ἐν

enin/on/amongHow to read Greek
greekNew TestamentPreposition2,754 occurrences27 books2,112 verses

Definition

ἐν,

prep, (the most frequently of all in NT), with dative (= Heb. בְּ, Lat. in, with abl.).

I. Of place, with dative of thing(s), of person(s), in, within, on, at, by, among: ἐν τ. πόλει, Luke 7:37; τ. οφθαλμῷ, Matthew 7:3; τ. κοιλίᾳ, Matthew 12:40; τ. ὄρει, 2 Peter 1:18; τ. θρόνῳ, Revelation 3:21; τ. δεξιᾷ τ. θεοῦ, Romans 8:34; ἐν ἡμῖν Abbott-Smith has ὑμῖν., Luke 1:1; of books, ἐν τ. βιβλίῳ, Galatians 3:10; τ. νόμῳ, Matthew 12:5, al.; ἐν τοῖς τ. Πατρός, in my Father's house (RV; cf. M, Pr., 103), Luke 2:49; trop., of the region of thought or feeling, ἐν τ. καρδίᾳ (-αις), Matthew 5:28, 2 Corinthians 4:6, al.; τ. συνειδήσεσιν, 2 Corinthians 5:11; after verbs of motion, instead of εἰς (constructio praegnans, a usage extended in late Gk. beyond the limits observed in cl.; cf. Bl., §41, 1; M, Th., 12), ἀποστέλλω . . . ἐν, Matthew 10:16. δέδωκεν ἐν τ. χειρί (cf. τιθέναι ἐν χερσί, Hom., Il., i, 441, al.), John 3:35; id. after verbs of coming and going (not in cl.), εἰσῆλθε, Luke 9:46; ἐξῆλθεν, Luke 7:17.

II. Of state, condition, form, occupation, etc.: ἐν ζωῇ, Romans 5:10; ἐν τ. θανάτῳ, 1 John 3:14; ἐν πειρασμοῖς, 1 Peter 1:6; ἐν εἰρήνῃ, Mark 5:25; ἐν δόξῃ, Philippians 4:19; ἐν πραΰτητι, James 3:13; ἐν μυστηρίῳ, 1 Corinthians 2:7; ἐν τ. διδαχῇ, Mark 4:2; of a part as contained in a whole, ἐν τ. ἀμπέλῳ, John 15:4; ἐν ἑνὶ σώματι, Romans 12:4; of accompanying objects or persons (simple dative in cl.), with, ἐν αἵματι, Hebrews 9:25; ἐν δέκα χιλιάσιν, Luke 14:31 (cf. Jude 14, Acts 7:14); similarly (cl.), of clothing, armour, arms, ἐν στολαῖς, Mark 12:38; ἐν ἐσθῆτι λαμπρᾷ, James 2:2; ἐν μαξαίρῃ, Luke 22:49; ἐν ῥάβδῳ, 1 Corinthians 4:21 (cf. ἐν τόξοις, Xen., Mem., 3, 9, 2); of manner (cl.), ἐν τάχει (= ταχέως), Luke 18:8 (cf. Bl., §41, 1); of spiritual influence, ἐν πνεύματι, Romans 8:9; ἐν π. ἀκαθάρτῳ, Mark 1:23; of the mystical relation of the Christian life and the believer himself, to God and Christ (cf. ICC, Ro., 160f.; Mayor on Jude 1; M, Pr., 103): ἐν Χριστῷ, Romans 3:24; 6:11, 1 Corinthians 3:1; 4:10, 2 Corinthians 12:2, Galatians 2:17, Ephesians 6:21, Colossians 4:7, 1 Thessalonians 4:16, al.

III. Of the agent, instrument or means (an extension of cl. ἐν of instr.—see LS, see word Ill—corresponding to similar use of Heb. בְּ), by, with: ἐν ὑμῖν κρίνεται ὁ κόσμος (= cl. παρά, C. dative), 1 Corinthians 6:2; ἐν τ. ἄρχοντι τ. δαιμονίων, Matthew 9:34; ἐν αἵματι, Hebrews 9:22; ἐν ὕδατι, Matthew 3:11, al.; ἐν μαχαίρᾳ ἀποκτενεῖ (cf. the absol. ἐν μ., ἐν ῥάβδῳ, supr., II, which some would classify here), Revelation 13:10 (Revelation 6:8). Allied to this usage and distinctly Semitic are the following: ἠγόρασας . . . ἐν τ. αἵματι σου (cf. BDB, see word בְּ, III, 3), Revelation 5:9; ὁμολογεῖν ἐν (= Aram. אודי בּ; cf. McNeile on Mt, I.with; M, Pr., 104), Matthew 10:32, Luke 12:8; ὀμνύναι ἐν (= cl. accusative, so James 5:12), Matthew 5:34, al.; also at the rate of, amounting to, Mark 4:8 (WH; vv. ll., εἰς, ἒν), Acts 7:14 (LXX).

IV. Of time,

(a) in or during a period: ἐν τ. ἡμέρᾳ (νυκτί), John 11:9, al.; ἐν σαββάτῳ, Matthew 12:2, al.; ἐν τῷ μεταξύ, meanwhile, John 4:31;

(b) at the time of an event: ἐν τ. παρουσίᾳ, 1 Corinthians 15:23; ἐν τ. ἀναστάσει, Matthew 22:28;

(with) with art. inf.,

(α) present (so sometimes in cl., but not as in NT = ἕως; V. M, Pr., 215), while: Matthew 13:4, Mark 6:48, Galatians 4:18, al.;

(β) aor., when, after: Luke 9:36, al.;

(d) within (cl.): Matthew 27:40,

V. In composition: (1) meaning: (a) with adjectives, it signifies usually the possession of a quality, as ἐνάλιος, ἐν́δοξος; (b) with verbs, continuance in (before ἐν) or motion into (before εἰς), as ἐμμένω, ἐμβαίνω. (ii) Assimilation: ἐν becomes ἐμ- before β, μ, π, φ, ψ; ἐγ- before γ, κ, ξ, χ; ἐλ- before λ. But in the older MSS of NT, followed by modern editions, assimilation is sometimes neglected, as in ἐνγράφω, ἐγκαινίζω, etc.

Hebrew words it translates

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

Usage patterns

Old TestamentNew Testament

Occurrences

2,754 total
  1. Revelation 22:3ἐν · within
    No longer will there be any curse. The throne of God and of the Lamb will be within the city, and His servants will worship Him.
  2. Then the angel said to me, “These words are faithful and true. The Lord, the God of the spirits of the prophets, has sent His angel to show His servants what must soon take place.”
  3. Revelation 22:18ἐν · in
    I testify to everyone who hears the words of prophecy in this book: If anyone adds to them, God will add to him the plagues described in this book.
  4. Revelation 22:19ἐν · in
    And if anyone takes away from the words of this book of prophecy, God will take away his share in the tree of life and the holy city, which are described in this book.