I. εἰμί has the force of a predicate (i. e. is the substantive verb): to be, i. e.

1. to exist;

a. passages in which the idea of the verb preponderates, and some person or thing is said to exist by way of distinction from things non-existent: ἐστιν ὁ Θεός, Hebrews 11:6; ὁ ὤν καί ὁ ἦν (Winers Grammar, 68 (66), cf. 182 (172); Buttmann, 50 (43)), Revelation 1:4 (; ); ; ἐν ἀρχή ἦν ὁ λόγος, John 1:1; πρίν Ἀβραάμ γενέσθαι, ἐγώ εἰμί, John 8:58 (so WH marginal reading in 24, 28; (see II. 5 below)); πρό τοῦ τόν κόσμον εἶναι, John 17:5; ἦν, καί οὐκ ἐστι καίπερ ἐστιν Rec., according to the better reading καί παρέσται (G Tr WH, but L T παρέσται, correctly; cf. Alexander Buttmann (1873) Ausf. Spr. § 108 Anm. 20; Chandler § 803), Revelation 17:8; ἐσμεν, Acts 17:28; τά μή ὄντα and τά ὄντα things that are not, things that are, Romans 4:17; things that have some or have no influence, of some or of no account, 1 Corinthians 1:28 (ἐκάλεσεν ὑμᾶς οὐκ ὄντας καί ἠθέλησεν ἐκ μή ὄντος εἶναι ἡμᾶς, Clement of Rome, 2 Cor. 1:8 (cf. Gebh. and Harn. at the passage and especially on Hermas, vis. 1, 1, 6 [ET])). Hence,

b. equivalent to to live: εἰ ἤμεθα (or ἦμεν Rec.) ἐν ταῖς ἡμέραις τῶν πατέρων ἡμῶν if we had been (viz. living) in the days of our fathers, Matthew 23:30; οὐκ εἶναι is used (as in classical Greek, cf. Passow, i., p. 792 (Liddell and Scott, under A. I. 1)) of the dead (who are not, are no more): Matthew 2:18.

c. equivalent to to stay, remain, be in a place: Matthew 2:13, 15; Mark 1:45 (L WH brackets ἦν); ; Luke 1:80; see V. 4 below.

d. equivalent to to be found, the subject being anarthrous; as, ἦν ἄνθρωπος there was (found, German es gab) a man, etc.: Luke 16:1, 19; Luke 18:23; John 3:1; John 4:6; John 5:2; John 6:10; 1 Corinthians 8:5; 1 Corinthians 12:4-6; 1 Corinthians 14:10; 1 Corinthians 15:44; 1 John 5:16, and often; ἔσονται ἐμπαῖκται Jude 1:18; ἐστι, ἦν, ἔσται with a negative: οὐκ ἐστι δίκαιος there is not (namely, found) a righteous man, Romans 3:10; add Romans 3:12, 18; χρόνος οὐκ ἔσται ἔτι there shall be no longer time, Revelation 10:6; add, Revelation 22:3, 5 (Rec. adds ἐκεῖ); Revelation 21:25 (here ἐκεῖ stands) ἀνάστασις νεκρῶν οὐκ ἐστιν, 1 Corinthians 15:12; μή εἶναι ἀνάστασιν, Matthew 22:23 and its parall.; Acts 23:8. Here belong also the phrases εἰσιν, οἱ etc., οἵτινες etc., there are (some) who etc.: Matthew 16:28; Matthew 19:12; Mark 9:1; Luke 9:27; John 6:64; Acts 11:20; οὐδείς ἐστιν ὅς, Mark 9:39; Mark 10:29; Luke 1:61; Luke 18:29; with a noun added, ἕξ ἡμέραι εἰσιν, ἐν αἷς etc. Luke 13:14; τίς ἐστιν, ὅς, Matthew 7:9 (L Tr WH omit ἐστιν); Matthew 12:11 (Tr omits; WH brackets ἐστιν): ἐστιν ὁ with a participle there is (viz., is not lacking) one that etc. John 5:32 (?), ; .

e. when used of things, events, facts, etc., εἶναι is equivalent to to happen, take place: νῦν κρίσις ἐστιν, John 12:31; γογγυσμός ἦν, John 7:12 θόρυβος τοῦ λαοῦ. Mark 14:2; σχίσμα, σχίσματα, John 9:16; 1 Corinthians 1:10; 1 Corinthians 12:25; ἔριδες, 1 Corinthians 1:11; αἱρέσεις, 1 Corinthians 11:19: πένθος, πόνος, κραυγή, Revelation 21:4; ἔσονται λιμοί καί λοιμοί (R G Tr marginal reading in br:, others omit καί λοιμοί) καί σεισμοί Matthew 24:7; ἀνάγκη μεγάλη, Luke 21:23; ἀνάστασιν μέλλειν ἔσεσθαι, Acts 24:15. of times and seasons: χειμών ἐστιν, John 10:22; νύξ, John 13:30 ψῦχος, John 18:18; καύσων, Luke 12:55; ἑσπέρα Acts 4:3 πρωΐα, John 18:28 (Rec.); σκοτία, John 20:1: ἐστι, ἦν ὥρα — as ἕκτη, Luke 23:44; John 4:6; John 19:14 (L T Tr WH) (), etc.; also of feasts: John 5:1, 10; John 9:14; Acts 12:3; Luke 23:54; Mark 15:42. universally, τό ἐσόμενον what will be, follow, happen: Luke 22:49; πότε ταῦτα ἔσται; Matthew 24:3; πῶς ἔσται τοῦτο; Luke 1:34; after the Hebrew, καί ἔσται (equivalent to וְהָיָה) followed by the future of another verb: Acts 2:17 (from Joel 2:28 ()); (from Joel 2:32 ()); Acts 3:23: Romans 9:26 (from Hosea 1:10 ()). τί οὖν ἐστιν; what then is it? i. e. how stands the case? What follows therefore? Acts 21:22; 1 Corinthians 14:15, 26.

