every ruler and authority.
  31. Colossians 2:13ὄντας · were
    When you were dead in your trespasses and in the uncircumcision of your sinful nature, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our trespasses,
  32. Colossians 2:14ἦν · stood
    …having canceled the debt ascribed to us in the decrees that stood against us. He took it away, nailing it to the cross!
  33. Colossians 2:17ἐστιν · are
    These are a shadow of the things to come, but the body that casts it belongs to Christ.
  34. Colossians 2:22ἐστιν · will
    These will all perish with use, because they are based on human commands and teachings.
  35. Colossians 2:23ἐστιν · [but] they are
    Such restrictions indeed have an appearance of wisdom, with their self-prescribed worship, their false humility, and their harsh treatment of the body; but they are of no value against the indulgence of the flesh.
  36. Colossians 3:1ἐστιν · is
    Therefore, since you have been raised with Christ, strive for the things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God.
  37. Colossians 3:5ἐστὶν · is
    Put to death, therefore, the components of your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires, and greed, which is idolatry.
  38. Colossians 3:14ἐστιν · is
    And over all these virtues put on love, which is the bond of perfect unity.
  39. Colossians 3:20ἐστιν · is
    Children, obey your parents in everything, for this is pleasing to the Lord.
  40. Colossians 3:25ἔστιν · there is
    Whoever does wrong will be repaid for his wrong, and there is no favoritism.
  41. Colossians 4:9ἐστιν · is
    With him I am sending Onesimus, our faithful and beloved brother, who is one of you. They will tell you about everything here.
  42. Colossians 4:11ὄντες · are
    Jesus, who is called Justus, also sends greetings. These are the only Jews among my fellow workers for the kingdom of God, and they have been a comfort to me.
  43. 1 Thessalonians 2:6εἶναι
    Nor did we seek praise from you or from anyone else, although as apostles of Christ we had authority to demand it.
  44. 1 Thessalonians 2:13ἐστὶν
    And we continually thank God because, when you received the word of God that you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men, but as it truly is, the word of God, which is also now at work in you who believe.
  45. 1 Thessalonians 2:14οὐσῶν · are
    For you, brothers, became imitators of the churches of God in Judea that are in Christ Jesus. You suffered from your own countrymen the very things they suffered from the Jews,