BIBLE GREEK WORD STUDY
Eimi (eimí) — Meaning & Usage in the Bible
εἰμί (eimí, G1510) is the Greek verb 'to be,' used for existence, identity, possession, and as a copula linking subject and predicate.
Meaning of the word
εἰμί is the Greek verb 'to be,' corresponding to English 'am,' 'is,' 'are,' 'was,' and 'were.' It functions as the substantive verb (expressing that someone or something exists) and as the copula (joining a subject to a predicate noun, adjective, or other complement). Because it is so common, it covers many of the same uses the English verb 'to be' does, including identity ('I am he'), existence ('there is'), possession ('the things that are Caesar's'), and quality ('the way is narrow').
The verb is highly inflected, with forms such as ἐστίν (is), ἦν (was), ἔσται (will be), εἶ (you are), and ὤν (being). In the New Testament it appears in every layer of Greek syntax: as an impersonal 'there is/was' (ἔστιν), with a participle to form a periphrastic tense ('was sitting' = ἦν καθήμενος), and in set phrases like ἐγώ εἰμί ('I am he'), echoing the Old Testament self-disclosure of God (cf. Deuteronomy 32:39).
Although the lexicon definition emphasizes that εἰμί is 'used only when emphatic,' in practice the verb carries weight whenever the writer draws attention to a subject's nature or presence. John 1:1 uses it three times in one sentence — 'In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God' — to assert both the pre-existence of the Logos and its identity with God. The same verse shows εἰμί functioning as substantive verb (ἦν = 'existed') and as copula (θεὸς ἦν ὁ λόγος = 'the Word was God').
Usage in Scripture
Across the Gospels, εἰμί frequently identifies persons and explains events. Matthew 1:20 uses ἐστιν to identify the child conceived in Mary ('that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit'), and Matthew 3:3 applies Isaiah's prophecy to John the Baptist with 'this is he that was spoken of.' In Matthew 2:13 the imperative form ἴσθι ('be there') shows εἰμί governing direct commands, not just descriptions. These examples show how εἰμί carries theological weight in narrative — naming who someone is, where they must be, and what is taking place.
In epistles and apocalyptic literature the verb shifts toward doctrinal statements. The periphrastic construction with participles (e.g., ἦν with a present participle) imitates Hebrew verbal style and is very common in Luke–Acts, while the simple copula predominates in Paul's identity clauses ('Christ is the end of the law,' 'God is one'). Revelation's 'the One who is and who was' (ὁ ὢν καὶ ὁ ἦν) preserves a present-and-past participle formula that the lexicon entry highlights as a distinct theological idiom.
The word in detail
- G1510 ε�μί is the most frequent verb in the Greek New Testament (2,011 occurrences). It functions both as the substantive verb ('exist, be present') and as the copula ('X is Y'). When it is omitted for emphasis or in Semitic style, the predicate alone stands — as in the absolute ἐγώ εἰμί ('I am he'), which carries strong theological weight in John's Gospel.
Example verses
- Matthew 1:18 ἦν ('was') introduces the birth of Jesus with a background-setting imperfect: 'the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise.' The verb carries no emphasis here; the focus falls on the surrounding narrative, but εἰμί still marks the temporal framework of the event.
- Matthew 1:19 ὢν ('being') is the present participle of εἰμί, used here to describe Joseph's character ('being a righteous man'). This is a classic periphrastic use where the participle carries the main descriptive weight and εἰμί simply links it to its subject.
- Matthew 1:20 ἐστιν ('is') identifies the source of the conception: 'that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit.' Here εἰμί functions as a simple copula, equating the subject with the predicate phrase.
- Matthew 3:3 ἐστιν ('is') applies the Isaiah prophecy to John the Baptist: 'this is he that was spoken of through Isaiah the prophet.' A straightforward copula use, equating 'this' (the voice in the wilderness) with 'he' (John).
Common questions
Is εἰμί the same as English 'to be'?
Functionally yes — εἰμί covers existence, identity, possession, and the linking of subject to predicate, just as English 'to be' does. But Greek also uses it in set theological phrases (ἐγώ εἰμί, 'I am he') and in Hebrew-style periphrastic tenses where English would use a simple verb form.
Why is εἰμί called 'emphatic' in the lexicon?
The lexicon notes that εἰμί appears chiefly where the writer wants to stress existence or identity. When the focus is on what something is or that it really exists (as in John 1:1's threefold 'was' or in Revelation's 'the One who is and who was'), εἰμί is the verb chosen.
How many times does ε�μί occur in the New Testament?
According to the provided data, εἰμί occurs 2,011 times across 1,716 distinct verses, making it the most common verb in the Greek New Testament.