2. equivalent to πάρειμι, to be present; to be at hand; to be in store: οἶνος οὐκ ἐστιν, John 2:3 Tdf.; παμπολλοῦ (Rec.) ὄχλου ὄντος, when there was present, Mark 8:1; add, ; Matthew 12:10 R G; Hebrews 8:4; οὔπω γάρ ἦν πνεῦμα (ἅγιον), was not yet present, i. e. had not yet been given (which some authorities add). John 7:39; so also in the words εἰ πνεῦμα ἅγιον ἐστιν (but R G Tr accent ἅγιον ἐστιν., cf. Chandler § 938), Acts 19:2; ἀκούσας ... ὄντα σῖτα, that there was an abundance of grain, Acts 7:12; δύναμις κυρίου ἦν εἰς τό ἰᾶσθαι αὐτούς, was present to heal them, Luke 5:17.

3. ἐστιν with an infinitive, as in Greek writings from Homer down (see Passow, i., p. 792f; (Liddell and Scott, under the word, A. VI.); see examples from the O. T. Apocrypha in Wahl, Clavis apocryph., p. 155), it is possible to etc.; with a negative (as more common in classic Greek also), it is impossible: Hebrews 9:5; 1 Corinthians 11:20 (cf. Winer's Grammar, § 44, 2 b.).

II. εἰμί (as a copula) connects the subject with the predicate, where the sentence shows who or what a person or thing is as respects character, nature, disposition, race, power, dignity, greatness, age, etc.

1. universally: ἐγώ εἰμί πρεσβύτης, Luke 1:18; ἐγώ εἰμί Γαβριήλ, Luke 1:19; ἔρημος ἐστιν ὁ τόπος, Matthew 14:15; προφήτης εἰ σύ, John 4:19; σύ εἰ ὁ Χριστός, Matthew 26:63; καθαροί ἐστε, John 13:10; ὑμεῖς ἐστε τό ἅλας τῆς γῆς, Matthew 5:13; Ἰουδαίους εἶναι ἑαυτούς, Revelation 3:9, cf. Revelation 2:9, and countless other examples

2. εἰμί, as a copula, indicates that the subject is or is to be compared to the thing expressed by the predicate: ἡ σφραγίς μου τῆς ἀποστολῆς ὑμεῖς ἐστε, ye are, as it were, the seal attesting my apostleship, i. e. your faith is proof that the name of apostle is given me rightfully, 1 Corinthians 9:2; ἡ ἐπιστολή (namely, συστατικη, cf. 1 Corinthians 9:1) ὑμεῖς ἐστε, i. e. ye yourselves are like a letter of recommendation for me, or ye serve as a substitute for a letter of recommendation, 2 Corinthians 3:2; τοῦτο ἐστι τό σῶμα μου, this which I now hand to you is, as it were, my body, Matthew 26:26; Mark 14:22; Luke 22:19; ὑμεῖς ναός Θεοῦ ἐστε (L text T Tr text WH ἡμεῖς ... ἐσμεν ye (we) are to be regarded as the temple of God, 2 Corinthians 6:16, cf. 1 Corinthians 6:19; ὁ Θεός ναός αὐτῆς ἐστιν (ἐστι R G Tr], καί τό ἀρνίον, they are to be regarded as its temple, they occupy the place of a temple in the city because present with everyone in it, Revelation 21:22. Hence,

3. εἶναι, getting an explicative force, is often equivalent to to denote, signify, import, as ὁ ἀγρός ἐστιν ὁ κόσμος, Matthew 13:37-39, 19f, 22; Luke 8:11f, 14; Galatians 4:24; Revelation 17:15; Revelation 19:8, (the Sept. Genesis 41:28; Ezekiel 37:11); τουτ' ἐστιν (so T WH uniformly, except that WH omits ν. ἐφελκ. in Hebrews 2:14), Lachmann τοῦτ᾿ἔστιν (except in Romans 10:6, 7, 8; also Treg. except in Matthew 27:46; Mark 7:2; Acts 1:19; Romans 9:8; Romans 10:6, 7, 8; sometimes written τοῦτο ἐστιν, see Tdf. Proleg., p. 111; cf. Winers Grammar, 45; Buttmann, 11 (10)), an explanatory formula (equivalent to τοῦτο σημαίνει) which is either inserted into the discourse as a parenthesis, or annexed to words as an apposition (cf. Winers Grammar, 530 (493); Buttmann, 400 (342). It is to be distinguished from τοῦτο δέ ἐστιν: τουτ' ἐστιν introduces an incidental explanation for the most part of the language; τοῦτο δέ ἐστιν subjoins an explanatory statement, relating generally to the thought; (cf. our that is to say, and that is); see Romans 1:12 and Fritzsche at the passage): Matthew 27:46; Mark 7:2; Acts 1:19; Romans 7:18; Romans 10:6-8; Philemon 1:12; Hebrews 2:14; Hebrews 7:5, etc.; likewise ὁ ἐστι, Mark 3:17; Mark 7:11, 34; Hebrews 7:2; ὁ ἐστι μεθερμηνευόμενον, this signifies, when interpreted, etc. Mark 15:34; Acts 4:36; see 6 c. below.

4. In the Bible far more frequently than in secular authors, and in the N. T. much more often in the historical than in the other books, a participle without the article serves as the predicate, being connected with the subject by the verb εἶναι (cf. Winers Grammar, § 45, 5 and especially Buttmann, 309ff (265ff)); and a. so as to form a mere periphrasis of the finite verb;

a. with the present participle is formed — a periphrasis of the present: ἐστι προσαναπληροῦσα ... καί περισσεύουσα, 2 Corinthians 9:12; — a periph. of the imperfect or of the aorist, mostly in Mark and Luke (Buttmann, 312 (268)): ἦν καθευδεν, Mark 4:38; ἦν προάγων, ; ἦν συγκαθήμενος, ; ἦν διανεύων, Luke 1:22; ἦσαν καθήμενοι, ; ἦν ἐκβάλλων, ; ἦσαν καθεζόμενοι (Lachmann, others, καθήμενοι), Acts 2:2, and other examples; once in Paul, Philippians 2:26 ἐπιποθῶν ἦν; — a periph. of the future: ἔσονται πίπτοντες (ἐκπίπτοντες R G), Mark 13:25. β. with the perfect participle is formed — a periph. of the aorist (imperfect (?)): ἦν ἑστώς, Luke 5:1; — a periph. of the pluperfect: ἦσαν ἐληλυθότες, συνεληλυθυῖαι Luke 5:17; Luke 23:55; especially with the perfect passive participle: ἦν ἡ ἐπιγραφή ἐπιγεγραμμένη, Mark 15:26; ἦν αὐτῷ κεχρηματισμένον, Luke 2:26; ἦν τεθραμμένος, Luke 4:16; add, Luke 8:2; Luke 23:51; Acts 1:17, etc. γ. once with an aorist participle a periph. of the pluperfect is formed: ἦν ... βληθείς (R G L Tr marginal reading βεβλημένος) ἐν τῇ φυλακή, Luke 23:19 T Tr text WH; on the same use of the aorist sometimes in Greek writings cf. Passow, i., p. 793; (Liddell and Scott, under the word, B. 2; yet cf. Buttmann, § 144, 24 at the end).

b. so as to indicate continuance in any act or state (Buttmann, 310f (266)): ἦν διδάσκων was accustomed to teach, Mark 1:22; Luke 4:31; Luke 19:47; ἦν (T Tr text WH ἦλθεν) κηρύσσων, Mark 1:39; Luke 4:44; ἦσαν νηστεύοντες held their fast, Mark 2:18; ἦσαν συλλαλοῦντες were talking, Mark 9:4;ἦν συγκύπτουσα, Luke 13:11; ἦν θέλων, Luke 23:8; ἦν προσδεχόμενος, Mark 15:43 (Luke 23:51 προσεδέχετο); once in Paul, Galatians 1:23 ἦσαν ἀκούοντες, with the future (cf. Buttmann, 311 (267)): ἔσται δεδεμένον, ἔσται λελυμένον, equivalent to shall remain bound, shall remain loosed, Matthew 16:19; ἔσται πατουμένη shall continue to be trodden down, Luke 21:24, and other examples c. to signify that one is in the act of doing something: ἦν ἐρχόμενον was in the act of coming, John 1:9 (cf. Meyer edition Weiss at the passage); ἦν ὑποστρέφων, Acts 8:28.

d. the combination of εἶναι with participle seems intended also to give the verbal idea more force and prominence by putting it in the form of a noun (see Buttmanns Grammar, and Winer's Grammar, as above) ἦν ἔχων κτήματα πολλά (German wohlhabend (English was one that had)), Matthew 19:22; Mark 10:22; ἔσῃ σιωπῶν, Luke 1:20; ἦν ὑποτασσόμενος (obedient, in subjection), Luke 2:51; ἴσθι ἐξουσίαν ἔχων, be thou ruler over, Luke 19:17; ἦν συνευδοκῶν Acts 8:1; ζῶν εἰμί, Revelation 1:18, and in other examples three times in Paul: εἰ ... ἠλπικότες ἐσμεν μόνον if we are those who have only hoped, or to whom nothing is left but hope, 1 Corinthians 15:19; ἦν ἦν ... καταλλάσσων, the reconciler, 2 Corinthians 5:19; ἅτινά ἐστι λόγον ἔχοντα σοφίας, are things having a reputation of wisdom, Colossians 2:23 (Matthiae, § 560 ((so Kühner, § 353 Anm. 3)) gives examples from secular authors in which several words intervene between εἶναι and the participle).

e. Of quite another sort are those examples in which εἶναι has its own force, being equivalent to to be found, to be present, to stay, (see I. above), and the participle is added to express an act or condition of the subject (cf. Buttmann, § 144, 27): ἐν τοῖς μνημασι ... ἦν was i. e. stayed) κράζων, Mark 5:5; ἦν δέ ἐκεῖ (was kept there) ... βοσκομένη, Mark 5:11; Matthew 8:30; ἦσαν ἐν τῇ ὁδῷ ἀναβαίνοντες, Luther correctly, they were in the road (going up etc. Mark 10:32; εἰσιν ἄνδρες ... εὐχήν ἔχοντες, Acts 21:23; add, Matthew 12:10 (R G); ; Mark 2:6, (in the last two examples ἦσαν were present); Luke 4:33; John 1:28; John 3:23; Acts 25:14; Romans 3:12, etc.; ἄνωθεν ἐστιν, καταβαῖνον etc. (insert a comma after ἐστιν), is from above, καταβαῖνον etc. being added by way of explanation, James 1:17 (cf. Buttmann, 310 (266)).

5. The formula ἐγώ εἰμί (I am he), frequent in the Gospels, especially in John, must have its predicate supplied mentally, inasmuch as it is evident from the context (cf. Krüger, § 60, 7); thus, ἐγώ εἰμί, namely, Ἰησοῦς ὁ Ναζωραῖον, John 18:5 (here L marginal reading expresses ὁ Ἰησοῦς, WH marginal reading Ἰησοῦς); John 18:6, 8; it is I whom you see, not another, Matthew 14:27; Mark 6:50; Luke 24:36 (Lachmann in brackets); John 6:20; namely, ὁ καθήμενος καί προσαιτῶν, John 9:9; simply εἰμί, I am teacher and Lord, John 13:13; οὐκ εἰμί namely, ἐξ αὐτῶν, Luke 22:58; John 18:25; I am not Elijah, John 1:21; specifically, I am the Messiah, Mark 13:6; Mark 14:62; Luke 21:8; John 4:26; John 8:24, 28; John 13:19; I am the Son of God, Luke 22:70 (like הוּא אֲנִי, Deuteronomy 32:39; Isaiah 43:10); cf. Keim, 3:320 (English translation, 6:34; Hofmann, Schriftbeweis, i. 63f). The third person is used in the same way: ἐκεῖνος ἐστιν, namely, ὁ υἱός τοῦ Θεοῦ, John 9:37; namely, ὁ παραδώσων ἐμέ, John 13:26.

6. Of the phrases having a pronoun in place of a predicate, the following deserve notice:

a. τίς εἰμί, εἰ, ἐστιν, a formula of inquiry, used by those desiring — either to know what sort of a man one is whom they see, or what his name is, John 1:19; John 8:25; John 21:12; Acts 26:15 — or that they may see the face of some one spoken of, and that he may be pointed out to them, Luke 19:3; John 9:36; σύ τίς εἰ ὁ with a participle, who (i. e. how petty) art thou, that etc.? the question of one administering a rebuke and contemptuously denying another's right to do a thing, Romans 9:20; Romans 14:4 (Strabo 6, 2, 4, p. 271 σύ τίς εἰ ὁ τόν Ὀμηρον ψεγων ὡς μυθογραφον); ἐγώ τίς εἰμί; who (how small) am I? the language of one holding a modest opinion of himself and recognizing his weakness, Acts 11:17, cf. Exodus 3:11.

b. εἰμί τίς, likesum aliquis in Latin, to be somebody (eminent): Acts 5:36; εἶναι τί, like the Latinaliquid esse, to be something (i. e., something excellent): Galatians 2:6; Galatians 6:3; in these phrases τίς and τί are emphatic; cf. Kühner, § 470, 3; (Winers Grammar, 170 (161); Buttmann, 114 (100)); εἶναι τί after a negative, to be nothing, 1 Corinthians 3:7, cf. Meyer at the passage; also in questions having a negative force, 1 Corinthians 10:19 (cf. Winer's Grammar, § 6, 2). οὐδέν εἰμί, 1 Corinthians 13:2; 2 Corinthians 12:11; οὐδέν ἐστιν, it is nothing, is of no account, Matthew 23:16, 18; John 8:54; Acts 21:24; 1 Corinthians 7:19.

c. τίς ἐστι, e. g. ἡ παραβολή, what does it mean? what is the explanation of the thing? Luke 8:9 τίς εἴη ἡ παραβολή αὐτῇ; Acts 10:17 τί ἄν εἰν τό ὅραμα; Mark 1:27 τί ἐστι τοῦτο; what is this? expressive of astonishment, Luke 15:26 τί εἰν ταῦτα; what might be the cause of the noise he heard? Luke 18:36; John 10:6, τινα ἦν, ἅ ἐλάλει αὐτοῖς. Τί ἐστι what does it mean? Matthew 9:13; Matthew 12:7; Luke 20:17; John 16:17f; τί ἐστιν εἰ μή ὅτι, Ephesians 4:9; see II. 3 above.

d. οὗτος, αὕτη, τοῦτο ἐστιν followed by a noun, equivalent to in this is seen, is contained, etc. α. is so employed that the pronoun refers to something which has just been said: οὗτος γάρ ἐστι ὁ νόμος, the law is summed up in what I have just mentioned, comes to this, Matthew 7:12. β.. in John's usage it is so employed that the pronoun serves as the subject, which is defined by a noun that follows, and this noun itself is a substitute as it were for the predicate: αὐτῇ ἐστιν ἡ νίκη ... ἡ πίστις ἡμῶν 1 John 5:4; αὕτη ἐστιν ἡ μαρτυρία τοῦ Θεοῦ, ἥν, etc. 1 John 5:9 Rec. οὗτος, αὕτη, τοῦτο ἐστι followed by ὅτι (Buttmann, 105 (92); cf. Winer's Grammar, 161 (152)): John 3:19; 1 John 1:5; 1 John 5:11, 14; followed by ἵνα (to say that something ought to be done, or that something is desired or demanded (cf. Winers Grammar, 338 (317); Buttmann, 240 (207))): John 6:29, 39; John 15:12; 1 John 3:11, 23; 1 John 5:3; followed by ὅτε etc. John 1:19 (Winer's Grammar, 438 (408)).

7. The participle ὤν, οὖσα, ὄν, ὄντες, ὄντα, joined to a substantive or an adjective, has the force of an intercalated clause, and may be translated since or although I am, thou art, etc. (here the English use of the participle agrees in the main with the Greek): εἰ οὖν ὑμεῖς, πονηροὶ οὔντες, οἴδατε, Matthew 17:11; add, ; Luke 20:36; John 3:4; John 4:9; Acts 16:21; Romans 5:10; 1 Corinthians 8:7; Galatians 2:3; James 3:4, and often; twice with other participles, used adjectivally (Buttmann, 310 (266)): ὄντες ἀπηλλοτριωμένοι, Colossians 1:21; ἐσκοτισμένοι (R G, others ἐσκοτωμένοι), Ephesians 4:18.

8. Sometimes the copula ἐστιν (with the accent (see Chandler § 938)) stands at the beginning of a sentence, to emphasize the truth of what the sentence affirms or denies: Luke 8:11; 1 Timothy 6:6; ἐστι δέ πίστις etc. Hebrews 11:1 (although some explain it here (as a substantive verb), 'but faith exists' or 'is found,' to wit in the examples adduced immediately after (see Winers Grammar, § 7, 3)); several times so used in Philo in statements (quoted by Delitzsch on Hebrews 11:1) resembling definitions. οὐκ ἐστιν: Matthew 13:57; Mark 12:27; Acts 10:34; 1 Corinthians 14:33; James 3:15.

III. εἰμί joined with adverbs;

1. with adverbs of place;

a. where? to be, be busy, somewhere: ἐκεῖ, Matthew 2:15; Matthew 27:55; Mark 3:1 (L omits; Tr brackets ἦν), etc.; ἐνθάδε, Acts 16:28; ἔσω, John 20:26; οὗ, Matthew 2:9; Matthew 18:20; Acts 16:13; ὅπου, Mark 2:4; Mark 5:40; John 6:62; Acts 17:1, etc.; ποῦ, Matthew 2:2; John 7:11, etc.; ὧδε, Matthew 28:6; Mark 9:5, etc.

b. with adverbs of distance: ἀπέναντι τίνος, Romans 3:18 (Psalm 35:2 ()); ἐκτός τίνος, 2 Corinthians 12:2 (3 χωρίς τοῦ L T Tr WH); ἔμπροσθεν τίνος, Luke 14:2; ἐντός τίνος. Luke 17:21; ἐνώπιον τίνος, Revelation 1:4; Revelation 7:15; μακράν ἀπό τίνος, John 21:8; Mark 12:34; πόρρω, Luke 14:32; ἐπάνω, John 3:31{a} (31^b G T WH marginal reading omits the clause); of the situation of regions and places: ἀντιπέρα (or ἀντιπέρα etc. see under the word) τίνος, Luke 8:26; ἐγγύς — now standing absolutely, John 19:42; now with the genitive, John 11:18; John 19:20, etc.; now with the dative, Acts 9:38; Acts 27:8.

c. whence? to be from some quarter, i. e. to come, originate, from: πόθεν, Matthew 21:25; Luke 13:25, 27; John 7:27; John 9:29; John 19:9; John 2:9 (πόθεν ἐστιν namely, ὁ οἶνος, whence the wine was procured); ἐντεῦθεν, John 18:36.

2. with adverbs of quality; οὕτως εἰμί, to be thus or so, to be such; absolutely, Matthew 13:49; with ἐν ὑμῖν added, Matthew 20:26 (here R G T ἔσται); οὕτως ἔσται, so will it be, i. e. come to pass, Matthew 13:40 (49 (see above)); οὕτως ἐστιν or ἔσται, of things, events, etc., such is or will be the state of the case (Winer's Grammar, 465 (434)): Matthew 19:10; Matthew 24:27, 37, 39; Mark 4:26; Romans 4:18 (Genesis 15:5); so of persons, John 3:8. καθώς ἐστιν as, even as, he, etc. is, 1 John 3:2, 7; 1 John 4:17; εἰμί ὥσπερ τίς to be, to do as one, to imitate him, be like him, Matthew 6:5 (R G); Luke 18:11 (R G T WH text); ἔστω σοι ὥσπερ etc. regard him as a heathen and a publican, i. e. have no fellowship with him, Matthew 18:17; εἰμί ὡς or ὡσεί τίς, to be as, i. e. like or equal to anyone, Matt. ( L T Tr WH); ; Luke 11:44; ( L Tr WH marginal reading); ; 1 Corinthians 7:29f; τά σπλάγχνα περισσοτέρως εἰς ὑμᾶς ἐστιν he is moved with the more abundant love toward you, 2 Corinthians 7:15. — But see each adverb in its place.

IV. εἰμί with the oblique cases of substantives or of pronouns;

1. εἶναι τίνος, like the Latinalicuius esse, equivalent to to pertain to a person or a thing, denotes any kind of possession or connection (possessive genitive); cf. Krüger, § 47, 6, 4ff; Winers Grammar, § 30, 5 b.; Buttmann, § 132, 11.

a. of things which one owns: ἔσται σου πᾶσα (Rec. πάντα), Luke 4:7; οὗ ἐστιν ἡ ζώνη αὕτη, Acts 21:11; add, Mark 12:7; John 10:12; John 19:24; — or for the possession of which he is fitted: τίνος ἐστιν ἡ βασιλεία τοῦ οὐρανοῦ or τοῦ Θεοῦ, he is fit for a share in the kingdom of God, Matthew 5:3, 10; Matthew 19:14; Mark 10:14; Luke 18:16. πάντα ὑμῶν ἐστι, all things serve your interests and promote your salvation, 1 Corinthians 3:21.

b. of things which proceed from one: 2 Corinthians 4:7.

c. to be of one's party, be devoted to one: 1 Corinthians 1:12; 2 Timothy 2:19; τοῦ Χριστοῦ, Mark 9:41; Romans 8:9; 1 Corinthians 1:12; 2 Corinthians 10:7; hence also τῆς ὁδοῦ (namely, τοῦ κυρίου) εἶναι, Acts 9:2 (cf. Buttmann, 163 (142)).

d. to be subject to one; to be in his hands or power: Matthew 22:28; Acts 27:23; Romans 9:16; Romans 14:8; 1 Corinthians 3:23; 1 Corinthians 6:19, 20 Rec.; πνεύματος, Luke 9:55 Rec. Hence,

e. to be suitable, fit, for one: Acts 1:7.

f. to be of a kind or class: εἶναι νυκτός, σκότους, ἡμέρας, 1 Thessalonians 5:5, 8; or to be of the number of (a partitive genitive, cf. Buttmann, 159 (139)): Acts 23:6; 1 Timothy 1:20; 2 Timothy 1:15.

g. with a genitive of quality: Hebrews 10:39; Hebrews 12:11. h. with a genitive of age: Mark 5:42; Luke 3:23; Acts 4:22 (Tobit 14:11). With this use (viz. 1) of εἶναι, those examples must not be confounded in which a predicate nominative is to be repeated from the subject (cf. Krüger, § 47, 6, 1): οὐκ ἐστιν ὁ Θεός νεκρῶν, ἀλλά ζώντων, namely, Θεός, Matthew 22:32, cf. Mark 12:27; Luke 20:38; ταῦτα τά ῤήματα οὐκ ἐστι δαιμονιζομένου, namely, ῤήματα, John 10:21; οὐκ ἐστιν ἀκαταστασίας ὁ Θεός, ἀλλά εἰρήνης, 1 Corinthians 14:33; ἄλλο βιβλίον, ὁ ἐστι τῆς ζωῆς, Revelation 20:12; add, 2 Corinthians 2:3; 1 Peter 3:3.

2. εἰμί with the dative (cf. Krüger, § 48, 3 (who appears to regard the dative as expressing a less close or necessary relationship than the genitive); Winers Grammar, § 31, 2);

a. ἐστι μοι, ἡμῖν, etc. it is mine, ours, etc., I, we, etc., have: Luke 1:7; Luke 2:7, 10; Luke 14:10; John 18:10, 39; John 19:40; Acts 7:5; Acts 8:21; Acts 10:6; Romans 9:2, 9; 1 Corinthians 9:16; 1 Peter 4:11, and often. οὐκ ἐστι ἡμῖν (others ὑμῖν) ἡ πάλη πρός etc. we have not a struggle against etc. Ephesians 6:12; εἰσιν ἡμῖν we have here etc. Acts 21:23; τί ἔσται ἡμῖν what shall we have? what will be given us? Matthew 19:27; ὑμῖν ἐστιν ἡ ἐπαγγελία the promise belongs to you, Acts 2:39.

b. εἶναι τίνι τί to be something to (or for) someone, used of various relations, as of service, protection, etc.: σκεῦος ἐκλογῆς ἐστι μοι οὗτος namely, τοῦ with an infinitive Acts 9:15; ἔσεσθε μοι μάρτυρες, Acts ( R G, cf.) ; ἔσομαι αὐτῷ Θεός καί αὐτός ἔσται μοι υἱός, Revelation 21:7; ἔσονται μοι λαός, 2 Corinthians 6:16 (R G); εἰς τό εἶναι αὐτόν ... πατέρα ... τοῖς etc. Romans 4:11.

c. εἶναι τίνι τί, to be to one as or for something, to pass for etc.: 1 Corinthians 1:18; 1 Corinthians 2:14; 1 Corinthians 9:2, cf. Matthew 18:17.

d. εἶναι τίνι τί, to be, i. e. conduce, redound to one for (or as) something (cf. Krüger, § 48, 3, 5): 1 Corinthians 11:14; 2 Corinthians 2:15; Philippians 1:28; οὐαί δέ μοι ἐστι, 1 Corinthians 9:16 (Hosea 9:12).

e. ἔσται τίνι, will come upon, befall, happen to, one: Matthew 16:22; Luke 1:45.

f. Acts 24:11 οὐ πλείους εἰσί μοι ἡμέραι ἤ δεκαδύο (L T Tr WH omit ἤ and read δώδεκα) not more than twelve days are (namely, passed) to me, i. e. it is not more than twelve days. Luke 1:36 οὗτος μήν ἕκτος ἐστιν αὐτῇ this is the sixth month to (with) her. Those passages must not be brought under this head in which the dative does not belong to the verb but depends on an adjective, as καλός, κοινωνός, φίλος, etc.

V. εἰμί with prepositions and their cases.

1. ἀπό ὁ τίνος (τόπου), to come from, be a native of: John 1:44 (45) (cf. ἀπό, II. 1 a.).

2. εἰς τί, a. to have betaken oneself to some place and to be there, to have gone into (cf. Winers Grammar, § 50, 4 b.; (Buttmann, 333 (286)): εἰς οἶκον, Mark 2:1 (R G; others ἐν); εἰς τόν ἀγρόν, Mark 13:16 (R G); εἰς τήν κοίτην, Luke 11:7; εἰς τόν κόλπον, John 1:18, where cf. Tholuck (Winers Grammar, 415 (387); Buttmann, as above); (on Acts 8:20 see ἀπώλεια, 2 a.). metaphorically, to come to: εἰς χολήν πικρίας (hast fallen into), Acts 8:23.

b. to be directed toward a thing: ὥστε τήν πίστιν ὑμῶν ... εἶναι εἰς Θεόν, 1 Peter 1:21; to tend to anything: Romans 11:36 (Winers Grammar, § 50, 6).

c. to be for, i. e. conduce or inure to, serve for (Buttmann, 150f (131f); Winer's Grammar, § 29, 3 a.): 1 Corinthians 14:22; Colossians 2:22; James 5:3; ἐμοί εἰς ἐλάχιστον ἐστι, it results for me in, i. e. I account it, a very small thing, 1 Corinthians 4:3, (εἰς ὠφέλειαν, Aesop fab. 124, 2).

d. In imitation of the Hebrew הָיָה followed by לְ, εἶναι εἰς τινα or τί stands where the Greeks use a nominative (Winers Grammar and Buttmann, as above; especially Sophocles' Lexicon, under the word εἰς, 3): Matthew 19:5 and Mark 10:8 and 1 Corinthians 6:16 and Ephesians 5:31 ἔσονται εἰς σάρκα μίαν (from Genesis 2:24); 1 John 5:8 εἰς τό ἐν εἰσιν, unite, conspire, toward one and the same result, agree in one; 2 Corinthians 6:18 (Jeremiah 38:1 ()); Hebrews 1:5 (2 Samuel 7:14); .

3. ἐκ τίνος, a. to be of, i. e. a part of anything, to belong to, etc. (Winers Grammar, 368 (345); cf. Buttmann, 159 (139)): 1 Corinthians 12:15f; ἐκ τινων, of the number of: Matthew 26:73; Mark 14:69; Luke 22:58; John 1:24; John 6:64, 71 (R T); ; Acts 21:8; 2 Timothy 3:6; 1 John 2:19; Revelation 17:11 (Xenophon, mem. 3, 6, 17); ἐκ τοῦ ἀριθμοῦ τινων, Luke 22:3.

b. to be of, i. e. to have originated, sprung, come, from (Winers Grammar, § 51, 1 d.; Buttmann, 327 (281f)): Luke 23:7; John 1:46 (); (ὁ ὤν ἐκ τῆς γῆς); ; Acts 4:6; Acts 19:25; Acts 23:34; Galatians 3:21; 1 John 4:7; ὅς ἐστιν ἐξ ὑμῶν, your fellow-countryman, Colossians 4:9.

c. to be of, i. e. proceed from one as the author (Winers Grammar, 366f (344f); Buttmann, 327 (281)): Matthew 5:37; John 7:17; Acts 5:38; 2 Corinthians 4:7; 1 John 2:16; Hebrews 2:11; εἶναι ἐξ οὐρανοῦ, ἐξ ἀνθρώπων, to be instituted by the authority of God, by the authority of men, Matthew 21:25; Mark 11:30; Luke 20:4; to be begotten of one, Matthew 1:20.

d. to be of, i. e. be connected with one; to be related to, (cf. Winer's § 51, 1 d.; cf. in ἐκ, II. 1 a. and 7): ὁ νόμος οὐκ ἐστιν ἐκ πίστεως, has no connection with faith, Galatians 3:12; ἐξ ἔργων νόμου εἶναι (Luth.mit Werken umgehen), Galatians 3:10; especially in John's usage, to depend on the power of one, to be prompted and governed by one, and reflect his character: thus εἶναι ἐκ τοῦ διαβόλου, John 8:44; 1 John 3:8; ἐκ τοῦ πονηροῦ, 1 John 3:12; ἐκ τοῦ κόσμου, John 15:19; John 17:14, 16; 1 John 4:5; when this expression is used of wickedness, it is equivalent to produced by the world and pertaining to it, 1 John 2:16; opposed to ἐκ τοῦ Θεοῦ εἶναι, John 8:47; 1 John 4:1-3; this latter phrase is used especially of true Christians, as begotten anew by the Spirit of God (see γεννάω, 2 d.): 1 John 4:4, 6; 1 John 5:19; 3 John 1:11; ἐκ τῆς ἀληθείας εἶναι, either to come from the love of truth as an effect, as 1 John 2:21, or, if used of a man, to be led and governed by the love and pursuit of truth, as John 18:37; 1 John 3:19; ὁ ὤν ἐκ τῆς γῆς ἐκ τῆς γῆς ἐστι, he who is from the earth as respects origin bears the nature of this his earthly origin, is earthly, John 3:31.

e. to be of, i. e. formed from: Revelation 21:21; 1 Corinthians 11:8.

4. ἐν τίνι, a. with the dative of place, to be in, i. e. be present, to stay, dwell; a prop Matthew 24:26; Luke 2:49, etc.; on the surface of a place (Germauf), as ἐν τῇ ὁδῷ, Mark 10:32 and elsewhere; ἐν τῷ ἀγρῷ, Luke 15:25. at: ἐν δεξιά tou] Θεοῦ, Romans 8:34; to live, dwell, as in a city: Luke 18:3; Acts 9:10; Philippians 1:1; 1 Corinthians 1:2, etc.; of God, ἐν οὐρανοῖς, Ephesians 6:9; of things which are found, met with, in a place: 2 Timothy 2:20, etc. β. things so pertaining to locality that one can, in a proper sense, be in them or be surrounded by them, are spoken of in the same way metaphorically and improperly, as εἶναι ἐν τῷ φωτί, ἐν τῇ σκοτία: 1 John 2:9, 11; 1 Thessalonians 5:4; ἐν σαρκί, Romans 7:5; Romans 8:8 (see σάρξ, 4).

b. to be in a state or condition (see Buttmann, 330 (284); cf. Winer's Grammar, § 29, 3 b. and ἐν, I. 5 c.): ἐν εἰρήνη, Luke 11:21; ἐν ἔχθρα, Luke 23:12; ἐν κρίματι, Luke 23:40; ἐν περιτομή, ἐν ἀκροβυστία, Romans 4:10; ἐν δόξῃ, 2 Corinthians 3:8, etc.; hence, spoken of ills which one is afflicted with: ἐν ῤύσει αἵματος, Mark 5:25; Luke 8:43 (ἐν τῇ νόσῳ, Sophocles Aj. 271; inmorbo esse, Cicero, Tusc. 3, 4, 9); of wickedness in which one is, as it were, merged, ἐν ταῖς ἁμαρτίαις, 1 Corinthians 15:17; of holiness, in which one perseveres, ἐν πίστει, 2 Corinthians 13:5.

c. to be in possession of, provided with a thing (Winer's Grammar, 386 (361)): Philippians 4:11; ἐν ἐξουσία, Luke 4:32; ἐν βαρεῖ (see βάρος, at the end), 1 Thessalonians 2:7 (6).

d. to be occupied in a thing (Bernhardy (1829), p. 210; (see iv, I. 5 g.)): ἐν τῇ ἑορτή, in celebrating the feast, John 2:23; to be sedulously devoted to (A. V. give oneself wholly to) a thing, 1 Timothy 4:15 (Horace, epistles 1, 1, 11omnis in hoc sum).

e. a person or thing is said to be in one, i. e. in his soul: thus, God (by his power and influence) in the prophets, 1 Corinthians 14:25; Christ (i. e. his holy mind and power) in the souls of his disciples or of Christians, John 17:26; 2 Corinthians 13:5; τό πνεῦμα τῆς ἀληθείας, John 14:17; friends are said to be ἐν τῇ καρδία of one who loves them, 2 Corinthians 7:3. vices, virtues, and the like, are said to be in one: as δόλος, John 1:47 (48); ἀδικία, John 7:18; ἄγνοια, Ephesians 4:18; ἁμαρτία, 1 John 3:5; ἀλήθεια, John 8:44; 2 Corinthians 11:10; Ephesians 4:21; 1 John 1:8; 1 John 2:4, (ἀλήθεια καί κρίσις, 1 Macc. 7:18); ἀγάπη, John 17:26; 1 John 2:15; ὁ λόγος αὐτοῦ (τοῦ Θεοῦ) οὐκ ἐστιν ἐν ἡμῖν, God's word has not left its impress on our souls, 1 John 1:10; τό φῶς οὐκ ἐστιν ἐν αὐτῷ, the efficacy or influence of the light is not in his soul (rather, an obvious physical fact is used to suggest a spiritual truth: the light is not in him, does not shine from within outward), John 11:10; σκοτία, 1 John 1:5; σκάνδαλον, 1 John 2:10, i. e. there is nothing within him to seduce him to sin (cf. Dusterdieck and Huther at the passage). Acts 13:15 (if ye have in mind any word of exhortation etc. (Winers Grammar, 218 (204f)).

f. ἐν τῷ Θεῷ εἶναι is said α. of Christians, as being rooted, so to speak, in him, i. e. intimately united to him, 1 John 2:5; 1 John 5:20; β. of all men, because the ground of their creation and continued being is to be found in him alone, Acts 17:28.

g. with a dative of the person to be in — (i. e. either) among the number of: Matthew 27:56; Mark 15:40; Luke 2:44; Romans 1:6; — (or, in the midst of: Acts 2:29; Acts 7:44 Rec., etc.) h. noteworthy, further, are the following: ἐστι τί ἐν τίνι there is something (to blame) in one, Acts 25:5; something is (founded (A. V. stand)) in a thing, 1 Corinthians 2:5; οὐκ ἐστιν ἐν οὐδενί ἄλλῳ ἡ σωτηρία salvation is (laid up, embodied) in none other, can be expected from none, Acts 4:12; with the dative of the thing, is (contained, wrapped up) in something: Ephesians 5:18; Hebrews 10:3; 1 John 4:18.

5. εἰμί ἐπί a. τίνος, to be on: ἐπί τοῦ δώματος, Luke 17:31; ἐπί τῆς κεφαλῆς, John 20:7; to be (set) over a thing, Acts 8:27; to preside, rule, over, Romans 9:5.

b. τίνι, to be at (Winer's Grammar, 392 (367)): ἐπί θύραις, Matthew 24:33; Mark 13:29.

c. τινα, to be upon one: χάρις ἦν ἐπί τινα, was with him, assisted him, Luke 2:40; Acts 4:33; πνεῦμα ἦν ἐπί τινα, had come upon one, was impelling him, Luke 2:25, cf. Luke 4:18; the Sept. Isaiah 61:1; add, Galatians 6:16; εἶναι ἐπί τό αὐτό, to be (assembled) together (cf. αὐτός, III. 1), Acts 1:15; Acts 2:1, 44; of cohabitation, 1 Corinthians 7:5 (according to the reading ἦτε for Rec. συνέρχεσθε).

6. εἰμί κατά a. τίνος, to be against one, to oppose him: Matthew 12:30; Luke 9:50; Luke 11:23; Galatians 5:23; Romans 8:31 (opposed to ὑπέρ τίνος, as in Mark 9:40).

b. κατά τί, according to something: κατά σάρκα, κατά πνεῦμα, to bear the character, have the nature, of the flesh or of the Spirit, Romans 8:5; εἶναι κατ' ἄνθρωπον, Galatians 1:11; κατ' ἀλήθειαν, Romans 2:2.

7. μετά τίνος, a. to be with (i. e., to associate with) one: Matthew 17:17; Mark 3:14; Mark 5:18; Luke 6:3; John 3:26; John 12:17; John 16:32; Acts 9:39, and often in the Gospels; Revelation 21:3; of ships accompanying one, Mark 4:36; of what is present with one for his profit, 2 John 1:2; Romans 16:20; Hebraistically, to be with one, i. e. as a help (of God, becoming the companion, as it were, of the righteous): Luke 1:66; John 3:2; John 8:29; John 16:32; Acts 7:9; Acts 10:38; Acts 11:21; Acts 18:10; 2 Corinthians 13:11; Philippians 4:9; 2 John 1:3, cf. Matthew 28:20 (Genesis 21:20; Judges 6:12, etc.).

b. to be (i. e. to cooperate) with: Matthew 12:30; Luke 11:23 (Xenophon, an. 1, 3, 5 (others ἰέναι)).

8. εἰμί παρά a. τίνος, to (have come and so) be from one: Christ is said εἶναι παρά τοῦ Θεοῦ, John 6:46; John 7:29; John 9:16, 33; τί παρά τίνος, is from i. e. given by one, John 17:7.

b. τίνι, to be with one: Matthew 22:25; οὐκ εἶναι παρά τῷ Θεῷ is used to describe qualities alien to God, as προσωπολημψία, Romans 2:11; Ephesians 6:9; ἀδικία, Romans 9:14.

c. τινα (τόπον), by, by the side of: Mark 5:21; Acts 10:6.

9. πρός τινα (cf. Winers Grammar, 405 (378)), a. toward: πρός ἑσπέραν ἐστι it is toward evening, Luke 24:29.

b. by (turned toward): Mark 4:1.

c. with one: Matthew 13:56; Mark 6:3; Mark 9:19; Luke 9:41; John 1:1 (cf. Meyer at the passage).

10. σύν τίνι, a. to associate with one: Luke 22:56; Luke 24:44; Acts 13:7; Philippians 1:23; Colossians 2:5; 1 Thessalonians 4:17.

b. to be the companion of one, to accompany him: Luke 7:12 (Relz T Tr brackets WH); ; Acts 4:13; Acts 22:9; 2 Peter 1:18.

c. (to be an adherent of one, be on his side: Acts 5:17; Acts 14:4 (A. V. to hold with) (Xenophon, Cyril 5, 4, 37).

11. εἰμί ὑπέρ a. τίνος, to be for one, to favor his side: Mark 9:40; Luke 9:50; Romans 8:31 (opposed to εἰμί κατά τίνος).

b. τινα, to be abore one, to surpass, excel him: Luke 6:40.

12. ὑπό τινα (cf. Buttmann, 341 (293)), a. to be under (i. e., subject to) one: Matthew 8:9 R G T Tr; Romans 3:9; Romans 6:14; Galatians 3:10, 25; Galatians 5:18; 1 Timothy 6:1.

b. to be (locally) under a thing: e. g. under a tree, John 1:48 (49); a cloud, 1 Corinthians 10:1. Further, see each preposition in its own place.

VI. As in classical Greek, so also in the N. T. εἰμί is very often omitted (cf. Winer § 64, I. 2, who gives numerous examples (cf. 596 (555); 350 (328f)); Buttmann, 136f (119f)), ἐστιν most frequently of all the parts: Luke 4:18; Romans 11:36; 1 Corinthians 4:20; 2 Timothy 3:16; Hebrews 5:13, etc.; in exclamations, Acts 19:28, 34; in questions, Romans 9:14; 2 Corinthians 6:14-16; τί γάρ, Philippians 1:18; Romans 3:3; τί οὖν, Romans 3:9; Romans 6:15; also εἰ, Revelation 15:4; εἰμί, 2 Corinthians 11:6; ἐσμεν, ἐστε, 1 Corinthians 4:10; εἰσί, Romans 4:14; 1 Corinthians 13:8, etc.; the imperative ἔστω, Romans 12:9; Hebrews 13:4f; ἐστε, Romans 12:9; 1 Peter 3:8; εἰν in wishes, Matthew 16:22; Galatians 6:16, etc.; even the subjunctive ἤ after ἵνα, Romans 4:16; 2 Corinthians 8:11 (after ὅπως), 13; often the participle ὤν, ὄντες, as (see Buttmann, § 144, 18) in Mark 6:20; Acts 27:33; in the expressions οἱ ἐκ περιτομῆς, ὁ ἐκ πίστεως, οἱ ὑπό νόμον, etc. (Compare: ἄπειμι, ἔνειμι (ἔξεστι), πάρειμι, συμπάρειμι, σύνειμι.)

STRONGS NT 1510: εἶμιεἶμι, to go, approved of by some in John 7:34, 36, for the ordinary εἰμί, but cf. Winers Grammar, § 6, 2; (Buttmann, 50 (43). Compare: ἄπειμι, εἴσειμι, ἔξειμι, ἔπειμι, σύνειμι.)

The first person singular present indicative; a prolonged form of a primary and defective verb; I exist (used only when emphatic) -- am, have been, X it is I, was. See also ei, eien, einai, heis kath heis, en, esomai, esmen, este, esti, kerdos, isthi, o.

see GREEK ei

see GREEK eien

see GREEK einai

see GREEK heis kath heis

see GREEK en

see GREEK esomai

see GREEK esmen

see GREEK este

see GREEK esti

see GREEK kerdos

see GREEK isthi

see GREEK o